People adore these friendly and sociable dogs with huge, sad, naive eyes and choose pugs as their pets. Representatives of this breed have a funny face and an excellent appetite. If you ask any pug: “What do you want?”, he will answer with 100% probability: “Something tasty.” Which dry diet to choose, what to pay attention to, how much to give and when - you will find answers to these questions in the article.
Is it possible to give only this?
Ready-made complete feeds already take into account all the characteristics of the breed and select the ideal balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Feeding only dry food is often practiced by owners. And by following the portion sizes recommended by the manufacturer, you can avoid significant health problems such as obesity.
Due to the brachiocephalic structure of the skull, when feeding wet ready-made rations, most of the muzzle ends up in the food. However, you should not completely exclude canned food from the menu. This problem can be solved by mixing dry and wet food.
A separate nutrition option is to use only natural products. The advantage is that the exact composition of the contents of the bowl is known, and if an allergy occurs, it is easier to exclude a certain component.
The downside is the fact that if the balance of food components is not maintained, your pug will gain weight very quickly. Also, in the case of such feeding, it is necessary to regularly donate blood to check the ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the body.
Leading food manufacturers have special breed lines that take into account the characteristics and needs of pugs.
Holistic food
These dog foods are made from the highest quality products. Holistics contain a high percentage of meat, reaching 80%, with a complete absence of by-products . The source of minerals, vitamins and various components useful for the pug are fresh vegetables, as well as berries and fruits.
Currently, holistic products differ not only in their basic composition, but also in cost.
The following ready-made diets belonging to the holistic class have proven themselves best:
- Now Fresh or Now Natural holistic;
- Go! Natural Nolistic;
- Applaws;
- Golden Eagle;
- Asana;
- Orijen;
- Grandorf;
- Velcando;
- Savarra;
- Canidae;
- Pronature Nolistis;
- Taste of the Wild;
- Earthborn Nolistic;
- Farmina N&D;
- ANF Nolistic;
- Pissolo;
- Genesis Pure Canada;
- Wolfsblut;
- Savara.
This is interesting! Each manufacturer develops an individual formula and has its own approach to developing holistic food.
The composition of some of these high-quality diets is represented by a combination of several types of high-quality meat, while other manufacturers of dry diets produce exclusively grain-free foods or with the addition of a sufficiently large amount of fruit and vegetable mixtures.
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Which one is best for these dogs?
Royal Canin
The company offers 2 types of dry food: for puppies from 2 months and for adult dogs from 10 months. In both types, the granules have a special trefoil shape, which makes them easier to grasp by brachycephalic jaws.
The inclusion of protein hydrolysates in the composition increases the digestibility of the feed, and vegetable oils provide an increased immune response of the body.
The main protein in the feed is poultry; it also contains corn and beet pulp. These components are quite allergenic and may not be suitable for dogs with hypersensitivity.
In puppy food, the guaranteed analysis of protein is 29%, fat 18%.
For adult pugs – protein 25%, fat 16%.
Hill's
It does not have specialized food for the breed, but offers a wide range of food for miniature breeds. For example, Hill's Science Plan is used as everyday food. The composition uses chicken and turkey protein, or lamb.
There are also specialized foods for small breed dogs with sensitive gastrointestinal tracts, skin problems, and excess weight, as well as separate food for puppies and older dogs.
The manufacturer guarantees an attractive aroma and a convenient round granule size. An undoubted advantage will be the ability to choose food specifically for the needs of a particular dog.
Acana
Produces holistic feeds. They do not contain cheap fillers and are often suitable for dogs with allergies. The price of such food is quite high, but sometimes it is the only suitable option. There are lines for puppies, adults and dogs with sensitive digestion.
The only disadvantage of this manufacturer, besides the price, is the high content of proteins and carbohydrates. This contributes to weight gain and a possible negative reaction to increased protein. This is usually manifested by the appearance of a reddish coating on the claws.
Pro Plan
It does not have a specialized line of daily diet specifically for the pug breed. In OPTISTART for puppies, OPTIBALANCE for adult dogs and OPTIAGE for small breed dogs over 9 years of age, chicken is the main source of protein.
