Caring for Your Puggle

When you bring your Puggle home, whether you’ve adopted an adorable, wriggly puppy or a slightly calmer but just as adorable adult Puggle, life changes. It’s like adding any new member to your family; Puggles need special attention and care.

The first priority, before you bring your Puggle home with you, should be to Puggle-proof your home. This includes removing anything from the floor that might look like food or a dog toy, but could be dangerous.

Children’s toys can be particularly hazardous to Puggles because they love to chew on things, and small parts or small toys can choke them. Some toys may also have chemicals in them that could be toxic to a Puggle. Shiny batteries are a particular danger to these inquisitive dogs.

Also make sure all household cleaners and substances are put away, and spills are cleaned up. Anything spilled on the floor looks like a tasty beverage to a Puggle, who could get very sick as a result.

And of course anything a Puggle could get tangled in, from an electrical cord to a curtain pull-cord, should be placed so your new baby can’t get into it.

Once you have baby-proofed your home, it’s time to think about bringing your Puggle home, and what will make her comfortable.

You will want to have food and water bowls available for your pet, and make sure there is always fresh water available, and that food is in the bowls at predictable feeding times. Puggles, like all dogs, love routine, and they particularly need fresh drinking water available constantly.

If your Puggle uses the bathroom inside on newspapers, make sure the papers are changed regularly, as this can create a health risk to both pets and humans in the family. Your Puggle also may refuse to go on soiled papers.

Because Puggles have short hair, they don’t need to be groomed in the sense of being trimmed on a regular basis, like a poodle. But they do need to be bathed on a regular basis to maintain their skin and coat. Use a hypoallergenic pet shampoo, and try to make bath time as brief and enjoyable as possible. Many Puggles don’t enjoy bath time, but if you make it as pleasant as possible, they’ll get used to it.

After your Puggle is dry and has recovered from the indignity of the bath, use a brush with coated bristles to comb through her coat and remove all the loose hair. She will definitely enjoy being brushed, and the longer you brush, the less likely she is to shed later.

The most fun and enjoyable part of caring for your Puggle is, simply, playing. Puggles love to play and interact with their people. They are very spirited and energetic, and are a naturally playful breed. As you make training a part of play time, you will find that you have a pet who is loving and fun to play with and whom you enjoy having in your family.

The most important thing to remember about caring for your Puggle is that she needs the same things you do: a safe environment, fresh food and water, and lots of loving attention.