Hi.  I am looking for a little info. about Pugs to try and work out if a pug puppy would fit into our family.  I've had dogs all my life, but always big dogs, and have never had a little dog like a pug.  At the moment I have 2 cats and a 9 year old cocker spaniel.  My understanding about pugs is that exercise needs are quite low, shedding is quite high, faces need cleaning, house training can be difficult, playfulness and lovingness is high, and that they are in general sociable little dogs, but also prone to health difficulties.  I'm wondering if you can give me a little more info. about likely health difficulties and what sort of screening tests I should expect a good breeder to have done.  Also, if there are any breeders that you'd recommend or recommend that I avoid, I would really appreciate - send me messages privately if you don't want to put them on the board.  I live in Wales, but am aware that there are a lot of unscrupulous breeders in Wales.  I'm hoping to bring a puppy home at the beginning of July. Thank you for any advice / info.

Contacting the breed clubs for Pugs would be a good place to start - they should have good info on the health tests their members agree to do and what are required for the breed - breed clubs usually are aware of good breeders and able to make recommendations - most breed clubs have a puppy coordinator for people to contact if they are trying to find a breeder.

I think there are 5 Pug breed clubs in Uk - but this is the link to the wales & west one - might have some good health info on there in the meantime: http://www.wwepugdogclub.org/index.php/the-pug/item/8-statement-of-the-health-of-the-breed

The other place to look is on the kennel club site to have a look at what health tests are mandatory and which are recommended by KC and which DNA tests are available to the breed - I think this is a list of most of the health tests for all dogs - its in alphabetical order :  http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/14688/dnatestsworldwide.pdf

Thank you for those links.  I will start there :)

I'm also wondering how likely it is that a pug will be a playmate for my cocker spaniel.  I obviously understand that individual personalities will dictate, but does anyone have experience of having a pug and another breed of dog, and anything to offer about how they interact? Thanks.

Welcome to the forum Josi68. I would think that a pug and a cocker would make great play mates

Personally I think the exercise levels are rather different and with the extreme flat face, and often stenotic nares, the pug trying to keep up to the cocker level may struggle.

I've not had one personally but yesterday, I went to assess a big dog for training and she was living with a pug and an elderly staffy.  The pug not only kept up with her (and she is very energetic) but played the absolute backside off her!  In the end the owners had to pop him in another room because he just wouldn't stop goading her into play while we were trying to talk

If Gwen is still on here, she would be the ideal person to ask seeing as she has Pugs and American Cockers.

Thanks all :) Hopefully Gwen will see this at some point.  My cocker is nearly 10 and so not as full of beans as he used to be - he's a chilled out happy dog, but not so keen on long walks anymore.   I've been looking around a bit and tbh am quite astonished at the prices too, seeing £1500 frequently being charged, so that might make a difference.  I'd been thinking more like £700 - perhaps I'm out of touch.  I'm also a bit concerned about the health weaknesses and was reading yesterday about the various different crosses and likely health differences with the jack russell cross seemingly the healthiest one.  Hmmm.

> I'd been thinking more like £700

That would be a fairly low price for breeds that have average size litters with low C section rates and easy to rear.

My own breed tends to be in the middle to low bracket price wise (even though they are very low in numbers) for well bred stock from health tested parents bred by reputable breeders at around £750.

The costs of breeding well these days tend to ad up with health testing, veterinary charges etc.  It costs at least £200 for example to spay a bitch around here.  Hip scoring £300 etc

As fro c rosses, you'd be diluting some problems, maybe, but adding in others, and you really would not know what your were getting.  It is rare for the parents of these crosses to be health tested or undergo any other selection for health temperament etc.

I would rather wait longer and save enough money to buy a puppy from a reputable breeder than go for a cheaper option. You've said you want a pug, why then look at x breeds?

Pugs prices have always been considerably higher than the average, when I bought my girl some 15 years ago, I paid £800 for her. She was from a very well known kennel and did extremely well in the show ring, then went on to produce a champion in her first litter!

Average prices back then were between £650/800...so yes, I think maybe you are a little out of touch.

They can be a very difficult breed, often needing c-sections, many don't enjoy being mothers, so a great deal of input is required etc etc...and this is reflected in the price.

What I don't agree with is the breeders who have brought in "rare" colours and are charging exorbitant prices for them (seen them asking £5000+)

Be very careful if you are looking for a pug (or a french bulldog) because there are hundreds coming in from Europe at the moment. It is vital that you see the puppy with it's mother and if you can not, then walk away. Please take a moment to read our : Champdogs Puppy Buyer Guide. It will help to steer you through the minefield that can sometimes surround buying a pedigree puppy.