The composition also contains corn, flavor enhancers, wheat, and gluten. All these components are strong allergens and may not be suitable for your pet. However, it is worth noting that veterinary diets take into account the highly specialized needs of dogs for certain diseases and cover literally all possible problems.
Monge
It also does not have a specialized breed line, but offers 26 options for miniature breed dogs.
This Italian manufacturer takes into account the various needs of small dogs, a wide selection of protein sources, and various vitamin and mineral supplements. There are no major allergenic components. The composition on each package is described in detail, as are feeding recommendations.
Brit
Produces premium, super premium and holistic food. Thus, Brit Fresh belongs to a high category of food and does not contain corn, wheat or other similar elements. But it is enriched with vitamins and minerals. It contains a large percentage of meat, and the source of carbohydrates is taken not from grains, but from potatoes.
There are dry food options for puppies and adult miniature breed dogs, as well as a variety of canned foods. Of all the lines from this manufacturer, the Brit Fresh line is most suitable for pugs.
Rules for feeding dry food to puppies and adult pugs
Each dog breeder decides for himself what kind of food to feed his pug - natural or industrial, but many are inclined to the second option. Its advantage is that dry granules contain a lot of protein and a minimum of fat; the pet quickly becomes satisfied without gaining excess weight.
When feeding “drying” follow the rules:
- Do not frequently change the brand and manufacturer of food.
- Do not pour hot water over the granules so as not to destroy the beneficial substances.
- Do not mix feeding natural and dry food.
- Do not give different brands of granules at the same time.
- Do not feed vitamins and mineral supplements separately, since they are already included in the “drying” formula.
The granules can be soaked in kefir or milk, and fresh vegetables and fruits are added to the diet, but not more than 20% of the total volume. If the pug was fed natural products, but needs to be switched to industrial granules, this is done gradually, over one to two weeks.
Inexpensive
When choosing an economical food option, you need to carefully study the composition. Most often, manufacturers replace high-quality ingredients with cheap fillers and thereby reduce the price. The situation with new Russian manufacturers is a different case. It is among them that you can find inexpensive food without dangerous additives.
For example, feed from the Grand Dog , produced in the Krasnodar region. According to the stated composition, the diet corresponds to holistic feeds, and at the same time has an economy class price level. Due to the lack of aromatic additives, the food is not always attractive to picky dogs, which is the only significant disadvantage.
A similar situation is with another Russian manufacturer – Zoomenu .
Another good food with a good price and good composition is Organix . The only downside is the presence of corn. However, if the pug is not prone to allergies, this food is perfect.
Super premium class
In super premium food, at least a quarter of the composition is made up of meat components. If by-products are present, then exactly which ones should be indicated. All foods containing less than 25% meat are classified as premium. Also, food of this class should not contain flavor enhancers.
There is not much difference in the quality of food from different manufacturers. As a rule, the percentage of proteins and carbohydrates is almost the same. The only difference will be the addition of flavoring components such as vegetable oils, herbal or fruit extracts, which are different in each recipe.
Is it okay to use wet only?
Wet food is made from meat components. Most super-premium and holistic options are complete nutritional and suitable for daily use as a staple diet.
Unlike dry food, they have a fragrant and attractive smell and appeal to the most picky eaters of pugs.
An undoubted advantage will be a huge saving of time with a fully balanced diet than when feeding with natural food. The only disadvantages include the significant cost of the diet and, if not properly cared for, after eating, food particles may accumulate in the folds of the muzzle.
How to feed?
For pugs, with their tendency to be overweight, it is extremely important to follow a split diet. Access to clean water should be available around the clock.
How to calculate how many grams you need?
Exact feeding rates depend on factors such as the dog's age, weight and activity level. Each manufacturer indicates data in a table with recommendations on the packaging. On average, a pug weighing 5 kg requires from 60 to 80 grams per day.
How to translate to them?
It is very important that the transition to a dry diet is smooth and that the body has time to adapt to a new type of nutrition. They begin to introduce food gradually, replacing 1/8 of the diet per day. An important point is the separate supply of natural ingredients and finished granules. The entire transition cycle must take at least 7 days.
If you stopped eating
Sometimes owners are faced with a situation where their pet refuses dry food. In this case, you must first check the expiration date.
