Pugs - Absolutely knackered

Appreciate there are some pug lovers on here (beyond me, but that's life), but unfortunately this news has been the case for years.
Pugs are fooked (no, not in the showering with the dog sense), and shock horror, people are to blame.

This was today's news - on BBC as well but here's an article.

It's not even new news either - This is from 2016
Vets warn people against buying 'flat-faced' dogs

They're now so badly bred, they're basically born fooked.

“Vet teams see pugs with these distressing health problems – from breathing difficulties to eye ulcers and painful spine abnormalities – in veterinary practices across the UK on a daily basis. This study clearly demonstrates how it is the extreme characteristics many owners find so appealing, such as squashed faces, big eyes and curly tails, which are seriously compromising pugs’ health and welfare and often result in a lifetime of suffering.

“While these extreme, unhealthy characteristics remain, we will continue to strongly recommend potential owners do not buy brachycephalic breeds such as pugs.”

So, there you have it. Stop buying/breeding pugs. They've suffered enough.
I've posted this before but here's an 18th century pug and here's 21st century one. It's animal cruelty and should be stopped. Apologies to pug lovers, cuddle your hound, give it a good life, but don't get another one

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I've posted this before but here's an 18th century pug and here's 21st century one. It's animal cruelty and should be stopped. Apologies to pug lovers, cuddle your hound, give it a good life, but don't get another one

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That pug is overweight mate.

Ours have never been like that. Also, what's to say that pug is unhealthy?

I'm afraid it's simply untrue that they are not healthy animals. Far too much being made of this. Belle (the pug who inspired my avatar since the day I joined the SMB) lived to 12 years old and outlived most other dogs. We have an 8 year old in perfect health now that we rescued. No breathing issues at all.

People who haven't owned pugs simply have no idea, it's clear from this thread.
 
That pug is overweight mate.

Ours have never been like that. Also, what's to say that pug is unhealthy?

I'm afraid it's simply untrue that they are not healthy animals. Far too much being made of this. Belle (the pug who inspired my avatar since the day I joined the SMB) lived to 12 years old and outlived most other dogs. We have an 8 year old in perfect health now that we rescued. No breathing issues at all.

People who haven't owned pugs simply have no idea, it's clear from this thread.
Here's what the Kennel Club say about them

Buying brachycephalic (flat-faced) puppies | Kennel Club
 
EDIT: Anyway I'll bow out of the debate now. If you don't want to get a pug that's absolutely fine. Plenty of tremendous breeds out there. Dogs are absolutely mint and are tremendous for your physical and mental health and well being.

Having a dog, whatever breed, is better than not having one if you're a good human and a good owner. It will improve your life and your health.

Those with strong views about animal welfare, I would encourage you to act on your passionate views and do something to improve animal welfare. There are plenty of amazing charities out there dedicated to this. Don't stew about pug owners on the Internet, be part of the solution and give your time or money or attention to actually helping.

Mux out. Woof.
All perfectly reasonable advice. We followed that very advice when getting the puppy.
 
If you don't insure something like a dog which can cost a lot of fix, then you shouldn't be allowed one.
I'd say the same for cats, but dogs probably need insurance even more.
Deffo insure your cats too people.
Our dog is 12 and not insured. Had him insured till he was 10. Now not worth now it due to excess and they also only pay a percentage of Any claim. We have happily spent a good few grand on two leg ops and increased premiums after this (well not happily but it was our responsibility 😀). If he needs more we'll pay based on quality of life judgements. Disagree you shouldn't be allowed one if not insured....you shouldn't be allowed one if you cannot meet the responsibility but unfortunately that will never happen.
 
They are lovely dogs very clever. With dogs it all comes down to the owners imo
Inherant problems because of the way they have been bred to meet the "breed standard".
But lovely natured dogs if brought up correctly, as all dogs are.

No dog is born nasty. They are taught "nasty", either intentionally, or inadvertently by owners who don't take the time to get to know the dog.

Doesn't matter what breed it is. They are born as good friendly animals.

There are 2 ends to a dog lead. One end has four legs on it, and the other end has two. The problem end, if there is one, is invariably the end with two legs on it.

All puppies start off fine. It's humans that fuck them up.
That pug is overweight mate.

Ours have never been like that. Also, what's to say that pug is unhealthy?

I'm afraid it's simply untrue that they are not healthy animals. Far too much being made of this. Belle (the pug who inspired my avatar since the day I joined the SMB) lived to 12 years old and outlived most other dogs. We have an 8 year old in perfect health now that we rescued. No breathing issues at all.

People who haven't owned pugs simply have no idea, it's clear from this thread.
Never owned one mate, and clearly sometimes they have airway issues, but most breeds have some issues. As a responsible owner, like you clearly are, it is just being aware of what those issues can be, and making sure you try and avoid them.
People that don't know them may be inclined to under exercise them, and the weight adds to the issues. They are absolutely not lap dogs. Got a mate who has two, and they are little balls of muscle, fit as fuck, and so energetic. Masses of character too.
He's also got a little black one he calls a "jug". Jack Russel/Pug cross. Looks like a black JR but has a lower jaw overbite. He is the cutest little fella.
Like I say, get to know the dog, give him what he needs, and you have generally a happy, content and healthy dog.👍
 
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We have had three.

