even cyanosis, which is turning blue due to lack of oxygen and eventually the dog collapsing. It is possible to have surgery to help a pug or other snub-nose breed which their breathing; vets can try methods to widen the nostrils and remove excess tissue around the airways to create better airflow for them. To avoid causing breathing problems, it is recommended to avoid stressful environments and overheating. Pugs cannot be left out in the heat. Try to walk when it cools down in the evening or first thing in the morning, for short walks if necessary. Avoid using collars that can push on their airways and try to maintain the guided body weight for your pug - if you are not sure, please ask your vet. It is also advisable to carry a bottle of water and a lightweight bowl so they can stop for a drink to rehydrate and cool off if they find it a bit hot on their walk. If your dog is very hot, you should try to cool it down with cool water on the ears and the feet and move them to a cool area whilst offering them cool water to drink. Pugs are prone to a few other health problems due to their features. The pug's eyes can have issues with ulcers and entropion of the eye, a condition where the eyelid rolls inwards. Another common problem is 'dry eye' or conjunctivitis. This is not just pugs, but other breeds too; however, it is just one of several problems they can suffer from, which is why it is important to do your research when looking to take on a pug. Having researched the breed thoroughly, your next step would be looking for a breeder. There are a lot of breeders out there from all different backgrounds, so you need to ask questions and see the parents of the puppies. Ask about the history of the bloodline; a good breeder should welcome questions and genuine interest in the puppy, which should also reassure them their puppies are going to a sensible owner. When looking for pugs there are a few things to look out for other than puppy personalities; one being their eyes. Check that they are not bulging, watery or glazed, as this could be a sign of future problems. Next would be to assess their breathing - if you can, listen to the puppy's breathing to make sure it is not chesty or rattling. When the puppy is calm, is it a noisy breather and having to breathe through its mouth? They should be able to breathe with their mouth closed at rest with no problem. If you are not sure, speak to your vet for advice and signs to look out for before going to view. As pugs are becoming more and more popular, it is becoming more common that they are sold on the internet. This can bring both good and bad news for the buyer. Now that the rules and regulations of bringing pets into the UK (see www.gov.uk) have been relaxed, with a microchip, a pet passport and rabies vaccine, bringing in a puppy or two from abroad can be an easy money-maker for some people who are buying and selling these designer dogs. This is why it is so important to know their history and go to see the puppies. The Pet Travel Scheme is in place to ensure pets travelling in and out of the UK are regulated, and to ensure that healthy, disease-free animals are coming into the country, whether by air or road. As toy breeds like pugs are in high demand, it has been known that they have been brought into the country, illegally, way too young, ready to be sold again in the UK to unsuspecting new pug owners. All pets need Pugs are believed to originate from China where they were prized companions for the emperors, so it is no surprise that these little dogs strut around like kings and queens of the house. Ancient records included descriptions of these flat-faced dogs with short legs, which leads us to believe they existed in China within the royal family, and only the very important people would be able to own a pug. Pugs seemed to have stayed within the royal families as they soon moved their way over to the Netherlands, having been discovered by the Dutch when they started trading with China. There are stories of a famous heroic pug which has now become the official dog of the House of Orange, because of how he alerted Prince William of an invasion. One night when William was asleep, an assassin tried to enter his chambers, but his brave little pug, Pompey, alerted the prince to the intrusion, thereby saving the prince's life. These days pugs seem to be everywhere, whether it's in the park, printed on a t-shirt or in a movie. They are classed as 'toy breeds' or 'designer dogs', which also makes them very popular, even with celebrities. Their fun-loving personalities make it easy to understand why they are so popular - which makes it seem crazy to think that, like all dogs, these pugs are descended from the mighty wolf. Pugs are very friendly characters and are known for their comical yet sensitive personalities. The most visible trait is their stubbornness; a pug always knows what he wants and will try different ways to get it, whether it is to wait it out, or turn on the charm and give cuddles - either way, very amusing to a pug lover. Pugs can be harder to train because of their stubborn ways but, as long as you are persistent and work out what motivates them - which 99% of the time is food-then there is no reason why they cannot be trained like any other dog. Although they are big eaters, pugs are also very lively and full of beans; they love a mad five minutes, which always puts a smile on your face. Exercise is always welcomed by a pug, since they are not as lazy as they look; but at the same time, they would never turn down a Sunday lie- in. Pugs generally get on well with both humans and other dogs, being by no means shy or submissive, and loving to socialize. A pug is like a child, sulking when being told off and very sensitive to harsh tones - it will take a while to win them round again. The pug was bred to be a lap dog; therefore, they are very loyal and always like to be nearby. They are true family dogs who will expect a place on the sofa or bed next to you. The pug, like the bulldog, is a brachycephalic breed, meaning flat-faced. While this does add to their cuteness, it can also lead to serious health problems. The throat and passageways of these dogs are usually undersized, making it harder for them to breathe compared to most other dogs. If exposed to extreme heat or stress it can mean a very dangerous situation for them. The way that pugs have been bred has led to them having an elongated soft palate, which makes it harder for them to breathe when exercising, stressed or overheating as they are unable to take long deep breaths. When this starts to happen to the pug, it can then cause more anxiety for the dog. The signs that the dog is having problems are if the pug is engaging in noisy, open-mouthed panting or breathing, extending its neck to try to open the airways, or

