Your pug puppy will enter adolescence and it will vary when and for how long. It might be around 6 months of age, but you'll definitely know your puppy is a teenager or "preteen" when you start to notice things like:
If you see a major behavior change in your pug puppy between approximately 6-12 months of age, first rule out pain or injury or an emotional scar (something happen at boarding? with a neighbor or houseguest?) If none of the above, then it's most likely your puppy is starting to navigate the "terrible teens." Sometimes pups enter this stage seemingly overnight and it almost always comes unexpectedly. The truth of the matter is, your puppy won't just seamlessly morph from a puppy into an adult .... There's a reason "adolescence" is not always a word most folks like to hear and it can be a challenging time for both the owner AND the puppy. So, this article is to address some things owners can do to be able to more successfully their pug puppy's teenage phase without the relationship becoming tainted, or everyone's sanity! If you ask any animal shelter, you'll learn that the most common age for dogs to be surrendered is between 6-18 months of age. This is because canine adolescence is a tricky time if you're not prepared but, with a little preparation, patience it will pass quickly and be some of your best memories of your pug puppy once s/he is an old senior and you are reminiscing. One of our favorite memories is when our pug Sebastian (who would sit off leash on the glider with us while we drank our morning coffee on our front porch) suddenly decided to sprint up our STEEP driveway to join a marathon! Yep, there were a bunch of runners with number signs etc. running down our street! He sprinted up the driveway with Jeff running behind in his slippers and robe ... unable to catchup ... and then joined the marathon! I'll never forget this image of all these runners, and a little black pug. In the next neighborhood several blocks away, exhausted, and still wearing his robe and slippers, Jeff finally sat down to catch his breath. He kept asking runners if they had seen a black pug and finally one woman responded, "yes! he ran alongside me for awhile but he stopped awhile back" and pointed in the direction she last saw him. Needless to say, Jeff finally got him and we learned that Sebastian was no longer the young puppy who would stick beside us off leash no matter what ..... he was ready for adventures and to move onto the next chapter in his life! Always something. Other owners have noted that their pug puppy will suddenly start chewing on furniture when it had never done that before. Any behavior out of the unusual is your pug trying to tell you something. How long will my pug stay a teenager? It will vary but a small toy breed tends to mature around 1 year of age. "During this period there are several developmental processes at work. Being aware of what they are and the effect they are likely to have on your puppy's behavior will mean you can be prepared to deal with them. This in turn will shorten the time they will have an impact on both your lives." Just as with human teenagers, your puppy is becoming more independent and starting to look at the world as adults rather than as an infant. Thus relying less on their human for security and more likely to "to go self-employed as they begin to form their own opinions and behaviors regarding the world around them." Just remember = This is a NATURAL PROGRESSION and part of a dog's inherited survival instinct. TEETHING: Is your pug puppy teething? As if all of this wasn't enough, with your pug puppy's full set of adult teeth around 6 months of age, the teeth will be needing to 'set' properly in the gums. To do this your puppy is really going to need to be able to chew. Unfortunately, many owners don't understand this and think their teenage pug puppy is just being destructive when they actually have a PHYSICAL NEED to have appropriate things on which to gnaw. Chew toys to the rescue! Most owners might think that their Shark puppy is a thing of the past, so they may not be providing enough chew toys like this "Treaster" or kongs. We love Treasters becuase they are durable yet fun for the pugs to chew and we can stick a treat or even their food into the nooks and crannies. You can add peanut butter, pumpkin, kibble, and even add something like yogurt and then freeze. It's a wonderful texture that they love -- the rubber is pliable and soft. It's tempting to think "I don't want to spend money on those puppy chews anymore" but, a little peanut butter and appropriate chew toy they like is MUCH cheaper than your furniture and shoes! puppy teething guide. Why is my teenage puppy suddenly scared? Dogs also have a second fear period that happens somewhere between 6-18 months of age. Sometimes this just happens once but in other dogs it can happen several times which may coincide with growth spurts or hormone surges. You might notice your pug puppy becoming reactive or scared of things that never bothered them in the past (other people, dogs, strange objects, places etc.). Single-event learning is most likely to occur during this teenage phase so HOW you manage this period is vitally important. A bad experience at this time can have a lasting effect on your pug's behavior for life .... EVEN IF all of their previous interactions have been positive. Their ability to make a split second decision on what is 'safe' and what is 'dangerous' is being developed so that they can survive as an adult ..... and they'll remember this for life. Why is my adolescent dog behaving differently?
Teenager pugs are dealing with hormone surges and this can increase excitability, intensity and over-reactions to just about everything. Shy dogs can become shyer and confident dogs can become more (sometimes over) confident. If your pug puppy did not receive enough socialization before it was 16 weeks of age (or a bit older) you will start to notice this now with more problems with fear -- reactivity and perceived aggression. "Well, I'll just neuter him/spay her and we won't have any more problems." Honestly, this is not a cure for behavior problems and sometimes it can exacerbate others. Spay/neuter at the correct time for HEALTH reasons (we believe only after they have matured more, which is closer to a year, but definitely NEVER BEFORE at least once cycle or the equivalent with a male). Instead, the important thing to do is STAY CALM. Don't Punish your dog in ANY way as this will just damage your relationship and make your pug even less likely to want to work with you. (Would you rather train an enthusiastic pug puppy who is engaged and focused on you or a zombie pug?) Go back to the basics with your training cues -- teach every single exercise again FROM THE BEGINNING. And don't forget positive reinforcement with LOTS of encouragement and treats. Instead, go back to the very basics with your training cues – and teach every exercise again from the beginning. Don’t forget to include lots of rewards as teenagers need plenty of encouragement and positive reinforcement (even more so than puppies). For example, let's say your pug puppy just stopped coming when called. They just forgot? Nope. So, make it into a game. Get a long line and, away from other dogs/people in a quiet time of the day, work on recalls again. Have them chase you, and just remember what it was like when you worked with them as a tiny puppy. Remember, the goal is to always set your pug up for success and not failure. Why? Avoiding stress and training failures means your pug will have more capacity both mentally and emotionally and be able to cope with day-to-day teenage challenges. They will avoid that negative experience that might shape the way they look at the world. During this time, your pug is re-evaluating everything and everyone in their life. She/he is starting to look at the world with the eyes of an adult rather than a puppy. Bad experiences now can go on to shape how they view the world and how they behave in the future. It might seem like a step back in your training but, you'll find that your pug will come out on the other side of adolescence well-behaved and with both training skills AND your relationship intact. STAY ON TOP OF SOCIAL SKILLS. If you pug has another canine friend, get together, go on walks together, schedule some play time. (Make sure they don't play too rough -- ) ENROLL IN ANOTHER TRAINING CLASS or activity. An organized activity helps the teenage brain (and you). Scent work classes are AMAZING. Look for things that will use the puppy's brain and problem-solving skills, earn rewards but not strain their still growing bodies. Scent work Avoid stress. Don't over-exercise. Conversely, you'll want to keep your teenage puppy calm and stress free and perhaps let physical exercise take a back seat for the time being. Many owners think "more exercise will tire them out" but this is just a fallacy. It might make them fitter, but then they'll need MORE physical exercise to become exhausted. An exhausted pug does not deal with stress well, nor learn well. Enrichment dog games, toys, indoor training, hide-and-seek, scent work and other things that USE THE BRAIN tires your pug out. Teach some new tricks (or proof and improve duration or elegance of a current skill or trick.) Scatter feed. Stuff a rubber toy inside a cardboard tube they can rip/tear. etc. Some pug puppies sail right through as teen angels while others are hooligans. One is not better or worse than the other -- just how God made them. They are just doing the best they can with their own individual personality and trying to find ways to deal with this development stage. Some sail through adolescence as teen angels – while others are definite hooligans. Neither is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, they are just doing the best they can and all have their own individual personalities and ways of dealing with this unavoidably developmental period. Remember, do not think they are being difficult, tell them off or punish them for the unusual behaviors, otherwise you will exacerbate their fear. Don't force your pug to ‘face their fears’ but instead keep a comfortable distance where they do not feel they have to react or be worried, let them approach, retreat and explore in their own time, and reward them with treats to keep all interactions positive. Avoid negative encounters or potentially worrying situations as far as is possible in this time as a bad experience now could color the way your puppy looks at the world and affect his behavior as an adult. When you socialize, make sure it is always a positive experience. Encounters need to be positive and fun.
