What is it with pugs?

[Flippetydip]

Didn't want to derail the "name the pug" thread by being unfriendly but I don't get the attraction. They are overbred to the point of being disastrously unhealthy from everything I've read and seen.

My daughter (6) loves them (sadly for her, we have the extreme opposite - a greyhound!) but I have told her we will never have one as the vets' bills would be sky high.

Laurie just for you

Fiddle- haha! Dogs are so embarrassing!

There was a french bulldog on paul ogrady last night she was around 4yrs old been used for breeding and dumped the poor creature had the flatest little nose and infected ears battersea gave her an airway Operation and her ear had to be amputated I wish little squashfaced dogs were not so popular

thank you @fiddle you can of course be my friend and we can go around frightening new dog owners

Fiddle

What should we do with all the puppies being born then? Hope they all end up in rescue centres so then we can feel sanctimonious when we have them. Should we all get sterilised/ neutered dogs from rescue centres? Not a good solution long term for dog lovers!

I always feel very proud when people ask if we rescued ours. I also feel sure that every greyhound I see out is rescued- no-one would actually choose a greyhound puppy would they unless they're racing?

I love ours dearly, she is glorious and wonderful, but not a thing of great beauty - she's all legs, tail and nose!

Toolchest It's not about feeling sanctimonious. I don't feel sanctimonious that I've rescued my dogs. I just feel sad and, to be honest, pissed off that some people have to pick up the pieces from the cruel puppy trade that only exists because people are selfish enough to buy puppies, even from reputable breeders.

I feel sad that there are people out there who can justify to themselves buying puppies when there are thousands of dogs waiting in shelters. I feel sad that this fuels demand for puppies, which fuels the under-ground trade in puppies which makes millions of dogs' lives absolute fucking hell sometimes for their entire life.

I don't know how people can call themselves "dog lovers" and still get a puppy knowing these effects. Selfish, nasty fuckers.

Having a dog is a privilege, not a right.

Selling animals apart from when you're a reputable, stringently inspected breeder should be illegal and there should be very hefty punishments for breaking the law. These reputable breeders should be limited on the number of puppies they can produce.

Pop ❤️

So lovely !

Flippety You should be proud- it's a wonderful thing to do . I love meeting other rescue dogs out and about and always make sure the rescues get extra treats from me if they're allowed.

Flippety you lie!
Legs, tail and nose sounds gorgeous.

mrsjay I saw that! They had a jug on too (might have been last weeks, I watched a few on catch up) who was so sweet!!

We have a 12 y/o lab since a puppy (from a local Dog du Bordeau kennels, dunno why they had a litter of labs) and an inherited Yorkoe who was DH's grandad's. I've never liked little dogs but this ones a goodun.

I always said no more dogs, but I've been looking into being a walker for guide dogs. Have a puppy for a year and send them off for their next stage of training. Then get a new one to get over missing the last!

Yes they had a jug on it too he was very sweet.

I do hope that in the future there will be no need for rescue centres. No dog or animal deserves to be mistreated. That would unfortunately make owning a dog econically unviable for many. If dog breeding were stringently monitored (which I believe it should be!) the price for a dog would rise dramatically. Dogs would also then become valuable commodities something only the rich could aspire to! What a shame that would be for the many who derive such pleasure from a dog’s companionship

Economically!

* I don't know how people can call themselves "dog lovers" and still get a puppy knowing these effects. Selfish, nasty fuckers.*

That’s a bit harsh!

3 of my 4 dogs came from rescues but I also bought a puppy because I wanted a working dog from specific working lines to do a specific job

I care passionately about dog welfare, and because I have a couple of training and behaviour qualifications, I have worked with a few rescues doing fostering and rehabilitation work, and therefore know the awful consequences of puppy mills (including rehoming a former breeding bitch after she had served her purpose).
But I carry no guilt for wanting to take some of my dogs on as puppies

"Dogs would also then become valuable commodities"

They already are, that's why puppy farms churn out breeds that are fashionable... healthy well bred ones dogs are often cheaper - it's dodgy breeders that set prices by what people are willing to pay.

The noises they make when breathing are awful . Poor dogs can't breathe properly . My friends dog constantly grunts and it's so annoying

I don't get it either. I hate them.

