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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.

Can Pugs Have Nightmares? How To Help

April 8, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

Do Pugs Have Nightmares? 

Based on research where they’ve studied dogs brain waves while sleeping, it is suspected that dogs have dreams because they have very similar sleep cycles to humans. If they dream, it is likely that some of those dreams are “bad dreams” or nightmares. 

Scientists have used EEG testing to watch the brainwaves of dogs as they sleep. They found that dogs go through similar patterns of brain waves and brain activity like we do when we sleep. Like us, dogs go through a phase of sleep (REM sleep) where where their breathing is irregular, they experience more body movements and rapid eye movements, like we do.

We have no way of knowing for sure what dogs dream about. However, our best guess is that they dream for similar reasons that we do – to process their life events. This means they likely dream about things they have experienced, both good and bad. In short, that means they likely have a mixture of good dreams and nightmares.

Research has shown that small dogs dream more frequently than large dogs, and that puppies dream more than older dogs.

This also means that dogs who have been abandoned, abused or otherwise experienced trauma are more likely to have nightmares.

how to help your pug if they have nightmares

How To Help Your Pug With Nightmares

You may suspect that your dog is having a nightmare if they are sleeping and making sounds of distress. Maybe they whine or cry, for example. It can be tempting to wake them up to stop their nightmare. This is generally not recommended, because a dog who is awoken suddenly from a disturbing dream may growl or even bite out of fear as they wake up.

This wouldn’t really be the dog’s fault, it can be a stress response to the nightmare combined with the confusion of being awoken from the bad dream. So, it’s safest to avoid touching them or startling them if they are having a nightmare.

If you’d like to safely wake them up, you can try softly saying their name until they awaken. When they hear your calm voice, this can help them to close the gap between their dream experience and “real life”.

Your ability to control the frequency of your dog’s dreams or nightmares will be somewhat limited, but there are some things you can do to try to help. Giving them an enjoyable, comforting bedtime routine can help them drift off to sleep in a better mood, which may reduce the odds of a nightmare. Making sure their belly is full, their bed is cozy and free from things that scare them can be key. If your dog has separation anxiety when kenneled at night, you can try putting a piece of your worn clothing in their kennel so they can be comforted by your scent at night.

You may also find that helping your dog overcome their fears in real life may reduce their nightmares. We believe that dogs dream about things they experience in real life, as we don’t think they have the ability to imagine things different from anything they’ve ever experienced. This means most likely your dog’s bad dreams are about things they have experienced in person and disliked. If they are afraid of baths, they might have nightmares about baths, for example. If that’s the case, then working on making your dog more comfortable with getting a bath may reduce their odds of having nightmares about baths.

Pug sleeping under a blanket

When To Be Concerned About Your Pugs Nightmares

If your pug “screams” while sleeping, growls or exhibits aggressive behavior, these can be signs of a sleep disorder. Some dogs with sleep disorders can eve walk around while asleep, or chase other animals or people. If you suspect this could be the case with your pug, try to get a video of the behavior and then meet up with your vet to show the video and discuss the problem.

Most dogs who have sleep disorders are young, 64% of dogs with sleep disorders are 1 year or younger. There are treatments available for sleep disorders so get to your vet so they can help.

Sources:

Do Dogs Dream — And What Do Dogs Dream About?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/canine-corner/201010/do-dogs-dream.

Think Your Dog Is Having Nightmares? Here’s What You Need to Know.

Pug Farts | Why Your Pug’s Gas Smells So Bad

April 2, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

Do all pugs have bad farts?

All pugs (well, all dogs!) pass gas or have flatulence or fart – however you prefer to word it. Not all pugs fart excessively or have super stinky farts. 

Do pugs have audible farts?

Pugs do have audible farts! I was quite shocked by this the first time I heard our pugs fart. They are often quite loud, much like when a human passes gas. 

This can be rather surprising if your pug passes gas when a guest is visiting. We’ve shared laughs with our friends ad family members when they first heard our pugs fart. For many, they’ve never heard a dog fart out loud so they aren’t sure if they should believe you when you tell them it was the dog.

Thankfully, my friends and family members have all just laughed along. We aren’t very serious people in general. However, if you were to host a business event or something that needs to stay very professional and classy, it may be worth considering if you should keep your pug away in case they pass gas that others can hear.

Pug farts - why your pug has bad farts and how to fix it.

What Causes Flatulence In Pugs?

Like with people, flatulence in dogs is caused by swallowed air getting into our digestive tract that needs to get out, or by air being produced by certain gasses that digest our food. 

Some of the reasons why dogs get gas include:

Eating too quickly. Air can be gulped down with the food, which then has to be released. Pugs have wide mouths due to their flat faces, so they can eat super quickly! Using a slow feeder bowl or a kibble dispensing toy may help.

Eating large portions. If you’re used to giving your pug just 1 meal a day, doing two meals a day that are half the size may help so they have less to digest at once.

Human Food. Table scraps (aka human food) can cause gas in dogs. Pugs are prone to obesity so it’s often best to avoid giving them human food anyway.

Their dog food. If they only eat dog food but still have bad gas, it may still be the specific food that they are on. Dog foods that are high in corn may cause worse gas in pugs. In many cases, cheap dog foods will have more corn so buying a higher-end dog food will often help. I’ll share my personal experience with this further down in this post.

Meats or other dog-specific sensitivities. Some dogs have their own sensitivities to different meats or other ingredients. You may have to experiment with different dog foods to find out what is the culprit for your dog. For example, if your dog has a lot of gas on chicken-based dog food, you may try switching to a lamb-based food instead.

