With conversations around pug-health, well-being & pug fun, as well as offering another hub for you, our pug-loving community to connect with us.
We welcome followers on all our sites, and very much look forward to your tweets now, too!š§š¤š¾
-Don’t forget to adjust your pugs daily routines, they are 6 times more likely to get heatstroke compared to other breeds, even just from sitting in the heat for too long.
-Walk them very early or late or not at all.
-Never leave them in confined spaces that can heat up quickly, cars or conservatories.
-Know the signs of overheating; excessive panting, confusion, bright red gums, vomiting or diarrhoea and how to cool them down safely.
-Give them cold water to drink (never ice, it may cause shock), space, shade & ventilation. Place then on a wet towel.
-If symptoms persist or deteriorate consult a vet immediately.
A summertime hazard to be aware of, while walking your dog in grassy areas, is grass seeds.
They may seem harmless but as they are small and sharp can become embedded under their skin where they can cause further problems.
Feet, toes and ears are where they are commonly be found, but can attach anywhere on their fur and burrow down to their skin or even get inside their ears, so please check your dog afterwards.
Watch out for excessive licking, discomfort or limping as they do need to be removed as soon as possible and may need vet assistance.
PDWRA was approached by Mike’s owner as he needed advice & guidance on rehoming his beloved dog due to fast-changing family circumstances, but Mike wasn’t a full pug! Though not quite the expectation for a pug home, we felt we could help and drew upon all our resources to get him to the welcoming home we had.
Here’s Mike’s new Mum’s account of him:
“Meet Mike the Magnificent! A 7 yr old, 20 kilo pug x bulldog mix with matinee idol good looks and big loving eyes that say you are his one and only!š
Mike is extremely gentle with other dogs, non-reactive to adults, small children, the bustling city, loud noises and forest creatures. He walks beautifully on lead and off, is good with all basic commands, only ever barks to let you know itās potty time. Mike is a food enthusiast and will happily debate you in his scooby-doo voice over the clock reading āmeal time!ā š
On the whole, all Mike wants is a comfortable lap and an afternoon nap. Every day he becomes brighter and more comical as he discovers toys, treats, play dates, wild swimming & warm baths. He is stage 5 clinger for sure, always at your feet, keeping you in his sights, but thatās because he wants you to know he LOVES you, and he means Foreverš.
Mike has the biggest heart (in a rather big pug body!).” ššš¾
We would like to wish Jelly a very Happy 1st Gotcha Day!
Could she look any prouder here with best bud Bodhi, another rescue through K9focus.
This little girl was found dumped on the streets, 5kg, in a terrible state after being used for breeding. It took over a year in foster to bring her back to good health after which she joined Bodhi. He too was rescued from a sad situation, kept outside and petrified of the wind and rain. They have thrived, being adored, ever since, where they should be – living the dream together!
Jelly is testament to everything the PDWRA does for pugs in need.
We occasionally need to find cat and child free homes for pugs in our care. In rarer cases they may also need to be the only dog in the home! They tend to be few and far between or not at a reasonable distance for transporting a pug to.
These pugs can be extremely anxious or sensitive, or even traumatised from events in their past, victims of more aggressive dogs for example or just not able to live with cats or boisterous children.
“This is Bo who was 14 1/2 years old, but we only had 5 1/2 years to love her and her daughter Hetty, who we also sadly lost, very recently.
Bo was a HUGE character, very intelligent and opinionated about everything. She loved the sun and would sleep on her back for hours in the sun. She could communicate her wishes to us very clearly, and we had better do as she asked as she would nag us until we complied. Her spot was on the couch right next to me and she would not share it with anyone. She came to us as a rescue with her daughterĀ when she was 11.
Bo developed Pug Myelopathy which she fought fiercely loving aqua treadmill. She came to rule the house and we feel the loss of her presence with broken hearts.
Hope this tells you about our beautiful girl Bo.”
Bo and Hetty’s Mum, Lyn.Ā
If you would like to pay tribute to your sadly lost and beloved PDWRA pug on this dedicated web page,
please email your story, or whatever you would like to say about them, with a photo, to:yasmin.t.pdwra@nullgmail.com
As a special limited time offer during Prime Day, Monday 21 June to 22 June 2021,
Amazon will apply an increased donation amount of 5% on the first eligible AmazonSmile purchase on Prime Day made by Prime members who enable AmazonSmile
in the Amazon Shopping app from 2 June 2021 to the end of Prime Day.
This is 10x the usual donation. All other eligible AmazonSmile purchases by Prime members will generate 1%, double the usual donation.
We are pleased to be receiving new applications to foster & adopt, however we urgently need more fosterers in the North East & Cumbria, we’re getting busy there!
If you feel you can offer the care & dedication, so that surrendered pugs get a fair chance to readjust, receive any healthcare they need with our supervision,
It all adds up while you shop & costs you nothing!
If you haven’t already, please set us up as your nominated charity.
From ‘Your Account’ go to ‘Your Amazon Smile’ which allows you to select The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association.
To shop in the Amazon app, simply follow the instructions below to select us as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. Amazon will donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to us.
1. Open the Amazon app on your phone
2. Select the main menu (=) & tap on “AmazonSmile” within Programmes & Features
3. Select The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association as your charity
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app.
