I need some education on pugs. My son is in love with them, and my husband is convinced it’s cruel to breed them, since their faces are all smashed in and they can’t breath, and they have bug eyes.
I’m mediating. I should add that my son is autistic and has his heart set on a pug or French bulldog or something similar. (He’s high functioning, but very attached to this idea.)
Those of you with pugs or French bull dogs, any insight?
Thank you in advance.
My daughter has had a Pug for 10+ years now (she got him when she was recovering from having her colon removed, and I’m still convinced he cut her healing time in half).
I once read, “Pugs are proof that God has a sense of humor.” I have to agree: even after all this time he still makes me laugh at times, he’s such a comical guy.
As for downsides, they do exist but can be mitigated. Oscar did develop breathing problems a year or so ago, but they had less to do with the short breathing passage than with his nostrils; a simple operation cleared that up. The main problem with the short passage that I’m aware of is that it makes them somewhat prone to hyperthermia, so exercise or long walks in high temperatures or direct sunlight is discouraged. The other thing to be aware of is that they should always be walked with a harness rather than a collar, since with a collar an excessively strong tug or lunge could dislocate an eye.
The main downside with a Pug, from my perspective, is that they shed. And shed. And shed. Year-round. I’m convinced that there’s a Wall of Fame at Pug Central with images of vacuum cleaners killed, like the insignia below the cockpit of a WWII fighter.
The general rule applies that one should never get a pet of any kind based solely on someone’s fixation. Beyond that, though, I personally see no reason to avoid a Pug more than any other breed. Good luck.
I’m with your Husband, and I’ll let it goat that.
But it’s possible to try to maneuver the situation to sort itself out. No matter what idea you have in your head of what the “right” dog is, once someone gets to the shelter and makes eye contact with a few beasts, there is a very good chance the right dog is the one right there, no matter what the original plan was.
Breeding dogs in the full knowledge that they are prone to congenital defects is animal cruelty, there is no way round this, cuteness is not a excuse. Choose something less purposefully damaged. “pedigree” is not a badge of pride.
My exroommate’s ex-live-iun girlfriend had two pugs that I was also forced to live with. They were disgusting creatures. I love most dogs, but not those snot machines.
What they lack in appearance and robust health they make up for with a nasty personality towards strangers. I’ve had several run-ins with different pugs over the years. Not nice.
Given that you have a kid with … personality challenges ISTM you *really *want a breed that’s easy to get along with. Something mellow and sweet; not antsy & hyperactive.
In fact you might consider not getting a dog at all. Instead get something innocuous and soothing. “Here dear, check out this guinea pig. Look how soft & affectionate & cute they are. We’ll get the dog later after you learn how to take care of this pet.”
The sneaky parental point being that the GP doesn’t block getting a dog soon. But it may break the fixation. Yes, I know about high fixity associated with autism. But you never know. The bigger idea is that a GP, especially once he knows how long they don’t live, doesn’t block the pug for him the same way buying an e.g. spaniel would. That’ll help him get over the hump of rejecting the idea out of hand. And the cute little rodents do sorta grow on you.
GPs were just an example; you may have smarter ideas. My overall point is you may be able to sell a non-dog more easily than a non-pug dog.
I have 4 pugs. They are the sweetest dogs on earth. You get used to the snorts and snoring. I’ve got two pugs that turn 11 this summer, and two that are 4 1/2. None have had health issues.
They are meant to be indoor dogs & cannot handle the heat or the cold. If dog hair on your furniture bothers you, pugs are not for you. They do shed a lot.
I go through more vacuums than most normal people, true, but they’re so worth it.
I have 2 pugs, one is 12, the other is 13. We got the second one after another dog we had passed on; we were so enthralled with the first pug we had to have another.
I don’t get the “it’s cruel to breed them” thing. My dogs are no less healthy than any other dog I’ve had. The worst breathing problem I’ve seen is they tend to snore. Health-wise, the worst thing I’ve had to deal with is one of them developed Myasthenia Gravis, a rare disease that is unrelated to breed. It was touch-and-go for a couple months, but (like most dogs with MG), she went into remission and it’s never come back.