even cyanosis, which is turning blue due to lack of oxygen and eventually the dog collapsing. It is possible to have surgery to help a pug or other snub-nose breed which their breathing; vets can try methods to widen the nostrils and remove excess tissue around the airways to create better airflow for them. To avoid causing breathing problems, it is recommended to avoid stressful environments and overheating. Pugs cannot be left out in the heat. Try to walk when it cools down in the evening or first thing in the morning, for short walks if necessary. Avoid using collars that can push on their airways and try to maintain the guided body weight for your pug - if you are not sure, please ask your vet. It is also advisable to carry a bottle of water and a lightweight bowl so they can stop for a drink to rehydrate and cool off if they find it a bit hot on their walk. If your dog is very hot, you should try to cool it down with cool water on the ears and the feet and move them to a cool area whilst offering them cool water to drink. Pugs are prone to a few other health problems due to their features. The pug's eyes can have issues with ulcers and entropion of the eye, a condition where the eyelid rolls inwards. Another common problem is 'dry eye' or conjunctivitis. This is not just pugs, but other breeds too; however, it is just one of several problems they can suffer from, which is why it is important to do your research when looking to take on a pug. Having researched the breed thoroughly, your next step would be looking for a breeder. There are a lot of breeders out there from all different backgrounds, so you need to ask questions and see the parents of the puppies. Ask about the history of the bloodline; a good breeder should welcome questions and genuine interest in the puppy, which should also reassure them their puppies are going to a sensible owner. When looking for pugs there are a few things to look out for other than puppy personalities; one being their eyes. Check that they are not bulging, watery or glazed, as this could be a sign of future problems. Next would be to assess their breathing - if you can, listen to the puppy's breathing to make sure it is not chesty or rattling. When the puppy is calm, is it a noisy breather and having to breathe through its mouth? They should be able to breathe with their mouth closed at rest with no problem. If you are not sure, speak to your vet for advice and signs to look out for before going to view. As pugs are becoming more and more popular, it is becoming more common that they are sold on the internet. This can bring both good and bad news for the buyer. Now that the rules and regulations of bringing pets into the UK (see www.gov.uk) have been relaxed, with a microchip, a pet passport and rabies vaccine, bringing in a puppy or two from abroad can be an easy money-maker for some people who are buying and selling these designer dogs. This is why it is so important to know their history and go to see the puppies. The Pet Travel Scheme is in place to ensure pets travelling in and out of the UK are regulated, and to ensure that healthy, disease-free animals are coming into the country, whether by air or road. As toy breeds like pugs are in high demand, it has been known that they have been brought into the country, illegally, way too young, ready to be sold again in the UK to unsuspecting new pug owners. All pets need Pugs are believed to originate from China where they were prized companions for the emperors, so it is no surprise that these little dogs strut around like kings and queens of the house. Ancient records included descriptions of these flat-faced dogs with short legs, which leads us to believe they existed in China within the royal family, and only the very important people would be able to own a pug. Pugs seemed to have stayed within the royal families as they soon moved their way over to the Netherlands, having been discovered by the Dutch when they started trading with China. There are stories of a famous heroic pug which has now become the official dog of the House of Orange, because of how he alerted Prince William of an invasion. One night when William was asleep, an assassin tried to enter his chambers, but his brave little pug, Pompey, alerted the prince to the intrusion, thereby saving the prince's life. These days pugs seem to be everywhere, whether it's in the park, printed on a t-shirt or in a movie. They are classed as 'toy breeds' or 'designer dogs', which also makes them very popular, even with celebrities. Their fun-loving personalities make it easy to understand why they are so popular - which makes it seem crazy to think that, like all dogs, these pugs are descended from the mighty wolf. Pugs are very friendly characters and are known for their comical yet sensitive personalities. The most visible trait is their stubbornness; a pug always knows what he wants and will try different ways to get it, whether it is to wait it out, or turn on the charm and give cuddles - either way, very amusing to a pug lover. Pugs can be harder to train because of their stubborn ways but, as long as you are persistent and work out what motivates them - which 99% of the time is food-then there is no reason why they cannot be trained like any other dog. Although they are big eaters, pugs are also very lively and full of beans; they love a mad five minutes, which always puts a smile on your face. Exercise is always welcomed by a pug, since they are not as lazy as they look; but at the same time, they would never turn down a Sunday lie- in. Pugs generally get on well with both humans and other dogs, being by no means shy or submissive, and loving to socialize. A pug is like a child, sulking when being told off and very sensitive to harsh tones - it will take a while to win them round again. The pug was bred to be a lap dog; therefore, they are very loyal and always like to be nearby. They are true family dogs who will expect a place on the sofa or bed next to you. The pug, like the bulldog, is a brachycephalic breed, meaning flat-faced. While this does add to their cuteness, it can also lead to serious health problems. The throat and passageways of these dogs are usually undersized, making it harder for them to breathe compared to most other dogs. If exposed to extreme heat or stress it can mean a very dangerous situation for them. The way that pugs have been bred has led to them having an elongated soft palate, which makes it harder for them to breathe when exercising, stressed or overheating as they are unable to take long deep breaths. When this starts to happen to the pug, it can then cause more anxiety for the dog. The signs that the dog is having problems are if the pug is engaging in noisy, open-mouthed panting or breathing, extending its neck to try to open the airways, or