A pug’s got all that’s cute and adorable! A small fluffy body, a puckered up face that looks somewhat aimlessly at you with its round, dopey eyes and a pout that makes for some cool Instagram mug shots.
I am sure most dog owners and lovers love the pug. Myself included. But speaking of pug-maintenance, I was taken aback by its shedding bit. This breed sheds notoriously. Do Pugs Shed? Yes. Pugs shed heavily, the fact that would-be, enthusiastic pug owners should know before getting carried away with this small bundle of cuteness.
Glad, that through research and proper pug-care I have discovered ways that keep the shedding in control. Let’s get talking about it in this article.
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Why does the pug shed heavily?
Similar to the majority of canines, pug hairs on their coat passes through a three-step process, i.e. growth, rest and fall out. Pugs undergo this cycle much faster than the majority of small breed dogs.
The single coat dog breeds possess secondary fur. But do you have a double coated Pug? If yes, then this pug breed will have more fur than the single-layered dogs.
Pugs shed at a rate of moderate to extreme. Think that you can manage it? You certainly can. Correct grooming tactics will help you get the shedding at a manageable pace.
3 Tips to Manage Pug-Shedding
No pug owner would want to clean their sofas, chairs and the living room space continually of the pug fur. The pug is far from being a gloomy dog. It’s lazy at times. But the movements don’t stop. They are frequently walking and playing around an empty living room space, jumping from the sofa to the balcony window and then back to the couch. And in the process, they shed excessively.
I have found out three smart ways to tackle this. Let me share it with you all.
1. Get the brushing right and frequent
Might sound counter-intuitive, but the ideal way to effectively manage pug hair shedding is to get into the habit of brushing. Brush at a stretch for 15 minutes at a go, all through the day. You’ll surely be surprised with the reduction in the hairfall around the house.
Daily pug brushing is essential. From the head to down the tail tip – keep brushing. The neck, belly and the sides – make sure to brush it all. Do this brushing outside on your lawn or garden, to keep your home interior clean.
I found that brushing helps me spend quality time with my pug.
2. There’s no substitute to regular bathing
Pugs might shrink their cute noses a little bit more whenever it’s bath-time! But daily bathing is necessary to reduce the frequency of shedding fur. You’ll notice that Pugs shed the most after a bath. Sometimes, the shedding is extreme during a bath as well. A proper brushing habit before bathing might help in reducing the shedding process.
Use a pet-hose to bathe the pug. It comes with an inbuilt brush that’s effective in doing away with loose hairs during a bath. You could also go ahead and select a natural shampoo and conditioner that will enhance the pug coat.
Once you notice that your pug is all dry and delicate, a thorough brushing is essential. Bath your little pug after three weeks. They might not be dirty and feel like taking a bath. But go for a bath after every three weeks. It will help to minimise the excessive shedding.
3. You can further manage the pug hair using a suitable vacuum
Regular vacuuming is imperative to reduce pug shedding. Vacuums are not designed and developed to be equally effective in picking my pug hair from a broad mix of surfaces.
Go ahead and select a vacuum that comes with a top suction. I use my favourite Dyson vacuums for many years. The reasons are simple – reliability and excellent performance.
A fellow dog lover referred me to this vacuum close to five years back. And it has indeed been helpful for me. So choose the best vacuum and remove the excess hair shedding on lounges, sofas and living room carpets.
You may ask about the best vacuum from your friends, who’ll help you buy one as well, eventually.
Another smart way out
Dog lovers and pug owners are always trying to come up with ways to minimise the shedding. Latest research and findings suggest that supplements might assist in controlling the shedding process.
However, it’s essential to set the correct expectations. Don’t expect that supplements will significantly stop shedding. It’s a natural dog process and will continue. However, the pace and severity gets impacted to a great extent.
Go ahead and check with your vet to know the supplements to use. Every supplement comes with a set of pros and subtle cons. So than self-suggestion purely out of guesswork, checking with the vet is a smart call.
Supplements such as Omega 6 and Omega 3 are two notable names that contribute to less shedding. On consumption, you’ll find your pug developing a healthy layer of coat and skin both. Also if your pug has skin issues and it’s at the primary stage, Omega 6 and 3 is used as a treatment as well.
Though these two supplements are always not proven to curtain the normal pug shedding, it keeps the coat and skin healthy. It , in turn, might go a long way in preventing the breakage that results in any further fall out.
Personally, my fellow pug owners and I have a few other ingredients to share with you for managing the pug shedding. It includes the following:
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Linoleic acid
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Flaxseed oil
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Alaskan Salmon oil
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Cold pressed hemp seed oil
You need to keep few oils refrigerated and consult the vet for the directions of using the same.
Additionally, check with the vet for medical reasons that at times might contribute to pug shedding. It could range from thyroid issues to seasonal hormonal imbalances to allergies.
And there’s always the seasonal sheds that you should get hassled about. Check for the alert signs and act upon it. You’ll find that you’re better equipped to manage pug shedding than before gradually.
Conclusion
Pugs shed, it’s a fact of life. They have a lot of hair and they shed it all the time.
A pug’s coat is short, and there are not many places for the hair to go once it has fallen out.
The result is that a pug will leave behind hair in your home no matter how often you brush him or her.
There are many ways to combat this problem. You can buy a shedding blade and brush your dog outside so that the hair doesn’t get into your house, or you could use an old vacuum cleaner attachment to suck up any loose hairs around your house before they have time to find their way onto clothing or furniture.
Keep yourself informed! We have gathered tons of useful pug tips , frequently asked questions and trivia for you here. Read on and get to know your pug better. Coz’ everything has a scientific explanation.