posted 04-17-2003 07:46 PM         

Goob, made a great suggestion on how to handle the lil one...sounds like she's fearful and I think the best way to handle fear is to take things very slowly and show the dog to trust you. Good luck with that. I know what you mean when you say each dog is different.

I have a quick question. My friend just got a Pug puppy a few months ago. This is the cutest little black fur ball I have ever seen and so smart. I taught him how to sit in 4 tries...he's so smart and funny. He plays with my male pit bull quite well, but does have a biting problem. I believe it's undercontrol thanks to a advise I recieved here.

Are there any certain health problems to be aware of? I know they can develope problems with their eyes and nose, but is there anything in particular to watch for?

Anything you can tell me about the breed would be great.

posted 04-17-2003 09:11 PM         

Now about pugs. Probablay the bes advice I would give to you
1. Pugs are more sencative to heat then any dog I have ever encountered. Like I said before I keep all my money makers (if thats proper enough for you) outside in a storage building. The building has one front door on it one window and I have cut 3 small holes in the back of the wall so they can go out into the lot whenever they want. I do this because of the problems that heat inflicts on these dogs. You see there is a small river or creek behind their building that I have also fenced in for their free use at any time. Im not sure what a vet would recommend but I have had pugs to get very sick in 92 degree weather so I suggest that you keep the dog cool as much as you can.

2.They are very sensitive to the tones of human voices so harsh punishment is not recommended.

3.This breed has a tendency to eat more than it should and may become obese quickly as a result. So feed the dog well but not so much it will become unhealthy. I strict diet is recommended.

4.These dogs are very prone to allergies,problems with their corneas, chronic sinus & breathing problems, and they catch colds easily.

5.A male dog on average reaches a healthy weight of 13 to 20 pounds according to most articals I have read about them but from what I have experianced about 18 pounds is good and healthy for the male. For a female it is recommended at 13 to 18 pounds and I agree with that. If your dog exceeds this weight some times you will find that the dog will breath and snort alot more then normal and Im sure you know that a healthy life is a long life.
Life expectancy is usually 12 to 15 years on average.

That is a few things that you should keep in mind at all times when dealing with this breed. I can not speak for other breeds because I dont know alot about them but when it comes to a pug Im sure you will enjoy the little dog. They are an all around great family pet, they are loveing for your kids, cudly for the one who likes to hug and smart for the one that wants a dog that will obey.

posted 04-17-2003 11:17 PM           

Ummmm you failed to mention... but what about hip problems?, CERF eye tests? Eye damage - lash & lid problems? Luxating patellas? seizures? legg-perthes? skin conditions? encephalitis????? A respected long time pug breeder friend of mine says the breed has huge problems, they are not a healthy breed and many pugs fail their hip tests & their eyes can pop out of sockets

posted 04-17-2003 11:50 PM         

If you have a long time friend that is a pug breeder and he is havin these problems very often then i would suggest he gets a diff blood line. The most common problem you just named is the problem with the hips. I did fail to mention that they do have trouble with their hips but it is most common at a ripe old age from what I have experianced. About the eyes popping out of socket I have seen that but only once and it did result permanant damage to the dogs eye sight. The skin conditions, well tell you buddy to quit usein cheap shampoo. I use what is called main and tail shampoo for horses and hartz flea controll and it seems to work out just fine. I only give my house dog a bath 1 a week because if you do it any more then that they will shed very badly. Im not sure about any other breed but a pugs skin creates a oil that helps them keep a healthy coat and if you bath them to much you wash away that oil.
And last but not least yes I said money makers because I sale my dogs at $250.00 a piece and I make good money by doin this.

Luxating patellas. Well here you go.

The patella, or knee cap, should be located in the center of the knee joint. The term "luxating" means out of place or dislocated. Therefore, a luxating patella is a knee cap that moves out of its normal location.

What causes this to occur?

The muscles of the thigh attach directly or indirectly to the top of the knee cap. There is a ligament, called the patellar ligament, which runs from the bottom of the knee cap to a point on the tibia (shin bone) just below the knee joint. When the thigh muscles contract, the force is transmitted through the patella and through the patellar ligament and results in extension (straightening) of the knee joint. The patella stays in the center of the leg because the point of attachment of the patellar ligament is on the midline and because the patella slides in a groove on the lower end of the femur (the thigh bone).

The patella luxates because the point of attachment of the patellar ligament is not on the midline of the tibia. It is almost always located too far medial (toward the middle of the body). As the thigh muscles contract, the force is pulled against the groove on the inner side of the femur. After several months or years of this abnormal movement, the inner side of the groove wears down and the patella is free to move out of the groove or dislocate. When this occurs, the dog has difficulty bearing weight on the leg. It may learn how to kick the leg and snap the patella back into its normal location. However, because the side of the groove is gone, it dislocates again easily.

Does a luxating patella cause any long-term problems for my dog?

Some dogs can tolerate this problem for many years, some for all of their lives. Since the joint surfaces are very slick and bathed in a slippery joint fluid, there is usually little or no discomfort early in the process. However, this abnormality predisposes the knee to other injuries, especially torn cruciate ligaments. Also, with advancing age, the joint may become arthritic and painful. The bones may actually curve in response to the abnormal location of the kneecap..

Can a luxating patella be corrected?

Surgery should be performed if your dog has a persistent lameness or if other knee injuries occur secondary to the luxation.

The methods used for surgical repair depend on how far the process has gone before intervention. Surgical repair may include any or all of the following:

1) The point of attachment of the patellar ligament is cut from the tibia and transplanted to its proper location to correct the in correct alignment.
2) The groove in the femur is deepened so the patella will stay in place.
3) The capsule around the joint is tightened. This last step is important because the joint capsule will have stretched during the period of luxation.
If the surgery is performed before arthritis occurs, the prognosis is excellent. Your dog should regain full use of its leg. However, if arthritis has already occurred, the joint will still be somewhat painful, especially in cold weather.

posted 04-18-2003 01:14 PM           

Thank you but my "buddy" is a respected breeder very involved with the breed and has probably been breeding longer than you've been alive. Obviously she doesn't breed pugs with all of the problems I previously mentioned. She only informed me that pugs are not a healthy breed in general. She screens and certifies all her dogs, which is what any good breeder does.

Pug wrote:
"Tell your buddy if he has any more trouble to let me know but chill out on the attitude problem."

Excuse me?? Attitude problem? It seems to me, Pug, the only one with the attitude problem here is you. This attitude is evident in your previous childlike posts. You asked for help in your other post, and as a "breeder" I agree with the others, you should be experienced and knowledgeable with handling something as minor as grooming. When people asked you about this YOU copped attitude. The only "problem" I have is reading your references to your dogs as "Money Makers". When I read this it tells me two things BYB and Puppy Mill. If you are making money off your dogs then you are NOT health testing them or showing them in Conformation and clearly breeding for the wrong reasons.