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Keep Clean

How to Keep a Pug Clean

With a thick coat of fur and lots of wrinkles,

it sometimes takes a bit of work to keep a Pug clean and tidy.

Photo: Moochi, a rescue, courtesy of Gina Pucciarelli

Overview

Pugs can get dirty and smelly pretty quickly. All sorts of grime and debris can cling to the coat and paws. Moisture, bacteria, and yeast can hide in skin folds, facial wrinkles, and the ears. And there are several issues that can lead to bad odors.

Fortunately, there are some relatively easy tasks you can do to prevent all of those things from happening. This section will cover the details of the 7 steps for keeping a Pug super-clean and smelling nice:

Give baths every 3 weeks.
Daily face wiping.
Clean the ear flaps and outer ear canals.
Keep the paws clean via wax to repel dirt and rinsing.
Spot-clean as needed.
Thorough brushing.
Use a coat spray.

The results will be healthy skin and fur, infection-free wrinkles, skin folds, and ears, and a nice-smelling Pug that looks dapper and tidy.

#1 Baths every 3 weeks.

On a never-ending basis, a natural oil called sebum is produced by a dog’s body and secreted through the skin pores. It lubricates the skin, acting as a natural protectant. But, being oil, it does not evaporate. Instead, it accumulates. When it reaches a certain point, it can get terribly stinky. Old oil needs to be routinely washed off, via a bath, so that the skin can start over with a clean slate.

But baths done too often can lead to excessive dry skin (even if good products are used) because it’s hard for a dog’s body to keep up if those oils are cleansed away too frequently. And if baths are not done often enough, accumulation of body oils can mean blocked skin pores, skin irritation, itching, and a strong unpleasant odor.

So, a good schedule is just about every 3 weeks. Here are some tips:

1. Use a quality shampoo.

Water doesn’t rinse away body oil. So, you need a shampoo that will do this job yet be gentle on the skin at the same time. Steer clear of harsh soaping agents and additives like parabens that can damage the skin as it strips away oils and instead opt for plant-based cleansers like coconut and natural ingredients.

We recommend Earthbath All-Natural Shampoo. There are several excellent formulas to choose from. For all Pugs, the Oatmeal & Aloe is great for keeping skin in good shape. If your Pug tends to get smelly, the Mediterranean Magic which has rosemary can be very helpful. And if your Pug has skin irritations, the Eucalyptus & Peppermint can be very soothing.

2. Follow with a wash-out conditioner.

The bathing process causes hair cuticles to open. If they stay that way, fur can become very dried out. A conditioner will help smooth the cuticles down to a close position which keeps the fur protected.

For this, we recommend Earthbath Oatmeal and Aloe Conditioner which works well in conjunction with any of Earthbath’s shampoos and is great for keeping skin in good shape.

3. Be sure to reach down to skin level.

It’s vital to clean a Pug’s skin, not just the fur. But if you have an adult Pug, you may have found that it’s really hard to massage shampoo down through the thick coat. To make your job easier, brush your Pug before the bath to remove dead hairs that may be trapped in the coat and use a scrub brush like the Bodhi Dog Soothing Massage Shampoo Brush to massage the shampoo down.

#2 Daily facial wiping.

To keep a Pug clean, you need to target the areas that tend to get dirty very quickly and the face is definitely at the top of the list. This breed’s deep facial wrinkles are a magnet for tiny bits of food, debris, and moisture. If the wrinkles are not cleaned out, within just a day or so they can rapidly become irritated with red, sensitive skin and a smelly yeast infection is not too far away.

Ideally each evening after the last meal, use wipes to carefully clean each wrinkle to remove any moisture or gunk that has built up throughout the day. If you use something that is very wet, be sure to then dry each wrinkle afterward.

For this, we recommend PetPost Wrinkle Wipes for Dogs which are lightly moistened wipes (no need to a 2nd step of drying) that have both coconut oil and aloe which is fantastic for keeping the wrinkles in good shape. You can also swipe over and around the eyes with these if your Pug tends to have eye ‘goop’.

Tip:

For wrinkles that tend to always be red and irritated, it can be beneficial to use a wrinkle balm meant to create a barrier from moisture and other irritants while offering relief to sensitive skin.

For this, Natural Dog Company Wrinkle Balm is a good one. This can effectively treat existing issues (use up to 2 times daily) and works very well as a preventative measure (use several times a week).

#3 Clean the ear flaps and outer canals.

Ears are another area that can pick up all sorts of grime, tiny debris and irritants in a short amount of time. Any excess moisture can lead to yeast infections. And often as a response when a dog has allergies, excess ear wax can build up which can clog up the canals and lead to infections.

So, if routine ear cleaning upkeep is not performed, this can lead to dirty ears, bad odors, and even bacterial infections.

There are two steps to this:

1. Clean the ear flaps.

It’s best to swipe out as much dirt and debris while it’s still on the ear flaps and has not yet made its way into the canals. Depending on how dirty your Pug’s ears get, this should be done 1 to 3 times per week. Note that you will want to use something that is not overly wet since you do not want to introduce moisture to the ears (a major cause of infections).

For routine cleaning, we recommend Earthbath Specialty Ear Wipes. Simply swipe out the entire inside flap being sure to get into the crevices.

2. Clean out the ear canals, if needed.

Not all Pugs needs to have their ear canals flushed out; however, those that tend to develop infections (typically those with allergies or excessive wax production) can benefit from this every 3 week or so. This involves using a cleanser designed to break up wax (and debris that has become embedded in it) and push a certain amount of it up into the opening for removal.

