Pugs are awesome loving companions that will probably make you smile all day long. Unfortunately, this breed is prone to many health issues. However, it doesn’t mean that there’s no way to take care of your dog properly. With the right information and some simple actions, you can perfectly keep your Pug fit, healthy and happy!
Don’t forget that your dog’s well-being is your responsibility. With all the conditions this breed can have, you must take care of him. I recently did some research about Pugs to discover more information about that breed. Let’s see what I’ve found about the best ways to maintain or improve your dog’s fitness and health!
Taking care of your dog isn’t complicated at all. You simply need to provide him with proper exercise and nutrition to keep him fit and healthy. Besides, visiting your vet regularly is ideal to avoid any medical problems. On the other hand, frequent grooming, and other healthy habits can also help to keep your Pug in top shape!
Simple things aren’t always easy to accomplish. To take care of your dog, it will require some work, patience and long-term commitment. Owning a Pug can be extremely fun, but you shouldn’t forget that it comes with some responsibilities. At the end of your reading, you will have all the information to finally improve your dog’s health!
Before Improving Your Pug’s Fitness And Health!
There are some things that you need to understand before getting started. Pugs have nice unique personalities that come with some conditions. If you don’t understand your dog’s limits and restrictions, it will be difficult to take care of him properly. Thus, here’s the basic information that every Pug owner should know!
Health Issues Of Pugs.
Unfortunately, your dog is prone to many restrictions that you need to consider. As a brachycephalic (short-nosed) breed, you need to be very careful with him. This problem will restrict him from breathing and regulating his temperature efficiently. That’s why it can be difficult to exercise your Pug!
Another condition of your companion is his size. Toy breeds are well-known to be relatively fragile. Happily, Pugs are normally large enough to be more resilient than other small dogs. Nonetheless, you still need to consider your furball’s size to keep him fit and healthy!
Many people make the mistake to think that Pugs are naturally overweight. They are indeed more prone to carry some extra pounds (or kg), but it doesn’t mean that it’s good for them. Dogs with excess weight are less fit and healthy. They are also more likely to suffer from other health or structural problems!
You probably already know all this information about your companion. Even so, it’s important to keep these conditions in mind during all this process of taking care of him properly. Pure breed pooches are always prone to more health issues. Moreover, Pugs are well-known to not be in good shape. Here are some of the most common problems that your buddy could suffer from!
- Respiratory Issues.
- Skin Problems.
- Pug Eye Issues.
- Canine Hip Dysplasia.
- Etc.
How To Keep Your Pug Fit And Healthy?
Now that you understand your dog’s situation better, you’re ready to help him. To improve his fitness and health there are many things to know. With all the information that you can find on this subject, it can be difficult to know where you should start. To be honest, it isn’t very important, as long as you begin somewhere!
Nevertheless, it would be extremely difficult to keep your pug fit and healthy without some basic information. That’s why it’s so important to not skip the research phase. If you’re reading this article, I’m sure that you’re on the right track to success!
Get Some Help From Your Vet!
To make it clear, the best person to help you with your dog’s health is your vet. Consequently, it’s indeed logical to ask him for some advice to have better results. Even if you can keep your Pug in good shape without him, it’s not always recommended or even safe. Every dog is different, so professional help is ideal to take care of your buddy properly!
What Fit Pugs Look Like?
To get somewhere, you need to have an idea of the final result. It’s the same thing to improve your dog’s health. At first, you should analyze your Pug’s actual situation properly to improve or maintain it. Is he overweight? What are his specific conditions? Is he fit and happy?…
In general, it’s relatively easy to understand if your companion is healthy or not. But on which characteristics should your dog’s shape be based? To know if your Pug is in good health, things like his weight, capacity to play, and many other elements can help you. Let’s see what is a healthy weight for your dog!
Ideal Healthy Weight For Pugs.
The best way to understand easily if your dog is fit (or not) is with a weight scale. For males or females, the Pug healthy weight should be around 14 to 18 pounds (6.35 to 8.16 kg). However, your buddy could be heavier than 18 lbs (8.16 kg) without being overweight. Nonetheless, you should probably consider helping your buddy to lose weight if he’s over 22 pounds (9.97 kg)!
How To Know If Your Pug Is Overweight?
There are many ways to understand if your dog has some extra pounds to lose or not. The best method to know that your Pug is overweight is to ask your veterinarian for an evaluation. With his knowledge and accessories, he will be able to give you personalized answers. Otherwise, there are some other methods to analyze your dog’s weight yourself!
Your Dog Is Probably Overweight If:
- He’s Visibly Too Heavy!
- You Can’t Feel His Rib Cage With Moderate Pressure!
