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Grooming (Main Page)

Pug Grooming

Overview

Pugs are considered to be a high-maintenance breed in regard to grooming. With Pugs, their thick double coat sheds quite a bit and tends to hold in odors, their wrinkles and skin folds can quickly develop a build-up of moisture and debris commonly leading to skin yeast infections, skin is prone to dryness, and fold-over ears can become dirty rather quickly.  

Properly grooming a Pug will involve:
  1. Baths once every 3 weeks
  2. Touch-up cleaning in between baths, as needed
  3. Cleaning the wrinkles daily
  4. Brushing the coat every 1 to 3 days
  5. Cleaning the eye area daily
  6. Cleaning the ears; the ear flaps several times per week, the ear canals every 6 weeks
  7. Paw care every 2 weeks
  8. Nose care, as needed but usually every 1 to 3 weeks in the wintertime
  9. Trimming the nails every 6 weeks
While this may seem like a lot of tasks, the staggered frequency of these grooming elements help keep things from becoming too overwhelming. And, whether you have a new Pug puppy or have been having some trouble grooming your older adult Pug, the tips in this article will help you get things on track with specific advice and steps to make each grooming task as easy as possible. 

1.Baths

A Pug should have a bath once every 3 weeks, unless a skin problem or fur issue requires more frequent bathing with a specialty shampoo or it's an issue of being extremely dirty (like having run through a mud puddle). Even if your Pug looks clean and smells just fine, stick with this schedule. 

Baths are given at this interval to cleanse away accumulated body oils. These are produced and secreted through hair follicles as the body's way of naturally keeping skin moisturized, but will block skin pores and start to smell if allowed to build up. 
You can give your Pug a bath in the kitchen sink (most often done with puppies, but this can also work with adults if the sink is large enough), the bathtub, or even outside if the weather is warm. Though you can use a scooper like a dish or cup, using a nozzle will help you soak the fur down to the skin and properly rinse out the products that you have massage into the coat. 
When you give your Pug a bath, you will need a quality shampoo and wash-out conditioner, a thin washcloth, a scrub brush (optional, but can help especially with adults due to the thick coat of this breed), and an absorbent towel. It's important to thoroughly dry the ear flaps and in between the toes since these areas are prone to skin yeast infections and other skin issues. 
Read more about giving a Pug a bath for complete details. 

2. Touch-up Cleanings

If you feel that giving your Pug a bath every 3 weeks could not possibly keep your dog clean enough, you're right. But, other grooming tasks, like touch-up cleaning and additional elements listed in this article, will keep a Pug fresh and tidy during those intervals. 

Body touch-ups involve using a pre-moistened grooming wipe to spot-clean areas on the body. You'll want to wipe down the underbelly and genital area since urine can splash back onto the body when a dog is peeing. And, you may want to wipe the rear end since tiny specks of feces can cling to the fine hairs there. 

Wiping down the entire body can be a great way to remove fine particle debris, dirt, and allergens that tend to cling to the coat (like pollen and grasses) and doing this is part of helping control allergies with Pugs. An added plus, is that if you use a wipe with a nice fragrance, this can play a role in keeping a Pug smelling pleasant. 

You can use grooming wipes as often as every day or just randomly as needed. 
A great grooming wipe to use is Earthbath All-Natural Mango Tango Grooming Wipes; these are thick, durable, and have a lovely fragrance. When you are cleaning just the wrinkles (see next tip), you'll want to opt for the fragrance-free wipes since a scent on the face can bother some dogs. 

3. Cleaning the Wrinkles

Pugs are known for their wrinkles and facial skin folds, it is a classic feature of this breed. And, while this does make a Pug look adorable, these areas tend to stay damp and dark, which is the ideal environment for bacteria and yeast. For this reason, Pugs are very prone to skin yeast infections particularly in their wrinkles and other areas like the armpits and genital area. 

For this reason, it is important to keep a Pug's wrinkles both clean and dry. This can be done by carefully wiping down each skin fold with a fragrance-free grooming wipe (as mentioned in the previous point: '2. Touch up Cleanings'). This should be done a minimum of once a day and ideally 3 times a day (after each meal). 
If you believe that your Pug may have a wrinkle infection, you may wish to read more about Pug dog wrinkles

4. Brushing the Coat

Fawn Pugs have a double-layer coat and many black Pugs have a single layer, but all have thick, dense fur and this is a heavy shedding breed. So, if you have a Pug, going over the coat to remove dead hairs is one grooming element that cannot be ignored. 
Because of the densely packed coat, many of the fallen hairs will end up trapped within the coat as opposed to falling to the ground (though, this will be apparent as well with lots of short hairs sticking to your furniture and even your clothes, if you don't brush your Pug often enough). 

