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Why Your Pug Has Stinky Breath & How To Fix It

May 25, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

Causes of stinky pug breath

  1. Dental problems. The most common cause for stinky breath in pugs is dental problems like decay. If your dog has an infected tooth that infection will smell bad and you’ll notice it in their breath. Pugs are particularly prone to dental decay because they have short flat mouths that leave their teeth crowded and often crooked. This allows food to get trapped in their teeth and cause decay over time if their teeth are not brushed.

2. Lack of brushing/cleaning. Related to the first point, but a more temporary version. If you’ve ever left a bit of food on a plate in the kitchen sink for more than a few hours you’ve probably noticed it can start to smell. Food particles that get stuck in a dog’s mouth can begin to stink, too! If your dog’s breath usually smells normal but is particularly stinky one day, check to see if they have something stuck that you can help remove by brushing.

3. Teething. When puppies are growing in new teeth or losing old ones they have extra saliva when their gums are irritated. Some say this produces a uniquely stinky smell that is described as a sour milk smell.

4. A stomach issue. Acid reflux or other digestive issues can cause the breath to smell bad.

5. They ate something stinky. If they were just chewing on a bully stick you may notice that in their breath shortly after. This can also be true if they eat things they shouldn’t like cat feces.

6. More severe medical problems. Kidney trouble can cause the breath to smell like urine or ammonia. Stomach blockages can cause the breath to smell like feces. Lung infections, liver trouble or diabetes can also change the smell of a dogs breath.

why your pug's breath stinks and how to fix it

How to help your dogs breath smell better

  1. Brush their teeth using dog-specific toothpaste. It’s easiest to do this if you train your dog to be used to it from the time they are a puppy. If you haven’t brushed your dogs teeth before, the process of desensitizing them to allowing you to brush their teeth may take a while.
  2. Use oral care products in their drinking water. Various brands make products to aid with cleaning dogs teeth that can be added to their drinking water. While perhaps not as thorough as brushing, it’s an easy way to do something to support your pug’s oral health even if they won’t tolerate brushing.
  3. Make sure they get dental cleanings often. Pug owners are often worried about having their dogs put under to have their teeth cared for, but it can be done safely especially if you seek out a pet with experience in caring for brachycephalic dogs. Getting their teeth profesionally cleaned and any bad teeth pulled can be really beneficial to their overall health, not just to their breath!
  4. Give them dental ‘chews’. Dental chew treats are designed to help your dog brush their own teeth, so to speak. They have bumps or ridges designed to sort of scratch the teeth and remove plaque as they chew. These are unlikely to reach all surfaces of all teeth the way brushing can, but it can help.
  5. Keep up on the rest of their health. Of course, you want to make sure that your pug’s bad breath isn’t caused by other health issues so saying on top of regular vet visits is key.

Can Pugs Fly On Airplanes?

May 17, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

Can Pugs Fly On Airplanes?

Some airlines permit pugs to fly in-cabin as long as they are under the weight limits and can fit in a pet carrier that fits under the plane seat. Pugs are a brachycephalic breed and brachycephalic dog breeds are at greater risk of health complications when flying. 

Can pugs fly on planes? What are the risks? Everything you should know about traveling with your pug.

Info you should know when considering flying with your pug

  • Between 2005 and 2011, 189 animals died in commercial U.S. flights. Over half of those deaths—98 dogs—were in brachycephalic breeds flying as cargo. (source – VetMed.Illinois.Edu.)

Pugs were the second most common breed to die in flight. (Source: WashingtonPost)

Many airlines have banned pugs from flying in cargo. Some have also banned pugs from flying in cabin. EasyJet and Emirates don’t allow any pets in cabin, while Volaris Airlines has banned select breeds, including pugs from flying in cabin.

How to decide if you should fly with your pug

Discuss with your vet to access he risk of flying for you specific pug. Their health and how easily they breathe will be major factors in deciding how safe (or risky) it is for them to fly.

If your pug gets anxious easily and breathes worse when anxious, anti-anxiey meds while traveling may help.

See if your airline allows pugs to stay in the cabin. When animals die on U.S flights, they’re often bracheaphalic breeds who were in cargo rather than in cabin.

Consider the pros and cons of other forms of travel. If you aren’t traveling super far away, it may be a lot easier to drive with your pug instead of fly. This will, of course, depend a lot on the exact circumstances surrounding your travel, though. Weigh the pros and cons of all your options and see what makes the most sense.

How to make flying a happier and safer experience for your pug

  1. Use a carrier with really good ventilation so they can breathe easier.

2. Makes sure they enjoy their carrier rather than seeing it as something to fear. If they’re calm in their carrier at home, they’ll be more likely to stay calm it in while flying. Keeping it open and accessible at home for weeks prior to your flight can help. Leave them a treat in there sometimes, too! They may also enjoy their favorite blankets or toys being found in there sometimes. Take your dog for a ride in the car in their carrier, too. This way they’ll be used to being in the carrier while the vehicle is moving.

