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Summer

Pug Dog Summer Care

Pug dog staying cool in the summer
Chilling out on a hot summer day

Overview

If ever there was a dog breed that needed special summer care, it is the Pug dog. 

This brachycephalic breed with his compressed skull, face, and breathing passages, and his short, barrel-shaped body needs assistance in making it through hot weather.

In this section, we are going to go over all of the steps you should take to care for your Pug in the summer heat. Follow these 7 tips to make summertime fun, safe, comfortable, and cool for your Pug puppy or dog. 

Tip #1: 
Understand how the heat affects Pugs. 

There are always general warnings in the summer to not let dogs overheat; you've probably heard advice about not leaving pets in the car or keeping them inside during heat waves. But, it's important to really understand how things are even more dangerous for Pugs and other brachycephalic breeds in the summertime. 

Here's 3 things to keep in mind: 

1. Pugs can't regulate body temperature like many other dogs can. 

One of the main ways that dogs cool off is via panting. Pugs, and other brachycephalic breeds that have compressed skulls and breathing passages, cannot pant as deeply or as efficiently as their longer-snout counterparts. Yet efficient panting is required to handle summertime heat. Hence, Pugs overheat faster and easier. 

2. The Pug is not built to handle extended periods of deep breathing in hot weather.

About 50% of Pugs have stenotic nares to some degree (pinched nostrils) and with those that do, approximately 50% also have elongated palate (enlarged tissue at the back of the throat). This limits the amount of air that can comfortably be inhaled and exhaled.

3. The #1 goal in the summer is to keep a Pug cool to prevent overheating and strain on the respiratory system. 

Always keep your Pug's ability to handle heat at the forefront of every decision you make about your puppy or dog. 

Tip #2: 
Have your Pug drink extra water. 

Staying hydrated is an important step in helping to prevent heat stress or stroke in dogs. Canines in general require at least 1 ounce of water for each 1 pound of body weight, per day. But during hot weather, or if a dog is particularly active, this can double. 

And a problem with this is that not all Pugs are able to self-regulate; many owners need to encourage their dogs to drink.  Additionally, since rapid ingestion of water is linked to bloat, it's best to proactively encourage your puppy or dog to drink small amount of water all throughout the day instead of waiting until a dog is parched and tries to gulp water too fast.  

Some tips to make sure your Pug drinks enough in the summertime include:

• Do not just top off the water bowl. Frequently dump out old water, rinse the bowl, and fill it with chilled water. 

• Call your Pug over to their water throughout the day. Give praise if they drink. 

• Bring water with you anytime you bring your Pug outside for more than 10 minutes. You can use a travel container like the PupFlask Portable Water Bottle for Dogs which is made from stainless-steel and food-grade silicone; stop often for rest (preferably in the shade) and hydration. 
• Water can also come from food, so offer fresh or frozen fruit that has a high water content yet good fiber levels that lead to slow digestion (no sugar spike). Some good options include strawberries (92% water) and blueberries and raspberries (87% water). These can be given as snacks and/or mixed into your Pug’s main meals

Tip #3: 
Adjust your Pug's exercise. 

Keeping a Pug as active as possible year-round is important, but there may need to be some adjustments in the summer in order to prevent overheating. Some tips for exercising a Pug on hot days includes: 

• Try to schedule walks before 10 AM and after 5 PM; this will help avoid the hottest parts of the day. 

• Make changes to the walking route, if needed. Try to keep your Pug in the shade and walk over grass (not pavement) if possible. 

• On days when temps are really soaring, generally over 90 F (32.2 C), engage your Pug to be active indoors where it's air-conditioned. You can play a game of hide n' seek by stashing small treats or toys for your Pug to find or engage your Pug in a session of fetch down a hallways or in a large room with an indoor toy like the Chuckit Indoor Roller Dog Toy. Be sure to set a timer for at least 20 minutes; time spent on indoor playtime can be wildly overestimated. 

Tip #4: 
Offer a cooling mat. 

