Читать книгу Pug - Juliette Cunliffe - Страница 15

Small, squarely built and cobby, the Pug has well-knit proportions and a certain hardness of muscle, making him a strong little animal and quite different from the majority of breeds falling into the Toy Group. Ideal weight is 14–18 lbs, but certainly some are rather heavier, and there are probably few males weighing under 18 lbs. Although the breed standard does not differentiate between the size of dogs and bitches, generally Pug dogs are somewhat larger than their female counterparts.

You should always remember that Pugs usually enjoy their food and might be considered rather greedy. Hence, it is necessary to keep strict control of your Pug’s diet so that the dog does not become overweight. Once a Pug has reached the stage when he carries too much weight, it is extremely difficult to get the weight off again!

The chest of the Pug is wide and the body is set on strong legs. The large, round, wrinkled head with dark, globular eyes is offset at the rear by a high-set tail, curled tightly over the hip, with a double curl being highly desirable.

TAKING CARE

Science is showing that as people take care of their pets, the pets are taking care of their owners. A recent study published in the American Journal of Cardiology found that having a pet can prolong his owner’s life. Pet owners generally have lower blood pressure, and pets help their owners to relax and keep more physically fit. It was also found that pets help to keep the elderly connected to their communities.