Archive for March, 2008
March 31, 2008 at 8:53 pm · Show more about: breeders, guides, martine, Pug, puppies, puppy
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If you are looking for a local pug puppy breeder or if you’re trying to figure out if the one you’re talking to is reputable, you need to read this post. It’s extremely important to get your Pug puppy from a reputable breeder. Pugs, like many other pure bred dogs, are susceptible to certain disorders. Good breeders will be less likely to sell you a dog that has problems common to the breed. Therefore, you need to find a reputable breeder.
Why do certain breeders produce better Pug puppies than others?
From the Pug Dog Club of America’s Code of Ethics:
Breeders shall exercise great care when selecting stud dogs or brood bitches. Breeders shall use stock of characteristic type, exhibit soundness, stable temperament, be in good health and condition and be free of communicable diseases and serious genetic defects. Breeders do not breed just for the pet market and believe the only justifiable reason to breed is to improve the breed.
Reputable breeders generally show their Pugs in dog shows, and they are interested in winning the shows by producing better dogs. Because they’re interested in winning shows and improving the breed more than making money, they want to produce the best looking dog possible. Their stated goal is to improve the breed by selecting high quality dogs to breed. They also want to build a reputation in the dog show community for producing high quality dogs. Part of the way they improve their “line” is to work with other breeders, selectively choosing the dogs they wish to breed. If their “line” develops genetic problems, the other breeders won’t want to work with them. Nobody wants their line to develop problems.
Their picky nature benefits you. Many times, they produce more dogs than they wish to show. When this happens, they pick the best looking ones for themselves, and sell the others as ‘pets.’ Most of the time, the dogs sold as pets could easily be considered “show dogs,” but the breeder has chosen to show only one. Other times, a dog might be sold as a pet because he has a teeny-tiny problem that nobody will ever notice except the judges. For example, the puppy’s legs might be a little bit too short, or her body might be a little bit too long. She might have a splotch of white fur on her paw, while the breeders and judges want a solid color coat. Dog show standards can be very strict, and even the slightest fault can cause a dog to be ill suited for showing, but absolutely perfect for being a pet. Therefore, getting a dog as a “pet” from a “show” breeder is the best way to be sure to get a higher quality pug puppy. For more about the pug dog standard, see the Pug Dog Club of America’s Standards Page.
How to find a good pug puppy breeder?
First, you should try to find a member of the Pug Dog Club of America in your area. The PDCA has a breeder referral list. If there is not a member of the PDCA in your area, the breeder should at least be a member of the AKC. Second, your breeder should show pugs competitively in dog shows, for the reasons listed above and because breeders who show dogs will, through competition, improve their line.
What should I expect from a breeder?
- You should be allowed to have your puppy examined by a vet.
- You should be given instructions for care.
- You should receive medical records.
- Your breeder should be willing to accept the pug back should you be unable to care for the dog or should the dog have serious medical problems.
- Your breeder should ask YOU questions. Do not be offended. Your breeder wants her puppies to go to a good home. She knows she is a good breeder, but she doesn’t know about you. Expect a lot of questions about your ability to take care of your puppy. If you are not asked questions, consider this a sign that the breeder is more interested in money than breeding quality dogs.
- You should be allowed to visit the dogs free of charge. It is inappropriate to require a deposit in order to visit with the puppies. Breeders who do this are attempting to “hook” you into a purchase, sight-unseen. This is unethical.
- Your breeder’s premises should be clean.
- Your breeder should be willing to provide references.
- Your breeder should provide legal documentation for the sale.
- Your breeder should provide AKC registration papers and a copy of your pug’s pedigree.
- Your breeder should require you to spay or neuter your dog. The Pug Dog Club of America’s code of ethics requires that pugs sold as “pets” be sold on the condition that the dog be spayed or neutered.
- Your breeder should not sell pug hybrids. While Puggles, Brugs, and Pugapoos are certainly cute, you are more likely to get a higher quality dog from a breeder that does not engage in such practices, as reputable breeders are dedicated to improving the breed. Puggles, Brugs, and Pugapoos are not a breed. Creating a new breed takes decades of work. Without that work, mixing breeds can create all kinds of problems. You don’t know what you’re getting. If your breeder creates hybrid pugs, this is an indication that he is interested more in money than producing a high quality dog.
Please feel free to ask questions in the comments.
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March 26, 2008 at 8:54 pm · Show more about: birthday, lexy, Pug
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Today, Lexy is six years old! Happy birthday, Lexy.
This picture is of Lexy sitting in the swing my parents got for Martine when she’s over at their house. She was pawing on it to figure out what exactly it was the other day, and my mom put her in there and took this picture.
Lexy’s still adjusting to Martine, as she doesn’t get to see her that often, and my parents don’t see Martine every day, so they pay a little bit more attention to her, of course. So, lexy’s just not used to sharing the stage, just yet. She’ll get there.
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March 23, 2008 at 1:38 am · Show more about: bunny, easter, Pug
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Pugs in bunny ears herald in the arrival of Spring!
It took a while, but we finally got pictures with Gadget AND the little stuffed bunny, because he just kept attacking it! Normally, Gadget doesn’t like to play with toys, but for some reason, sometimes when a toy looks like a little tiny animal, he’ll play with it. That’s exactly what he did this afternoon when we took the pictures in the front yard.
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I hesitate to think what all the cars driving by thought when they saw me taking pictures of my dog in a bunny outfit while my daughter and wife watched…
Anyway, Gadget made an appearance as the easter pug last year, but this year is totally cuter. I’m not sure what we will do next year, but I’m sure it will involve pugs and toddlers dressed like bunnies. I actually put the bunny ears on Martine, and she really gives Gadget a run for his money cuteness-wise. If I can get things together next year, there’s going to be some real cute overload going on.
