Paulina KorczakHaving a dog magically makes the family complete and they bring lots of joy and happiness to the household, after a long day or stressful day at work, it’s great to be able to unwind and relax with your closest friend.
Pugs are intelligent and obedient and generally speaking, dogs have been regarded as the closest animal friends to humans, after all, who wouldn’t want to come home to a loving and friendly companion that gives you lots of attention (and kisses!). This is why the rate of purchasing as well as adopting dogs has increased in the last few years, as we spend more time at home, people want a friendly companion around their home.
Table of Contents
Is a Pug a good family dog?
However, one question that people face when they plan to buy or adopt a dog is how they can choose the right breed of dog for their family. In particular, for Pugs, whether or not Pugs are good with kids. And of course, this is a question that must be carefully answered based on several factors before a perfect choice is made. Pugs are an amazing breed of dog for any family, especially for families with kids.
Choosing a Pug as a family pet may be the best decision that you will make for your family. Some reasonable factors that must be considered, which also make this small breed of dog a perfect option for children are;
How big do Pugs get?
Different breeds of dogs come in different sizes. The size doesn’t just refer to the weight of the puppy. Almost everyone loves puppies because of their cuteness. But most people forget that they keep growing. This is why you should always find out and know the average weight of the breed of dog you want to choose at adulthood.
Pugs are usually referred to as lapdogs meaning that they don’t become too big even when they are old. And this size makes them perfect for every home whether you have kids or not. Fully grown, you can expect your Pug to grow to 10 to 12 inches tall and weigh no more than 20 pounds, so they are a relatively small breed and very suitable for children.
Are Pugs aggressive?
Pugs are probably the funniest of all breeds of dogs around. They are usually active and almost always ready to play. There is never a dull moment around this breed of dogs. High activity seems to be a general feature of lapdogs due to their small size. Because Pugs are especially intelligent, they tend to be a good choice for most homes with children. They are quite easy to train and smartly adapt to new things. Of course, any breed of dog can be stubborn at times. But you can be sure that learning and keeping calm when needed is guaranteed when you have a Pug.
Are Pugs quiet?
This is an important feature to look out for especially when you have a child. Since babies sleep for most of the day, and therefore, you will want to maintain a quiet environment as much as possible. Some breeds of dogs are known to be aggressive barkers. But finding one that understands when barking is necessary will help you a lot. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Pugs don’t bark at all. All dogs bark! But Pugs are known not to bark unnecessarily.
Do Pugs bite?
It is commonly said that the dog uses its teeth both to play and fight. Some dog breeds are generally known to be aggressive and they have a high potential to snap at people at the slightest provocation, especially strangers. Such a dog may not be good for anyone with kids. Generally, children like to play with dogs. And playing with a heavy, guard dog, with a high snapping potential is especially dangerous for kids. Pugs are generally considered a non-biting breed. This makes them perfect for a home with little children.
Pugs are relatively affordable to maintain too. Being a small breed, they feed less than the heavy breeds. So, you also get to save more on feeding your pet if you keep a Pug than keeping any of the heavy breeds such as the Rottweiler, Neapolitan Mastiff, German Shepherd, Saint Bernard, Cane Corso, Dobermann, Irish Wolfhound, etc.
Keep your Pug healthy and your children will be healthy too
Having checked some of the qualities that make Pugs a perfect match for a home with kids, it is important to ensure that the family is healthy. It has been estimated that over 70 percent of human infections are either of animal origin or can be transmitted from animals to humans, therefore, you want your pet to be in good health condition, especially if they will be around newborns and children often.
When your dog is healthy, you stand a good chance of having healthy kids as well.
Getting your Pug to the veterinarian for a checkup regularly is key to maintaining sound health. Never overlook any sign of ill-health displayed by your pet. Keeping an updated record of vaccination and deworming is as important as that of the immunization and deworming of your kids. If your Pug has a heavy load of worms, it won’t take long before the eggs are transmitted to everyone in the home and everyone becomes infected with the same parasite.
Pugs are very affectionate around children
Pugs are known to be a super loving breed that won’t cause any harm, assuming they are well looked after, treated and loved. Pugs can make an excellent choice if you have a small family, as they are very quirky, funny and very peaceful dogs, they aren’t known to be aggressive dogs.
It’s important to note that if you do decide to buy and introduce a Pug into your household, you’ll need to properly train and socialize the Pug so they don’t develop aggressive tendencies, like barking, growling, nipping or biting. Pugs have a very stubborn attitude, so it’s important to ensure they are well trained and socialized to deal with certain social situations, especially if they are going to be around children regularly.
Assuming your Pug is well trained and socialized, they can be amazing dogs around children.
Clean and look after your Pug
Since kids are more susceptible to infections and allergies, you must ensure that the indoor environment is adequately cleaned including your Pug. Cleaning the Pug is more technical than other breeds of dogs because of the facial anatomy and coat configuration.
The face of a Pug can be confused with that of a sad dog because of the wrinkles around the eyes and face in general. These folds serve as a good site for the collection of food particles, dust and dirt. When particles accumulate in the folds, it becomes a good breeding site for fungi and other microbes. These germs can also infect your kids because little children also have a developing immune system.
Grooming is another important aspect of cleaning that you must pay attention to. Grooming your Pug should be done at least once a week. The more times you groom, the cleaner your pet is. The cleaner your pet is, the better for your kids. Prompt grooming and vacuuming of carpet are especially important if you have a kid that frequently shows asthmatic symptoms. Bathing your Pug helps to effectively clean the body and improve skin circulation among other benefits.
Train your Pug basic commands so they are safe around children
Training your dog should always be on top of your mind. You can either do this yourself or take your Pug to training lessons. Keeping your house clean is a product of how well you have trained your Pug. A trained dog knows to go in the garden to stool or pee, however, you should also look to train your Pug basic commands to ensure that it’s a safe environment for your children and to teach your Pug discipline.
Take a look at our dog training posts to get started, a good place to start is to teach your Pug how to stay and how to sit, so you can control their movement around the house and get them to stay put when you are looking after your children. This will be incredibly useful when you are doing the laundry, making your children food and packing lunch boxes, it will make your life a lot easier when managing both children and Pugs!
Finally, the fact that Pugs are good with kids doesn’t mean that they should be left without supervision. You should always keep an eye on them as they play whether in the home or at the park, children should never be left alone with dogs without adult supervision nearby.
Paulina Korczak