Pet cooling mats are an awesome way to keep Pugs cool when it's sweltering hot outside. We're talking about the type of cooling mats that do not need to be put in the freezer and there are no cords or batteries. Rather, these work via a special gel in the pad that activates when a dog lies down. It works for several hours and then recharges on its own after just 20 minutes or so of non-use. 

These can be super-effective for dogs that struggle in the heat. And, these are very portable for both indoor and outdoor use and easy to take along if you're heading out with your Pug on a road trip. 

A giant plus is that a cooling mat can literally be a life-saver if there is a blackout in the summer and can be one step in helping to cool a dog down that is bordering on heat exhaustion (details ahead). 
If you'd like to try a cooling mat for your Pug, the The Green Pet Shop Dog Cooling Mat is a good choice. These come in several sizes; the medium is for dogs 15 to 35 pounds which is ideal for many adults; the small is for dogs 15 pounds and under which is perfect for Pug puppies. 

Tip #5:
Try a cooling bandanna

This is a very simply yet effective method to help keep a Pug cool even on super-hot days. You can make a temporary one just by soaking a cloth bandanna in water and tying it around your dog's neck. But, a more long-lasting method is to use one like the All for Paws Chill Out Bandana that is meant to be wet down but then stays cool for much longer (generally hours, but this depends on whether it's hot and humid or hot and dry) via a special slow-release cool gel inside. 

Tip #6: 
Wading or swimming. 

Pug in water during the summer
Pug (that's his name!), 3 and 1/2 years old
Photo courtesy of Dawn in Rhode Island
Wading around or swimming in water is a fun way for dogs to cool down in the summer. As long as a dog is not pressured to go in and the vibe is kept fun, most enjoy this. Options include setting up a small kiddie pool in the yard, heading down for a walk in the shallow water of a lake or beach, or taking a Pug swimming in a pool. 

Just keep in mind that Pugs are not the best swimmers due to their barrel-shaped bodies and short legs. So, Pugs should always be supervised in water that is too deep for them to stand in and you may want to consider a flotation life vest. 

Tip #7: 
Keep a Pug comfortable in the car. 

Dogs in general already have some trouble with cars with motion sickness topping the list. Excess heat can just make things worse, so there are some tips to follow if you'll be taking your Pug out for a ride in the summertime. 
• Use a canine car seat. Though these should be used for safety (an unrestrained dog can be gravely injured or killed during a car accident) these are also excellent for helping to prevent car sickness since they can keep a dog raised up closer to windows and give them line-of-sight (the eyes not seeing what the body is feeling is a top reason for motion sickness) as well as helping to stop the body from swaying with each stop, acceleration, and turn. 
If you use a booster seat like the Kurgo Rover Booster Dog Car Seat please remember that the inside strap is meant to be buckled to a dog's harness (not collar). 
• Cool the car down before placing your Pug inside. On really hot days, the car may need run with the AC going for 10 to 15 minutes before the inside is comfortable enough for a Pug to be put inside. Remember that it's much easier to keep a Pug cool than to cool down a Pug that got overly hot. 
• Though it is not the most fuel-efficient method of driving, Pugs generally do best with the AC running and windows open a bit. Even if it's nice and cold in the car, feeling air rushing is a vital part of preventing motion sickness. 

Tip #8:
Protect the paws. 

Countless dogs suffer from burns on their paws in the summer and it's really a shame because this very painful injury can be prevented. 

Paw pads are made of skin, albeit thick skin, and can suffer burns in under a minute. A dog's pain threshold is 120 F (49 C) and the paws can burn starting at 125 F (52 C) and at 140 F (60 C) a dog's paws will suffer burns in under 60 seconds. 

Keep in mind that pavement and other walking surfaces can heat up much hotter than air temperature. A study regarding how hot walking surfaces get for dogs, run in Florida on a typical day in June, showed that red brick hit 125 F (51.6 C) by 12 noon, cement reach this hot temp by 2 PM, and blacktop pavement reached 130 F (54.4 C) by noon and hit a soaring 140 F (60 C) by 2 PM. 
So, some tips to follow include: 

• If you are not sure if pavement is too hot for your Pug to walk on, test it. Carefully. If you cannot keep your hand pressed down for a count of 5, it's too hot for your puppy or dog. 