3. Make sure they have gone potty before you get on the plane. If they need to ‘go’ that may stress them out while on the plane.

4. Bring ziploc bags and ask a flight attendant to fill them with ice if your pug gets overheated. Then use them similar to ice packs.

Can pugs fly free if they are emotional support animals?

Since 2021, emotional support animals don’t get to fly for free. If you have a service dog, they are exempt from the fee.

pug on a road trip

Alternative options:

Depending on your travel needs, you may be able to travel with your pug via car or other transport instead. Greyhound doesn’t allow pets on their buses unless they are certified service dogs. However, Amtrak allows dogs on some of their trains. So, it’s worth researching all of your options!

I never flew with my dogs, but we did some roadtrips and they did well.

If your pug needs to fly but you’re really worried about it, pet-specific airways may be a option that will give you more peace of mind. Did you know that pet-specific airways exist? They do! Some examples are Pet Airways and Pet Jets. These types of airlines primarily see “smushed faced” dogs as their customers so they have lots of experience with keeping pugs safe while flying.

Leaving your pug at home. Of course, traveling with your pug is super fun and we all know pugs love to be with their humans! However, if flyng is a risk for them, it may be safest to leave them home. Check your area for some high quality dog kennels that will give them the attention and care that they need. They’ll miss you, but they’ll be okay!

All About Pug Shedding

April 26, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

There are affiliate links in this post.

Do Pugs Shed A Lot?

Pugs shed a fair amount, and shed all year. Double coated pugs will shed year-round, but will also shed more twice a year when they lose their winter coat for the summer, and again when they lose their summer coat so that their winter coat can grow in. Single-coated-pugs will experience a more consistent amount of shedding year-round.

If you want a pug that sheds less, consider getting a black pug as they usually have just one coat and shed less than other colors of pugs.

Female pugs who are in heat may experience more shedding than usual.

Why pugs shed so much and how to cope with it

Are Pugs Single Coated Or Double Coated?

It depends on the pug! Most black pugs have a single coat, while fawn, silver and apricot pugs usually have a double coat.

Double-coated dogs shed more than single-coated dogs because they have more hair.

Pugs are said to have up to 600 hairs per square inch, vs just 100-200 hairs per square inch in some other dog breeds. They have really dense hair! This is part of why pugs shed so much.

All dogs have a shedding cycle, but the pug shedding cycle is shorter which is also contributes to why they shed so much. Not only do they have more hairs per inch than other dog breeds, they also cycle through “sets” of hair more frequently.

How To Manage Pug Shedding

  1. Brushing your pug regularly will help to pull off loose hairs, and to keep those hairs from getting spread around your home! When your pug is transitioning their seasonal coat, you may want to brush as frequently as daily. Outside of those heavy-shedding seasons, brushing them a couple of times per week may be sufficient. You could brush daily though if you really want to minimize how much hair falls in your home.
  2. Diet. Your dog’s fur will stay healthier if they are fed a high-quality diet.
  3. Invest in a good vacuum. A vacuum that has a lot of power and is specifically designed to be great with pet hair can make a big difference. A high-end vacuum wasn’t within my budget when I had my pugs. I’ve heard the Dyson Animal vacuum is amazing, but I couldn’t justify spending $500 on a vacuum. However, even just buying a more average-cost vacuum that is specifically made for pet hair helped. I have the Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet Vacuum Cleaner and thought it was noticeably better at picking up pet hair than other vacuums I’d owned at a similar price point.

That’s really about it! For the most part, the amount of shedding that your pug does is something to accept rather than something to try to ‘fix’ or change.

What brush to use for pug shedding?

When we first got our pugs, everyone was talking about the furminator as they claim to be desheddign tools, better than regular brushes. It did seem to really effectively remove hair from the pugs, too! However, one day after brushing Frank I realized he was bleeding. He had a few moles or skintags and the furminator bristles are so hard that they had actually cut him when I brushed those areas. I quit using the furminator after that.

I’ve since read that deshedding brushes like the furminator aren’t ideal for double-coated dogs anyway. Instead, it’s generally recommended that you use an undercoat rake to help loosen up any hair that needs to be let free, and the a regular pin brush to remove the hair.

When To Be Concerned About Pug Shedding?

Shedding is usually a natural part of being a healthy pug, and most pugs will shed more when the weather transitions from warm to cold, or cold to warm. If you find that your pug seems to be excessively shedding, it could be a cause for concern.

Some factors to consider:

Is your pug is shedding excessively while experiencing high levels of stress. Like humans, dogs can experience hair loss due to extreme stress. So if you notice an increase in shedding around a stressful event, that could mean their hair loss is due to stress rather than healthy shedding.

Is your pug showing signs of allergies or skin issues? Sometimes these cause hair loss, so if you see shedding alongside allergy symptoms, allergies may be causing the shedding.

Does your pug’s hair look and feel healthy? If it feels rough, wirey or just otherwise unhealthy, you may need to improve their diet or seek medical attention.

Does your pug have bald patches or unusually thin sections of their body that should be covered in fur? This is a sign of unusual hairloss and you should see a vet.