TEAMWORK is the key. Don't give into thinking that your teen puppy is intentionally trying your patience. remember that this is a complex developmental time for your dog. As a piano teacher, I've always found it challenging when my longtime students I've taught since age 4, 5, or 6 enter the terrible teens. Very often that would be when they would discontinue their piano studies so I am always picking the brains of Jr High school teachers. They are all pretty cool, down-to-earth, and genuine, and many of them mention that their secret is to laugh it off. They use sarcasm and other things that make all the "big stuff" seem smaller and more manageable. Also, don't forget to look at how cute these guys are at this awkward age! That pug puppy's adorable cuteness will give you the motivation to make it through these few months (or days or weeks).
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Amy attended, along with Mr. Drysdale, Emma, and Eliza, the Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty in Virginia Beach October 1-8, 2023. It truly was a magical week filled with health seminars, conformation shows, agility and obedience trials, health screening, and amazing PUGS from around the US and Canada. We learned SO much. Mr. Drysdale received a "0" on his BOAS health screening (which is the best score possible ... no indication of any breathing issues such as elongated soft palate). Lecture notes from the health seminars are available on this webpage.
Here's a video with some hi-lites of the week . . .
And another video compilation from earlier in the week . . .
On Friday evening, I got to visit with Scarlett who now lives with a wonderful family in Virginia Beach. Scarlett joined them last April when she was just over a year of age. When I entered the house Scarlett ran up to me and put her paws on my shoulder to "claim me" and stared into my eyes, then licked my face with kisses. She is SO happy and absolutely LOVES her "sister" Lila. Lila is 9 years old, but still full of life and Scarlett is so loving and kind to her. When Lila has an inverted sneeze attack, Scarlett gently licks her face to comfort her. Here are some photos of Scarlett in her beautiful home with her human 'sister'. In this video of Scarlett with her owner, it's pretty obvious she has a marvelous life with a loving family. https://www.facebook.com/544684001/videos/351712620630536/
Eliza won Best of Opposite Sex in a HUGE lineup of puppies in the 4-6 class. This was truly an honor because there were so amAZing puppies in that ring. Here is her win photo . . .
And Mr. Drysdale also won a ribbon in his Bred by Exhibitor 6-12 month class. Here they are showing off their hard-earned ribbons.
In addition to the BOAS testing, Mr. Drysdale also completed an eye examination by the visiting veterinary ophthalmologist.
Emma also competed on Friday in the 2nd 4-6 BPUP and was amazing for her first time in the ring, but the judge preferred another pup this day. To get an understanding of HOW many pugs were in just the 4-6 class, here's a video with some hi-lites. You can also see Mr. Drysdale NAIL his stack on the table which was huge because, just a week earlier in Knoxville, he had a bad experience on the table and wouldn't stand. We are SO proud of Mr. Drysdale and his complete turn around! Thank you to the judge, Joe C. Walton for making it a positive experience for my pugs. These thoughtful pugs like Mr. Drysdale are much more in tune with the judges and react accordingly. If the judge is hesitant or angry, they sense it. Mr. Walton always had a pleasant look for the dogs ... and how he did this when seeing so many 100s of pugs (yes over 300!!) over several days, well that's amazing.
Eliza, Emma, and Mr. Drysdale participated in the PDE study. They showed no signs of PDE in the examination but they will be a part of the study in helping with statistics in comparison with other pugs who suffer from this horrible disease. The trial is paid for by a wonderful nonprofit, Ethos Discovery, and led by Dr. Rebecca Windsor. With every exam they complete, they are able to learn more about the rate of occurrence of this devastating disease. Additionally, the opportunity to test for the early form of PDE, with the screening exam we participated in, allows them to identify and treat dogs with this early form of the disease in hopes of preventing them from developing the severe and fatal symptoms of PDE. To learn more about this trial, you can visit their website. Ethos PDE trial. To learn more about Ethos Discovery, a 501(c)3 nonprofit incubator of scientific innovation (who covers ALL costs associated with this clinical trial ... which involves stem cell therapy and $25,000 + per pugs with PDE being treated), and their mission to "improve health outcomes for humans and animals with complex medical problems", you can visit ethosdiscovery.org.
Eliza had some fun training with an incredible pug owner/handler/trainer during a break in the show. It's fun watching people who know what they're doing work their magic. Dogs see right through it, too, and respond appropriately ... if their humans know what they're doing and are genuine, the pug is right there engaged in the game.
Of course the pups enjoyed the hotel room and, after a few days, Mr. Drysdale FINALLY mustered up the courage to walk onto the elevator. He was a pro by the time we left ;)
We recently added "Risa's Revisions" to our application process for prospective buyers. The process was thorough before but, with a few additions, it will help make the transition for both the puppy and the puppy's new owner smoother, more successful, and rewarding. It will help the pug and the pug's owner(s) thrive -- not just survive -- for the pug's entire life and prevent many surprises and frustrations. If you're interested, you can see the entire application process on this webpage, as well as learn about Risa and her horrible experiences during the first year of her life. One of Risa's "revisions" involves some required reading for prospective owners. One of these amazing books, "Raising the Worst Dog Ever: A Survival Guide, Memoir and Dog Training Manual" by Dale Ward, should be in any dog owner's library and the new owners need to absorb the invaluable information prior to bringing the puppy home. Stocking up on these refresher courses in advance allows the new owners to focus all of their attention and devote all of their time to the puppy, avoid mistakes and frustrations from the start, and not waste valuable puppy play time scouring through books. The entire book is amazing, and even gives great advice on equipment to gather prior to bringing a puppy home, but a particularly helpful chapter addresses reading a dog's body language. Canine Body Language On page 124 of Dale Ward's award-winning book, "Raising the Worst Dog Ever: A Survival Guide, Memoir and Dog Training Manual", she addresses Canine Body Language. (If you don't own this book, here is the link to add it to your permanent library.) Ward summarizes what you should be looking for in your dog's demeanor that will let you know that they are fearful, anxious, or stressed. Ward explains, "Why is this important? Dogs, if pushed beyond what they can handle, may resort to biting to make the scary thing go away. You really want to avoid pushing your dog, or any dog for that matter, beyond what they can handle. You can think of this as going past the tipping point, or in dog training jargon, going over "threshold." Think of it as a glass of water. Each stress event, no matter how small, adds water to the glass. Eventually, too many stressful events will make that glass overflow. So the tipping point is not some abstract point in time, it's the culmination of stress that finally makes your dog go over threshold. The term "threshold," according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as "the point at which a physiological or psychological effect begins to be produced." When your dog is anxious about a specific situation or the presence of a certain person, there is a point at which they may tip over into the fearful zone. They may go "over threshold." We always want to try to help our dogs cope before things go that far. If you know what to look for, you can mitigate the situation and help get your dog through it." In an article by Jane Messineo Lindquist, the creator of Puppy Culture, and author of another incredible book, "When Pigs Fly", she explains the importance of avoiding stacking stressors with young puppies. "It's important to allow the puppy to come back to emotional baseline before doing another big emotional experience. As a rule of thumb, we allow 24 hours in between really challenging socialization experiences for puppies under 10 weeks of age." Lindquist recommends this video by Donna Hill as explaining why we should avoid stacking stressors. Lindquist continues, "Our puppies normally don't need that much recovery time as they approach 12-14 weeks of age, but we do get them out a lot and our breed (bull terrier) is very adaptable and resilient breed. The only thing you really need to know is, if you see an emotional fallout reaction at ANY age, give your puppy or dog at least 24 hours to come back to baseline." On the website Fear Free Happy Homes for Pets, they explain that "Animals speak all the time, as spoken through their body language, but many times their messages are misunderstood or go unheard. As a result, a dog may be placed in a situation or interaction where they're comfortable, but if polite requests for help or requests for space go unheard, their body language and behavior may escalate to a louder shout (think: lunge or growl) to get others to listen. Attending to the early signs of fear, anxiety, and stress, as well as understanding the signs of a content and happy pet, is essential for deepened relationships, safer living with dogs, and helping dogs live happier, healthier, fuller lives. In this video, you'll learn the key communication signs to attend to for better, safer interactions with dogs, including the subtle whispers of the pet's underlying emotional state that you can't afford to miss." Getting back to Dale Ward's book, she states that "You may or may not see all of these signs in your dog. However, your dog will most likely show at least some of these signals if they are feeling anxious and uncomfortable. It is always important to take note of the context in which these behaviors occur. If your dog just wakes up from a nap and yawns, it is not likely due to stress. If your dog licks his nose right after eating peanut butter, it is not likely due to anxiety. You get my point. Context is important." Signs that your dog is NOT having a good time: (pages 125-132) 1. Furrowed Brow: Dogs will get a "worried look", just like people do, when they are feeling uncertain or scared. They will tense their brow (forehead), and small wrinkles will temporarily appear." 