by Yasmin | 26 Jan, 2026 | Surrendering, Blog, Rescue Stories, Volunteering
By Jackie, PDWRA VAC for West Midlands & the South East.
Many of the callers enquiring about rehoming their pugs ask about what happens to them once they leave their foster home and go on to be adopted. It’s a very distressing decision to take in giving up your pug, and not usually one taken voluntarily – circumstances conspire to leave no other option in many cases. So, they are understandably concerned about what the future holds. I can only say that the vast majority of our adoption applicants are already pug owners, or those who have owned pugs in the past, and no other breed will do for them.
They are knowledgeable about the breed and hold an immense loyalty, I might say, bordering on obsession in some cases! One of our adopters’ nine year old said, when asked if they should consider another breed ‘we are a pug family, pugs are the only option’.
Some pugs never move on to another home – they are adopted by their fosterer. They are known as “failed fosterers”, and there’s a lot of us about!
A few examples of this are demonstrated in our West Midlands region, where Volunteers recently met for a pug meetup, on the first Sunday in November. Some of their pugs went into foster and never left!
Penny and Ronald for example, who had many homes in their young lives before coming into PDWRA’s care; Polly found wandering the streets and found by a member of the public – she found her way to PDWRA via a Dog Warden who could see she wasn’t thriving in a kennel environment and contacted us.
You may remember Shirley who gave birth whilst in foster care? One of her two surviving pups, Iris, is now a robust and confident young lady, always first in the queue for treats!
All attendees, pugs and humans, enjoyed the day, as the photos demonstrate – a lot of tired but happy pugs. So this is what happens to pugs coming into PDWRA’s care!
Jackie
PDWRA VAC.
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For more Rehoming stories like this please see our rescue stories at:
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/category/rescue-stories/
If you need to consult us on Surrendering a Pug, please see webpage:
Surrendering
If you could provide a forever home by Adopting a Pug in need, please see latest details for applications at:
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/adopting-a-pug/
Alternatively, if you would like to help a pug along its journey by Fostering, please see:
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/fostering-a-pug/
by Yasmin | 8 Jan, 2026 | Blog, News, Pug Health
So the New Year has begun with snow in parts of the UK, now Storm Goretti is on its way, with high winds & heavier snow causing Amber Alerts in many areas across the country.
Here’s a reminder of some precautions you can take to keep it safe & enjoyable for our pugs. Many of us will simply keep them indoors until the worst of it passes.
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– Beware of salt on roads & paths which can burn their paw pads.
Check once home, and rinse them if necessary.
– Ice and snow can stick to the fur between pads and build up. Not just uncomfortable for your pug, it increases their risk of frostbite.
If they raise their paws, stop walking or whine it could be a sign that their paws are too cold.
– Also, beware of thin ice & frozen puddles.
– Take care when using antifreeze. It tastes sweet so is tempting for dogs but can be lethal if ingested.
– Watch for dogs drinking out of puddles too as they may be tainted with antifreeze chemicals from spills or leaks.
– When cold, a dog’s body will limit blood flow to their extremities (paws, tail, ears etc.), in order to keep their vital organs functioning safely.
This can put their extremities at risk of being damaged by the cold.
– It’s a good idea to get a warm coat for them, essential when it’s very cold but still safe to go outdoors. See temperature chart below.
Ensure it fits well & is flexible so that it doesn’t prevent them moving normally, either by being too tight or too loose.
– If your dog starts shivering, or appears very tired (lethargic), then get them home as soon as possible.
If they continue to seem unwell, contact your vet immediately.
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Here are some Body-care tips:
– Additional to well-fitting warm outerwear, use paw protection if needed, this could be in the form of dog dry skin creams/ balms, or doggy booties.
– Inspect pug paws regularly to check for cracked pads, broken nails or snow/salt damage.
– Brush your pug’s coat regularly to distribute natural oils to the skin and prevent dry patches.
– If it’s windy, don’t forget to protect their eyes, by extra lubrication gels and especially if on a beach, where wind & sand can scratch them causing lasting damage without urgent treatment.
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Here’s a very good guide specific to temperatures, when considering conditions for your dog’s walks:
If ever your pug shows signs of hypothermia, which includes, shivering, drowsiness, confusion, clumsiness, pale gums and loss of consciousness or collapse, get your pet immediately out of the cold & contact your vet straight away.
Dry & warm them up gently, never intensely & too quickly as this can be dangerous.
For further information, please see:
Hypothermia in Pets – PDSA
&
Keeping pets safe in stormy weather – PDSA
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For other pug-health advice a number of key topics particularly useful for our special breed can be found at:
Pug Health & Wellbeing | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association
by Yasmin | 31 Dec, 2025 | Blog, News, Pug Health
Here’s a reminder, since November, of our regular advice & tips for making it as safe & comfortable as possible for our pugs when Fireworks are expected.