The reason I was thinking about a x breed is mainly due to the health concerns I'm reading about in Pugs, in particular with eyes and breathing, but there's also no way I'd pay £1500 for a dog.    I am not bothered what a dog looks like, though do think they look very cute,  would not be showing it or breeding from it, but am looking it as a family pet and like what I have read about the temperament etc. of a pug, plus it's the breed that my teenager is asking for.   My lived experience is with gun dogs and mongrels, and tbh I'd happily rescue except that a rescue wouldn't home to me because my cocker spaniel has not been neutered and won't be.

I think I am definitely out of touch   I had no idea that pugs were more expensive than other dogs.

I think a rescue sounds ideal for you, I would 'shop around' for a more understanding rescue organisation :)

Thank you!  I'm pretty good in that way I think and not uninformed - I'd never entertain getting a puppy if I couldn't see it with its mother, or if it was the only puppy, mother wasn't calm and relaxed, etc.etc.  I am quite a dog person, and have had puppies before  but have never had a small breed dog before.

It's standard practice for a rescue to insist than any resident dogs are neutered or spayed.  I understand where they are coming from too, but have never had the need to neuter my KC registered spaniel.

It is NOT standard practice in the UK for rescues to insist that ALL resident dogs are neutered, only that the rescued dog is neutered. There is as far as I am aware only one "rescue"(that isn't a registered charity, but a limited company for some undeclared reason)that will only rehome one of their animals if all other animals in the home are neutered & the owner is very anti breeder & yet helps puppy farmers & BYB by taking their unwanted breeding animals & sick & disabled puppies.
I am only in touch with rescues that deal with unwanted sheepdogs personally & none of them insist on all resident dogs being neutered, there is no need as long as the rescue dog is neutered & therefore not being able to be bred from.
Off topic
I spay my bitches as there is proven medical advantages for the bitch, my dogs are entire as there are more medical cons than pros(IMHO)in castrating healthy males. None of my dogs or bitches have ever been bred from as I have no interest in it & quality working sheepdog puppies are fortunately was to come by when I need a puppy to bring on.

My sister owns a pug x jrt and unfortunately he sufferes from quite a few health issues,  including dislocating knee caps,  cherry eye, atopy,  over long soft palate and a very over long bottom jaw.

Not saying this to scare but just to make you aware that a x breed pug is not necessarily going to be healthier than a pedigree one

You won't find any 'breed specific' rescues with such rules, though I have heard some of the big general rescues have this attitude as many are totally anti breeding. 

Then again general rescues do not have that many typical examples of pedigree dogs, generally only the most common/over exploited breeds, many hardly looking or behaving as the breed they are purported to be.

There was a study last year that showed that crossbreeds are NOT healthier than pedigree dogs:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/pets-health/10762988/Pedigree-dogs-as-healthy-as-mongrels-say-vets.html

You get what you pay for if you go to a good breeder that does all health tests -paying out for instance £1500 for a pup could mean a LOT less vet bills in the long run, than you could end up with if you bought a cheaper pup where the breeder had cut corners. This also applies to rescues -anyone taking on a rescue dog needs to be prepared for the fact that the background and therefore health is unknown, and so it may or it may not end up being a healthy dog.

I have pugs and your looking at 1000-1200 average. From my personal experience cockers are high everything attention exercise etc. pugs do enjoy a good walk. We can do good hour and half. As long as it's not too warm, even longer and will take whatever I give them on a cool day. Woods farm track all off lead. You should care what it looks like as this is direct result of how its bred. And with an exaggerated breed like a pug it's important, eyes, nose folds nostrils etc. plenty health tests that should be done. Pugs are far more active than many make out. Ps someone I know has several pug xbreeds and the newest one is the worst, pallet issues protruding eyes etc, well bred is much better than xbred

Hi, my daughter has a black pug bitch and to say the least, she stinks, ( the pug not the daughter) she gets bathed regularly but very soon afterwards she stinks again. Do all pugs stink?

Could it be her anal glands? She may need them emptying and if so the smell is like no other! Sort of "fishy" but awful

They most certainly do not all stink! Anal glands and make sure ears and nose wrinkles kept clean and dry. Also good quality food, this is good of quality ingredients not packaging and marketing. Look at allaboutdogfood.co.uk