I watch my spaniel leaping around catching a ball with his beautiful fluffy soft coat and gorgeous silly ears... then see an ugly pug snuffling along looking like it hates life... and everyone on the walk goes crazy for the pug! Fools...

Fiddle and Bubble - it must be lovely to be so vastly superior to every other pet owner.

I'm not a fan of pugs myself as I don't really like how they look, however we have a French bulldog - not because of anything as ridiculous as 'fashion' but because he met our breed criteria exactly. He is perfectly healthy, wonderfully natured, very fit, can run for miles and loves to lie on the sofa and cuddle. He has no breathing problems and doesn't snuffle or snort or any of the other stereotypes. He came from an excellent breeder who carefully health tests her dogs and any studs she uses, including the all important BOAS test which grades breathing ability in the 'flat faced' breeds.

I agree that poor breeding can can breathing difficulties in SOME pugs and Frenchies, just like it can cause SOME Labrador to suffer from hip dysplacia and SOME spaniels to be very aggressive.

I don't get the hatred for people buying puppies of a specific breed either - buying a pedigree puppy does not automatically support puppy farming or abuse or whatever else.

A rescue dog is not suitable for everyone, nor is a cross breed or mongrel - I had very specific breed requirements around size, temperament etc which couldn't be met by a rescue where I had no ideas of its history or how it would turn out.

If people want to rescue dogs that's great. (I've had a rescue lab and a rescue lurcher in the past, both of whom had their own problems) but it's massively unfair to label all pug / French bulldog / pedigree puppy owners as brainless selfish fashion followers.

Ok all dogs would then become valuable commodities. Less breeders equals less dogs and whilst I am not arguing this is a bad thing it does mean many would miss out. The rarer something is, be that a pug or a mongrel, the more it’s worth!

Hate is a very strong word. I have a pug. He is so far healthy and brilliant. His longest walk has been 16 Miles and he wears me out walking.
He was a rescue and is more of an old fashioned style in that he has longer legs and is not as stocky as some. I pay full insurance as I expect issues.
He is a snorty and lively boy with the sweetest nature of any dog I have had. OK he may not be able to go out when really hot but not do I want to!
In an ideal world there would be no puppy farms but sadly our world is far from ideal as some people will do what they can to get what they want.
Hating a creature is a little excessive.

"The rarer something is, be that a pug or a mongrel, the more it’s worth!"

No, the rarer something is the more people are willing to pay for it... but that doesn't follow that people would charge that.

Reputable breeders all charge around about the same prices, partly because of market forces yes, but partly because they set them dependant on what the litter has cost in health tests, stud fees and what have you then spread over average litter size.

So while Labradors are way less rare than smooth collies, they cost about the same as they're a similar size dog with a similar amount of puppies.

Pugs start off higher because they have smaller litters, not because they're desirable.

But because they're desirable, dodgy breeders jump on that and charge even more...

So without dodgy breeders prices would be set by actual dog lovers - so while they might go up a bit, they wouldn't go anywhere near as high as if left to people trying to make a profit.

Sparechange I think working dogs are a very different kettle of fish. You need a very particular dog to do a very particular job- it's not that you're picking a breed just because of some ridiculous and selfish "criteria" or "requirements" to enrich your own life.
Most owners (buyers) of working dogs do very good research to ensure reputable breeders so they get the healthy, well-bred dog they need.

Fantastic buying a pedigree puppy does not automatically support puppy farming or abuse or whatever else Buying a puppy from a breeder creates a market for puppies which encourages ruthless, horrible people to breed dogs in appalling conditions. So, yes, it does.

If no one bred puppies to breed standards then different types of dogs would die out

Not ALL breeding is bad. I have a dog I bought from a proper breeder (my last 4 dogs and every cat I’ve ever owned was rescued).

This sounds like an argument I had with dh once where I was upset about the red squirrel being crowded out by the grey - and he was baffled saying one type of squirrel was as good as the other

I want red squirrels to exist dammit !

I have a pedigree dog. I bought from a breeder who only has a litter when she wants to continue her "line" and have a new generation pup to add to her family.
I wouldn't consider a puppy farmed dog. So no. I am not encouraging puppy farming.