Hot Dog!

Pugs are sensitive to heat and humidity. It is important to remain aware of conditions outside and how long your Pug is outside. Temperatures above 80-85° F can be hazardous to your Pug's health and have been known to cause heat stroke, which is potentially deadly.

In addition to something immediate such as heat stroke, it’s also possible that over-exposure to high temperatures can cause long term damage to your Pug's organs including the heart, kidney and liver. It’s not at all uncommon for Pug owners to find their Pugs enjoy lying outside, but please remember that your Pug really doesn’t know any better and it’s up to you to be careful.

A good rule to follow is to keep an eye on the temperature outside during the warm weather months and make sure that your Pug doesn’t stay outside for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. Now, your Pug may be outside for 15 minutes in temperatures around 80° F and seem absolutely fine, and if this is the case, you may be tempted to leave him outside a little while longer…Don’t! Heatstroke can come on quickly, in a matter of seconds, and it could cost your Pug their life.

Should your Pug appear to be overheating, which can be indicated by a heavy and persistent panting, you should feed them cold water and cool them off with towels watered down with cool water, or a cold water bath. But the best treatment for a Pug's vulnerability to hot weather related problems is preventive. Be aware of the temperature, be vigilant about keeping your Pug inside and air-conditioned, and don’t take any chances.

Remember, it is up to you to protect your Pug from overexposure to hot weather…they can’t protect themselves!