A Pug’s short coat is cared for by simply combing and brushing. Pugs do admittedly have flyaway hair that can be time consuming. A grooming glove is a blessing to a Pug owner who likes to pet his Pug, but doesn’t like brushing. Grooming gloves take the “brush” out of brushing. A few minutes of frequent, intense petting with a grooming glove will make shedding manageable. A monthly or semi-monthly bath will make it even more governable. Some shampoos are designed to help retain healthy coats.
A high quality diet is critical. Some veterinarians recommend vitamin E and fatty acid supplements that are formulated to improve the nature and texture of coats and help reduce shedding. Regular outdoor exercise is also extremely important to a healthy coat.
A Pug should be acclimated for more intense grooming while still a pup. When you first bring your Pug home, or at least while she is still a puppy, stand her on your grooming table, slip the leash loop over her head, and talk to her in quiet and reassuring tones. Pet her and rub her body all over with a grooming glove to accustom her to grooming in general. When she sits down, gently lift her bottom and continue petting and rubbing. After three or four minutes on the table, she should relax.
When she does, pet her for another minute, then stop, remove the loop, give her a tiny tidbit, tell her what a good dog she is, and set her on the floor. If you repeat that exercise several times a day for a week, she will quickly learn to expect it and
won’t fight the idea when real grooming starts.
For routine grooming, you’ll need a fine comb ($5), bristle brush ($4), and grooming glove ($3.50) or slicker pad ($5). A grooming glove is made of cotton covered with little dots of soft, plastic material, which will gently remove loose hair from her coat. It is highly efficient, and everybody likes the idea of petting your Pug with or without a gloved hand.
If your Pug runs through a puddle and gets wet and muddy, towel her dry, and then set her on the grooming table. If you prefer, a hair dryer set on low heat may be used to dry the mud on her coat. Her short coat lies flat. When dry, the dirt can be combed out with a stainless steel, fine-toothed comb. A quick combing also loosens the undercoat. After combing, brush
her with a bristle brush to remove the remainder of dried mud, and use your grooming glove or slicker pad to remove
loose hair.