- He Doesn’t Have A Visible Waist From The Top or Side!
- You Can’t Feel His Spine!
- He Has Mobility Issues Because Of His Weight!
- Etc.
The first step to help your dog to lose weight is to understand why he’s obese? If you think that your Pug is overweight, you can also read this article [Link Open In a New Tab] from the Pet Pug Dog blog!
The Best Way To Keep Your Pug Healthy And Fit!
Whether your dog is overweight or not, it’s essential to improve (or maintain) his health. As you probably know, there are many theories and methods to get your Pug in better shape. Regardless of which one is the best, they are all breaking down to the same basics. Let’s see what you can do to improve your companion’s fitness!
Know Your Pug’s Needs.
The first thing you should do to keep your buddy in good health is to understand his needs. For example, intense sports like running might not be the best idea for Pugs. Anyway, it’s interesting to understand that fitness and health are extremely simple. To get your furball in better shape, there are three things you should look at!
- Nutrition.
- Exercise.
- Healthy Habits.
Thus, it’s not too complicated to provide your Pug with proper food and physical activity. Besides, some good habits can also be interesting to keep him healthy. Even if it’s simple, it’s probably not easy because more than 50% of dogs are overweight in the US. Let me help you to not be among the irresponsible canine owners that don’t care about their companions’ well-being!
Why Is Your Pug Not Healthy?
Before finding solutions, it’s always useful to know the problems. Therefore, you need to understand the cause(s) of your Pug’s poor health. Once you know why your companion is not healthy, it will be easier to help him to make more fit. Here are the most common reasons for Pugs to be in poor shape or overweight!
- Eating Too Much or Bad Quality Food.
- Not Enough Physical Activity.
- Age.
- Etc.
Many other conditions such as certain health issues or hip dysplasia can cause (or make him prone to) poor health. Nonetheless, there are always solutions to improve your dog’s shape. Most of the time, nutrition is the major problem of his situation. Therefore, more exercise isn’t the only way to keep your Pug healthy!
Proper Nutrition To Keep Your Pug Healthy!
Maybe that you have the bad habit of simply giving too much food to your buddy. Another possibility would be that the food that you provide him isn’t good quality. As you probably know, every companion has different nutritional needs. Therefore, your vet is again the best person to ask for some help or advice for feeding your Pug the right way!
How To Feed Your Dog Properly?
There are some things that you should know concerning canine nutrition. On average, dogs around 14 to 18 pounds (ideal Pug weight) will need anywhere between 1 and 1 ⅓ cups (4.5-6 oz or 128-171 g) per day. Nonetheless, your companion could need around 1 cup or less if he’s not very active!
Learn more about how much you should feed your dog on this article [Link Open In a New Tab] from the Pet Pug Dog site!
Is Your Pug Eating Too Much?
To reduce the amount of food your dog is eating safely, you need to be very careful. Do this food rebalancing very slowly and gradually to avoid a bad experience for your buddy. You should also keep in mind that his age, activity, metabolism and many other factors can influence his food needs. Therefore, maybe that your Pug simply requires less (or more) calories to stay fit and healthy!
Do You Feed Your Dog With Quality Food?
The quantity of food that your companion eats isn’t the only thing that matters. Quality is also essential to provide him with proper nutrition. Cheap canine food brands can neglect essential nutrients and add unnecessary additives in their products. In other words, investing in good dog food will provide your Pug with better health and quality of life!
Physical Activity To Keep Your Pug Fit!
Whether it’s for humans or dogs, nutrition generally is the most important factor to stay healthy. However, it’s difficult for your dog to build muscle and regulate his weight without any exercise. That’s why it’s crucial to provide him with proper physical activity. Thus, let’s talk about how much workout time is required to keep your Pug in good shape!
How Much Exercise Does Your Pug Needs?
On average, dogs need around 30 to 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Nonetheless, your Pug shouldn’t need more than 20 to 40 minutes of exercise every day. This breed doesn’t have a lot of energy, but your buddy will still need to spend some time working out. Therefore, you should walk with him at least 1 or 2 times per day. He should also have some free playtime and regular mental stimulation!
In general, Pugs will require around 15 to 30 minutes of walking every day. To have more fun and exercise your buddy, you could also have fun playing with toys, other dogs or games. Don’t forget, it’s always crucial to make your dog’s brain work regularly. Sniffing on walks isn’t enough to entertain him mentally. (Should you let your dog sniff on walks?) Your dog should benefit from other activities such as obedience training, puzzle toys or anything else that provides mental enrichment!
Don’t Over-Exercise Your Pug!