If everything is in order, but there is still no appetite, it is recommended to proceed according to the following scheme:
- the food is left for only 15 minutes, then removed until the next feeding;
- subsequent feeding should be smaller in volume than the previous one. For example. In the morning, your pet ate 2/3 of the bowl, at lunch you offer him not 2/3 of the first portion, but half of the morning amount.
What is it for? This creates an artificial shortage of feed. The pug seems to be able to eat more, but there is no food in the bowl. Since food remains available for only 15 minutes, in a very short time the dog begins to understand that it needs to eat everything and quickly. As a rule, no more than a week in this mode is enough to revive your appetite.
What food is best to feed a pug up to a year?
Which food is best for pugs is determined experimentally by observing whether it gives an allergic reaction. The feeding rate is stated on the packaging. The pug may not like dry granules, so choose high quality, premium or super-premium food. For puppies that have not yet turned six months old, it is labeled as “Puppy”, the products of the “Junior” line are intended for pugs aged 6 months to a year.
The entire daily intake is divided by the number of feedings:
- up to 1 month, feed 6 times;
- from 1 to 3 months – 5 times;
- from 3 to 6 months – 4 times;
- at 6-7 months – 3 times;
- after 7 months they switch to two feedings a day.
The average dosage is 20 g of granules per 1 kg of weight. A prerequisite is round-the-clock availability of warm, clean water for pugs.
What to do if you choked?
The opposite situation occurs when the pug has an excessive appetite. In this case, when eating food quickly, inaccurate swallowing of granules is inevitable.
The most severe complication will be food getting into the respiratory tract. At the same time, the pet begins to cough, choke, and spin around in place.
If your tongue begins to turn blue and breathing is clearly difficult, urgent help is needed.
To remove stuck food from the esophagus, sit your pug on your lap, with its back facing you. With your left hand you need to hold your head from above, slightly tilting it forward. With your right hand, clenched into a fist, make forward movements to the middle of the sternum, forward and upward.
How can I help besides this?
If food is stuck in the upper part of the esophagus, you may be able to remove it with tweezers. However, in this case, the help of a second person is necessary, since the procedure is unpleasant and resistance is inevitable.
If the manipulations do not bring relief to the condition, you need to take the pug to a veterinary clinic as quickly as possible.
For puppies
When choosing a diet for a puppy, it is best to give preference to the food he was on after birth from the breeder. The Starter lines are designed for bitches during pregnancy and for puppies up to two months of age.
For the pug breed, for raising litter, it is optimal to use feed from Royal Canin, as it is highly digestible, and from Monge, due to its impeccable composition. The transition to a different diet should be gradual so as not to cause stress to the puppy.
Pugs nutrition rules
To keep your pug healthy and cheerful, you need to adhere to a number of rules:
- the optimal food temperature is room temperature;
- portions should correspond to the individual needs of the dog, but be such as to prevent excess weight gain;
- food should not be liquid;
- Tap water should not be given;
- milk should be given to help get rid of heartburn, which is typical for the breed;
- salt is added sparingly, it is better to put it not in meat or fish, but in vegetables;
- the meat component should be lean and make up at least 2/3 of the daily diet;
- Be sure to give raw poultry bones, as well as stewed vegetables.
Feeding pugs from the owner's table is fraught with illness for the dog, including its death.
Photo: Feeding pugs meat
If you feed your pet natural food, then you need to provide a varied and balanced menu. Pug needs meat: rabbit, beef, veal, chicken. It is given raw. Twice a week they give boiled fish.
Vegetables are carrots and eggplants, cabbage and greens. They are ground, stewed and mixed with the main dish. Corn and legumes are contraindicated. Cereals - rice, millet, buckwheat and rolled oats - are given with caution so that obesity does not develop.
You can give a little low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, sugar-free yogurt, cheese. Eggs are offered either quail or chicken yolk. Fruits are given a little at a time.
Canned food can be given as an alternative or supplement to a natural diet.
Owner reviews
“For a long time we couldn’t get rid of our pug’s allergies. His ears were constantly running and the puppy was licking his paws. It was possible to completely change the picture when switching to Monge food. Within two weeks, all negative reactions stopped. He eats with great appetite."