2. Ears Flattened: Dogs have a variety of ear shapes, from long and floppy to sharp and pointy. When dogs are scared or uncomfortable, their ears move down and back, regardless of shape. The floppy-eared dogs will flatten their ears back and against their head. The pointy-eared dogs will move their ears backwards, and the tips might fold back, too." 3. Tail Carriage: The tail talks! Tails tell us a lot about what a dog is feeling, so learning what they are communicating through their tails helps us better understand them. Some dogs have very short tails and are limited in what they can 'say' with them. Keep this in mind if you have a dog with a docked tail. You must read the other signs more closely to know how your dog is feeling in that moment.When a dog is happy and comfortable, their tail is carried in a neutral position (roughly parallel to the ground), and it wags from side to side. If they are really happy or excited, that wagging speeds up and can involve their whole body. Their tail may even start to whip around in a circle, what we call a "helicopter tail". They look loose and wiggly when they are happy. When a dog is uncomfortable or scared, the wagging slows down or stops, and their tail lowers and gets tucked between their back legs. When a dog gets really angry or on guard, that tail can change into one that is held high and stiff, like a flag, sometimes with the end wagging back and forth quite rapidly. That high, tense tail carriage is a sign of extreme tension and says, "Back off now!" A dog that is posturing like this is set to go on the offensive, so be very careful. Back away from the dog!" 4. Hunched Posture: Dogs that are uncertain, shy, or afraid will arch their backs, almost like a cat. This has the effect of lowering their head closer to the ground. A tucked tail often accompanies this hunched posture." 5.Lip Lick/Tongue Flick: These terms are often used interchangeably. You will see uncomfortable dogs stick their tongues out, sometimes almost imperceptibly. These licks and flicks may be more pronounced and reach all the way up to their nose. With these types of stress licks, the tongue usually comes out of the front of the mouth, not the sides. These licks or flicks are also generally very fast." 6. Repetitive Yawning: When a dog yawns because they are tired or just woke up from a nap, their mouth opens wide, and the tongue usually comes all the way out and curls inward. When a dog stress yawns, the mouth opens wide, but the tongue usually stays inside the mouth, back and down against the floor of the mouth, or is only partially extended. A dog may repeat these stress yawns several times." 7. Pilorection (sometimes called raised hackles or fur standing up on their back): Pilorection refers to the raised hairs on the dog's shoulders, and along the back and (sometimes) the tail. This is an involuntary reaction, sometimes referred to as bristling, and is similar to how we humans get goosebumps. It is usually similar to how we as humans get goosbumps. It is usually a sign that the dog is excited or aroused in some way. It is not always, but may be, associated with anxiety and fear. Context is important here. This bristling can also happen during play when a dog becomes over-aroused." 8. Adrenaline Shake Off: This looks like a dog that is shaking off water, but they are not wet. It's a whole body shake off. You will often see this happen when two dogs meet, they sniff each other's rear ends, then part ways; a shake off will often follow. It's a stress reliever. We humans even have a saying that is similar. When we say, "shake it off," it means to get over it and move on. That's what your dog is trying to do!" 9. Pacing. Dogs will pace back and forth or in circles when they are feeling anxious or stressed. This is sometimes accompanied by a tucked tail, excessive panting, and hypervigilance." 10. Panting: Dogs that are anxious will pant even though they are not hot or out of breath. When dogs pant to cool themselves, their tongue lolls outside the mouth, fully extended with a flat tip shaped like a spatula. If a dog is stress panting, the panting will be rapid, and the tongue will usually be kept inside the mouth or only partially extended. You will not see the spatula tongue in a stress pant." 11. Hypervigilance: The Merriam-Webster definition is: "the state of being highly or abnormally alert to potential danger or threat." When a dog is hypervigilant, you will see them standing with their head held high, looking around from place to place, air scenting, nervous. They constantly look behind them, as if to ensure nothing or no one sneaks up on them. They are hyperalert to any potential danger that may arise in their immediate environment." 12. Shaking: Some dogs will tremble. This is an involuntary reaction often seen in small dogs, but large dogs will also tremble in fear. Humans do it, too." 13. Slow Motion Movement, Paw Lift: Dogs will sometimes walk very slowly, almost as if they don't want you to notice that they are moving away. They may stop and lift a front paw and let it dangle in the air. I like to think they are saying, "okay, I'll just move over this way for a second, okay? Nothing to look at here. Move along, please." 14. Turning Head Away, Moving Away: A dog that is uncomfortable with the situation will turn their head away from it. We often see this when people hug dogs. If the dog could, they would walk completely away in an attempt to remove themselves from the stressful situation. Leaving the stressful environment is a good strategy for a dog. They just move away from what is bothering them. It's simple and efficient! However, problems occur when the humans follow them and continue the unwanted interaction or when the dog is on a leash and can't move away." 15. Refusing Food: The majority of dogs will eat tasty morsels of food most of the time. Bits of chicken, liver, or steak are irresistible to most dogs.When dogs are too stressed, they won't eat. They simply can't. A dog's "seek" pathway (their olfactory system - scenting, eating, sniffing) and their fear pathway in the brain are mutually exclusive. When one is turned on, the other is turned off. Like a switch. So, when a dog is fearful, they won't eat. As fear lessons, the dog will begin to take the food, sometimes more rapidly and roughly than usual. When fear subsides, the dog will eat normally. This can be an extremely useful guidepost in determining your dog's stress level." 16. Whale Eye and Dilated Pupils: Stressed or fearful dogs will show the whites of their eyes, called the sclera. They will turn their head away but keep their eyes fixated on the threat, thus showing some of the sclera at the side of their eye. A "whale eye" is often accompanied by a "freeze". Also, a frightened dog may have dilated pupils, an involuntary stress response that happens in humans, too." 17. Freeze: The dog's body goes completely still, their jaw closes tightly, and they seem to hold their breath. The "freeze" is a clear warning to stop what you are doing." 18. Lip Lift, Baring Teeth: Often accompanied by a growl, a dog will retract the corners of tehri mouth. The corners of a dog's mouth are called the commissures.The mouth will usualy be open, and the commissures become tightly stretched towards the back of the head when the dog is fearful. The commisures will be pushed forward if the dog is taking a confident, offensive posture. Either way, its not good. Stop what you are doing and slowly back away from the dog. The commissures may also pucker, exposing the teeth." 19. Growl: This is a low, guttural vocalization that sounds like a rumble. Growling is a clear mode of communication that is telling you to stop immediately and asses the situation. Never punish a dog for growling. 20. Air Snap: The dog snaps its teeth close to the victim but makes no contact. Many people think that the dog actually tried to bite them but missed. If a dog wants to bite a person, they don't miss. Dogs are incredibly fast and accurate. An air snap is another warning to back off. If these final warnings are ignored, a bite will ensue if whatever is happening at that moment does not stop." 21. Bite: This level of stress is to be mitigated and avoided at all costs. When a dog has tried to communicate its discomfort and all signals have been ignored, they may resort to biting. Bites are classified using a scale of severity from level 1 to 6 as developed by Dr. Ian Dunbar. It is important to note that all dog bites that fall into the first two levels and are not considered severe, must be addressed to prevent escalation. Dale Ward continues, on page 132 of Raising the Worst Dog Ever, "So much communication! We humans miss so many clues that our dogs give us to let us know that they are not feeling comfortable. Learn to watch your dog. Watch other dogs. Leave your dog at home and go to a dog park. Watch the body language to see how many signals you can identify. You will be surprised. And once you learn to see what dogs are telling us, you can't unsee it. You will see at least some of these signals anywhere there are dogs." "So what should you do when you notice that your dog is not comfortable? Help them through it. You can give them some space by moving away from what is scaring them. Crouch or sit down with them, pet them, reassure them. No, you will NOT reinforce their fear. Fear is an emotion, not a behavior. If a child was afraid, we would certainly comfort them. A dog is no different in this respect. Once you have identified something that your dog needs help to cope with, use the principles of desensitization and counter conditioning." Lastly, I'd like to address 2 more thoughts. Did you know that dogs can recognize a bad person? Dogs have superpowers! Scientists Confirm Dogs Can Recognize a Bad Person There is scientific evidence to prove that our pets are the smartest and most perceptive and can even help single out bad people! Dogs can sense fear, read body language, and even smell cancer to find it at an early stage and warn of upcoming epileptic seizures and diabetic shock. Guess what else? Dogs can recognize a bad person. They feel how other people treat their owners, and they can read our body language and emotions. If you treat fire with fire, you will get burned. Positive vs. Punitive Training." To quote Victoria Stillwell, Editor-In-Chief of the Positively.com website, the founder and president of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training & Behavior, the CEO of the Victoria Stillwell Positively Dog Training (VSPDT), "This concept is not rocket science, but it is still science. A study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Behavior concluded that confrontational training methods such as hitting dogs, intimidating them with punitive force and using techniques of restraint like the 'alpha roll' actually do very little to correct dogs' behavior and in fact increase the likelihood that they will be fearful and aggressive." "Behavior is closely linked to and influenced by emotions, so punishing a dog for unwanted behavior while not understanding why the behavior is happening or its emotional effect on the dog only serves to make things worse. Punishments such as leash jerks and collar corrections, hitting, poking, 'nudging,' kicking, hanging by the collar, or using electric shock or spray collars may be effective in suppressing behavior at that moment, but these tools and techniques do little to solve the problem in the long term and can make a dog’s behavior much worse in the future." "The tragedy of punishment-based training techniques is that people are being taught these methods without realizing they are making their dogs more unpredictable and dangerous. Although punishment may bring temporary relief for a frustrated dog owner’s anger, it damages the human-animal bond and leads to mistrust, pain, fear, agitation, and increasing anger as the dog develops a strong negative association with the punisher. Far from treating the underlying motivation of the behavior, punishment almost always actually makes the dog’s insecurity even worse while decreasing the dog’s ability to learn. Think about the way you learn. When you are emotional, it is difficult to think rationally and clearly, because your 'thinking' brain shuts down. Once you have calmed down, your body allows you to activate the 'thinking' part of your brain again so that you can listen, digest, and learn, which in turn deactivates your emotional brain. The same principles are in play with our dogs. When we treat an aggressive dog with more aggression, not only do we compromise that dog’s ability to learn, but the lasting results from our punitive treatment can range from disappointing to disastrous." Punishment via Dominance 'Dominance' has become the go-to diagnosis for all kinds of problem behaviors, such as pulling on the leash, jumping up, running through the door first, inappropriate elimination, destruction, barking, attention seeking, resource guarding, failure to respond to a command, and aggression toward animals, other dogs, family members, guests, and strangers. To curb these behaviors, people are often told by punitive trainers to:
"Every one of the above techniques are prime examples of the least effective, most dangerous methods you could possibly employ when working with dogs – especially those exhibiting aggression or anxious behavior. The vast majority of owners and trainers that employ these techniques do so based on the incorrect assumption that the dog is attempting to be 'dominant' – a term that is wildly misunderstood." "Most aggression cases (including so-called 'red-zone' dogs) are not dominance-based issues, but rather stem from insecurity and fear. Therefore, positive training is truly the most effective, safest and most powerful way to change the way a dog feels rather than causing it to 'shut down' due to fear and intimidation." "Since the renaissance of dominance-based punishment techniques in the dog training world over the past decade, too many dogs that have been subjected to a 'professional' rough hand and are now suffering behavioral issues as a result." "No one is saying that punitive training techniques will not stop a dog’s negative behavior at that moment. They often do, and the results can sometimes be achieved very quickly. But at what cost to your dog? At what cost to your relationship? And how long will those results last? Anyone can make a dog do anything through force and claim the 'successful' result as an impressive achievement, but there is nothing heroic, commendable, or reliable about physically or emotionally dominating any animal into compliance." "The beauty of positive training is that you can build a strong bond with your dog and teach harmonious compliance at the same time: the perfect recipe for a successful and fulfilling relationship." Bottom Line: Ultimately, punishment-based techniques emphasize WHAT NOT TO DO while positive training helps dogs learn and understand WHAT TO DO." The case against dominance/pack theory explained by scientists: If only Risa's first owner had not tried to dominate her and crush her with harsh punishment. To quote one of his last messages he sent us (before he stopped sending any updates at all or responding to emails, approximately around the time Risa hit adolescence), he stated that "we scolded her .... we put her in her place ..." He wondered why she would stare off into space. There were so many things he didn't understand, yet he felt he knew everything already since he had owned pugs all of his life. (Or so he said). It is tragic to see grey hairs on a pug that is just barely a year old. On the other hand, this horror story has a happy ending thanks to Risa's (she now has a new name) amazing new owner. Risa can now live the life she was meant to live. She loves everyone she meets ... dog or human ... and she has never met a stranger. She is a happy, jolly, funny pug and we pray she has many more years full of joy and love .... a long, full life to make up for her first horrid year of life. We hope she will forgive us for placing her with this horrible first owner whom we totally misjudged. We hope she remembers that we loved her, love her still, and will always love her, until we meet again at the rainbow bridge. So, hopefully, "Risa's Revisions" will help prevent future puppies from suffering the same fate Risa the pug endured. Hopefully, these revisions will provide future puppy owners with the resources to prevent them feeling the need to surrender a healthy, loving, purposefully bred, puppy culture raised, amazing 10 month old puppy to a kill shelter. This is why we have the following clause in our contract, to help the owner: "Buyer agrees that if they are unwilling or unable to keep the pug involved in this contract at any time during the life of this pug, the Buyer will return the pug to the Sellers. [Jeff and Amy would come get the pug]. This means that, for the life of this pug, the Buyer agrees not to sell the pug to any buyer, nor to give the pug away to another owner other than the Sellers without the Sellers’ consent. Buyer agrees to never surrender this Pug to a shelter or rescue group."
As we recently stated in a post in our Pickwick Owners' Private Facebook Group: "If you are ever in doubt that you can no longer care for your pug, for whatever reason, please honor your contracts and let us help you. We will come get your pug … no judgement, no regrets, just moving forward. We know life happens. Please do not ever surrender your pug to rescue or a shelter. It is not necessary." Risa was almost euthanized when she was not even a year old. She is an absolutely amazing pug. If only her owner had reached out to us, or any of his amazing Pickwick family. The Pickwick family is filled with marvelous humans (and pugs!). It's also a fabulous resource, not to mention the pug family at large. Don't despair. We are always here for you throughout your pug's lifetime if you ever have any questions. If we don't know the answers, we can find someone who does. Very often owner-handlers in the show ring blame losing on the fact that a judge might choose a professional handler over an owner-handler. Perhaps there are some judges who tend to recognize a familiar face and might just assume that a dog is worth awarding simply because a famous professional handler is showing it. However, after watching some amazing, truly experienced handlers for many years now, (some who have helped me when I have ring conflicts with Rally, or conflicts with work, or simply too many dogs at a show with me so I need some extra hands), I honestly have to say that I think the pro handlers win because they're simply better at handling the dogs. They know how to make a dog look good. They know what a judge is looking for and when and where they are looking. They know the tricks. This is what they do week after week, and have done for decades. It's fascinating to watch handlers, like this one, Harry Bennett, synchronize with the dog ... even if it's a dog they met just seconds before entering the ring, as was the case with the pug he helped me show. This beautiful pug lives in a companion home as a well-loved and amazingly cared for pet. With limited training, he had a weekend adventure being a show dog before he was 'tutored' the next week. I hope it brought him many memories for the years to come but it was such a pleasure watching how fast Winston learned and what a joy to be able to see him up close, first hand, to see how he had grown out. I can never thank his human family enough for sharing him with us for this adventure. And I can never thank Harry enough for helping me since I was showing Mr. Drysdale and Tory. Pending AKC verification, we have a new champion at Pickwick Pugs! Our beautiful, amazing, incredibly sweet and balanced Tory (Pickwick's Worship the Ground I Walk On) out of the Coffeehouse Litter deserves this championship not just based upon conformation, but she also has one of the best, if not the best temperaments of any pug we have owned or bred. She also has a very special pedigree with Uncle "Biggie" who won more best in shows than any pug in history, grandfather Reese and great grandfather Noble ... all top pugs in the country. Tory was our pick of the litter from the Coffeehouse Litter. Her beautiful mother and one of our Rally Obedience and Tricks rock stars, Marie Claire (Pickwick's Cotton Candy in the Sky, RI) sadly is no longer with us, so we are so grateful to have kept a puppy from Marie's one and only litter. Here is Tory at her first show in Tallahassee "with" her mother Marie Claire. We sprinkled some of her mother's ashes by the amazing Oak Tree en route home. Here is Tory celebrating some of her first big wins at the petstore! She's only a year old, but here are some shots of her adventures during the past 12 years ... her trips to over 7 states, waterfalls, tons of small towns, and she even marched in a Mardis Gras parade in Decatur, AL! Here is Tory at her first official show. You can tell she loves these outings and adventures! Totally bombproof from the start and always ready for a fun time! Here is Tory after her first pretty big show at the Cherokee Rose Cluster in Atlanta, Georgia. Here is Tory and her littermates from the Coffeehouse Litter at their 6 week puppy party! Here is Tory and her littermates visiting the piano studio when they were younger. They did a LOT of socialization. Here is Amy's piano student helping Tory and her littermates with their first "mirror test". Here's Tory and her littermates' first campfire! Here is Tory at 8 weeks and our challenging early adventures on the stacking table ;) Here is Tory with her littermates at their Temperament Evaluation with Miss Abigail. Here is Tory playing with her sisters, littermates. Man, they had fun! Tory's first trip to Home Depot! After their first round of puppy vaccinations and visit to see Dr. Borden. Super healthy! Here is Tory and her sisters discovering their first maze! At 5 weeks of age playing outside! Day 27, learning how to walk and "crawl" in gruel! August 11, 2022 with eyes opened hanging with the singing Gondolier toy ;) 13 days old! 11 Days Old! As a Neonate, before her eyes and ears even opened! She was beautiful even then ;) Here is Tory just being born on 7-22-22, via scheduled C-Section . . . Go Mr. Drysdale! He is definitely living up to his show name, "Pickwick's Mr. High Falutin" and rocking the show ring! At his very first official dog show, in the 6-9 puppy class, Drysdale scored BOTH of his majors plus 8 points toward his championship. Now that's a way to start off a show career. Now, we can just relax and have some fun! (Perhaps learn to hold a stack on the table a bit better ;) and not give the furry eyeball look when the judge examines him HA). He is young and this is that age when they can go through a fear phase (just in time to start a show career, eh?) so I have no doubt he will learn to be more comfortable at these shows. In his defense, the Greenville Convention Center was SO loud and the amplification of the singer for the National Anthem JUST before he was to enter the ring almost blasted my ear drums. Dogs are even more sensitive with their hearing so I can't imagine what he was going through! (And, yes, she did go up for that high note lolz. Beautiful voice, just amplified too much). Here are some shots of Mr. Drysdale having some fun, from his first puppy match at 3 months of age in Tallahassee Florida, to his march in a Mardis Gras parade, to his BPUPs (along with his brother Jethro) in Columbiana and other locations, to his first official show in Greenville July, 2023 at the Carolina Foothills Cluster . . . .