Left in the coat, those fallen hairs will block proper air flow and eventually become weaved in with live hairs. Each hair that stays in the coat will eventually become coated in body oils, which can contribute to an unpleasant odor

So, the goal is to brush the coat (from head to tail and don't forget about the legs) with a tool that will reach down deep, latch onto all those loose and dead hairs, and remove them. 

Depending on your Pug's age (puppies do not shed as much as adults) and the season (fall and spring are top shedding times), this task should be done every 1 to 3 days. 
To do this as effectively as possible, you'll want to use the right tool. You may have a brush in mind, like a slicker brush, and these can work well to a certain extent. However, one of the easiest and fastest ways to groom a Pug's coat is with a grooming glove. This is what it sounds like, it is a glove that fits over your hand and attached to it is a number of bristles. Since Pugs need their coat tended to quite often, you'll find that this prevents your hand from getting tired (there's nothing to hold) and that it works so well that you won't have to go over the coat as often as you would with a brush. 
A recommended glove is the Delomo Enhanced Grooming Glove; this is actually a pair of gloves (if you want to use both hands) with over 250+ hair-latching nubs that are awesome for grabbing fallen hairs from thick coats. 
For more about the shedding cycle and brushing tips, refer to Pug dog shedding for complete details. 

5. Cleaning the Eye Area

Another classic feature of the Pug is this breed's large, slightly protruding eyes. The eyes are very beautiful, but their size and shape make them prone to collecting flecks of debris. And, any sort of eye irritation, which is common with Pugs, can cause excessive tearing. 

The goal for this grooming aspect is to keep the eye area as clean as possible, wiping away 'sleep' (technically known as rheum), any eye discharge, and any possible fine particle debris on a regular basis. 

Ideally, this should be done once a day and can be done up to 3 times per day (after each meal). 
Because the area around the eyes is very sensitive, we recommend using a specialty wipe for this. One like Arava Soft and Gentle Pet Eye Wipes is made just for around a dog's eyes and is an all-natural product that is terrific at removing eye crust and preventing discoloration on the fur around the eyes (known as tear stains) which can develop with chronic discharge. 

This is an all-natural product that uses a blend of chamomile, aloe vera, Lion's tooth (dandelions, known for its soothing abilities) and eyebright (a flowering plant known for its ability to reduce eye inflammation). 
Read more about Pug eye care for complete details of common issues and care guidelines. 

6. Cleaning the Ears

Pugs have folded drop ears, either with a rosebud or button shape (though a small number have 'flying ears'). And, while a drop ear does cover the ear canal (thus helping to prevent debris from entering), this type of ear also contributes toward excess wax and moisture becoming trapped in the ears which can lead to an unpleasant smell and possible ear infections (bacterial or yeast).  
For these reasons, part of grooming a Pug involves keeping the ears clean. This is done by wiping the ear flap and cleaning the ear canal. 
The ear flaps should be wiped using only a semi-moist grooming or ear wipe since you'll to avoid using anything too wet so that moisture does not enter the canal. This should be done at least once per week. if your Pug has a history of ear infections, this can be used as often as every other day. 
A recommended one is PPP Pet Aroma Care Ear Wipes which has both aloe vera and eucalyptus which cleans the ear flaps very well and also deodorizes the area for a fresh scent. 
The ear canals should also be kept free from excess wax buildup, any accumulation of debris, and any excess moisture. All of these elements can lead to ear infections. This is done by placing a few drops of an ear cleansing solution into the ear canal, massaging the base of the ear (which works the solution around and helps break up wax) and then wiping the ear flap of any debris that has come out with a piece of gauze or a cotton ball.  
This is typically done every 6 weeks; but, if a Pug is prone to ear infections, the veterinarian will usually suggest that this be done every 1 to 3 weeks. 
A recommended ear cleaning solution is Virbac Epi-Otic Advanced Ear Cleaner which has no alcohol (which can sting) and works excellent for both cleaning gunk out of the ears and drying up any excess moisture. 
Read more about Pug ear care for additional information regarding infections. 

