HOW TO BUY A PUG PUPPY

So you want a Pug puppy?

Having a Pug puppy join your family is a big commitment and it is important that you can satisfy yourself and the breeder that you are offering the home that the puppy deserves.

Do you have time for a puppy?

A puppy will need 4 meals a day, toilet training and socialising. A puppy needs your company in order to thrive and develop that special bond. Being out at work all day, even if someone does ‘pop in’ is not enough and very unfair on a Pug puppy that lives to please his or her human.

Is your home Pug Ready?

A puppy, like a toddler will be into everything. Electrical wires are particularly tempting for a tug of war and can be very dangerous and expensive. It is always expensive when the puppy has found your best pair of shoes, the tv remote control, or your phone charger! So be prepared to ensure that anything dangerous or valuable is not left within reach of the puppy. You may also need to consider installing a baby gate to prevent your puppy going upstairs. Pugs are very quick to learn how to climb stairs but are not safe doing so. They frequently cannot get back down safely and many serious injuries have been caused by them falling. Also their bones and joints are still forming and there is a risk of damage even if they don’t fall.

Is your garden Pug proof?

Your garden not only needs to be escape proof but intruder proof too. Many Pugs have been stolen from their own garden. Low branches, prickly shrubs and other sharp plants need trimming or removing if they pose a risk to your puppy’s eyes. Ponds and swimming pools should be securely fenced off.

Can you afford to keep a Pug?

Paying for your Pug puppy is the start of what will be an ongoing investment in keeping him or her fit and healthy. Whilst they don’t cost a lot to feed it is advisable to keep your Pug insured which will entail monthly payments. Eye injuries and illness can cost many thousands of pounds and it is preferable to have the peace of mind that your Pug can have the best possible care and funding is not an issue if these situations arise.

Will a Pug suit your lifestyle?

Puppies need constant care and company and as time goes on your pup will become an adult but will still want your company just as much as when he or she was a puppy. This will hopefully be for the next 12 years plus. A Pug always considers itself to be a family member and an equal to the two legged residents of your home. So if your life involves being at work all week and then out every night and weekend you cannot provide the home a Pug or any other dog needs. Any reputable breeder will point this out to you and advise you to wait until your circumstances are different. Pugs do constantly shed so if dog hairs annoy you in your home, car and on your clothes then a Pug isn’t for you either.

So if you are still wanting to have a Pug as a family member the next step is to find a reputable breeder!!

Adopt or Buy a Puppy?

You have done all your research and concluded that a Pug is the breed for you. What next?

Look for a puppy or consider an older dog? Shop or adopt?

Not everybody that wants a dog as a family member has the time or the inclination to house train and socialise a puppy. Your lifestyle may also mean that you regularly have to be away from the home for a few hours at a time and it is not acceptable to leave a puppy alone. So why not consider adopting an older Pug as your new best friend?

Due to the increase in popularity of the breed there are often older Pugs in rescues awaiting adoption. Not all are old, some are often as young as 8 months of age. Often neglected and abused, some have health issues and some are the victims of their owners change in circumstances, owners taken ill or having to move and very sadly some are just discarded because they are no longer any use to their owners or just not wanted. What these Pugs all have in common is that despite what they may have been through they want nothing more than to be loved and be your companion. There is nothing more rewarding than giving a second chance to one of these Pugs.

More information about adopting a Pug can be found at the Pug Dog Welfare and Rescue Association which is affiliated to the Pug Breed Council.