Tory, (Pickwick's Worship the Ground I Walk On) from the Coffee House litter has been the best little show girl. Truly, she has the best temperament of any pug we've ever owned, yet alone bred. What a bombproof, fun, sweet pug. We can't wait to get started on some new fun things like Rally and her Pugiano act now that we got that conformation championship out of the way. It was also tough finding majors (on the weekends we were able to get away to a dog show etc.) but, along the way, we managed to find 2 shows with majors -- Hattiesburg, MS and Greenville, SC -- and she managed to score some nice wins along the way, like Best of Breed, Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, Best Bred by Exhibitor, Best of Breed Owner Handled, Best Puppy, Toy Group 1, and more Best of Breeds in the BPUP. I know her mama Marie Claire is smiling down from heaven and so proud and I know Marie's legacy with tricks, Pugiano act, and just being an incredible pug will live on through Tory. Her littermates are also excelling ... Petunia in Mexico just received yet another title, this time CGC Urban! Here are some photos of Tory's adventure working toward her AKC championship, starting back with her big wins in BPUP all the way through her huge 5 point major in Greenville, SC out of an incredible (and huge) lineup of pugs in her Bred By Class...
It was Pickwick Pugs turn to shine at the Carolina Foothills Dog Show cluster in Greenville, South Carolina. Pickwick's Worship the Ground I Walk On (Tory), Pickwick's Captain of Nampara (Winston), and Pickwick's Mr. High Falutin' (Mr. Drysdale) won all sorts of ribbons and had a blast. Tory finished her championship and Mr Drysdale picked up 2 major wins (one was a 5 point!) so he now has 8 points towards his championship, both majors, all from 6-9 puppy class at his FIRST SHOW! Winston won Reserve Winners Dog and actually beat out Mr. Drysdale too. Winston and Mr Drysdale really seemed to have fun playing and hanging out together. Here they are playing at the dog park at the hotel. Everyone one some purple ribbons .... Tory got that final major (a 5 point!) to finish her championship. Winston was especially amazing because he has never been a show dog before. He learned so fast and was incredible at the LOUD show with all the sounds, sights, smells, (which can be scary for some dogs). The event was held in the Greenville Convention Center which was very nice but HUGE. Not once did his tail go down! He was a trooper learning how to walk on a show lead (he went to a couple of handling classes prior) and a trooper meeting all the people, fellow pugs, and even judges! Wow. His family lives in a nearby city and they SO graciously agreed to allow Winston to have this last hoorah before he is neutered next week. I can't say enough amazing things about how well Winston behaved -- bombproof - and this was a testimony to his wonderful family and the love and care they have shown him. Here he is winning his first purple and white ribbon ;) and his FIRST day as a weekend wonder show pug! We actually made a visit to the little yellow truck to collect on him in case he proves to grow out as amazing as he already is. We did the DNA health test swabs so all that would be left would be to see how his hips have matured by age 2. Winston's wonderful family let us work with him several weeks before the show to work on loose leash walking and "stacking" (standing still for examination) and such. Here he is when he came to visit the piano studio to train ;) and also when we got to see him the first time after he had grown up! We met at a coffee shop and we were just blown away at how amazing he looked -- his wonderful family had kept his nails so short, coat was divine, and the quality care and food was so obvious (he gets goat's milk every day!) We even met at Home Depot so he could train there with all the distractions . . . But it was so wonderful once we were safely home. Winston got a bath before his mommy and sister came to get him and I had a huge sigh of relief ... not because I wanted him to go, but because I was so so worried the whole time taking care of such precious cargo. I hope Winston will dream about his adventures for a long time but I know I'll cherish this trip and getting to be able to see how beautifully one of the pups from the Poldark Litter grew out. And how VERY loved he is. Can I tell you how excited he was when he saw his mom and sister?? Seriously, he just came alive when he saw them!! Here are some more shots of him on his adventure trip as a show pug and our celebration trip to Waterfall Park and for a whipped cream cup ;)
On the Good Dog website there is a wonderful definition of a Preservation Breeder.
