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PUG

General Appearance
Symmetry and general appearance, decidedly square and cobby. A
lean, leggy Pug and a dog with short legs and a long body are equally
objectionable.

Size, Proportion, Substance
The Pug should be Multum in Parvo (much in little) and this condensation (if the word may be used) should be shown by compactness of form, well-knit proportions, and hardness of developed muscle. Weight from 14-18 lbs. (6.3-8.1 kgs) dog or bitch desirable. Proportion: square.

Head
The head is large, massive, round - not apple-headed, with no indentation of the skull. The eyes are dark in colour, very large, bold and prominent, globular in shape, soft and solicitous in expression, very lustrous, and when excited, full of fire. The ears are thin, small, soft, like black velvet. There are two kinds - the rose ear and the button ear. Preference is given to the latter. The wrinkles are large and deep. The muzzle is short, blunt square, but not upfaced.

Bite
A Pugs bite should be very slightly undershot. Both front rows of teeth should be straight between the canines.

Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is slightly arched. It is strong, thick, and with enough length to carry the head proudly.
The short back is level from the withers to the high tail set.
The body is short and cobby, wide in chest and well ribbed up. The tail is curled as tightly as possible over the hip. The double curl is perfection.

Forequarters
The legs are very strong, straight, of moderate length, and are set well under. The elbows should be directly under the withers when viewed from the side. The shoulders are moderately laid back. The pasterns are strong, neither steep nor down. The feet are neither so long as the foot of the hare, nor so round as that of the cat; well split-up toes, and the nails black. Dewclaws are generally removed.

Hindquarters
The strong, powerful hindquarters have a moderate bend of stifle and short hocks perpendicular to the ground. The legs are parallel when viewed from behind. Hindquarters are in balance with the forequarters. Thighs and buttocks are full and muscular.


Coat
The coat is fine, smooth, soft, short and glossy, neither hard nor woolly.

Colour
The colours are silver fawn, apricot fawn, or black. The silver fawn or apricot fawn colours should be decided so as to make the contrast complete between the colour and the trace and the mask. Black to be glossy jet black.

Markings
The markings are clearly defined. The muzzle or mask, ears, moles on cheeks, thumb mark or diamond on forehead, and the back trace should be as black as possible. The mask should be black. The more intense and well defined it is the better. The trace is a black line extending from the occiput to the tail.

Gait
Viewed from the front, the forelegs should be carried well forward showing no weakness in the pasterns, the paws landing squarely with the central toes straight ahead. The rear action should be strong and free through hocks and stifles, with no twisting or turning in or out at the joints. The hind legs should follow in line with the front. There is a slight natural convergence of the limbs both fore and aft. A slight roll of the hindquarters typifies the gait which should be free, self-assured, and jaunty.

Temperament
This is an even-tempered breed, exhibiting stability, playfulness, great charm, dignity, and an outgoing, loving disposition.

Disqualifications
Wry mouth, teeth or tongue showing. White anywhere but the chest. The white on the chest not to be larger than a dime.

Pug Health
Part of the Pug's appeal is the wrinkled, expressive face. Because they have extremely short snouts and no skeletal brow ridges, Pugs can easily scratch their corneas or puncture their eyeballs. Their short noses can also cause them to develop breathing problems. They are also prone to skin infections if the crevices in their faces are not kept clean. Additionally, Pugs may be prone to skin allergies, which if not treated can lead to infection as the Pug scratches the inflamed areas. The breed's characteristic flat face may also contribute to tooth and mouth problems. Pugs typically love to eat, and so are prone to obesity; they can quickly reach unhealthy weights. It is therefore important for Pug owners to make sure their pets get regular exercise. Due to their short snouts, Pugs are vulnerable to temperature extremes. It is important to make sure that they do not overheat in hot weather, and likewise they should not be left outside in very cold weather. Pugs can also suffer from a chronic form of Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) specific to the breed called Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE). PDE is estimated to occur in 1% of Pugs. There is no known cause or cure for PDE, although it is believed to be an inherited disease. [1]. PDE is invariably fatal. All dogs either die or are put to sleep within a few months after the onset of clinical signs. A healthy Pug can be expected to live 10 to 13 years, although many well cared for Pugs have reached 18. 

The following is a partial list of potential medical problems associated with the Pug breed. Not every Pug will have one, or any of these problems.  It is imperative that when obtaining a puppy that you do so from a responsible, reputable breeder, and then have the puppy checked by your vet.

