Pug Breeders

When choosing a breeder, reputation is much more important than convenience of location. Do not be overly impressed by breeders who run brag advertisements in the dog magazines about their champions. The real quality breeders are quiet and unassuming. It is recommended that you acquire a Pug puppy around 10 weeks of age.

Socialization is a breeder concern of considerable importance. Beware of pups raised outdoors, in show kennels, pet shops, farms, or puppy mills, where there has been no effort to socialize them. Puppies that have never lived in a home are disadvantaged from the start, and are more likely to have temperament problems.

Reliable breeders will urge you to take your puppy to the veterinarian of your choice to have your puppy's health checked, and will allow you at least two days to have it done. It should be clearly understood whether rejection by a veterinarian for health reasons means that you have the choice of another puppy from that litter or that you get your money back. Be sure to get the details of this policy before you purchase any puppy.

When you buy a purebred Pug dog, you should receive his registration certificate (or an application form to fill out), a pedigree, and a health certificate made out by the breeder's veternarian. The registration certificate is the official kennel club paper. If the Pug puppy for sale was named and registered by his breeder, you will want to complete the transfer and send it, with the stated fee, to the appropriate national club under which the Pug puppy has been registered. They will transfer the Pug puppy to your ownership in their records and send you a new certificate.

If you receive, instead, an application for registration, you should fill it out choosing a name for your Pug puppy and mail it, with the fee, to the club. The pedigree is a chart showing your Pug puppy's ancestry and is not a part of his official papers. The health certificate will tell what shots have been given and when the next ones are due. Your veterinarian will be appreciative of this information, and will continue with the same series of shots if not already completed. The health certificate will also give the date on which the Pug puppy has been wormed.

Choosing a Pug Puppy

So, you have finally made some very important decision that the Pug breed is right for you and your family. If you have selected a breeder, you have gone a step further - you have done your research and found a responsible, conscientious person who breeds quality dogs and who should be a reliable source of help as you and your puppy adjust to life together.

Visiting a litter will assist you in learning to recognize what a healthy pup should look like and how pups interact and behave. A well socialized puppy will be anxious to meet new humans and will welcome an extended friendly hand and a warm lap.

Remember that submissive puppies often grow up to fearful, tentative adults. Picking out a healthy, attractive little fellow to join the family circleis a different matter from picking a show dog: it is also a great deal less complicated. Often a puppy will pick you. If he does, and it is a mutual admiration at first sight, he is the best puppy for you. Trust your eyes and hands to tell if the puppy is sound in body. Ears and eyes should not have suspicious discharges. Legs should have strong bones; bodies should have solid muscles. Coats should be clean, glossy, but not greasy. Lift the hair to see that the skin is free of scales and parasites.

If you are a first-time puppy buyer, you should avoid picking the boldest pup - the one who marches out of the litter to examine you. This is endearing, but it can also mean trouble. So too can the shyest pup, the one who hangs back with a sign around his neck saying, " Help! I need you to care for me." This pup may just be having a bad day, but he may also be overly submissive - the opposite of dominant. He will be better off in the hands of an experienced dog person who knows what is necessary to enhance his self-esteem.

In all aspects, the "median" pup, the individual who scores 3 every time, is on his way to becoming the easiest pup to bring to your family. Puppies that score 1 are submissive and potentially fearful. Pups that score 5, especially on the third test, are inherently dominant. These make fine dogs, but only in the hands of experienced dog handlers.

Puppy's Papers

Too often new owners are confused between two important documents, the pedigree and the registration certificate. Your puppy's pedigree, essentially a family tree, is a written record of a dog's genealogy of three generations or more. The pedigree will show you the names as well as performance titles of all dogs in your puppy's background (Ch., CD, CHC, etc.). Your breeder must provide you with a registration application, with his part properly filled out. You must complete and send it to the American Kennel Club (AKC) with the proper fee. The seller must provide you with complete records to identify the puppy. The AKC requires that the seller provide the buyer with the following: breed, sex, color and markings; date of birth, litter number (when available), names and registration numbers of the parents, breeder's name and date sold or delivered.