"Preservation breeders provide certainty when it comes to the physical and behavioral traits of their purebred dogs and predictability regarding hereditary issues and health conditions. Without preservation breeders’ dedication and hard work, we wouldn’t have the breeds we know and love today. " As I mentioned in the last blog post, I would edit this slightly to read "Preservation breeders provide MORE certainty" or "more predictability". For when it comes to personality and temperament, no 2 pugs are alike and there are so many factors involved -- genetics, environment, what happens in the first 12 weeks, the puppy's experiences in the first 12 weeks, first year, diet, training, socialization, encounters. With regard to temperament, the formula for a breeder follows is: A + B = ? (most likely C, but could be XYZ). Think about it. If you have siblings, are you all alike? You might share similar traits -- probably learned behaviors -- but I'm willing to bet you are all slightly or perhaps even drastically different with regard to personality. As unique as our thumbprints, (isn't it truly miraculous that every single human has a different thumbprint?), so it is with personality. Even with pugs. Even with a littermates. Even when we have repeated a breeding -- with the same dam and sire -- each litter is unique, and each puppy is unique and very often completely different in temperament. To quote an older, quite experienced pug breeder of over 50 years: "You find a [sweet, confident, balanced and jolly girl], and a [sweet, confident, balanced and jolly boy], and then you just pray." There are so many factors which contribute to the ultimate personality a pug will have once it reaches stable emotional maturity around age 3-4. We work with the puppy during the first 12 weeks of its life and give it a solid start. But all of this work can actually be undone by a bad encounter or experience after 12 weeks, or simply by a lack of follow up over the next few years. Just because a puppy did all of the Puppy Culture protocols during its first 12 weeks of life, these protocols and training and habituation have to continue until the pug reaches stable emotional maturity around 3-4 years of age. As Jane Lindquist, the author of Puppy Culture, explains "It's not like you get a 'pass' just because you did [Puppy Culture]." "Temperament could be best described as a dog’s innate personality. It’s the genetic hand he or she was dealt when he or she was born and (epigenetics aside) will determine what he or she will pass on to his or her children. Behavior is the outward way that a dog acts – what he or she actually does. Behavior is the result of a complex interaction between genetics and environment. Behavior is modifiable. Temperament is not. But Temperament will dictate the outside limits of how much you can modify behavior. Just to make it more complicated, how easily you reach those outside limits are (e.g. how modifiable a dog’s behavior is) is in itself part of temperament. Two thoughts for you to ponder about this distinction: 1. Ethically, I feel called to do everything in my power to modify behavior before puppies leave my house in order to maximize the likelihood of them growing up to be behaviorally sound dogs that enhance the lives of the people they live with. This is what Puppy Culture is about. 2. But this places a burden on me not to confuse behavior with temperament. Ironically, our skill at raising puppies becomes a central challenge for us as dog breeders – how much SHOULD we need to modify behavior and what do we move forward with in our breeding programs? I absolutely believe that “normal” puppies require quite a bit of socialization/behavior modification in order to be good pets and working companions. But we have to be aware that, just because we modified a behavior, does not mean that the underlying temperament trait that produced the behavior is genetically erased." One reason we love to stay in touch with puppy owners is to see how temperament develops and how a puppy will end up around age 3-4. With a little behavior modification, humans can improve upon certain weaknesses in temperament. For example, through lots of socialization and confidence-building protocols, we were able to turn some of our more soft (shy) pups into show superstars. In truth, they never completely loved the show scene, but they were able to withstand it. Were they glad to retire? Yes. Do they thrive in our lap more than on the stage? Yes. Meanwhile, the confident, outgoing, natural show dogs who finished their championship quickly, "owning the ring" at 4 months of age, are quite bored now sitting on a lap. They need an audience. Genetically speaking, these pugs were either soft/shy, or confident/outgoing. (These were littermates, incidentally .... Lilly, and Miss Dior). We have had to work on behavior modification with both of them. With Lilly, to build confidence and the ability to handle loud noises and huge crowds; with Miss Dior, to stop barking at everyone (she demands to be noticed) and learn to settle. At 7.5 weeks, indeed, Lilly was dubbed "thoughtul" and Miss Dior was dubbed the show girl. We know, even with all our training and some success in working toward the middle of "the spectrum" that, by nature, they are soft and loud. So when we looked for mates when it was time to breed them we looked for more confident, jolly (let's say "clueless" ;) males for Lilly and super sweet and laidback males for Miss Dior. We were lucky. Ideally, with regard to temperament, when choosing a pug for future breeding, it's good to look for that middle-of-the-road puppy. And that's what we have do now. We have ruled out some amazing pugs conformationally speaking because they were just too aloof or independent. This "moderate in all ways" applies to conformation as well. It's funny, but I always remember my grandfather who would say "everything in moderation my dear." Jane Lindquist shed some insight in her experiences as a breeder. She had always had confident and bold pups. "We did an outcross in our last litter to move our temperaments in a softer direction. Our family of dogs have always been great pets with people, but I would say they had pretty low pack drive and were maybe 50/50 good with other dogs, with 40% being total angels with dogs of all kinds, 40% being good with dogs they live with but not wanting to deal with strange dogs, and 10% just terrible with other dogs. We also saw some restlessness creeping into in our lines and wanted to tone things down. Since we do performance and like to place dogs with people who do performance, we wanted to improve dog-friendliness and breed dogs who are less high-maintenance. So we outcrossed to a sweet lamb chop of a dog from the UK. Yes, we got great dog-friendliness, excellent pack drive and trainability but, guess what came with that? Yes, softness, sound sensitivity, and relative high level of fearfulness. And they displayed it from an surprisingly young age - they literally alarm barked two days after their ears opened. Totally different from any other Bull Terrier litter I have seen. To the point where we almost could not do the startle recovery protocols because they displayed true fear type reactions from three days after their ears opened - everything had to be GREATLY modified to keep their response where we wanted it, with a tiny startle and immediate recovery.��This early onset of fearfulness is, I think, decent evidence of the genetic component involved, but I also have to say that, as a professional dog trainer, I had had at least three students with dogs from this line over the last few years and had observed a few more dogs from this line, and that fearfulness/softness is definitely there - along side of the sweetness and dog-friendliness. So it wasn’t like I was going into this blind, I was just shocked at how overwhelmingly strong the genetics were for it. This litter’s PAT was unlike any of my other litters - perhaps not out of range for a different breed, but certainly nothing like my previous litters. So I took my own advice and went back home and used the next three weeks to double down on what needed to be done, with the help of our remarkable puppy owners and Gina Boderck. The results? Of the 8 surviving puppies, 7 are totally normal to bold. You would not know in a million years that they had tested “soft” in their PAT. However, despite months of work, one puppy remained fearful and soft to the point where we placed her as a pet, even though she was our pick puppy. But even that puppy is confident in the context of her own home or a familiar place and does not show any sound sensitivity in a familiar environment. What’s more, she does show enrichment seeking behavior in that when something scares her, she tries and tries to overcome and investigate. This is in stark contrast to the other non-PC dogs that I have seen with this kind of sensitivity, so I do chalk that up to Puppy Culture. This puppy is a great pet but just does not enjoy new places with a lot of commotion so never going to be a show/performance dog, and I don’t want that included in my lines. So that was a perfect example of both how genetics can dictate the limits of behavior modification but, even so, how well you really can do with behavior modification even with a very poor genetic prognosis." One of the lines from Puppy Culture is "The proof is in the pudding." To make pudding just right regarding personality, the formula is DNA + Breeder's protocols + Owner's training and protocols + Socialization and Environment + Diet + Quality Air + Aliens flying overhead + Venus Aligning with Mars + Goat's Milk + Comfy Beds Seriously though, yes genetics can dictate the limits of behavior modification but, in our experience, it's amazing what humans can do "with behavior modification even with very poor genetic prognosis." For more amazing tips from Puppy Culture for pug owners we highly (highly) recommend this course "With Open Arms and a Level Head - How to bring a Puppy into your life." "From transporting your puppy home through crate and house training, this course will give you a solid plan for bringing a new puppy into your life!" It is a continuation on what we have worked on with each puppy during its first 12 weeks of life. Yes, it is 8 it is 8 hours and 30 minutes but it will make the years to come with your pug so much more satisfying and rewarding for you and your puppy. It is (along with enrolling in Puppy Kindergarten and subsequent training classes for the first 3 years at minimum, along with regular training and socialization) your best chance at making sure that your puppy becomes the 3 years old pug you were hoping for! (Note - I will be updating this post with developments as they become available.) Preserve: "To keep from harm, damage, danger, evil, etc.; protect; save." (Webster's New World Dictionary) or "To keep in perfect or unaltered condition; maintain unchanged." (American Heritage Dictionary). Using these definitions then, to "preserve" a breed standard would be to keep the breed standard from harm, damage, danger, evil, etc.; protect; save." Or "to keep the breed standard in perfect or UNALTERED condition; MAINTAIN UNCHANGED." The term Preservation Breeder refers to those breeders who are working to preserve the breed standard and breed type. They complete all health tests recommended by the breed club, and very often additional testing (for example Pickwick Pugs adds spine, heart, and many other health screening tests). Preservation breeders are very different from
