#8: Follow exercise requirements and restrictions.
Despite their reputation for being lazy, Pugs can have a good amount of energy. And, you'll want to meet this by keeping your Pug moving along, for several reasons:
Exercise plays an important role in a Pug's physical health; it's good for the heart and lungs, regulates metabolism, helps maintain proper muscle composition, boosts the immune system, and can keep certain diseases at bay including canine diabetes and even some forms of cancer. Exercise also plays a vital role in a dog's mental health; it allows a dog to release any restlessness that bottles up and allows for desensitization and socialization to all outside elements.
At the same time, too much exertion in either duration or intensity can lead to breathing difficulties or overheating for this brachycephalic breed.
So, the goal for this care element is to
exercise your Pug
on a regular basis while keeping in mind your dog's limitations.
Pugs do best with at least two walks per day. Each session should last a minimum of 20 minutes, but can extend to 45 minutes or even longer if your Pug is game. Breaks should be taken at the halfway mark of a short walk, every 15 to 20 minutes for a longer walk, or any time that a Pug is breathing noticeably heavier than normal. Bring your Pug into the shade and offer fresh water, ensuring that breathing is back to normal before starting up again.
Light to moderate cardio sessions can also be added in, with a rousing game of fetch being the easiest to play and one that most dogs love.
#9: Adjust certain care tactics according to the season.
Pugs are sensitive to seasonal changes in temperature and some care elements will need to be adjusted.
Summer
- Hot humid weather makes
summertime care
a bit tricky with Pugs. Breathing issues are more pronounced and it's more difficult to keep a Pug active. It can help to take your little guy or gal for walks in the early morning and then later in the evening, avoiding the hottest parts of the day.
You can help your Pug stay cool by offering lots of water and refreshing treats like frozen blueberries or raspberries.
Stay aware of hot walking surfaces which can cause burns to a dog's paws. Take routes in the shade when possible and use a paw wax to offer a layer of protection.
Another helpful care tip is to give your Pug a cooling mat to rest on.
The Green Pet Shop Self-Cooling Pet Pad
works by drawing excess heat away from the body, is self-activating (you don't have to plug it in), and can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Winter
- Plunging temperatures and slippery weather conditions can make
wintertime care
a bit challenging as well. Fortunately, Pugs have thick coats which help them stay warm in the winter, but never-the-less, many don't like to go out when it's snowy and cold. And, even with dense fur, dogs that are outside for too long, particularly when it's below freezing, are vulnerable to developing hypothermia.
So, continue to take your Pug out for their regular exercise sessions, but limit this on days with heavy winter precipitation or below-freezing temperatures.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that arid winter air can lead to issues with dry skin. Be sure you are using a hydrating shampoo (see care tip
#2: Baths) and apply a paw wax every two weeks to offer better traction and keep the paw pads in good shape.
#10: Offer a supportive bed.
The Pug is prone to certain issues related to the joints, bones, and ligaments including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and Legg-Calve-Perthes. In addition to this, all dogs age 8-years and up suffer from some level of osteoarthritis and this is more common with breeds that have the aforementioned issues.
For this reason, supplying your Pug with a quality bed to rest and sleep on that provides good cushioning and proper support for the body is vital. This should be an appropriately sized orthopedic memory foam bed with at least a 2-inch base.
Either a flat mattress or a bolster bed will work and sometimes dogs do have a preference. Because Pugs tend to snore and may have other sleep-related breathing issues, like sleep apnea, being able to place their head on a bolstered cushion which helps extend the neck can be helpful.
A bed like the
BarksBar Orthopedic Snuggly Sleeper Dog Bed
has a nice 4-inch memory foam base and great padded cushions to provide head and neck support. This also has a non-slip backing and the cover is machine-washable.
#11: Supply your Pug with helpful toys.
There are lots of
effective toys
that can help your Pug in a number of ways and it's always better to have just a few that do their job than a ton that are ignored.
Teething puppies need teething toys that help them scratch their itchy gums and soothe the discomfort of erupting teeth. Pugs of all ages that enjoy chewing should be given durable chew toys that they find pleasant to use, as opposed to looking to non-toy items in the house.
Pugs that are home alone and
suffer from separation anxiety
can be helped with interactive toys that respond to them and a companion toy that helps ease feelings of isolation.
Routinely check your Pug’s toys for those that are worn or torn, throwing out old ones before they present a choking hazard and clean toys at least once per month in hot soapy water.