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March 22, 2008 at 12:28 am · Show more about: gadget, green, martine
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For St. Patrick’s day, we had Martine wearing green. However, green does not signal “girl,” and she doesn’t have long hair or anything else to identify her as a little girl, so we put a little green headband bow on her. You know, “bow” means “girl.” That’s about the best we can do at this age without putting on a dress, which isn’t really your everyday practical wear as an infant. So, “bow” it was.
Anyway, this is the headband you see on Gadget. You see, Gadget is very cute, and putting cute things on him amplifies his natural cuteness. It’s just so to resist doing it. He usually doesn’t mind, although I suppose I could be persuaded to give him extra treats for putting up with letting me put stuff on him. (Don’t tell him that, though!)
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Anyway, I’m finishing up my spring break now, although it’s more like a spring “catch up” than a “break.” Also, we will be going over to my parents’ house for Easter, so Gizmo and Gadget will get to hang out with Lexy. Speaking of Lexy, she simultaneously adores and is jealous of Martine. Lexy’s used to getting ALL the attention, and when Martine is there, my mother pays a little bit less attention to Lexy. She’s not quite as adjusted to Martine as Gizmo and Gadget are, so given a little time, she’ll adjust.
Oh, one more thing. I picked up a few Easter things for Urban Pug today, and we’re planning on another visit from the Easter Pug!!! I can’t wait!
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March 17, 2008 at 11:49 pm · Show more about: chin, martine, Pug
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Martine’s been around for 6 weeks now, and it’s hard to tell exactly how the boys really feel about her. For sure, they aren’t hostile. However, they definitely get a little bit less attention. This has caused them to, ahem, act out. Acting out, for them, involves peeing on things when we’re not looking. They’re very passive aggressive dogs, they are. As a result, I’ve been breaking out the mop more often.
Back to what they think. Here’s what I see. Gadget, when he gets close enough, will lick Martine just like he’d lick me. He sees her as another little creature. He doesn’t consider himself anything close to the alpha dog, so in his mind she’s either on his level or above, so no big deal. Gizmo, on the other hand, sees himself as one pack-step higher than Gadget. Also, Gizmo doesn’t really show all that much excitement or affection. He snuggles, he gets excited when you get home, but that’s it. He can’t really get excited and run up to Martine when we get home, because she’s still in a car seat. So, I don’t really know where Gizmo stands, except for the fact that he has snuggled up with her.
He even used her as a chin rest, something he does as often as he can to the rest of his humans.
That’s what the picture above is of — Gizmo using Martine as a chin rest
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March 9, 2008 at 9:56 pm · Show more about: Pug
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This weekend, Tricia’s parents came in town. That in itself is enough to cause lots of not-ordinarily-scheduled activities to happen around the house. However, they came in town for Martine’s baptism. So, adding getting THAT done on top of having relatives in from out of town is even more of a change in our normal routine.
We’re still working on the whole “parenting” thing, so adding in getting dressed up in a fancy christening gown and going to a party afterwards throws lots of extra stress into the weekend. However, everything worked out well. Good ceremony (she was good), good party afterwards (she was good for the most party).
I don’t really have any pug related baptism photos, but I do have a new one of G&G with their sister. Enjoy!
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March 7, 2008 at 2:23 pm · Show more about: Pug, stickers
I’ve just created two new pug stickers. They are of a pug silhouette and a pug silhouette w/ “p is for pug” written on it.
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March 4, 2008 at 2:14 am · Show more about: bassinet, gizmo, martine
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We have a bassinet in the bedroom for Martine to sleep in. We have ended up not using it all that much just yet, but we plan to soon. The bassinet is just a small little bed with a mobile and a basket underneath the bed for storage.
Well, the other day I was looking around and I didn’t see Gizmo anywhere. “He was just here,” I thought. I heard some rustling over in the corner of the room, but I didn’t see anything. At first. Upon closer look, I saw that Gizmo had somehow managed to get into this little storage area.
It turns out that this spot is perfect as a pug bed. So perfect, in fact, that it’s now Gizmo has claimed “bottom bunk” with Martine being left to the top bunk. Also perfect (to Gizmo) about this spot is that it’s a secret.
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Last night, I got to see Gadget notice for the first time that Gizmo was even *in* there. He walked up to Gizmo, looked confused for a second, walked up to the bassinet and sniffed around, confirming that there was, in fact, a Pug in there. Then, he walked around, looking for a way to get in, but the baby swing is in the way, and he just didn’t figure out that he would have to walk around the baby swing in order so jump in.
So, for now, the bottom bunk is Gizmo’s sole domain. I think he likes it that way. Since the initial visit, he’s gone back in there, and every time he just gets comfortable and just looks like he’s in heaven in his “little spot.”
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March 3, 2008 at 12:15 am · Show more about: gizmo, martine
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We’re continuing to adjust to living with a newborn, and so are Gizmo and Gadget. Recently, Martine has been especially fussy, and whenever she cries a whole lot, Gizmo and Gadget take cover. Gadget, especially will run and hide under our bed when she cries! He only does that when he’s sick or scared. I don’t want him to feel that way, but it is kinda cute in a certain way to see him hiding from a crying baby… Hmm.. Gizmo doesn’t call Gadget a cowardly lion for nothing!
Also, Jin from FunnyFur wanted me to let you know about Buddy Belts, which are great harnesses, especially for pugs. They are especially good at protecting dog necks. So please do check them out, and if you decide to buy one, you can use the promo code “urbanpug10” for 10 percent off.
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. They work great!
are great for cleaning up messes, and are reusable.