Unfortunately, loving the breed and being a good pug owner are two different things. We repeatedly see cases where some people should not own a pug. Too many people who have seen the movie Men In Black fall in love with pugs because they are cute but do not know anything about the breed or what it takes to be a good owner. No real research goes into their decision to have one. Unfortunatley their line of thinking is something similar to...

There should be no need for an organization like PugHearts. If people took the time to research the breed and be honest with themselves, puppy mills would not exist and there would be no need for thousands of dogs to be euthanized yearly because they are no longer wanted.

Before you fill out that adoption application, or even contact that breeder, we ask that you do your homework.

Remember that the volunteers of PugHearts who process adoption applications are very critical of the potential adoptees. These dogs deserve far better than the fate they have been handed and we want to ensure that they never feel unloved or unwanted again. Their best interests are all we care about and we will not place any dog in a home which does not meet our standards. Please read the following and be certain that you understand the commitment you are considering.

Robbi C., PugHearts of Houston

With that movie star package & the cute commercials come the problems associated with the pug breed. The newness of "cute" soon wears off as medical expenses and care become a reality. Here are some facts compiled by owners and rescuers closely associated with this breed.

Pugs demand your time and attention. Key word here is demand. Pugs were bred solely as companion animals. They are "in your face" all the time. Pugs are not satisfied to be pets; they have to be family members. If your schedule is one that requires you be away from your Pug the largest part of the time, this is NOT the dog for you. In rescue we repeatedly see emotional scars left after years of confinement and isolation. If your idea of quality time is 12-14 hours in a crate, you are wrong.

Pugs cannot be left outside for any extended length of time in extreme temperatures. Those short noses and "ran into a wall" faces just do not allow the Pug to heat or cool properly. Left out in weather extremes a Pug can die; and at the very least, suffer severe respiratory and eye problems from exposure. Many Pugs enter rescue with exposure ulcers caused by "dry eye" often resulting in loss of the eye.

Pugs shed all of the time, 365 days a year, each and every year. This hair will stick to every object you have, no getting around it. Black or fawn, they shed. If you have purchased or adopted a Pug and are astounded to discover this, you did not do your research. You will not find a Pug that does not shed. It is just not going to happen.

The more wrinkles the cuter the Pug!! Cute soon fades when the daily care becomes a necessity. These folds of skin are just an invitation to the growth of yeast and bacteria. These areas, along with their ears, must be cleaned regularly.

Stamina is not a word you will find as one of the reasons to consider this breed. While there is a small percentage of Pugs with athletic abilities, and some actually do excel in agility and obedience, most will ask "why bother ?"

Health concerns are a given part of this breed. Pugs are born with the strong tendency to develop not only eye and skin problems, but often require knee repair, and corrective surgeries for such problems as too small of nose holes, too long of a palate and the list goes on. Sadly, with the increase in their popularity comes the increase in backyard breeding and puppy mills. We are seeing an increase in pug dog encephalitis, a fatal and breed specific horror. Liver abnormalities are on the rise. Our rescue organization has treated and currently is fostering dogs with portosystemic liver shunts.

Diet in Pugs reflects "they are what they eat." Pugs are prone to allergies and this includes food allergies. If you feed your dog a poor quality food, the end result may be poor quality health. Pugs have the tendency to gain weight and keep it on, and for a breed already born with a stressed respiratory system, this can prove to be deadly. The feeding of table scraps not only encourages bad manners, but can result in refusal to eat anything but "from the table" and eat too much of the wrong thing. Various health concerns such as pancreatitis, diabetes, bladder stones and kidney problems are just a few problems that can result from too much of what we may think is a good thing.

Still interested ?

If you decide that you want to purchase a puppy, do your homework and do it well. Stay away from pet stores as most (if not all) are from puppy mills where pugs are inhumanely bred with no forms of socialization. A reputable breeder will require as much from you as you should about them. Check veterinary references, ask about parentage, ask to see the parents when possible. Find out the age of the mother at the time the puppy was born. Will the breeder give a health guarantee and will they take the dog back in the event it is too much for you?

Lastly, consider adopting a rescue. That very reason that brought you to the "have to have one" frame of mind is the very reason that sadly there is an increasing need for reputable purebred rescue organizations. Pugs are just one of many breeds that have become too popular for all of the wrong reasons.