Anyone have a Pug?

I have always wanted a dog and am thinking about adopting a Pug. I have read they are good with cats and children, both which I have .

I would love to have a walking buddy and I read that Pugs need lots of exercise because they are prone to obesity.

I am just curious if anyone has one and if so, is it a hearty breed? I realize there are breathing issues with them but if exercised regularly, are they hearty? How do they get along with your existing pets?

I just find them so darn cute .

I've never had one but known several, and yes, they seem to be very hearty, but I believe they are also prone to knee problems. One I knew lived in a busy home with cats, and small kids, one of whom had severe autism. Gretel did fine with everything!

You want a black or a fawn one?

Cally

Honestly, I fell in love with one who was a rescued from a breeder. He was very ill and the shelter nursed him back. He lost an eye in the process.

I don't really care about the color, just the temperment and those cute little folds of skin. Yes, I know they need special attention.

My co-worker has a pug and she just loves that dog, but they do have several health risks, eye problems, back problems, and knee problems. Her dog also has had seizures off and on for most of its life.

Are the back and knee issues related to obesity or just the breed? I have been trying to read as much as I can about them.

Every Pug &/or "Puggle" who has come through the shelter has been an energetic, outgoing, & bubbly dog. To the point of being obnoxious, sometimes.

Most of it is genetic. I used to have a Boston Terrier, and he had some eye problems and nasal/breathing problems from time to time, but nothing life threatening.

a pug may or may not be the best option for a walking buddy in all honestly. The flat faced breeds can have problems breathing and also overheat much faster than other breeds. We had a bunch at the kennel I worked at, and most were great! We never really had any major problems with them, and three that came regularly were hysterical!
They are a breed I would want to make sure I got from a reputable breeder just because of all the skin, joint, and eye problems! And be ready to clean the folds of skin with a qtip a couple times a week to keep them from getting that yeasty smell
And 90% of the ones we had at camp were fat...

White Cat Lover: I'm sure the obnoxious part may have had something to do with the beagle part of puggle! LOL!

My In-Laws have 4 pugs.

They demand constant attention. In fact, it's recommended that you get 2 compatible Pugs to help with this. (They'll still demand constant attention from you, but I'm just relaying what I've been told! ) They make good pets for households where there's someone home all day and night--they love attention. IMHO, they are not the brightest breed, but are sure are adorable!

They snort a lot, and seem prone to obesity.

All in all, my In-Laws love theirs. They are constant companions to FIL, who's semi-retired. They even sleep with him. They all get along so well with each other, too. Two are females who were cast-offs from what we think was an Amish puppy mill. The vet said they had been abused; they have scars. Also, they were not fed properly, and now their teeth are bad, as are their bones. Also, they were terrified of men at first--except for FIL. It's been over a year, and they're finally calming down a bit. Lord only know what those poor dogs have been through--it makes me boil with anger to think about it--but they love the other Pugs and the Tibetan Spaniel.

My friend had four ( now 3 ) ... ALL have had surgery except the pug /shih ztu cross.. The others are pure breed pugs... Loveing dogs , playful... she declawed the cats cause someone said cats claws could scratch the pugs eyes( someones cat had in fact blinded the pug)... Genetic : Eye, Ear , Joint , Palate and allergy issues ... Ie MONEY pits ... and two came from a decent breeders one was a out right rescue

4th pug paseed on at age 8 ... paralsised at at 5 by unknown cause ...

I love these dog s dearly but they are the reason I would not consider the breed ..Now a lovely pug mixed with a nosed breed , yes

Definitely not walking buddy material...

I am owned by two pugs and love them dearly! They are the greatest little breed. I never went out looking specifically for a pug but I used to volunteer at a shelter and walk the dogs. Well one day a black pug was there and labeled as a biter which meant I couldnt walk him. I asked one of the workers and she said I could take him out (she didnt believe him to be a biter either). He was the most adorable thing. I fell in love with him and was up there for 8 hours every day that weekend (long weekend). He fell in love with me and screamed when I left him every time. He was going to be euthenized......I couldn't let them do that to him. So my husband and I fought for him. It was a hard long fight but in the end we won!!!! So now he is livnig happily with us. I truly fell in love with the pug breed. About a year later I rescued another pug- so I have Sampson and Delilah.
They are smart, funny, loving companions. They do love their people and they definitely love other pugs. It is good to have more than one if you can. They do shed constantly year round. The double coated ones shed worse than the single coated. Some of them like to lick a lot. I have this problem with one of mine lol. She is constantly licking. Delilah came to me not really being able to walk very well. She ended up needing surgery because her knees are bad. (she has luxating patella....apparently quite common in pugs). She is also blind in one eye and requires lifetime drops because of loss of tear production. Sampson is a pretty healthy guy- he only suffered from some bad allergies until we figured out it was food related. He is doing much better now. They do require daily cleaning of the face/wrinkles. They are very good with kids and other animals. My kitten terrorizes them, but they have never done anything to hurt the kitten. They kinda just lay there and take it lol.
Pugs are like potato chips- you can't have just one!!!

Good Luck with your decision!!!!

What a heartwarming story!

One concern I would have is the pug's eyes and my kitties.

I absolutely loved my Pug!! He was very bubbly and had no fear of anything. He was an amazing little guy! As many people pointed out, being brachycephalic makes them poor choices as a walking buddy. Ollie liked to take walks but couldn't handle much more than a mile and that was pushing it. They are a little bug eyed with does make them prone to losing eyes, but Ollie played with Pepper all of the time and we ever had a problem. I always supervised their play though, too. I now have a Lab because I lost Ollie unexpectedly and didn't think I could emotioally handle having another Pug when I got her, but I would have aother Pug in a heartbeat.