In advance, you may have considered:
- Desensitising your pets to noise: Playing fireworks noises quietly using sound CDs, while rewarding calm behaviour, can help them become accustomed to the noise. Play them in the run up to firework season, to help them see they need not be afraid.
- Anxiety relief products: Anxiety relieving products containing pheromones are an effective way to help your pet stay calm, also comforting jackets are like a big hug! There are so many products around so do research them.
For their comfort and security on New Year’s Eve:
- Walk your dogs before it’s dark.
- Feed your dogs before fireworks are expected to begin, as they may be too stressed to eat later on.
- Make sure your house or garden is escape-proof, as they can bolt or go missing. (Check their microchip registration is up-to-date!)
- Keep windows and curtains closed, the lights on and turn the TV on to play music to help drown out the noise.
- Create a safe, cosy place for your dog to settle before it gets dark. Dogs enjoy cosy dens.
- Keep them entertained to take their mind off the noise. Comforting and reassuring them.
- Do not leave them alone at home or elsewhere.
- For Halloween, take precautions to make trick/treaters aware that you are not participating, so that the doorbell isn’t rung throughout the evening. We all know how our dogs react to that!
- Fireworks. They contain hazardous chemicals which can be poisonous to your dog. Initially these poisons can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, tummy pain and/or bloody stools.
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- More severe effects may include seizures and the chemicals may also affect your dog’s breathing, kidneys and liver.
- Don’t let your dog into your garden unsupervised around Bonfire Night and the other seasonal celebrations, without checking first that none have fallen into your garden.
If the weather is cold or freezing:
- Antifreeze, (ethylene glycol) is the worst of all the chemical spills, which can also leak from a car’s radiator.
- Ingestion is very dangerous. It is sweet tasting and very palatable to dogs, though even a relatively small quantity can cause serious kidney damage or be fatal.
- The first signs of intoxication can be that your dog appears ‘drunk’. If you know your dog has ingested ethylene glycol or you have any concerns, contact your vet without delay.
- The prognosis is poorer the longer it takes to initiate treatment.
So please be extra vigilant, and if you suspect your dog has been affected in any way. Contact your vet as soon as possible to discuss symptoms.
Further Advice & tips can be found at:
Above all, Have a Very Happy New Year, 2026!!
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For other useful & informative pug health articles, please see our web section: https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/pug-health/
by Yasmin | 27 Dec, 2025 | Pug Home Appeal, Blog, News
🤞 A GOOD NEW YEAR UPDATE: We had an excellent response with strong applications for the terrific trio & they have found their perfect, Forever-Home! 🤞
We thank everybody for their interest in seriously adopting 3 pugs together.
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This was an unusual APPEAL, for a ready-made grumble of 3 bonded-pugs looking for their Forever-home.
Details:
Eddie, Tom and Tilly are a gorgeous grumble of pugs who have always lived together and love each other very much. They are looking for their forever home due to changes at home and as they are truly bonded they need to remain together.
Eddie is a 7 year-old shiny, black male, Tom and Tilly are 6 year-old litter-mates. Tom is a big-boned fawn boy and Tilly a beautiful apricot fawn girl.
The 3 of them are very affectionate to each other, and always sleep together, either all lined up or piled up on top of each other!
They clean each other too, especially Eddie who likes to make sure his younger siblings have a clean face and ears at all times!
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Considerations for their adopter:
Their Humans:
As well as being loving with each other, they are equally loving to their people. All 3 of them love to lay on a lap, or snuggle into their people, as close as they can, and rest their little chins. Tilly will climb up onto your chest to get her face as close as possible to yours.
Other Dogs:
All 3 of them have been very friendly and gentle with other elderly dogs in the extended family of their home, although Tilly likes to let other female dogs know that she is the boss-girl in her own territory.
Cats:
They have all also learned to be respectful of their fosterer’s dog-savvy cat after careful introductions. They are calm around him and all coexist happily now. Initially, they did bark at the cat and will do sometimes when they see others out on walks, though can equally ignore or even sniff them gently on other occasions.
Children:
The grumble has been kind and gentle with children they have met, Eddie and Tilly particularly enjoy a gentle fuss and cuddle from them. Tom gets anxious around loud and active children and will try to hide from them. If given his own space and time though, he will accept gentle petting from quiet children without hiding away.
Housetraining:
The trio are all housetrained and toilet in the garden, but only Eddie seems to understand that they can toilet on walks too! So, after a walk, Tilly and Tom still need to be offered a trip to the garden.
Although housetrained, the boys both marked in the early weeks at their foster home. This behaviour has almost completely resolved as they have settled, though may resurface in a new home. Having some belly bands handy might be useful during their settling in period.
Walks & Outdoors:
The gorgeous trio were not too used to regular walks before coming into foster, and it showed in their fitness, waistlines and leash behaviour! However, they have mad amazing strides forward in all these aspects, while still a work in progress.