Oksana Mazina, owner of a pug puppy.
“Initially, we fed our pug only canned baby meat, but at the veterinarian’s appointment we noticed that his tummy began to sag. We switched to Hills soaked in kefir. Everything is back to normal!”
Marina Glukhov, owner.
“The dogs have been in the kennel for a long time, we’ve tried different foods. We started feeding them with Proplan, but many developed allergies. We switched to Royal Canin - everything went away. We thought about switching to Acana, but it turned out to be too high in calories and the dogs quickly gained weight. So we returned back to the Republic of Kazakhstan (French production) and now everything is fine.”
Pavel Menshikov, breeder of pug dogs.
How to transfer dogs of this breed to it?
Switching to a wet diet is usually not difficult. If before the transfer the dog ate natural food, a long-term introduction of new food into the diet is not required. In case of feeding dry food, it is recommended to proportionally reduce the daily intake, replacing it with a new product within 3-5 days.
It is very rare that a pug refuses to eat canned food. However, in order to avoid a situation of subconscious reinforcement of a negative reaction to food, it is recommended that the first feeding be carried out with a hungry dog and a small amount. To increase appetite, the portion can be warmed up a little.
Veterinarian recommendations
“When choosing food for a pug, it is necessary to take into account the brachycephalic structure of the skull. The pug has a large round head with a rather short square muzzle and a tight bite.
The characteristic shape of the jaw and very thick lips do not allow pugs to easily grab food, as a result of which they often swallow kibble without chewing it. To avoid food getting into the respiratory tract, it is recommended to avoid using too small granules in the food.”
Konstantin Volsky, veterinarian.
“Skin with natural folds. The Pug's short coat accentuates the natural folds of its skin, especially around the muzzle. Moisture accumulates in folds, and for this reason they can become a source of dermatological problems. Regularly cleaning the folds and choosing dry diets helps reduce this risk.”
Vadim Kuznetsov, veterinarian.
Breed lines, rating
Interesting!
The nutrient requirements of dogs of different breeds
differ in composition and quantity . This is determined by size, characteristics , energy needs , structure of the muzzle, and shape of the jaws.
To decide on the type of food for your pug, focus on the following parameters:
- Health status
. If your pet is healthy, use the diet for daily feeding. The veterinarian will give advice on feeding a dog that is sick or has physiological problems. - Age.
Almost all brands produce food for puppies, teenagers, adults and older dogs. This information is on the packaging. - Lifestyle.
Pugs lead an active lifestyle in the first year, then they like to lie down and sleep. But everything is individual. Choose breed food that matches your pet’s temperament: Activ or Normal. Light (light) is suitable for overweight animals.
The Royal Canin company has developed a series of dry food for pugs, which takes into account the structural features of the dog’s head and jaws: trefoil-shaped pieces are easy to grasp with a flat muzzle. Specialized food has been developed for adult dogs and puppies: Royal Canin-Pug Adult, Royal Canin-Pug Junior.
Felines
Pugs are very curious by nature, and if there is also a cat in the house, trying someone else's food will be inevitable. However, systematic use is extremely dangerous for your pet.
Dogs and cats have different body needs and manufacturers take this into account when preparing diets. For example, cat food contains taurine, which often causes an allergic reaction in dogs.
A different balance of vitamins and minerals can lead to heart, kidney and liver problems if consumed over a long period of time. A high percentage of protein and carbohydrates causes obesity. Budget cat foods contain flavor enhancers that are addictive.
If your pet tries it once, there is no need to panic! To more quickly remove a possible allergen, it makes sense to give a sorbent, for example Enterosgel.
For allergy sufferers
Itchy skin, hair loss, ear problems, unpleasant odor, etc. - This is a manifestation of an allergy. The cause is dry food containing the following ingredients:
- Poultry meat.
- Wheat, rice, corn.
- Soy protein.
- Eggs.
- Artificial additives, flavors, preservatives.
- Some types of fruits.
If your pet shows signs of allergies, consult your veterinarian and switch to hypoallergenic food.
All well-known brands produce lines of hypoallergenic diets. “Hill's”, “Royal Canin”, “Brit”, “Acana”, “Orijen” have proven themselves well.
