Are you looking for a free Pug puppy? Or, are you just looking for a cheap pug? Either way, you need to read the rest of this post.
First, you are incredibly unlikely to get a free pug. Like it or not, there are expenses involved in breeding healthy puppies. Unless you happen to get about as lucky as winning the lottery, you’re not going to find someone who will just “give” you a free pug. However, there are people who want to sell you a pug, for cheap — but should you buy a Pug from a “cheap” breeder?
First, you must understand that all Pugs are not created equally. Getting a good price on a Pug is not the same thing as getting a better price on a new camera, TV, or new car. Different breeders are selling you different things — from one, you might get a Lexus and from another you might get a Yugo. What makes it a little bit more complicated is that price does not always indicate whether you are getting a good dog. You could find a disreputable breeder who sells their puppies for as much as possible. On the other hand, you may find a very good breeder who is only trying to cover her costs and would be willing to sell their dog for less than it is worth. You might also find a good breeder who charges a fee only to make sure that they give their dogs to good homes, on the theory that people who are interested in a free pug do not have the dedication or resources to take proper care of a dog. However, you are more likely to find a breeder who is selling you a cheap dog because the breeder is set up to produce a large number of puppies without regard for the health and quality of those puppies.
They are running a fast food joint. Just as burger places serve cheap food that will cause you health problems, breeders selling large numbers of cheap pugs will sell you dogs with health problems.
You will get very attached to your puppy, I promise you. Pugs, especially those from puppy mills, are prone to health problems, and it can be very painful to lose a pug early because of this. Also, health problems are EXPENSIVE. While it might save you a small amount of money now, getting a cheap pug will cost you a lot more if you end up with one that has serious health issues. Finally, in the long run, the difference in price between a pug from a reasonably priced reputable breeder and from a puppy mill will not be that much, relative to the cost of regular vet visits, heart worm pills, dog food, and dog toys you will buy.
Also, you should definitely consider a rescue pug. They are definitely not free most of the time, but they are a good way to get a dog. I will talk more about rescue pugs in a future post.
To learn how to tell a good from bad breeders and for more about why it is so important, you absolutely need to read my earlier article on pug breeders.
P.S., If you agree with what I’ve said here and you have your own blog, please link to this post.