It does seem a little backwards, doesn't it? But visiting a dog show to meet breeders and see their show Pugs may turn out to be the best thing you an do for your family and your future Pug puppy. Remember that the most important job any dog has is to be a good pet! You will learn that most show dogs are pets first, and show Pugs second.

There are several qualities a Pug needs to be a good pet. It should be healthy and well-socialized to interact with children and other animals. It should grow up to be a Pug which looks and acts like a Pug should. A Pug should not grow up to be a 40-pound dog that fights with other dogs, snaps at kids, cannot be housebroken, and refuses to participate in the family.

Breeders come in all flavors, and there are many who never take the time to evaluate their Pug other than to think, "Yes, it's a Pug, let's breed it!" Bred to other Pugs that someone hasn't really considered if they look, act or function as Pugs, the puppies get a little further away from what they should be. And then their puppies, bred the same way, turn out not to look like Pugs, not to act like Pugs, and not to function as Pugs. And that's how you get 40 pound Pugs!

That doesn't take into consideration the health of the Pugs being bred. All too often a 12 or 18 month old Pug is bred and the breeder thinks, "She doesn't have any problems, so she's healthy." But think - there's a reason MOST health tests aren't performed until a dog is TWO YEARS old. Many health problems are not recognized until then. Responsible breeders will at least tell you why they are breeding a Pug without the proper complete health clearances. Less reputable breeders will probably not know what the tests are, what health issues exist in the breed, or are unlikely to know that such tests exist, let alone do them.

The best chance you have to get a sound, healthy Pug which has 'type' is to buy one from someone who is breeding to produce what they think is the best dog. They're only going to breed Pugs that are above average in terms of type and health. The intent is to show these dogs and have them judged to be good 'type' and excellent representatives of the Pug breed. It may also mean someone who tests the parents before they're bred to make sure that they are free from genetic health issues. These breeders often have a good idea of what the parents' background is, so they have an idea what type of puppies will result.

In most cases, the people who are truly responsible breeders do show their dogs, in order to determine that they do continue to represent well the Pug breed as it is supposed to be. Show and performance events are how responsible breeders make sure that their dogs both look and act how their breeds are supposed to look and act. A breeder who truly cares about the breed doesn't have excuses ("It's too expensive." or "It's too political." or "We don't care if they're champions.") why they don't show. They simply do it to validate that the breeding they are doing is continuing to produce good quality Pugs.

So where does that lead you? Every litter of "show puppies" has some dogs that will never be the show ring. They may be a puppy who has a big white spot on it's chest, and maybe one without enough curl to his tail. The back may be too long, or simply the baby isn't put together right for the show ring. Every litter has some that simply don't measure up to being top notch. These puppies have been raised with just as much planning, medical attention and socialization as their show-quality litter mates. They are simply waiting for someone to love them as the best possible pet Pug a family could purchase.