You must respect your companion’s limits and conditions. With his respiratory issue, small size and lazy personality, he’s not the best runner partner. Anything more than 40 to 60 minutes of daily physical activity is probably too much for this breed. There are many ways to know if you’re over-exercising your dog. Here are some signs that he should get less physical activity!
Short-Term Symptoms:
- Trouble To Breathe.
- Excessive Panting.
- Difficulty To Walk.
- Drooling.
- Decreased Energy or Stamina.
- Confusion.
- Overheating.
- Etc.
Long-Term Signs:
- Paws Injuries.
- Sore Muscles.
- Joint Injury.
- Behavioral Changes.
- Etc.
Be especially careful with dogs that have specific physical or structural conditions. For example, Pugs with hip dysplasia (or extra pounds) shouldn’t do any kind of high-impact activity. Too much walking or fetch games could be bad, hurt them or injure their joints. Thus, activities like swimming can be very interesting to exercise them!
Which Healthy Habits Can Be Good For Your Pug?
There are many things that every dog owner should do regularly for his buddy. Healthy habits are ideal to improve your Pug’s health in the long term. For example, daily walks in the morning are awesome to exercise both of you. Moreover, it’s ideal to start the day well before going to work. This simple routine can make a big difference with time in your dog’s fitness and well-being. Here are some other healthy habits to keep your Pug healthy and fit!
Giving your dog plenty of water (around 1.5 to 2 oz per pound of body weight) is essential for his health. Therefore, make sure that his bowl is constantly fulfilled with quality water. For walking, you should probably consider investing in a canine harness instead of using a simple collar. This equipment will allow your buddy to breathe better and walk more comfortably. These are two good examples of how he could benefit from healthy habits!
How To Take Care Of Your Pug?
With proper nutrition and exercise, your pooch will certainly be more healthy and fit. Nonetheless, there are still some things that you can take care of to improve his lifestyle. Well-being isn’t all about what you eat and how much you work out. Here are some other responsibilities that every Pug owner has!
Regular Vet Check To Keep Your Pug Healthy!
Even if your dog seems alright, he could have serious health issues. Many diseases or illnesses aren’t obvious to notice. That’s why an annual vet check is so important. Several dog owners make the mistake to think that the animal hospital is only for injuries or emergencies. However, good communication and regular visits with your veterinarian is crucial to keep your Pug healthy!
Don’t Forget Grooming!
This is one of the most time-consuming tasks of canine owners. Most people think that grooming only includes regular brushing. However, you shouldn’t forget essential care responsibilities such as regular baths, teeth brushing, and eye or wrinkle maintenance. With all the health issues that Pugs are prone to, it’s even more important to groom them well!
Enjoy Dog Training!
Having more control over your companion is especially interesting for his safety. It will allow you to take care of him more easily and strengthen your bond. Besides, it’s always better to train your Pug well for both of your satisfaction. Therefore, you shouldn’t neglect basic obedience training to improve your buddy’s behavior!
10 Tips To Keep Your Pug Healthy!
You probably learned many things in this article, but I understand that it can be difficult to remember all this information. That’s why I find some pieces of advice that will be easier to keep in mind. I don’t want you to forget everything I’ve shared with you in a couple of days or weeks. Therefore, here are 10 tips that resume well how to keep your Pug healthy and fit!
- Understand His Needs!
- Give Your Dog Proper Nutrition!
- Watch His Weight Regularly!
- Exercise Your Pug Every Day!
- Don’t Forget Mental Stimulation!
- Respect Your Pooch’s Limits And Conditions!
- Provide Him With Unlimited Water!
- Visit Your Vet Regularly!
- Groom Your Pug Seriously!
- Pay Attention For Warning Signs!
- Bonus 1: Make Sure He Sleeps Well!
- Bonus 2: Start Improving His Lifestyle Slowly!
Last Thoughts About Healthy and Fit Pugs!
After all, taking care of your Pug’s well-being is relatively simple. Unfortunately, it’s not because it’s not complicated that it’s not difficult. Improving your companion’s shape will require time, effort and commitment. However, I’m sure you’re ready to invest in his happiness!
My dog was in relatively poor health, not a long time ago. Now, she feels way better since she receives proper nutrition and exercise. Taking care of her properly has and will allow us to be happier together for several years. I hope that your reading will help you to do the same thing with your Pug. It would be awesome to meet you walking with him while I’m also exercising with my furry friend!
Challenge: Before letting you go, I’ve something that could motivate you. I don’t want you to stop your reading without making any commitment. Therefore, my challenge for you is to try improving at least one of the things mentioned in the list of tips. With that said, it’s finally your turn to take action to keep your Pug healthy and fit!