7. Paw Care

A dog's paws take on an awful lot; there are numerous terrains to adjust to, both hot and cold walking surfaces, tiny debris like sand and pebbles, contact allergens (especially pollen), and contact irritants (like lawn care chemicals in the spring and summer and ice melt products in the winter).  

Without good paw maintenance, paw skin can become overly dry and the paw pads can become damaged, causing both discomfort and loss of traction. In severe cases, there can be cracking which is very painful for dogs and can take quite some time to heal. 
For these reasons, part of grooming a Pug is applying a paw wax to the paw pads and in between the toes. There are many benefits of using paw wax including:
  • A layer of protection from hot walking surfaces
  • A layer of protection from frozen walking surfaces
  • Help in preventing 'snowballing', a term used to describe when a dog walks in snow, snow melts between the toes, and then stretches the sensitive skin there when it re-freezes. 
  • Keeps paw skin properly moisturized
  • Gives a dog good traction
Though it varies depending on how much outdoor walking a dog does, most Pugs should have a paw wax applied once every 2 weeks. 
One of the most popular and effective paw waxes is Musher's Secret Paw Protection Wax; this is massaged in every 2 weeks, both on the pads and between the toes, it absorbs pretty quickly (about 10 to 15 seconds) but you may find it easiest to put this on your Pug right when they're resting and about to go to sleep. 
Read more about Pug paw care for details regarding all possible paw issues, including itching, along with effective treatments and remedies. 

8. Nose Care

Most Pugs do not need any extra attention given to the nose during most of the year, as long as there are no issues. However, this changes for many Pugs in the wintertime and into early spring. 

For those living in areas that have cold winters, this usually means much drier area since cold air cannot hold humidity like warmer area can. Dry air, when heated, stays dry, so this is a common problem regardless of how much time a Pug spends outdoors or indoors. 
This sort of overly dry environment can end up taking a toll on a dog as the nose skin becomes parched. Added to this, when a dog is out in the cold and licks their nose, this can lead to chapping, compounding the issue. A Pug's nose can end up raw, sensitive, dry, peeling, or even cracked. If this problem starts in the winter, it may not be noticed until things are very bad, often as winter transitions into spring. 
This issue can be prevented by applying a quality nose balm to a Pug's nose which can be done once a week for maintenance or as often as 3 times a day to treat existing problems. 
A nice protective and healing balm for this is Natural Dog Company's Snout Soother which is 100% all-natural and has no fragrance (an important aspect considering where this is applied). 

9. Trimming the Nails

The frequency of how often a Pug needs their nails trimmed will vary from dog to dog. Walking on hard outdoor surfaces can keep nails somewhat filed down, however it cannot be a replacement. For most Pugs, this grooming task is needed every 6 to 8 weeks. 

If the nails are not tended to, they can curve around and grow back into the flesh. This can be cause quite a bit of discomfort and lead to a dog walking with an irregular gait that, if not addressed, can eventually lead to skeletal damage in some cases.

Some owners are squeamish when it comes to nail trimming (though it is not that much different than cutting your own nails) and that is okay and one of the reason that dog groomers exist. Alternatively, many vet offices also offer this service. 

If you decide to trim your Pug's nails at home, the most commonly used tool is a canine nail clipper. The goal is to clip the nail right before it begins to hook over. One like the Dog Nail Clippers By Boshel has a safety guide to help you line up each nail to help avoid the quik (a vein that runs down the center of the nail which can bleed quick profusely if nicked); though you should have some septic powder on hand just in case (which helps stem any bleeding should an owner clip a nail too short). 
Did you find this to be helpful?

If so, you'll love PetPugDog's GIANT Book of Pug Care - This is the most comprehensive Pug care book that exists, available as a hard copy (8.5x11" soft cover) or PDF ebook. 
You may also be interested in:

Leaving a Pug Home Alone - If your Pug has a hard time being alone while you're gone for the day, follow these tips to provide a sense of security, a calming environment, and fun ways to stay occupied. 
Pug Exercise Guidelines - A helpful article explaining exactly how much exercise a Pug should have, along with tips to keep your safe while staying active. 
How to Keep a Pug Clean - The top 7 easy tips for keeping a Pug puppy, adult, or senior dog looking neat and tidy
The Best Snacks and Treats for a Pug - How many snacks should be given and healthy options for Pugs of all ages. 
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