The same dog has developed arthritis as she’s aged. Nowadays, at 13 years old, she doesn’t walk down stairs (but will walk up) and is slower than she was when she was younger. Again, not breed-related, and common for all of us (dogs & humans both!)
Other than that, they’ve had a few other problems - both are allergic to most vaccines (not uncommon with small dogs, never caused real problems other than a reaction to the vaccines before we realized they were allergic) and they regularly need their anal glands expressed.
Our fawn pug is a shedding machine. The black one, not so much.
So that’s the bad. The good is that they are about the most lovable critters I’ve ever been around. They have good attitudes and are always happy. I find them to be incredibly cute. They have the good aspects of both dogs and cats - they are small enough to sit on your lap & cuddle like a cat, but not aloof and always playful like dogs. They’re great companions; if I’m home, I have a pug within a few feet of me pretty much 24/7. One or both of them sleep under my desk all day as I work. I haven’t gone to the bathroom by myself in 12 years 
I don’t think I’d ever have a different breed of dog (though French Bulldogs are very, very tempting!)
http://www.ncfbc.com/Education/breeding.htm
It’s not easy to breed French bulldog , you would be better off getting a service dog for your son ,there are social dogs trained for people with autism . I am against breeding dogs when there are so many dogs being killed every day !
The conclusion I have come to is you are either a pug person are your aren’t. I love all dogs but Pugs are near the bottom of the list. Yes, they are hideously ugly and their eyes can pop out of their sockets if they sneeze too hard but that isn’t my idea of a good time. If you want a small dog that hasn’t been greatly overbred, get something like a Bijon Frise. Don’t get me wrong, Pugs are funny (and hideous) and I will play with them all day long but I would never own one.
The same thing is true for an English Bulldog. I know some people like them but they are an affront to nature.
They are NOT good in the heat, hopefully you have AC?
Out of curiosity - why does your son think he wants a pug? Will he be the primary care giver?
Yes and we live in the Pacific Northwest, so we’re not exactly heat stroke country to begin with (we hate heat ourselves).
I have to say from what I’m learning on the thread though, hubby may be right. I think I got lost on the “eyes pop out” bit.
I need to broaden the net. 'Beamer (the boy child) needs a small to medium companion dog. Even tempered, smart. Ideally one that could be trained as a service dog. I have always been a large dog person myself. I know a lot about larger working breeds, but next to nothing about anything less than 65 pounds. Yes, to be clear, a rescue dog is completely fine.
Suggestions welcome…
They eyes on my pugs have never popped out. The half dozen pug owners I know have never had a problem with the eyes popping out.
Good!
To answer the question about why my son likes pugs, AIUI he thinks they are the cutest dogs ever in the history of the world, and they are funny and loving.
Also, yes, the idea is that if this is his dog, he will be the primary caregiver.
The key to small dogs is to treat them exactly the same as you do the big dogs.
My current dog is a poodle or bichon mix (he’s from the pound so we’re not exactly sure) and he’s the most perfect creature under heaven. He’s smart, friendly, athletic and loves children. He’s 18 pounds - about the size & shape of a large cat. He doesn’t shed.
He is just so smart and easy to train. If I were in better health, I’d be training poodles for agility dogs (it’s just a big circus competition from their point of view!) He’s so very easy to live with.
What sort of service do you need your son’s dog to do? A lab would be a good choice, if he needs a sturdy companion to lean on, I’d say get a lab. But if you want a clever ninja warrior dog, a poodle is your best choice.
Pugs are sweeties, but wouldn’t be my first choice for an active young man.
My sister has a “Bug” - Boston Terrier x Pug. He’s a sweetie 99% of the time (in my personal experience) - once I showed up at the house and he kinda…forgot who I was and I got nipped. this was after years of knowing each other, so I have no idea what got into him that day. Maybe I hadn’t been over for a while, I really don’t remember.
If you are concerned about the breeding aspect, maybe a shelter or a rescue? It’s possible your son will fall in love with a puggy cross that needs a new home.
Did you miss the “and they regularly need their anal glands expressed.”:eek:
I have always loved Bostons and considered getting Frenchie. I recall trying to find a reputable breeder was hard and they were EXPENSIVE. Few go into rescue. If you get a pug, consider a Pug rescue. The dogs are older and you can find one with a known personality.