Belle who died last year was 12 and never had any trouble breathing. We had to keep an eye on her on really hot days but that's it.

We have an 8 year old and a brand new puppy now, both fit and healthy.

This story is totally overblown in my experience. There are some flat faced dogs with breathing issues yes. There are other breeds with other issues.

For instance, bigger breeds tend to lose their mobility and their legs go. It's cruel but it happens and often at a young age. Doesn't happen to small dogs like pugs anywhere near as much.

The focus on pugs is just the new thing in the news today. It'll be back to staffys mauling children next and then foxes killing the family rabbit.

Those of you who think pugs are mega unhealthy and you feel so sorry for them, have you actually ever owned one? If you did you would realise you're wrong.
Good post.
You're so right about the new thing in the news.

We have a pug - ex puppy farm stud from South Wales who'd had no human interaction and was as nervous as anything.
Had him 6 months now and he's great - settled in really well.
You're also right about different breeds and their issues - take Cavaliers and their syringomyelia for instance (mainly caused through breeding 'practices' through the years.
If you don't insure something like a dog which can cost a lot of fix, then you shouldn't be allowed one.
I'd say the same for cats, but dogs probably need insurance even more.
Deffo insure your cats too people.
We have four dogs and not one of them is insured.
We learnt a long time ago that most pet insurance is a rip off , especially with rescue dogs as most have long standing issues that the insurance companies either exclude from the policy or charge a fortune to include.
 
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Always look like their about to snuff it when I see them being walked round the park in the slightest bit of warmth, sounding like they're snoring every breath. Seems cruel tbh. Mate of mine has an English Bulldog and that thing is fucked and struggled with breathing as well
 
Some pretty poor and ill informed crap on this thread like. The photo above of a so called 'historic' pug being a good case in point. Google historic and vintage pug photos - there are a huge number of photos 100-200 years old that very much resemble our current pug standard. Pick a photo that tells your own narrative, not necessarily the reality. Google most breeds, and see how much they've changed over the decades... Considering there are a number of short nose breeds, it's odd to see Pugs being particularly singled out - especially when some of the bulldog breeds are statistically shorter living and can suffer more severely from brachy issues and a need for BOAS surgery alongside other massive health issues caused by being overweight. All of the below is well known, well published, well accepted:

Dalmations - at high risk of deafness and suffer from a range of common health problems. Damn you Dalmation owners.
Boxers - also suffer from BOAS, commonly suffer from epilepsy and hip dysplasia. Damn you Boxer owners
GSD - commonly suffer from hip and spinal issues. It's cruel to keep breeding them when they suffer so much. Damn you GSD owners.
Greyhounds - bred for sport and not family life and then cast aside or put down at a young age or live their life out in kennels. Also suffer from musculoskeletal issues, eye problems, bone tumours, heat sensitive. Damn you Greyhound owners.
Shih Tzu - lots of them out there. Also suffer genetically from Pigmentary keratitis, eye issues, BOAS brachy related issues. Damn you Shih Tzu owners.

Could go on and on about most breeds out there like this and whilst yes, maybe not to the extent of some breeds, and hard to argue that the standards being bred to don't always help, the picture isn't as it's being presented and same as with French Bulldogs now, which in my experience are little aggressive arseholes, the issues are more prominent and visible because they went through a phase of massive popularity so more are being seen, often unhealthy examples, by vets.

Always look like their about to snuff it when I see them being walked round the park in the slightest bit of warmth, sounding like they're snoring every breath. Seems cruel tbh. Mate of mine has an English Bulldog and that thing is fucked and struggled with breathing as well

You're right, and it's an ownership thing, not a breed standard thing. Most of these dogs have one thing in common - they're fat as fuck. Short nosed breeds can have issues in high temperatures, which is when you'll normally see them panting in the park. But this is often combined with the fact that the breeds tend to be heavyset, stocky dogs that too many owners mistakenly think they have, when the truth is that they've raised their dogs to be fat overweight unhealthy dogs and that's the real reason they're sounding like a 19th century steam train. They aren't built genetically to be walked for hours - they never have been ffs, but even in warm weather, they'll go for a walk fine - they struggle usually because they're overweight and that exaggerates the symptoms of brachy syndrome in all short nose breeds.

When you see a pug or a bulldog blowing out of it's arse in the park, the common attitude now is to think: poor dog, should stop breeding them, it never had a chance with those issues. How many fat as fuck labradors, collies and retrievers do you see? Because I see a lot of them too, and guess what, when it's warm, they're all panting like fuck the minute they've left the house. As @mux said earlier, and I know Pugs well, I have one, and I know plenty of others that do - sometimes you can be unlucky, but raise it well, treat it well, meet it's health and nutrition needs correctly, and it'll live as long as most other dogs without too many problems. Same as most other breeds.
 
