Pei Chi Li Recommends for Pugs

Someday, Li will get her big break in product endorsement, maybe after she lands her first film role. There are so many pugs in commercials these days, and she is jealous! Until that day, Li can only humbly recommend the following:

 
Pugs have wondered for decades, "When is someone going to create a tennis ball that can fit in OUR mouths?" Well, let the celebration begin, because Pets Supplies Plus sells Jr. Tuffballs, manufactured by Petsport USA. It says right on the packaging: "This is not a chew toy. Please supervise play. Not suitable for dogs over 20 lbs." If you have a Pug at around 15 lbs, these balls are perfect for catching, chasing, and fetching play. Mei is at 11 lbs, and her mouth is too small to hold one for long, without it shooting out of her grip. This makes for non-stop fun. The material is thicker rubber than one sees on vinyl or latex toys. The Pugs want to chew these, so you do have to be involved and keep the play going. Jr. Tuffballs are so fun, even our committed-non-fetching Li has decided these are worth bringing back for more throws. Blurry photos here because neither Pug would hold still when given the tennis balls!
 
Halloween is just around the corner, is your Pug ready? Impawstors Pet Accessories by Great PretendEars, available at Hobby Lobby, has a line of dress-up items for small pets. Li models the Jack-O-Lantern frill collar and Mei models the oh-so-appropriate Witch Hat. The collar has an elastic band, and the hat has spaces for ears to go through the chin strap, with a pull-bead closure. There are more fabric design collars and a soft pumpkin-stem hat for your plump Pugkin, check them out at your nearest store. These items are only for supervised dress-up, not for walking, rough play, or unattended pets.
 
Another escape from the mundane! A soft elastic band holds layers of chiffon petals and beads or satin cutouts on the ends. Available in many styles and colors, at retail stores (Hot Topic) and the web site. This is not for leash walking, just for dress-up!
   
Anybody can have a common dog collar, but where does a Chinese Pug find a collar that is worthy? Our girls' choice is the Chinese Silk Dog Collar from Pet Elegance. It features a safety buckle, adjustable fit, and comes in a variety of colors.
 
Pei Chi Li and Pai Mei model the black collar with golden dragon embroidery (it compliments their fawn color)

Solid Gold Holistique Blendz kibble
... As Pugs age, they may require a lower protein diet. PeiChiLi had digestive upset from prescription low protein diet, but is doing very well on a combination of canned pumpkin and Solid Gold Holistique Blendz kibble. This kibble is only 4% higher in protein than the prescription formula, which was inching its formulation up in protein one percent at a time. It comes out about equal, now that the formula has changed. Her urine pH tests even better now than on the prescription diet.

Premium Natural Oatmeal Shampoo by Eight in One Pet Products

... because sometimes even the sweetest pugs get stinky. The oatmeal formula is gentle enough for pug skin.
 
Ear Cleansing Solution by Vet Solutions
... a necessity for those floppy, moisture-trapping ears. Li has this done every three days and after each bath.
 
Natural Choice Small Bites Lamb Meal and Rice formula kibble by Nutro
... the new tiny kibble is easier for Pugs to chew! There is also a puppy formula Lamb and Rice Natural Choice.

Nutro is NOT undergoing FDA scrutiny regarding its product line. I have read some of the public's accusations of their products, but I would humbly suggest you talk to your own vet about them. It appears to be all widely varied complaints that can spontaneously occur or be caused by other environmental/conditional/genetic factors. My dogs have had NO problems with this Nutro product. Here is Nutro's own statement: http://www.infodog.com/misc/nutro1.htm

Pei Chi Li no longer recommends Pet-Tabs multivitamins by Pfizer.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16655168/?GT1=9001
"ConsumerLab.com also tested a vitamin marketed for dogs called Pet-Tabs Complete Daily Vitamin-Mineral Supplement for Dogs and found the product was contaminated with 1.4 micrograms of lead per tablet."

 
Stain & Odor Remover by Nature's Miracle
... hey, we all make mistakes.
 
Oral Electrolyte Solution by Pedialyte
... very important to have on hand for emergencies and hot days. Pour some into a small bowl with a floating chunk of canned dog food, and a pug will drink the electrolytes so it can get the food. If the food chunk is so big it doesn't float, the pug may not bother to drink the solution.
 
Retractable Leash by Walkabout
... so useful, even Baylee the Min Schnauzer had to get one!
 
These are helpful items to locate ahead of time and have ready for your own pug(s).
 
Need advice on selecting a pug?
 
Ever consider adoption, or if your house is full of pugs, why not donate doggie items and your spare time to Pug Rescue?

If you have a Pug, but don't use the Furminator, give it a try! The Furminator is a helpful metal comb for keeping the coat free of loose hairs. Our Pugs line up and take turns to get "Furminated".

Sometimes, we get emails asking where to get a good Pug. We really admire the Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue's work, and always recommend checking with them first for your new best friend.