All 3 have lost a lot of their excess weight, though aren’t at their ideal targets yet so this will need to be supported in their forever home. Their fitness has improved immensely and they can all walk happily for over an hour now.
Eddie walks beautifully on a lead. He loves to stop and take his time having a good sniff around. Tom and Tilly need ongoing work on their leash manners. Tom pulls as a mixture of excitement and anxiousness and he lunges at passing noisy vehicles, but is improving. Tilly gets very excited about going for walks and pulls on the lead unless you are happy to jog with her!
All 3 are very good off lead in an enclosed area. Their recall is mixed where all 3 will come when called, unless distracted playing with other dogs, but especially if they hear you shaking a bag of treats!
Tilly is strongly drawn to water so needs to be kept on leash near lakes and rivers etc.
Indoors:
The grumble all sleep happily together downstairs, cuddled up in a dog bed or on the sofa. They are quite sensitive to sounds outside and calming music left on especially when left alone at home, comforts them and prevents them barking at noises.
All 3 are very respectful when their people are eating. They may stare a bit, but they don’t beg or try to snatch food and can even sleep through it! Tilly and Tom do need reminding to take their treats gently though!
Eddie, Tom and Tilly are a wonderful, loving, grumble of pugs who will bring love, fun and joy with endless snuggles to their new family.
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Additional information about them individually:
Eddie is a delightful, polite boy who is devoted to his siblings and people. He snuggles and cleans Tom and Tilly all the time, he sometimes gets a little overstimulated when cleaning Tilly and has to be told not to mount her (or Tilly will tell him herself!)
He waits patiently for food and takes treats gently. He is happy to be stroked while eating and isn’t possessive with food or toys at all.
He loves soft toys and will carry them around, greeting you at the door with one in his mouth. Eddie arrived in foster with dirty, painful ears and wrinkle, and was reluctant to be cleaned, sometimes being mouthy to hands but not aggressive. With the building of trust, his new family will need to be sensitive regarding cleaning these areas.
He is a pleasure to take for a walk and will trot along with his siblings, and enjoy all the sniff spots. He can be unsure of other dogs when he’s on leash, especially big dogs and may bark at them. Other dogs he may completely ignore, or want to politely say hello to them. He plays very well with dogs of all sizes off leash. Eddie is an around lovely boy!
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Tilly is a very affectionate and beautiful apricot girl. She is the boss of the grumble and keeps her brothers in line.
She was, and still is, the most overweight of the grumble with more weight to lose. While she loves to walk fast and run about, it’s necessary to enforce a little rest break for her so she doesn’t push herself to hard.
Tilly often greets people and other dogs by barking at them, but she’s completely friendly, just a noisy greeter! Thankfully, for all the effort she puts into barking, her bark is quite quiet. She has the waggiest tail of any pug!
Tilly gets excited at food time and may jump up, but she always sits politely when asked to, for her bowl to be placed on the floor. She’s happy to be stroked while eating and isn’t possessive of her food.
She’s getting more interested in playing with toys and when she’s feeling playful will pounce on and shake her soft toys. She sometimes likes a game of tug of war, and even a short game of fetch.
Tilly does steal toys from Tom when he’s trying to play! She is a delightful girl and a complete snuggle bug with her siblings and people.
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Tom is a lovely, big soft boy who is very affectionate with his siblings, especially Tilly, and his people once he’s learnt to trust them. He can be anxious and is currently trialling some medication to help him with this. A tablet a day in his food.
He is a sensitive soul who hadn’t experienced very much of the world before coming in to foster and therefore finds the world a bit confusing. Tom looks for comfort and reassurance from his humans as well as his siblings.
Tom’s come far already in foster and blossomed into a loving, snuggly boy. He has the softest, velvety head and ears and he loves to be gently stroked and cuddled once he gets to know you. He takes a lot of confidence particularly from Tilly.
A typical pug, he gets very excited at food time and can be quite barky which annoys his siblings, so it’s best that he is separated from them by a baby-gate while their food is being prepared and while they eat.
Tom can be petted while eating and isn’t possessive of food but he eats quickly and will try and steal his siblings dinner if they’re not fed separately. Despite his excitement, Tom will sit for his dinner and being very food motivated, his recall training is going very well.
Tom can be anxious while walking on leash and needs ongoing work to not pull. He is wonderful off lead in enclosed areas though! He is full of joy running around freely, greets other dogs nicely and is starting to play with them rather than staying by his fosterer’s side for reassurance.
Tom is such a sweet, sensitive, loving boy, who gives the best cuddles.
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It’s important to also read our Guidelines & conditions for Adopting, at:
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/adopting-a-pug/
Please note, the Adoption Fee is discounted for bonded multiple pugs.
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If you have any specific questions about this gorgeous grumble, or your application, please email Lisa at:
east@nullpugwelfare-rescue.org.uk
NEW APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD.
Thank You!