How To Keep Pug Fur Off Your Clothing

Honestly, pugs are such a clingy breed that it’s really challenging to keep hair off you regular clothing. Not letting your pug on the couch or your bed would help, but I think my pugs would have felt abused if I didn’t let them be on te furniture with me! So, for the most part, we just accepted that we’d get pug fur on our clothing when at home. However, we of course couldn’t have pug hair on our outfits all the time.

Keep your ‘nice’ clothing away from your pugs. When Ryan was working in an office, we keep his clothing hanging up in the closet and he’d put it on just before heading out the door to keep it free from pug hair.

Protect your vehicle. If you take your pug for a ride in your car, either putting a blanket (or towel) down in their seat before the drive and cleaning it up later, or vacuuming your car after can help. Otherwise, they’ll likely shed in your vehicle seat and then in the future your clothing will have fur on it after you sit in the vehicle.

Lint rollers are a pug-owners best friend! They make small ones that you can fit in your purse or glovebox for use on the go.

How To Give A Pug A Bath

April 13, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

Tips & Tricks for bathing your pug

How To Give A Pug A Bath

Brush your dog thoroughly before the bath to reduce how much hair you’ll get in your drain.

Use luke-warm water, not hot or cold.

If your dog is sensitive to sounds, drawing all of the bath water before you bring your dog into the bath may make it a more positive experience for them.

Placing cotton balls into your pug’s ears (not too deep!) can help keep their inner ears from getting too wet.

A non-slip mat may help your dog feel more secure while you bathe them.

Some people find it helps pugs to stay calm if they put some peanut butter on the side of the tub for their dog to lick while they are bathed.

Talk to them calmly and positively throughout the experience to make it more positive. Reward them with praise and/or treats if they dislike bath time.

Use a dog-specific shampoo. I personally recommend avoiding the Hartz of shampoo because I’ve read a lot of online stories about how these cause seizures in some cats and dogs. Better safe than sorry! My pug Frank had sensitive skin so we had irritation with some dog shampoos, but his skin did well with Burt’s Bees dog shampoo I believe we used the oatmeal one at times and the hypoallergenic one at other times.

Use a water-safe brush to make sure your dog gets well-shampooed. We had the kong shampoo brush and liked it.

If you have a handheld shower attachment using this can help get a really thorough rinse.

Use a washcloth or cotton balls to dry out their ears thoroughly after a bath to avoid infections.

Thoroughly dry their face wrinkles to avoid infection or irritation.

You can use a blow dryer on no or low heat to speed up the drying process if it doesn’t scare your dog. Otherwise, just keep towel drying them.

how to bathe a dog without a bathtub

How Often To Bathe Your Pug

Opinions on how often pugs should be bathed vary from about every 3 weeks to only once every six months! You want to bathe your pug before they get stinky, but not so often as to dry out their skin. We bathed our pugs monthly, just before we gave their flea medication. 

Dog Shampoo For Pugs

Use a dog-specific shampoo on your dog rather than a human shampoo or soap. The PH levels of human shampoo are different than those formulated for dogs. Human shampoo is more acidic which is harsh on Pug’s skin. We liked the Burt’s Bee’s dog shampoo line, it worked well on my pug with sensitive skin, even.

bathing a pug without a bath tub

How To Bathe A Pug Without A Bathtub.

If you don’t have a bath tub, you can bathe your pug in any container of water that you can get, basically. For a while we lived in an apartment that only had a stand-up shower, and our pugs really disliked the shower head sprinkling down on them. So we would fill a plastic tote with a couple of inches of water and bathe them in there!

You could use your kitchen sink if your pug will stay in place well. Even if you have a full sized bath, you may find that bathing puppies can be easier in a sink.

If you don’t have a tub or a tote, a kiddie pool is another option.

Pug after bath time

Do Pugs Like Baths?

Most pugs can’t swim, so they aren’t usually a big fan of water the way that some other dog breeds can be. Some pugs may enjoy their baths, but mine both disliked them! 

Regardless of which pug I bathed first, the one that was not getting bathed first would go hide! Frank knew that if Beans was getting a bath now, he was next, and Beans knew the same if she saw Frank getting a bath first. Beans would huff and sigh when I first put her in the bathtub, but would accept her fate.

Frank on the other hand, would shake, wimper and cry throughout his bath usually. He’d also refuse to sit with me for a while after his bath, like he was mad at me. He was normally a huge cuddler so it was really something that he wouldn’t want to sit with us after a bath! Or worse, he’d refuse to sit by me if I bathed him, but would sit with Ryan…or if Ryan bathed him, he’d cuddle me after. It was like he thought whoever gave him the bath was the ‘bad cop’ and the other one of us was the ‘good cop’ that day, haha.

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Welcome to Two Pug Tails! This is a blog all about pugs! I am Emily, I just adore the pug breed. My goal here is to share helpful information about pugs, while also sharing some of my experiences with my pugs Frank and Beans. You can learn more about me and my pugs on my about page if you wish.



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