Liver treats. My pugs absolutely loved liver treats! However, many people say that they cause bad gas in dogs.

Broccoli is one of the ‘human foods’ that are healthy for dogs. However, they often cause gas for dogs.

An imbalance in their belly. Like us, the cultures in your pug’s digestive system has to be kept at the right balance or it can wreak havoc. Your pug may benefit from probiotics if this is the issue. They make probiotic supplements specifically for dogs.

Tips To Reduce Gas In Your Pug

Exercise. Taking them for a walk after their meal can help stimulate their digestion to keep things moving which can reduce trapped gas. Sometimes gas worsens if a dog eats and then lays down after their meal, as the food doesn’t get a chance to move around. If your dog moves around after eating, it’ll aid their digestive process which may reduce gas.

Healthy diet. Try to make sure they have a well-balanced diet and don’t eat too quickly.

Fiber. A spoonful of 100% pumpkin per day can add fiber to your dog’s diet and may reduce their gas. It can also help with their stools!

If you aren’t able to get your dog’s flatulence under control through these basic measures, or if your pug’s gas seems to be causing them pain or discomfort, it’s time to see the vet.

Pug sleeping with laptop

How I Helped My Pugs With Stinky Farts

When I got my pugs, their former owner told me they were on Ol’ Roy dog food which is Walmart’s store brand. For the sake of consistency, I kept them on this food when I brought them to my house. Their farts were extremely stinky.

Before getting my pugs, I had read that cheap dog foods are usually lower quality, so I knew that I didn’t want to keep them o Ol’ Roy Dog food for health reasons. So we switched to a higher quality dog food after a couple of months when I felt like they had settled into our family and could tolerate some change. I had hoped that this would just be healthier for them, was all.

The biggest improvement we saw was in their gas! Those “peel the walls, make you gag” smelling farts completely stopped. They did still fart (we could hear it) but most of the time we couldn’t smell it a all. If we did, it was a more mild smell, not a “toxic poison” one! While this wasn’t my intention when changing their food, it did reassure me that the food we had switched to was healthier for them because their body wasn’t reacting to it as poorly.

Since then, I have noticed that when I’ve been visiting others and their dogs have one of those ‘toxic dog farts’, that it has always been someone who feeds their dog really cheap dog food. So, I’ve really come to feel like the extremely stinky farts that dogs sometimes have are usually caused by cheap dog foods in most cases.

Sources: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-stop-dog-farts/

Pug Constantly Peeing

March 24, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

If it seems like your pug is constantly peeing, you may have a lot of questions related to pugs and their urination habits. What is normal and what should cause concern? That’s what I’m going to address in this post.

How Often Should Pugs Urinate?

Peeing every 4-6 hours is typical for most dogs. Dogs can hold their bladder up to 8 hours if needed, but they should pee 3-5 times per day.

How often should pug puppies urinate?

Pug puppies need to urinate more frequently than adult pugs. Puppies have smaller bladders and may need to pee every 2-3 hours until they are 5-6 months old. Around six months of age, puppies begin to have similar bladder control as adult pugs. 

How often should senior pugs urinate?

At least 3-5 times a day, but maybe more. The frequency of urination may increase as dogs age,  as sometimes their muscles weaken. However, other seniors will not see urinary changes even with advanced age. It’s best to monitor your specific dog to assess their needs.

Pugs cuddling each other

Why is my pug peeing a bunch of times while out on a walk?

After seeing that pugs usually only need to pee 3-5 times a day, you may wonder why your dog might be 10 times while out on a walk around the block.

It’s common for dogs to pee a little anytime they smell urine from other dogs. So while going on a walk, visiting the dog park, or exploring an area where other dogs sometimes go, you may notice that they seem to pee a ton.

Typically, they are not peeing a regular amount, they are just marking the area with their scent. If you notice your dog peeing a bunch of times while in a public area, this isn’t usually cause for concern. They are probably just marking, not peeing excessively.

Why is my pug peeing so much this summer?

When the weather is hot, dogs naturally feel more thirsty and will drink more water. If your dog is drinking more due to hotter weather, they’ll pee more.

Why is my pug asking to go out all the time?

If your dog is asking to go to the bathroom more than usual (3-5 times per day is typical for adult pugs) they may have a urinary tract infection. A common symptom of urinary tract infections is a dog will feel the urge to pee frequently. They may not express much urine each time, but they will continue to feel like they need to go.

If you see your dg squatting several times in a single trip outside and they aren’t peeing or aren’t peeing much, this is a strong sign that they may have a UTI.

In some cases, you can also notice a foul odor of your dogs urine if they have a UTI. Some housetrained dogs may have accidents inside when they have a UTI as well.

UTI’s are most common in older female pugs, but can happen in dogs of either gender and any age.

If you suspect that your pug may have a UTI, it’s important to get to the vet. They’ll likely need to give a urine sample. If they have a UTI they will need antibiotics to clear the infection.

Other causes of frequent urination in pugs

Diabetes. If your dog is asking to go out regularly and is peeing a lot each time, take note of whether they are drinking an excessive amount of water. Drinking an excessive amount of water is a major sign of diabetes. Diabetes can develop in dogs at any age and can be very serious, so it’s important to get checked quickly if you suspect diabetes.

Medications. Some medications cause excess urination, like diuretics which are used to treat heart problems. Typically vets will tell you this when putting your dog on a medication that can cause excessive urination. If you’re unsure, you could google any prescriptions your dog is on to see if excess urination is listed as a side effect.

 

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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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