• Keep your Pug walking in the shade and/or on grass. Even on extremely hot days, it's rare for grass to be above 90 F (32.2 C). 
• Apply paw wax to your Pug's paws. While this cannot make paws invincible, it can offer a layer of protection from hot surfaces, keep paws from drying out, help the paws repel dirt, debris, and summertime elements like allergens and lawn care chemicals, and it gives a dog better traction. 
A really great paw wax for the summer and year-round is Musher's Secret Paw Protection Wax; it's very effective and absorbs really quick (about 10 seconds). 

Tip #9:
Protect your Pug from pesky summertime insects. 

Summer is prime time for flea, mosquitoes (the only transmission source of heartworms), and ticks. 

And if you want to steer clear of pesticides and chemicals, you're right to be concerned. Traditional flea collars and lots of insect sprays contain harsh drugs that can cause a vast array of terrible side effects including breathing issues and seizures. 
There are some no-chemical options that work via certain herbal and/or essential oils. One is Natural Flea and Tick Spray for Dogs by Natural Chemistry which has a blend of clove oil, cinnamon oil, and cedar oil which is a combination that many owners report works excellent for repelling and killing fleas, ticks, black flies, and mosquitoes. 

Tip #10:
Know the signs of heat exhaustion with a Pug 
and how to react. 

Even by following all of the advice listed here for summertime care of Pug puppies and dogs, there is still the chance of heat exhaustion, simply because this breed is so prone to it. So, it's important to know the early warning signs that a Pug is starting to overheat and what steps you should take. 

What to know: 

Heat exhaustion occurs when a dog’s body cannot keep its internal temperature in a safe range. 
  • A dog’s average body temperature is between 101 and 102.5 F (38.3 to 39.2 C).
  • Heat stress is when a dog’s body temperature rises to 103 F (39.4 C). At this point, owners need to intervene to bring body temp down. 
  • Heatstroke is the next phase (which can happen very quickly after heat stress), in which a dog’s body temperature reaches 106 F (41.1 C) or higher. This is considered life-threatening.
Canines, in general, can have trouble in the heat. They do not have full-body perspiration; instead, they release excess heat mainly by panting, which is not overly efficient. And, Pugs, since they are brachycephalic breeds (compressed skulls and breathing passages), are not able to deeply pant like their long-nosed counterparts. 

Symptoms (may be just one, some, or all): 

• Rapid panting 
• Bright red tongue
• Red or pale gums 
• Thick, sticky saliva
• Weakness 
• Dizziness 
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea 
• Slow capillary refill time (CRT). When a finger is pressed onto the gums and then released, it takes longer than 2 seconds for the gums to return to their normal color.
• If not treated, heatstroke can lead to shock, coma, and eventual death. 

How to react:

1. Most vets recommend first stabilizing a dog before trying to transport them. 
2. Bring your Pug indoors to an air-conditioned room or into the shade if you cannot reach the indoors. 
3. Call the vet and report your dog’s condition. 
4. Work to cool down your dog’s body. Do not use ice since this can induce shock. Soak small towels in cool water, and place these over your Pug, focusing on the core body, paws, groin area, and forelegs. If possible, set up a fan to circulate the air around your dog. 
5. Offer cool water to drink, but control this to avoid rapid ingestion.
6. Monitor your dog’s temperature. Your veterinarian may recommend working to bring body temp down to 103 F (39.4 C) before attempting transportation. 
7. Seek vet care afterward, regardless. Even if you are able to stabilize your Pug and they seem to recover just fine, enduring this type of event puts tremendous stress on the body and a dog should be examined by the vet.  
Do you have your book?

If you are looking for an incredible book to help guide you through every single step of your Pug's life, check out PetPugDog's GIANT Book of Pug Care
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