IanĀ has been a ‘Friend of Welfare’ since first applying to adopt a bonded-pair of pugs 4 years ago. He is always available to transport long or short distances, during weekends or evenings after work, sometimes dropping dogs off and collecting others at the same time. Its not unheard of that the family will transport one day, overnight a dog and then transport the next day.Ā
This happened with their youngest rescue, Bertie, only 8 weeks old! He came from a loving family that really had no idea what they were taking on with a puppy, who really should still have been with his birth-Mum. The family couldn’t cope but loved him very much, so Ian often finds himself counselling surrenderers during those difficult moments. Bertie slept on Ian’s chest all that night, and truly blessed their home (in trickles everywhere!).Ā
Ian has also fostered a few times, but finds it hard to say goodbye. It often helps when he delivers them to their forever homes, and he can see how happy they’re going to be. The last time though, while fostering a pair of bonded boys who required dentals and neutering, he decided with his wife, another dedicated PDWRA volunteer, to adopt them just before lockdown. At that time there weren’t many adopters on the waiting list willing to take pairs, so it worked out perfectly for all of them.Ā
Ian can’t imagine not being available for these innocent pugs in need, and always will be!Ā Thank You Ian!
JackieĀ has adopted through PDWRA and fostered many pugs, short and long-term. We have to put the breaks on though, as she’sĀ always keen and happy to take on more! At one time she had 9 pugs!Ā
Jackie came back from holiday early once, to help with an emergency foster. Her expertise and experience was invaluable. Jack had spinal and mobility issues and has since thrived under her care, now able to move outdoors without wheels! He will remain in his perfect home with Jackie and their gorgeous grumble.
Among them there are a number of healthcare issues to manage, including one totally blind girl. Jackie takes it all in her stride and can’t help loving them all!Ā
Jackie is aĀ willing and regular transporter and home-checker, aĀ generous donator and participant in our ongoing Mega-Auction fundraising. She has rallied her neighbours into getting involvedĀ too!Ā
KarenĀ became a volunteer after she adopted from PDWRA over 4 years ago.Ā She has a revolving door!Ā During this time, sheĀ has fostered 18 pugs, adopted 2 and been a failed fosterer on 3 occasions! She also transports andĀ home checks for us.Ā Ā
Karen has a heart of gold and finds it so difficult to part with any of her foster pugs, each time saying “I donāt know if I can part with this one!”.Ā But she does, she loves helping them on their way to their future homes, seeing them through any healthcare management, but just naturally, can’t help falling in love at the same time.
The biggest struggle Karen has had, was parting with Chester, who was a very naughty pug.Ā Our Area CoordinatorĀ remembers getting a call from Karen to say Chester has jumped over the baby gate, we had to quickly order a taller one to stop him getting out. Although Chester was naughty, he soon won a special place in Karenās heart. When the time came for Chester to go to his new home she was devastated.Ā It was such a relief when she contacted us a little later to say, “Iām ready for another one now!”.Ā Ā
Karen truly loves and cares for pugs as all our volunteers do, and we couldn’t be without her in our family!
Peter, regularly transports pugs between their destinations, on the road to their forever, loving homes. He’s one of those diamonds who never says no. He knows we wouldn’t ask if there were others available to suit the collection or delivery destinations and for the dates needed.
Peter’s been known to make multiple trips in a week or to take a pug cross-counties to a specialist vet consultation or procedure. He and his wife Alison have also fostered pairs, long-term, seeing them through surgeries and after-care. They patiently attend all the vet visits reporting back to their PDWRA Area Coordinator who supports them throughout. Peter says “Itās why we foster them though, so that they are comfortable until their perfect home is found”.
One pug that really stole Peters’ heart, was Dillon. He will remain with him forever now. A cheeky, gorgeous boy seen here, with a few ailments as he ages. He also has to ‘tolerate’ all the visiting fosters which he takes in his stride. They have become extra-close during lockdown.
Peter has transported so many pugs in his time volunteering. His busiest period was probably the last 6 months of 2019 when he recalls driving around 20 pugs. In one town that only had 2 car parks, it was amusing when Peter and the person he was delivering a pug to, were waiting for each other in different ones!
Peter has got to know our other regular fosterers pretty well, familiar with their foster pugs’ stories and journeys to their forever homes. Our volunteers’ teamwork is amazing, and we couldn’t do what we do, without those like Peter, very much at the heart of our extended PDWRA family.
A chance, every year, 1 – 7 June, to say Thank You for the fantastic contribution volunteers make to their causes. The PDWRA couldn’t do what we do without them, and this week we will recognise and thank, some special individuals who are testament to those who go above and beyond!
Rachel is our outstanding, committed, volunteer fundraising co-ordinator who can turn anything into a donation for our pugs. She has been running the PDWRA Mega Auction for Pugs in Need, every day of each year with an occasional break for overseas holidays before the pandemic. Even then she visited Rescue centres that she contributes to.
From selling raffle tickets for high-value donated branded goods to auctioning hand-made greeting cards or themed, knitted pugs that can achieve Ā£80 each, she has raised anything up to 10,000 totals each month! This is invaluable towards our ever-increasing vet costs. She has a small team of helpers, Catherine, Mark and Tracey plus Steve, her husband, who help to make everything happen smoothly, from storage, transportation or administration. Rachel can be found every morning at her local Post Office with all the prizes and goodies won by our enthusiastic bidders, so they can receive them as promptly as possible.
Over the years Rachel has seen that we could attend as many dog events as possible, negotiating venues for free, organising transporting our stands or gazebo’s to where they need to be and rallying volunteers to represent our worthy cause. She has even run agility courses for competing pugs, always to help raise funds.
Rachel has such a ‘can do’ approach to anything she touches. She’s helped with emergency transportation and fostering while our rehomers coordinated those cases. She can’t help herself from getting involved. All for the luv of pugs!
