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Pug

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The delightful little Pug breed has been around since ever and has a marvelous history of being loved and owned through the centuries by many noted people from Empresses to Kings.

His motto of “Multum in Parvo” a lot of dog in a small space is so very indicative of this breed if you have ever shared time or home with one of them. A compact, square breed he exhibits all the power and fire of a dynamic little rogue.

Being a short-coated little fellow he is often presented as a no-nonsense dog and thus not needing special attention to grooming. One should never discount a dog’s need for special grooming just because he is not a traditional “hairdo” breed. You may not be able to snip this little guy into shape but you sure can do a whole bunch with the descriptions as outlined in your standard.

The coat is described as “fine, smooth, soft, short and glossy, neither hard nor woolly.” Well, that’s pretty easy and very direct. No misinterpretations can be made of that. Thus the quest is to keep the coat as true to this as possible and maintain the condition, feel and shine.

The face of this breed has always posed a problem due to the wrinkle and sensitive eyes. Use Plush Puppy Let’s Face It. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed just for faces. It’s no tear formula features the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean, soothe, add moisture, aid healing and have anti-inflammatory benefits. A small golf ball sized amounts directly to the face and eye area allows you to thoroughly clean without causing irritation. It can also be used in and around the ears with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows ease of rinsing, yet complete cleaning.

The Pug’s grooming regime ought to consist of a shampoo that will leave the coat in its correct state with lots of shine.  Use Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo diluted 1:5 (1 part shampoo to 5 parts water). We call this the ‘Shine’ shampoo as it features natural Henna stalk extracts that impart a beautiful gloss and shine to your dog’s coat. All Purpose Shampoo is primarily derived from organic sources and also features Alpine and Lichen herbs.  It is wonderful to use on normal to slightly dehydrated coats.

If your coat is a little on the harsh side due to the elements use Plush Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner diluted 1:5 (1 part conditioner to 5 parts water).This will help in softening the texture. If the coat is just right then skip the conditioner.

In both cases use as a final rinse of Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil to add shine, hydrate and condition to the coat.  It is a truly beneficial blend of using extracts of Calendula oil, Wheat germ oil, and Evening Primrose.  These offer calming and healing aspects that help to repair, soothe and generally give a good pickup to a dull or tired coat.

Add 1 tablespoon to 4 Litres of water, then either sponge on or sluice well through the coat and LEAVE IN. DO NOT RINSE. You could also either hydrobath through the coat or dunk the dog in the mix. This is quite a unique product in that it is not greasy and totally water-soluble. It gives an outstanding healthy vigour to the skin and coat.

You can use this in-between shows or when preparing for a show. It is water-soluble and helps to repel dirt. You will get a nice healthy sheen on the coat with this routine.

For times your Pug may be out of coat use Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo diluted 1:3. This shampoo does have a bodifying effect to the coat, making it look and feel thicker without an artificial feel.  It is wonderful for the coat as it is primarily naturally derived and infused with beneficial plant extracts.  It is the wheat germ extract that bolsters the coat volume.

For the Pugs that have itchy skin, use Plush Puppy Sensitive Skin Shampoo. Use at a ratio of 1:3 until the condition begins to clear, then dilute further down to as much as 1:10. Repeat at the stronger concentration whenever the condition reappears. It is infused with Arnica, Lichen and Alpine herbal extracts.  The Arnica addresses the redness and soreness, the Lichen sorts out the fungal problems such as dandruff and scurf and the herbs are for promotion of good new skin and coat.

Itchy scratching with Pugs is more prevalent in those kept indoors where they tend to overheat. Heating and air conditioning can all play havoc except in extreme conditions when it is necessary. This dog is often better suited to outdoors.

Now for Show day. Give a light “go over” with the Plush Puppy Ultimate Anti-Static Brush. This brush consists of 100% black boar bristles with dialon porcupine pins.  Due to its superior anti-static properties, we use Dialon instead of nylon. The unique combination of pure boar bristles and dialon porcupine tufts are set into the finest quality flexible aeroelastic cushion base.

Some Pugs have some longer tufts of hair around the rear end, and these can be shortened and neatened with a pair of thinning shears.

Blow dry a smooth coat you say. Yes! It promotes the natural removal of dead and old coat. Anyone who has a Pug understands the amount of coat this breed can drop. Blow drying using a force dryer may seem excessive but truly will roll that coat and minimise coat drop. This keeps your dog in perfect show dog and tip top condition.

An amazing product that not only speeds up drying time but protects the coat is Plush Puppy FAST Blow Dry Spray. FAST dramatically reduces drying time, adds moisture and conditions while protecting the coat. It contains Australian Native Flame Tree extracts that hydrate a dry or old coat making it look perfect. It also protects the coat from damage from sun and heat. FAST is amazing on short coats for a brilliant shine. A light spray to a wet or damp coat, then brush through before drying.

For the final shine apply a light application of Vaseline on the black points such as face and ears and don’t forget to keep the wrinkles clean. A light wipe over with a face washer morning and night keeps these trouble free.

Now for the final glam. Sprinkle a tiny amount of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust onto the oval cushion brush and brush against the coat growth to settle the powder down lower and leave the shimmer on top. Discretion is the key word when using this. It is a fabulous effect and applied judiciously, gives pin pricks of light to the coat.

Finish with a light spray of Plush Puppy Shine & Comb just prior to going in the ring. The old method of years gone by would be to use a piece of silk rubbed backwards and forwards over the coat for shine. We’ve simply made this process a lot easier with a spray!

Remember to appeal to as many of a judge’s senses as possible. The feel of the coat, the look of the coat and the smell of the coat are all important even if some are subliminal. The Pug tends to feel the heat, and most are prone to wallowing in water and ending up quite smelly little critters. They snuffle, snort, and generally make themselves a bit pongy. Give them a quick light spray with Plush Puppy Odour Muncher. It literally munches the odour and works well for smelly problems such as emergencies in transit. It leaves a light fragrance, certainly not too much and definitely not too little.

So, now you have a star. Your cheeky little Pug will still have the power pack look all barely contained within his little square body but will be bursting with sheer “joie de vivre” and exuding glamour. He is hard to go past with his playful little nature and with all the grooming presentation to enhance his standard requirements he will be a hard contender to beat.

Plush Puppy Australia