Pugs originated in China, a relative of the mastiff.
These little dogs with the round heads and expressive facial wrinkles were bred to be companion dogs. Pugs are easy going pups, serious but with a laid-back attitude.
Because Pugs have short muzzles they can be sensitive to heat and cold. Pugs range in size from 14-18 pounds. They need need moderate exercise and a lot of human attention. Pugs are great family dogs and do very well with children of all ages.
Pugs may have a tendency to become overweight so diet and proper exercise is important. Because of the short snout, Pugs have a tendency to snore. They are also prone to eye injuries.
Grooming is important. Pugs have dense coats and facial wrinkles that need to be kept clean. Daily grooming is suggested.
Pugs love to be with their people and do not do well being left alone for long periods of time. Some can experience anxiety when left alone for to long.
Because Pugs are very popular, They can be a targeted breed of USDA commercial dog breeders, puppy mill breeders, backyard breeders and online puppy mill broker websites looking to profit from selling puppies.
Please see our Puppy Mill Watchdog page that monitors puppy breeders and online puppy broker websites.
Read the story about four rescued breeding dogs.
Please do your research — if the breeder will not let you meet the mother see her condition, and where she and all of the breeders dogs live, don’t buy the puppy. Video chats, videos and photos do not take the place of seeing in person.
About the Breed: Pug
Pugs can range in size from 10-14 inches tall and can weigh 14 -18 pounds.
Age Expectancy: 14-15 years.
Temperament: Smart, observant, playful and loving dogs.
Coat: Short.
Color: Black, Fawn, Silver Fawn, Apricot.
Grooming: Regular grooming and wiping of face folds.
Training: Easy to train, it is suggested to start positive training your Pug puppy at an early age.
Vet Care: Regular vet care is essential for the health and well being of your Pug puppy.
Types of Pug Puppies
FAQ’s About Buying Pug Puppies Online
When buying a Pug puppy, you want to make sure you are not supporting a bad breeder or puppy mill.
Its impossible to tell from a picture if a Pug puppy is healthy or what it’s personality is like.
Make sure you see firsthand, in person that the Pug puppy was born in a loving clean environment. Always meet your new puppy in person before you buy it, there are too many risks to buying a Pug puppy from a picture.
The Pug pup should have an overall healthy look to him. Make sure his eyes are bright, he is clean and happy. Look at the puppy’s body language, make sure his tail is up and wagging. Is his posture good? Does he hold his head up, is he curious? Does he run up to you or is he hand shy and cowers or is afraid to approach you? Is the kennel where he lives clean? Is the breeders house or property clean. Listen to your gut.
Since your Pug puppy will be a part of your family for 14 + years, it is important to see firsthand where your Pug puppy was born.
Make sure the breeder is not a USDA commercial dog breeder or puppy mill.
Pick your Pug puppy up in person, meet the mother dog, see her mental and physical condition. She should be clean, happy and well adjusted. The breeder should have no problem showing you his kennel where all of his dogs live.
If you don’t see the kennel in person and meet the mother dog you are taking a big risk and could get an unhealthy and poorly bred puppy that may have mental and physical health issues.
It is not safe to buy Pug puppies online ever. It is not safe to have a puppy shipped to you by air or even escorted to you by a nanny. Meeting the breeder halfway or in a parking lot is risky too.
If you are not able to pick up the puppy in person, meet the mother dog and where she and all of the breeder’s dogs live, the chances are high your puppy is coming from a USDA Commercial breeder or puppy mill.
There are over 1 million puppy mill puppies are sold online each year. It is in your best interest to make sure your new puppy is not coming from one of these bad breeders.
Responsible breeders have nothing to hide. There is no excuse why a breeder should not let you see where the dogs live.
It takes time to find a new Pug puppy and that is ok. Because your Pug puppy will be a part of your family for 14-15 years we can’t stress enough why it’s so important to find a healthy well-bred puppy.
Poorly bred dogs can have anxiety or mental and physical health issues that may not show up for years. Spend time doing your research online but never take a breeder’s word for it.
Always visit the breeders home in person to see where and how he treats his breeding dogs. Responsible breeders have nothing to hide and should have no problem with that.
Pugs are a popular breed and many unscrupulous bad breeders, puppy brokers and puppy mills are breeding and selling Pug puppies online.
It’s important to meet the mother dog and see her mental and physical condition as well as where she lives before you buy a puppy. See where and how she and all of the breeding dogs live.
Many Pug breeders have front rooms where they bring the puppy to you for pick up. They will not let you see where the breeding dogs live which is a huge red flag! Walk away!
It is important to know that ANY breeder can be a puppy mill. A puppy mill is any dog breeder that puts profit over the health and well-being of the breeding dogs and puppies produced. These breeders can have anywhere from ten to twenty dogs to hundreds of breeding dogs.
Puppy mills are legal and many are licensed USDA dog breeders. They often sell on websites that list hundreds of puppies for sale and through many social media sites.
Puppy mills keep the mother and father dogs pregnant. They have a steady stream of puppies for sale.
The breeding dogs are forced to breed twice a year or at every heat cycle and they are usually kept in all wire cages, many times stacked.
The breeding dogs are not cared for properly and live with painful untreated illnesses. They are not groomed, they are not given opportunity to exercise nor do they know the touch of a loving hand. They are denied regular veterinary care and most are living and breeding with painful conditions such as urinary tract infections, ear infections, rotten teeth, infected eyes, tumors, infected mammary glands and sore feet from standing on wire cage floors — that never get addressed.
You don’t want to support puppy mill cruelty. It’s hard to imagine the breeder you are talking or texting with could be a puppy mill.
If the breeder has excuses why they won’t let you see where they keep the breeding dogs or you are not able to meet the mother dog in person, we suggest you find another breeder.