For all you overly protective Pug Parents:

As a Pug dog owner myself, I have had the honor of getting a firsthand experience of understanding the anatomy of Pugs--in many ways they are like little tanks. Pugs are generally very loving and playful little animals. They love going on walks (even if they can only handle 5 minutes), playing outside (even if playing includes sleeping under a tree or on top of a picnic table) or going to dog parks to play with their friends (which I am finding that they enjoy roughhouseing with the big dogs). However, one danger of these seemingly harmless activities is that during summer months or when it is especially hot outside or when humidity levels are on the rise, Pugs have the tendency to overheat...sometimes to the point of getting a life-threatening case of heat stroke!

Conditions become hazardess to your Pug when temperatures exceed about 80 degrees and when humidity levels are high. Exposing your Pug to these temperatures is not healthy and should be avoided when possible. However, if you do so happen to bring your Pug into these conditions here is how to cool them off:

1. Calm Them- Some signs of their overheating will be heavy panting and snorting (I know, I know, they snort all the time, but in these circumstances, the snorting becomes more intense). They may even seem a little frantic and unsettled. So, when you notice your Pug experiencing these symptoms after he or she has been exposed to hot weather, you need to calm them down so they don't panic because this panicking will only heat them up even more! Speak to them in a loving tone and try and get them to sit or lie down.

2. Give Them An Ice Cube or 2-Sometimes the last thing a Pug wants to do when he/she is overheated is to go to their bowl and drink water because they are too tired and frantic from the heat. The ice cubes give them added excitement to drink the water. Plus giving them one to chew on also aids in the cooling process.

3. The Cold Towel- The cold towel is KEY! Get a wash cloth and wet it with cold water until saturated. Once wet, tak the cold wash cloth to your Pug and apply the towel to their feet pads on all 4 legs. Try to keep the towel there as long as your Pug allowes. (Pugs cool themselves down by sweating through their paws). You can also take the cold towel and apply it to their wrinkles on their face. Try and get inbetween the wrinkles for ultimate coolness. This usually does the trick and your Pug will be back to normal after a few minutes of applying the cold towel. If it is not working, keep getting the towel wet with cold water and reapply.

4. The Cold Shower/Bath- For instant coolness plop them into the tub and cool them off that way. Our pug prefers the shower to baths, but baths are also a good way to cool your Pug down. This should be done if the cold towel and ice cubes do not work.

My best advice when dealing with Pugs and heat is to be a smart parent and pay attention to temperatures. Keep your Pug indoors if it is going to be really hot outside and when it is really hot outside, only let them stay out there for no longer than 10-15 minutes at a time. They are just little animals and don't know any better.

Good luck to you and your Pug!