KNOWN MEDICAL PROBLEMS IN PUGS:

Pug Dog Encephalitis-

 

Unfortunately very little is known about this disease at this time. What is known about PDE is it's an inflammation of the brain. It is noted that it strikes Pugs and only Pugs up to the age of 4 years. It's found to be more common in females than in males. There is no cure for PDE. It is a belief that it is a genetic disease. The seizures can be from a few seconds to a few minutes. They cannot be maintained by the use of medications. Some dogs even have temporary remissions. Seizures are the main symptom of PDE although it is important to remember that not all seizure activity in Pugs is the cause of PDE. They could suffer from Epilepsy, exposure to toxic chemicals or gasses, low blood sugar or any other unknown causes.

PLEASE NOTE THAT VERY FEW PUG SEIZURES ARE ACTUALLY CAUSED BY PUG DOG ENCEPHALITIS.

What to Watch For
• Seizures
• Walking in circles before or in between seizures
• Pressing their heads against the wall, furniture and or people
• Ataxia (a staggering walk)
• Apparent blindness
• Neck pain
• Sudden Death
• Agitation or Aggression
• Lethargy /Listlessness (Lethargy can mean many things check with your veterinarian)
• Loss of muscle coordination (this can also indicate other problems such as neurological issues and a side effective to convulsive activity brought out by inner ear disturbances

The cause of PDE is unknown; it generally affects litter mates and closely related dogs. PDE can only be positively diagnosed by an autopsy on the brain stem.

 

Hemi-Vertebrae- Incomplete or abnormal fusion of the vertebrae. Can be diagnosed by an x-ray of the spine

 

 

Hip Dysplasia- The hip joint is a ball and socket connection. If the joint is malformed the head of the femur will not properly align with the cup of the hip socket. Mild dysplasia is usually without symptoms in the pug due to their stocky muscular build. Severe dysplasia can lead to pain & arthritis later in life. More common in males than females.

 

 

Heart Disease- Can be hereditary, how efficiently the heart is able to pump blood. Signs of heart disease can include exercise intolerance, poor growth, weight loss, chronic cough, a pot bellied appearance, and even fainting episodes. Many heart problems can be detected on physical exam.

 

 

Luxating Patella’s- Slipping Knee caps- Hereditary or due to injury. Mild luxation causes some discomfort with high levels of activity. When a dog luxates its patella it may carry the leg briefly, or stop and stretch the leg backwards in an attempt to reseat the patella back in its normal groove.

 

 

Elongated Palate/Collapsing Trachea- May cause breathing problems, airway obstruction in Pugs. The soft palate is abnormally long and causes breathing problems.

 

 

Facial fold dermatitis:  an infection of the facial skin caused by unusual or excessive skin folds. Must keep folds clean.

 

 

Hanging tongue: a syndrome where the tongue does not retract into the mouth properly, due to neurologic or anatomic defects

 

 

Stenotic nares:  - the openings of the nose is too small. This puts a strain on the dog's system and can lead to an enlarged heart. An indication of stenotic nares is the dog tends to mouth breathe or has foamy nasal discharge.

 

 

Wry Mouth-is a twisted of offset lower jaw. Jaw cannot come together; dog often cannot eat or drink properly. The tongue is sometimes seen protruding from 1 side of the mouth. When this happens the dog usually looses its teeth.

 

Pugs have large, round, expressive eyes. Pugs eyes are set shallowly into their heads, sometimes eyes do come out.  Some Pugs go through their lives without any eye problems, some have chronic problems. Below are some eye conditions…

 

Corneal Ulcers: Any scratch or injury to a dog’s eye can result in an ulcer. Ulcers must be treated by a veterinarian immediately or there will be some loss of sight. 

 

Dry Eye:(Keratitis sicca)This condition is caused by the lack of tear production.  This can be due to lack of nerve stimulation of the tear glands, failure of the tear glands, or blockage of the ducts that carry the tears to the eyes. Full diagnosis can only be performed by a Veterinarian to determine the cause.  Treatment will be dependant upon the cause and severity of the condition.

 

Distachiasis- Eyelashes growing on the inside of the lid, causes irritation on the eye as the dog blinks, can be 1 hair or many. This is similar to that of Entroption.  Surgery is required for correction.

 

 

Entropian- The rolling of the eyelid(s) into the eye, this is common due to the shape of the pug’s head, placement of the eyes & the over-nose wrinkle. The hairs or eyelashes will rub on the eye causing irritation. Generally, it will only be the inner corner of the bottom eyelid & as the pug grows & matures the problem self-corrects.

 

Progressive Retinal Atrophy: PRA is a hereditary eye disease causing the breakdown of the cells of the retina. The breakdown is gradual leading to mid-life (age 5-7 blindness)

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