Good post.
You're so right about the new thing in the news.

We have a pug - ex puppy farm stud from South Wales who'd had no human interaction and was as nervous as anything.
Had him 6 months now and he's great - settled in really well.
You're also right about different breeds and their issues - take Cavaliers and their syringomyelia for instance (mainly caused through breeding 'practices' through the years.

We have four dogs and not one of them is insured.
We learnt a long time ago that most pet insurance is a rip off , especially with rescue dogs as most have long standing issues that the insurance companies either exclude from the policy or charge a fortune to include.
To be fair petplan were great with our dogs two ops and paid out no quibbles. We for once we've been better off with insurance (although much rather have paid the premiums without the dog being put through two ops). I think so long as owners make a responsible and informed decision (read the policy) either way if fine.
 
Some pretty poor and ill informed crap on this thread like. The photo above of a so called 'historic' pug being a good case in point. Google historic and vintage pug photos - there are a huge number of photos 100-200 years old that very much resemble our current pug standard. Pick a photo that tells your own narrative, not necessarily the reality. Google most breeds, and see how much they've changed over the decades... Considering there are a number of short nose breeds, it's odd to see Pugs being particularly singled out - especially when some of the bulldog breeds are statistically shorter living and can suffer more severely from brachy issues and a need for BOAS surgery alongside other massive health issues caused by being overweight. All of the below is well known, well published, well accepted:

Dalmations - at high risk of deafness and suffer from a range of common health problems. Damn you Dalmation owners.
Boxers - also suffer from BOAS, commonly suffer from epilepsy and hip dysplasia. Damn you Boxer owners
GSD - commonly suffer from hip and spinal issues. It's cruel to keep breeding them when they suffer so much. Damn you GSD owners.
Greyhounds - bred for sport and not family life and then cast aside or put down at a young age or live their life out in kennels. Also suffer from musculoskeletal issues, eye problems, bone tumours, heat sensitive. Damn you Greyhound owners.
Shih Tzu - lots of them out there. Also suffer genetically from Pigmentary keratitis, eye issues, BOAS brachy related issues. Damn you Shih Tzu owners.

Could go on and on about most breeds out there like this and whilst yes, maybe not to the extent of some breeds, and hard to argue that the standards being bred to don't always help, the picture isn't as it's being presented and same as with French Bulldogs now, which in my experience are little aggressive arseholes, the issues are more prominent and visible because they went through a phase of massive popularity so more are being seen, often unhealthy examples, by vets.



You're right, and it's an ownership thing, not a breed standard thing. Most of these dogs have one thing in common - they're fat as fuck. Short nosed breeds can have issues in high temperatures, which is when you'll normally see them panting in the park. But this is often combined with the fact that the breeds tend to be heavyset, stocky dogs that too many owners mistakenly think they have, when the truth is that they've raised their dogs to be fat overweight unhealthy dogs and that's the real reason they're sounding like a 19th century steam train. They aren't built genetically to be walked for hours - they never have been ffs, but even in warm weather, they'll go for a walk fine - they struggle usually because they're overweight and that exaggerates the symptoms of brachy syndrome in all short nose breeds.

When you see a pug or a bulldog blowing out of it's arse in the park, the common attitude now is to think: poor dog, should stop breeding them, it never had a chance with those issues. How many fat as fuck labradors, collies and retrievers do you see? Because I see a lot of them too, and guess what, when it's warm, they're all panting like fuck the minute they've left the house. As @mux said earlier, and I know Pugs well, I have one, and I know plenty of others that do - sometimes you can be unlucky, but raise it well, treat it well, meet it's health and nutrition needs correctly, and it'll live as long as most other dogs without too many problems. Same as most other breeds.
Thank you mate. You've made my point more eloquently than I managed.

Pugs are not an unhealthy breed and owning one is not perpetuating suffering. People need to understand that.

If you think differently, you haven't owned one.
 
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Thank you mate. You've made my point more eloquently than I managed.

Pugs are not an unhealthy breed and owning one is not perpetuating suffering. People need to understand that.

If you think differently, you haven't owned one.

Bit of a daft argument that mind. There's plenty of data out there done across a much bigger sample size than the handful of members on here who have/had pugs and didn't have many issues.
 
They are an unhealthy dog. I can understand people who love the breed defending it but the stats don’t lie and neither do groups like the royal veterinary college or RSPCA.

They by large have some physical characteristics that are simply not compatible with a good quality of life.

I’m a Cockapoo man myself
 
They are an unhealthy dog. I can understand people who love the breed defending it but the stats don’t lie and neither do groups like the royal veterinary college or RSPCA.

They by large have some physical characteristics that are simply not compatible with a good quality of life.

I’m a Cockapoo man myself
As I said earlier my sister has a one whom we all love, she’s beaut but also incredibly unhealthy. She’s waiting for an eye op at the moment, just another problem in what’s becoming a long line of them ☹️
 

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