For this type of routine cleaning, we recommend Doggie Dailies Pet Ear Cleaner. For maintenance, one a week is generally effective. And instructions are rather straightforward: A small amount of cleanser is applied into the canal via an applicator tip, the base of each ear is massaged to move the solution around and breakup wax, then the outer ear is wiped with sterile gauze or a grooming wipe to clear away any solution and/or debris that broke free of the wax and made its way up.

#4 Keep the paws clean.

Since most Pugs are taken outside at least several times a day, the paws come into contact with all sorts of dirt, grime, and debris. And it’s common for what’s on the paws to be tracked into the house, not only making your floors dirty, but also your furniture, your Pug’s bed, and just about everything that a dog comes into contact with.

In addition to this, allergens like pollen and summertime irritants like lawn care chemicals or wintertime elements like ice melt products can cling to the fine hairs on the paws or the paw skin itself. This can cause a Pug to suffer from contact reactions at the time of exposure as well as further issues if those elements are brought into the house.

So, it is beneficial to keep a Pug’s paws clean and this can be accomplished with 2 steps:

1. Use a paw wax.

There are lots of benefits to using a paw wax: It can work to repel debris, allergens, and irritants. It offers a layer of protection from outdoor walking surfaces, gives a dog good traction, and helps keep paw skin healthy and properly moisturized.

One of the most popular waxes is Musher's Secret Pet Paw Protection Wax. This is typically applied every 7 to 10 days.

2. Rinse off the paws.

Regardless of whether you are using a wax to create a barrier or not, if your Pug was trudging through mud, wet grass, or other damp or dirty areas, if there are high levels of pollen outside, or if you know or suspect your Pug came into contact with contact irritants like lawn products, the paws should be rinsed off when coming in from outside.

There are a few different ways to get this done fast and easy. The kitchen sink can work well if you have a puppy, an outdoor hose can work if the weather is agreeable and the hose set up is close enough to your door, or the tub can be used if you can comfortably carry your Pug. If these options don’t work for you, you may want to consider a paw cleaner like the Dexas MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Cleaner.

#5 Spot-cleaning.

In the 3 weeks or so in between full baths, lots of small things can happen that add up to a dirty and smelly Pug:

Small backsplashes of urine can get on the belly and/or coat
Tiny bits of feces can cling to the fine hairs on a Pug’s rear end
Pollen and other outdoor elements like bits of grass and dirt can get trapped in the coat
Tiny food particles can get stuck on fur around the face, neck, and chest
The coat can get smelly particularly if it gets wet but without a cleansing agent applied (like when a Pug is out in the rain).
Skin folds (arm pits, groin area, any body wrinkles) can harbor moisture and bacteria.

One way to respond to all this and keep a Pug clean is to wipe them down with grooming wipes, where needed and as needed. Most Pugs need this sort of spot-cleaning every 1 to 3 days and areas like the skin folds, the belly, and bum, and the groin area, as well as down the back should be given the most attention.

An important aspect to keep in mind is that a hypo-allergenic product is best since the Pug breed can have sensitive skin that reacts badly to certain detergents, artificial fragrances, and synthetic additives like propylene glycol.

One recommended wipe is Pogi's Hypo-Allergenic Grooming Wipes. These are made from bamboo which is earth-friendly and have a durable texture that can stand up to a Pug’s thick coat yet are super-gentle with zero additives and only all-natural ingredients including aloe vera, vitamin E, awapuhi, and cucumber extract.

#6 Thorough brushing.

When you think about brushing a Pug, the first (and perhaps only) thing that probably comes to mind is pulling out lots of dead, shedded hairs. And, of course that is very true with this high-shedding breed. But not everyone realizes this is directly connected to cleanliness and smell.

As touched on earlier (Tip #1, Baths every 3 weeks), a body oil called sebum is secreted out through a dog’s skin pores and acts as a natural skin protectant. The accumulation of this oil that can start to get stinky if it’s not properly rinsed off during baths. But another issue is that a buildup of dead hairs that are trapped in the coat can become encased with this slick substance. If so, the smell can be intensified. These coated hairs also tend to attract and trap all sorts of fine particles.

If you routinely pull those hairs out, you’ll also be removing the smell and any stuck-on debris. The bonus to this is that regular brushing will help keep shedding under control; the more hairs that end up on the brush, the less that end up on you, your furniture, etc.

Brush your Pug every 3 days with a slicker brush or grooming mitt or glove.

If you’ve never used a grooming glove before, you may want to check it out, it’s a great way to grab lots of dead hairs from thick coat. Since these slip over your hands so there’s nothing to hold and most dogs enjoy having these used on them (it’s like being petted and massaged at the same time). A popular one is the Handson Grooming Gloves.

#7 Use a leave-in coat spray.

If you’ll be tending to the coat every few days to remove shedded hairs (previous tip #6), it’s really easy to add on the simple step of misting the coat as you go with a leave-in spray or spritz.

This sort of product can help the coat repel all sorts of elements (fine urine spray, small airborne particles like pollen and other allergens, and dirt) and can also be great for keeping fur nice and shiny. Additionally, some sprays have nice fragrances which can be just the thing to keep your Pug smelling fresh and clean.

It’s difficult choosing a favorite coat spray since there’s several good options; however, you can’t go wrong with Earthbath All Natural Deodorizing Spritz. This line of coat sprays has formulas that complement their shampoos (though you can mix and match) and it’s 100% all-natural. Choices include Eucalyptus & Peppermint, Lavender, Mango Tango, and Mediterranean Magic.

Summary and Cleaning Schedule

To simply the steps to keeping a Pug clean, here is a summary organized by how often each task should be done:

Daily: Clean the face (facial wrinkles and around the eyes), rinse off paws.

Every 1 to 3 days: Spot-clean with grooming wipes, clean the ear flaps, brush the coat along with a coat spray

Every week: Apply paw wax

Every 3 weeks: Give a bath, flush the ear canals (if needed)

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