I get asked this question by people who might be thinking of getting a pug…How much do pugs shed? The answer is a simply, they shed a ton! I know it may not be the answer you want to hear if you are thinking of getting one of these adorable creatures in your life, but the fact remains, pugs shed a lot of fur, all over the house, the beds, the sofas, the carpets, the car, wherever they go, they leave a trail behind!
Pugs have fur, not hair. Fur is short and dense and has two layers. There is a topcoat of fur and undercoat of fur, so you have the twice the opportunity to have shedding all over the house, fun right?!!! Dogs with hair only have one layer to it. The hair grows longer, and it also grows slower, hence much less shedding. But the fur that pugs have is short and dense, and it has a short growth cycle, which is why it sheds out so much. Your pug’s fur will also grow thicker during the winter, so you will see your pug shed a ton more when it starts to get hot as he sheds his “winter fur coat”.
You Will Vacuum a LOT!
You will notice that as soon as you vacuum or sweep up after your furry little friend, the fur all over the house returns, so there is no end to the shedding. I have learned to grow fond of it, and not get myself worked up about it.
I have a funny story about when my husband first bought Rico, our pug, home from Texas. I was so angry about the dog hair everywhere — in the house, on my clothes and in my car — that I angrily yelled at him, “I’m getting a Dyson!” It was the most expensive vacuum I could think of, and I figured I would make him suffer a bit by threatening the purchase of a very pricey solution to my pug shedding problem. But the vacuum did not solve the problem. The shedding was to be a permanent fixture in our household, and the vacuum only an annoyance having to drag it out for no other reason than to suck up all the pug hair all over the place.
Be Careful About Grooming Your Pug’s Fur
Before I knew anything about pug grooming, I once has Rico shaved. Sure, the fur was not all over the house, but I hated the way he looked, and I also learned that it’s not good for them and it’s not good for their skin.
Nature put the fur on pugs for the reason, and just because pugs shed a lot it’s no fault of their own. So frankly, if you want a pug in your life, get used to the fur. Pugs shed and shed and shed, as much as a big dog sheds! But the joy they bring to your life is well worth a little aggravation and the cost of a good vacuum and a Swiffer.