Preservation Breeder "Preservation breeders provide certainty when it comes to the physical and behavioral traits of their purebred dogs and predictability regarding hereditary issues and health conditions. Without preservation breeders’ dedication and hard work, we wouldn’t have the breeds we know and love today. " (This quote, from Good Dog website is wonderful, however, I will edit it slightly to "Preservation breeders provide MORE certainty ... or more predictability" for when it comes to personality and temperament no 2 pugs are alike. More on this subject in a different Blog post.) The mission statement of the American Kennel Club (AKC) reads: "The American Kennel Club (AKC) was founded in 1884 and its mission is to advocate for the purebred dog as a family companion, advance canine health and well-being, work to protect the rights of all dog owners and promote responsible dog ownership. The AKC and its affiliated organizations encourage dogs as family companions, advocate for dog owner rights, and educate the public about responsible dog ownership." Some key words in this for me -- purebred and health -- and what I'll be exploring in this blog post. "Purebred dogs are history and art. They are beauty and brains. They are living, breathing conduits to our past and to our future. They are our heart and our soul . . . . and they are so much more" as Laura Reeves writes in her fabulous article on the Good Dog Website. PUREBRED An article on the American Kennel Club (AKC) website explains why BREED STANDARDS ARE IMPORTANT. "AKC Conformation has existed for hundreds of years and was started as way to evaluate breeding stock. Dogs are not being compared to each other; they're being measure by how closely the conform to the standard of their particular breed. Why? Because the closer a dog's appearance is to the breeds' standard, the better that dog's ability will be to produce healthy, purpose-bred puppies that meet the standard." I'm going to repeat that last sentence the AKC wrote: " ...the closer a dog's appearance is to the breeds' standard, the better that dog's ability will be to produce healthy, purpose-bred puppies that meet the standard." -- American Kennel Club (AKC) "It's also the reason why mixed breeds and spayed or neutered purebreds are ineligible to compete in conformation. Responsible breeders breed dogs who have titles confirming that they adhere to the breed standard and/or are able to perform the duties for which they have been bred." So, when I learned today that the American Kennel Club (AKC) now allows pugs who are not breed standard -- mutts -- to be registered, I felt obligated as a preservation breeder to reach out for clarification and understanding of their reasonings for this decision. AKC is a well-run organization so I'm sure I'll get a response. But it's important for me as a preservation breeder to understand their motivation and reasoning. The future of the pug breed is at risk, so actually it's my duty as a preservation breeder to understand AKC's motives. WHY I LOVE & SUPPORT AKC I have a friend who works for AKC and she explained the vast amount of work their legal team does to a) allow us to even own pets b) allow us to breed dogs c) allow us to rescue dogs and on and on. AKC FIGHTS FOR OUR RIGHT TO OWN A PET Evidently, what most pet owners would consider "basic rights" are threatened regularly. AKC fights these bizarre activist groups who think that no one should own a pet. Period. That all pets should be killed (and they euthanize thousands of pets themselves to the point that the Federal government was alerted. There are reports from people who worked for these groups that they would steal pets out of owners' yards and then euthanize them. And everyone has seen them open crate doors at dog shows so that chaos ensues, causing dogs to escape outside risking being hit by a car, or large dogs attacking small dogs etc. etc. Perhaps you saw the person from one of these groups run out and attack the Best in Show Winner and try to steal the trophy?) So, yes, I'm so SO very grateful AKC battles these lunatics on a daily basis. I don't know how I woud get through life without a pet. Most people I know agree. But guess what? Not counting the domestic dog, who has been our partner for at least 15,000 years, the animal domestication process started about 12,000 years ago. These activist groups started in the 1980s. AKC SUPPORTS PRESERVATION BREEDERS She also explained how AKC constantly fights to allow preservation breeders to preserve the breeds. AKC fights daily to allow to pet owners to have healthy, amazing pets. As mentioned above, it is the smaller hobby show preservation breeder who ultimately preserves the breeds. Large commercial breeding facilities are essentially backyard breeders. Backyard breeders have no concern for breed preservation. (And there is a more detailed discussion on backyard breeders in another blog post.) AKC HELPS KEEP OUR DOGS THRIVING AND HAPPY To keep our dogs happy, AKC offers all sorts of amazing activities like Barnhunt, Agility, Rally Obedience, and to keep the Breed Standards pure and on the 'up-and-up', AKC offers Conformation shows. (Dog shows). So, again, as a breed preservationist, I'm grateful to AKC. As a pet owner, I'm grateful to AKC. As a champion of the pug breed, I'm grateful to AKC for their support in research and health. But now I'm confused and disillusioned. HOLD THE LINE - HOLD THE ALLELE There are only 2 colors in the Pug Breed Standard - Black and Fawn - yet AKC is now allowing backyard breeders to register white (albino) and brindle pugs. In AKC's mission statement it is mentioned that they support "purebred" dogs. How does registering mutts support this cause? I'm not a lawyer or a politician. I'm sure there is reasoning for this, but I don't see how AKC's endorsement of pugs who are not purebred will help our efforts to preserve the breed. Crossing ethical lines means violating the rules of decent behavior that are expected in a certain context or profession. When a preservation breeder purposefully breeds dogs who are not healthy, not conformationally sound, and not amazing representations of the breed standard, they "cross the line". Psychologically, when enough people "cross the ethical line", a cultural numbness and rationalization occurs and there are serious consequences. If a reputable breeder becomes numb a "kennel blindness" occurs as they become unaware of faults in their dog. They rationalize their way around this through denial. This is a big reason it is important for reputable breeders to "put themselves out there" regularly for judges and other experts to evaluate the dogs they hope to breed. Personally, I hate dog shows, but I participate in them and jump through this hoop because it is important to prevent "kennel blindness" and it is important to see what is out there -- the good, and the bad -- and be supportive of other reputable breeders as we help each other stay accountable, learn, grow, share new information, and renew our love and joy of the pug breed. ALLELE Our genes are inherited from our parents, and the different combinations of these genes make us unique. Genetic inheritance controls the characteristics of all living things.
Alleles may be either dominant or recessive:
Some characteristics are controlled by a single gene, such as fur in animals and red-green color blindness in humans. Each gene might have different forms, and these are called alleles. Most or all gene loci are highly polymorphic, (with multiple alleles). A number of genetic disorders are caused when an individual inherits 2 recessive alleles for a single-gene trait. Recessive genetic disorders include albinism, cystic fibrosis, galactosemia, phenylketonuria (PKU), and Tay–Sachs disease. Other disorders are also due to recessive alleles, but because the gene locus is located on the X chromosome, so that males have only one copy (that is, they are hemizygous), they are more frequent in males than in females. Examples include red-green color blindness and fragile X syndrome. Huntingdon's disease occurs when an individual inherits only one dominant allele. While it's true that introducing morphs would improve morphological diversity -- as there are more types in the gene pool -- it is not clear if this improves health. If the gene pool becomes too narrow over time there can be problem causing genes which piggy back along with the desired trait that aren't readily apparent. Generally, having more alleles (like brown coat, black coat etc.) means there is a less likely chance you will get something that is a concern when it is homozygous (when you have 2 copies of the risk gene, instead of one.) But it's not proven that introducing coat colors improves health, especially when you're talking broadly about a group level dynamic that occurs years and decades - we wouldn't really know until we see introductions of new coat color genes into breeds and monitor health dynamics over time. Yet, we DO know now that there are certain risks with different coat types, and this includes black coats, which have been identified with a higher risk of certain types of cancer. We also know albinism on its own (white pugs) brings problems. So, if AKC is thinking that introducing more colors will improve health, there is no proven science behind this. REALITY The only real science here is the fact that the only breeders who would be willing to dabble in "exotic colors" are the backyard breeders who a) do not do all of the required (even bare minimum) health screening testing b) do not do pedigree research c) do not have access to support from knowledgeable pug breeders d) do not have access to the best pugs for breeding (no reputable breeder would offer stud service to someone wanting to create an albino or blue-eyed pug, for example) c) do not breed to standard d) are not concerned about preserving the breed and totally fine to pass off mutts (long haired, blue-eyed, odd colored pugs) as "exotic" and con the buyer out of obscene amounts of money e) well, we could include the entire alphabet here, but I'll stop. I think we all know the problems that result from backyard breeders. Let's talk about what we do know. Science. The Brindle and White (albino) colors -- which AKC now registers -- do not naturally occur in the pug. They are recessive genes. By adding new “exotic” colors to the pug breed we are adding more health challenges. When you start monkeying around with the colors you have health concerns. For example, with the albino pugs ("white pugs"), there is a weakened immune system, sensitivity to light and more risk of skin cancer, deafness (albinism has long been associated with hearing loss in many animals, including dogs), low intelligence. But let's list just a few of the top concerns:
Once again, breeders adding white, albino pugs and other 'exotic colors' that naturally occur in the breed are destroying the breed. FINAL THOUGHTS The overwhelming majority of birth defects are recessively inherited. Some of these inherited defects will be lethal before the age of breeding (e.g. portavenal liver shunt) but many only manifest as problems in older dogs. Normally, problems only arise when two dogs that both happen to carry the same recessive genetic defect are mated together. By the simple laws of genetics (presented in the previous section) the offspring of such a mating where neither parent actually expresses the fault (i.e. are heterozygous for it) have a 25% chance of suffering from the defect. If one parent actually expresses the fault (e.g. hip dysplasia, heart problems, cataracts) then the chance of having similarly affected puppies rises to 50%. If both parents suffer from the fault (and are therefore genetically homozygous for it), then 100% of the puppies will be affected. Our understanding of canine coat color genetics and the associated health implications is developing rapidly but, as mentioned earlier in this post, we still do not know enough. To date, there are 15 genes with known roles in canine coat color phenotypes. Many coat phenotypes result from complex and/or epistatic genetic interactions among variants within and between loci, some of which remain unidentified. Some genes involved in canine pigmentation have been linked to aural, visual and neurological impairments. Consequently, coat pigmentation in the domestic dog retains considerable ethical and economic interest. Since humans began to form domestic relationships with other species, we have revered animals that could clearly be distinguished from their wild counterparts. Animals of distinct colors could be more easily tracked, hunted or identified as owned. Whereas variations in coat color occur naturally, the proliferation of new colors and patterns in domestic animal populations has been accelerated by human interest and represents some of the earliest examples of artificial selection. Further, coat color phenotypes were among the first inherited traits to be studied by animal geneticists as they could be easily identified and are of broad public interest. Human beings value rarity or novelty and even today animals exhibiting unusual patterns or colors for their breed or species are highly valued, with higher sale prices often associated with rare or unusual coat colors in companion animals. Conversely, many dog breeds represented by formal breed registry organizations have strict regulations on accepted coat colors and patterns within the breed standard that in most cases circumscribe the breed hallmarks and may relate to breed purpose or recognizability. Animals that do not comply with these regulations may be ineligible for breed registration. So, if the reasoning for AKC supporting these breeders through the registration of these mutts is "because of money" that's definitely not an excuse. If AKC needs money, create a different type of registration for the albinos. Why are we as breeders paying ALL of this money to participate in conformation shows and strive for championships only to prove that our efforts are proving to be excellent examples of the breed standard? Why are we as breeders paying ALL of this money to make sure every single puppy we breed is registered with the AKC? (Pickwick Pugs pays for this ourselves even though most breeders have the puppy owner pay, but we want to make sure every puppy is registered as we want to support AKC and support breed preservation.) There is another rumor I heard: that AKC changed the rules because backyard breeders were threatening to lie on their registrations and call a Brindle pug a Black pug, (black pugs are solid black ... there is nothing brindle about them .... ) Still, this doesn't justify allowing mutts to be registered as purebreds. By endorsing, or giving in to these thieves (backyard breeders who are robbing future generations of the pug breed), AKC is guilty too. A is for "American" in AKC, but perhaps they are working on expanding their vocabulary .... perhaps a different A word:
I'm eagerly awaiting AKC's response. I want to see how these conflicts in purpose (AKC's mission to encourage producing "healthy, purpose-bred puppies that meet the standard" vs. AKC's support of breeders who do NOT breed "puppies that meet the standard") will ultimately be resolved. Response from AKC: Still not having had my question answered, I responded again with the following email. Hi Coady, Thank you for your response! Yes, I'm a member of the Pug Dog Club of America (PDCA) and the breed standard states clearly that there are only 2 colors -- fawn, and black -- and there are no alternate colors. So my question is why AKC does not abide by the breed standard as set by the parent club. Brindles and Albinos are not breed standard or an alternate color in any way. My point of tremendous concern is that I am finding a great confusion among the general public; uneducated pug owners assume that a pug is breed standard and healthy because it is "AKC registered". The pug owners I've spoken with who have been swindled by a less than reputable breeder into paying obscene amounts of money for these 'exotic colors' and blue-eyed, long-haired pugs then go on to bad mouth the AKC by adding "but AKC doesn't allow them to compete in dog shows." The Albino pugs AKC now allows breeders to register are going to introduce a host of health problems and I'm concerned that allowing these "exotic colors" to be endorsed by AKC will quickly destroy this ancient breed which has survived since the time of Confucius. The general public truly turns to AKC for guidance. I know AKC has to walk a tightrope to balance between preservation breeders and breeders who are newer to the pug breed who are not members of PDCA, are not able to participate in AKC conformation events, are not aware of or not willing to pay for the wonderful health testing recommended by PDCA such as PDE, PKDef, Hips etc. Reaching out to the "grass root" breeders who do not have the same resources as those who are PDCA members or who have the benefit of feedback from participation in conformation events, is important and AKC is wise to continue being a resource for everyone and keep doors open. Reaching out, educating, and helping breeders maintain standards of excellence will help these ancient breeds continue to thrive into the 21st century. I understand that "the village" includes all breeders, not just preservation breeders. When I was the president of our local music teacher group, many members did not want to accept teachers who did not have college degrees or "who did not teach Bach" or "who taught only pop music" or "only taught by rote and never taught the student to read music" etc. But the purpose of the group, a local affiliated with the Music Teachers National Association, was to raise the standards of music education. Mentorship was the answer. We all have something to learn from each other. As it turned out, the elitist teachers learned a few business tricks and motivational tricks from these new members who in return received the benefits of learning from the more experienced teachers who had years of formal training. The mission statement of AKC states that it "was founded in 1884 ... to advocate for the purebred dog ," My husband and I are so grateful for AKC's tremendous efforts to "advance canine health and well-being, work to protect the rights of all dog owners and promote responsible dog ownership .... and to "advocate for dog owner rights, and educate the public about responsible dog ownership". I have a friend who works in the legal department for AKC and she enlightened me to some of the myriad of challenges AKC deals with on a daily basis to fight for our right to simply own a pet, yet alone a purebred dog. Our lives are fuller being able to own and love and cherish pugs. They are our children essentially. Our family. I am tremendously grateful for these efforts. I am tremendously grateful for all AKC does for pet owners and their pets. However, as a preservation breeder and lifelong owner of this amazing pug breed, I also feel I would be neglect not to voice my tremendous concern over AKC's endorsement of albino and brindle pugs since they do not meet breed standard, and they WILL introduce (at least the albino and merle and blue eyed) a host of health concerns. Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, the decision to allow exotic colors to be registered is ultimately causing bad publicity among the owners of these mixed-breeds since they are not allowed to compete in dog shows. It's a double standard. Double standards are unethical. If we had allowed the self-taught teachers into our music teacher group, yet then dumby-downed our student competitions so that there were no sight-reading requirements, and allowed students to play chopsticks, never teach scales, or encourage other styles of music, and allowed students to play chopsticks in any rhythm they chose, on any pitches they chose, the ultimate result would be cacophony and the ultimate loss of the wonderful art form of music. https://youtu.be/U2WlMXBjZ4Y Might there be a way to allow breeders who produce puggles, and blue-eyed albino, and brindle pugs etc., to register the pug through the AKC Canine Partners program? This would allow owners of "exotic color pugs" that are mixes , not pure-bred, to participate in agility, rally obedience, barn hunt, work toward CGC and tricks titles, and a way for AKC to earn money and encourage participation in all of the wonderful opportunities provided to pet owners .... yet not destroy this ancient breed. I think other PDCA member breeders might be fearful of speaking up at the risk of losing AKC's support. I know it would be much more challenging for us to be able to find amazing studs and purchase exceptional representations of the breed if we were not able to continue participating in AKC conformation and earn championships. Holding a UKC championship, for example, would just result in a chuckle and hold no weight. It would be very challenging for us if we were not part of the mainstream. I know the powerful resources of AKC could be turned against us just as easily as they are used to help protect us as preservation breeders and dog owners. I know it's a great risk to speak up and voice my concerns and I hope it does not affect our efforts as ethical preservation breeders. However, I do not want to see this incredible, ancient breed disappear into mediocrity and become an all-american mix breed simply because we were all too busy or too fearful to uphold standards of excellence, integrity, and honesty. To fight against ignorance, complacency, and greed. The breed deserves our efforts especially in America now since pug breeders, along with other brachycephalic breeds, are being challenged abroad like in the Netherlands. The answer of course is not through adding a longer muzzle and destroying the ancient breed, but rather in health testing, accountability, and higher standards among breeders to include only the very best breathers in their breeding programs -- those pugs who do not suffer from pinched nares, elongated soft palate issues etc. The only breeders willing to rip off the general public by selling "exotic colors" are breeders who do not participate in AKC events and who are not interested in breeding to standard or supporting research for the breed. If AKC is truly to abide by its mission statement "to advocate for the purebred dog", then I believe it is important that AKC not provide recognition and endorsement of these breeders who are not interested in the preservation of the breed. It is important for AKC to help preservation breeders fight for, not destroy this ancient breed. How can we do this? What can be done? How can we educate? How can we maintain the standard? I want to be involved. I'd love to learn more about the reasonings behind allowing Brindles and White albino pugs being allowed to receive AKC registration. I'm fearful there was a slip through a crack.. My father worked for NASA so I know that with larger organizations it's possible for one department to be completely unaware of something happening in another department. Perhaps this was just a huge mistake? I hope that is the case and that AKC will rectify this so that only pugs who meet the breed standard as determined by the parent club, PDCA, can receive AKC registration and so that AKC can uphold and honor its mission statement formed in 1884. Thank you so much, Amy McLelland Screenshot:
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AuthorAmy - Concert pianist, composer, lecturer, teacher, adjudicator, pug lover, dog trainer, soap and candle maker, PawTree Pet Pro, and co-owner Pickwick Pugs along with her husband, Dr. Jeff McLelland who is a concert organist, music director. Archives
May 2024
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