pugdescription

Pros/Cons and Pet/Show Quality

Pugs are small compact dogs with a wonderful personality. They have a way of worming themselves into your hearts with huge eyes and an ability to sympathize. But are they the right dogs for you?

Lately Pugs have become more popular than ever and lots of Pugs have wound up homeless or abused. Welcoming a Pug into your home can mean up to 16 years of commitment, care, and vet bills. It is a huge joy, but a huge responsibility as well.

Here are some of the pros and cons of pug ownership:

*Pros*	Cons
Very outgoing, good with kids	Are definite indoor dogs, can die in a matter of minutes in high temps
Small, do not need a huge yard	Because of wrinkles and protruding eyes Pug owners have to watch out for possible infections
Not generally big barkers and many Pugs never know a stranger	Scientific data has shown that the average Pug sheds enough hair in one day to clothe a small country. But seriously, Pugs are shedimonsters! They shed copious amounts of dog hair.

Before deciding a Pug is for you, you should research the Pug. Be forewarned: not everything in a book is true. If they say something like "pugs do not shed a lot and are quiet sleepers", put the book down.

After reading these books, you will have a lot of questions. Lots of books mention show quality and pet quality animals. What are they?

A show quality animal is a Pug that conforms closely to the standard. Your Pug's parents should be show quality. Although it is not a total guarantee of health, a reputable show breeder has a reputation to maintain with his or her peers, and has probably researched the lines of the sire and dam. A show quality pug will resemble the akc standard.


Show Quality: compact, lots of wrinkles on head, and fairly square.		Pet Quality: terrier like body, bad bite (notice protruding teeth), little wrinkling on head.

Each animal can make a good pet. Some pugs are pet quality out of a simple fault like a loose tail curl or undescended testicle, but if there are major structural faults, your pet may have a harder time getting around after he/she ages. I recommend buying your puppy from a show breeder because when you buy from someone who is only interested in producing pets at a profit, pet store, or some who happens to have two purebred dogs, you are not supporting ethical breeding. They don't care what the dog looks like, let alone health (as long as the puppy is not returned). In any case, ask the breeder what she/he has done to insure that the puppies are healthy and what tests have been run on the parents (eye tests, X rays, Hip dysplasia* tests, etc). If tests have not been done, ask why. You have a right to know! The only time you will absolutely need a show quality dog is if you are interested in showing (which is a lot of fun and a lot of work).

There is some controversy on what X rays indicate hip dysplasia in Pugs, but anyone who is willing to test their stock anyway is highly recommended.