How to Care for a Pug

Pugs have often been called the 'much in little', because of their loving and expressive nature. This breed falls within the 'toy dogs' category because of their small physique.

It has been noticed that pugs are vulnerable to many health problems, some of which are genetic in nature, and some occur because of their unique physical structure. Pugs, unlike other breeds of dogs, have a very flat snout, which makes it very difficult for them to breathe.

They usually breathe from the mouth. The second complication is the lack of a protective skeletal brow ridge, which causes the skin to fall over its face and form creases. This causes the dog's eyes to be comparatively more vulnerable to infection and injury.

The folds on a pug's face end up collecting a lot of muck. The reason being that teacup pugs spend a lot of time lolling around, with their faces on the carpet, in the garden, on the floor, and in their food bowls . The wrinkles trap grime, dirt and food particles, which tends to smell after some time.

It would be ideal to clean the pug's facial wrinkles at least twice a week. However, this part of the skin is very sensitive and will require an immense amount of care while cleaning.

You can clean the area using a cotton ball or a fluffy Q-tip. Do not use a hard bound Q-tip as this might injure the inner areas of the fold. You will need some warm water, a few drops of antiseptic or hydrogen peroxide diluted with it, and a paper napkin.

Wet the Q-tip with warm water and then gently clean the inner folds. If you find the area wet or infected, you must use some more antiseptic and clean out the gunk. You will need to get your pet checked by a vet in case the infection shows no signs of relenting.

You should be extremely careful while cleaning the corners of a pug's eyes. They have extra sensitive eyes, which need special attention. Wear a surgical glove and dip you little finger in warm water. Use you finger to gently slide the grime and mucus out of the corners of the eyes.

If the grime has hardened up, wet it with some water and gently slide the muck out. You can use your fingers to clean the pug's facial folds above the eyes as well, or repeat the process using a cotton ball or Q-tip. It would be best to finish all of this in one sitting, every once or twice in a week.

Clean the ears only when they are dirty and need cleaning, which would ideally be every once in a month. Pugs really have tiny ear openings, which is why all you need to do is to clean the area around the opening. If there is dirt inside the ear, take a soft Q-tip, wet it and gently slide the dirt out.

An older pug will make it very difficult for you to clip its nails, which is why it is better to try to keep plating with its feet, when it's still a pup. Pug nails grow at a very fast pace and need trimming every month. If you cannot manage this task, you can take your pet to a dog salon.

However, it is best if you clip the pet's nails yourself, as the dog trusts you more than anyone else. All you need to do is, use one of those special dog nail clippers, and simply trim the excess nail growth which is curving out from the tip.

Always clip the nails when your pug is in deep sleep, as it makes the task a lot easier. It's very important to keep the nails short for pugs especially, because they find it hard to walk with long nails, and these nails can end up causing severe injuries to the dog.

You will also need to brush your dog's teeth every week. Try getting the dog to like the taste of the toothpaste before you attempt to brush its teeth. When you do clean the teeth, carry out the task in quick successions, so that the pug doesn't chew on the brush or tries to break it.

In order to be able to carry out all these grooming tips, you must ideally start when the pug is still a puppy. It will get used to the process and will not mind the pampering sessions.