A little bit about Gamble Pugs

Location:

Northern California, below the Sierras

Background:

Our journey began with a background in aviculture, raising Parrots for over 15 years, working in conjuction with several national and local organizations in the ongoing conservation effort for some of the rarer species of hookbill. Our attention turned to Pugs of Color several years ago, and as you'll be able to see in the "why colored pugs" section below, it was a natural progession moving from endangered birds to "endangered" Pugs.

We have supported Parrot and Cockatoo Rescue through the years, sheltering and placing birds in need. Two of our permanent household members are also rescued parrots. Ziggy the african grey and Marley the U2 (umbrella cockatoo). Coincidentally we did not name Ziggy or Marley.

Never underestimate the need for animal rescue of any kind. There are some situations, however, where rescuing a dog from a shelter is not an option, such as in the case of needing a service dog. We have also had families come to us because they have already rescued and are trying to avoid the heartbreak of losing their Pug again due to the result of unknown genetic illness and puppy mill tragedy. There are millions of Pugs in shelters who need help, and if you have the option please consider looking there before buying a puppy.

If you already know that based on your situation that you would like to adopt a healthy puppy, read below for a small synpsis of our little program.

Key points about our program:

With all of the many breeders out there it is easy to wonder what makes each one different. It can be exhausting, I know because I have been there, the interviewing, calls, questions and home visits, trying to find someone who has the standards that you are looking for. This is a decision that will affect the entire next generation and chapter of your life.

One thing that Gamble Pugs stands for is that we will never sit back and say that we are perfect, by any means, but we DO strive to set ourselves apart in the things that matter the most. Any endeavor in life is a learning experience that grows as you go, providing you are willing to put the effort and hard work needed to make it flourish, these are thoughts that goes into our breeding program every day.

A few of the things we focus on here at Gamble Pugs:

*We have a very small, pre-meditated and decisive breeding program based on the history, health and traits of each Pug we include, with the intention not only on our next litter but on what we would like to see happen in ten years.

*We will never, ever breed a dog who is unhealthy or exhibits qualities that may lead to health or temperament problems in the future.

*We stress the importance of veterinary care, regardless of the cost. This includes any testing necessary to rule out problems and any steps needed to make sure our dogs have the very best care.

*Nutrition is a key factor in our program (see the next section)

*We do not have "breeding stock". Every Pug is a member of our family, spending countless time with us inside and out of our home recieving oodles of individual attention and lap-time daily. All of our Pugs are also taken out on adventures regularly, such as obedience classes, field trips and walks around downtown, etc. Really it is not hard to do with a large family such as we have, there is always someone to help make sure everyone is having lots of fun.

*We will not over-breed a female. Litters are being planned far in advance with  appropriate steps taken to make sure that the female is at the peak of physical health before becoming pregnant. During pregnancy the female gets regular prenatal exams and a minimun of one ultrasound and two X-rays. Although we haven't had to have a cesarean yet, this is always something to be prepared for with Pugs.

*Puppies are literally raised IN our laps and underfoot. Puppies are whelped under strict supervision with the vet only a phone call away. Mama and newborns are kept comfortably within a few feet away for the first couple of weeks in order that we can get up and assist with every feeding until they are old enough to get the hang of it (this is about every 2 hours around the clock) When done properly it truly is like having a newborn baby, well, multiple newborn babies that is.

*S.M.A. stands for sanitary maintenance area; a term adopted by Caifornia's State Board (an subject that really has nothing to do with dogs, but I adapted some of the things I learned during licensing to this area) It basically means Disinfect, Sanitize, and Disinfect again. So here we try to have a S.P.A. (sanitary puppy area) it is a high priority to make sure that the puppy space and anything that goes near them is clean and disinfected with an EPA certified product. This also means that when we have visitors, they need to be disinfected too, so please follow these guidlelines when we set up a visit:

1) Wear freshly washed clothes, don't hug any animals on your way out the door

2) Please do not visit any Pet stores or other animals or breeders on your way.

3) Please don't look at me funny when the first thing I do is send you to wash up and afterwards give you a bottle of Purel before introducing you to the puppies.

We promise it is nothing personal, they are simply basic precautions. We really do love having visitors, just cannot take any chances :)

*We don't underestimate the importance of having a good support system and having the advice of those more experienced at hand. Anyone, if they are honest, will admit that there is always someone who knows more than they do and has experienced something they have not. When in need, we have an enviable and noteworthy list of well recognized names that have our back when we need help! Having a good support network is literally worth it's weight in gold and *no one* should be attempting to breed without one.

*Our puppies, as they grow, are given every opportunity to become well balanced and wonderful companions. This includes using proven methods of stimulation and socialization for each developmental stage. As a result, we are proud to say that out of our last litter *3* of the puppies went on to go to "college" at accredited California institutions and became licensed Service Dogs! Email me if you would like more details on this.

Nutrition:

On commercial brands: Normally I prefer to feed my dogs a holistic diet (this means organic food, with alternating ingredients for balance)  Each dog is different, so it isn't one size fits all. I've been lucky never to have a dog (not even the pugs) with allergies or sensitivities so that is not my area of expertise, but I can tell you there are SO MANY good dog foods out there nowadays that can fit any dog and budget, there really is no reason to feed anything inferior. If you would like to know which brand I am currently using, feel free to email.

Home cooking: First of all let me say that everything in this paragraph is my personal opinion, not to be taken as written in stone or above the advice of your vet. When in doubt always ask your vet, they know best. but as far as the kitchen goes in our home we think like this: it's a bad idea to feed table scraps.. however it IS a great idea to feed whole treats while you are in the kitchen! Here is what I mean: as long as it is a whole food, as close to it's natural form give your dog a bite! (DON"T EVER give fatty junk food treats, like french fries or breaded fried chicken, etc. Whole means unprocessed the way it started, from the animal or from the ground) If you are making chicken broth from scratch or boiling poultry for a recipe, set some of the liquid and meat aside before you add salt and seasonings. The same goes for ground beef, after browning pull some out of the pan for the dogs, before adding your seasonings. Plain chicken broth (not from a can!) is great to add on top of your dog's food. Also some salad ingredients are awesome treats. Raw carrots, and other root vegetables, spinach, etc. sometimes green beans, an so on. Just don't give too much. Some fruits are ok in small amounts, like the occasional blueberry. While most cheeses are hard for dogs to process, mozzarella is a good plain treat  Plain, whole fat yogurt is a good source of calcium as is cottage cheese. Never feed pits, seeds or anything fugus (mushrooms). Olives, avacados and onions are also no-no's. It has been suggested that garlic can keep fleas at bay, but can also be upsetting to the dog's stomach, it's something to ask your vet about.

A few supplements: Missing Link is highly recommended, but possibly not needed if you choose a premier holistic or organic food. Another new trick I learned recently from a veteran is to put just a little touch of elderberry juice concentrate over their food and I will toss a chewable Kelp tablet their way every once in awhile. This has made such a crazy change in their coats, which were already good to begin with, but WOW! They are so glossy! A note on supplements: BE SURE to ask your vet if any of these are appropriate for your dog before using. Even natural supplements have side effects (for instance Kelp can stimulate the thyroid) these are all important things to consider before giving anything.

As for treats: with attending so many training classes, I had a need for treats that would keep the dog's attention, but not make them sick. I have had bad experiences with anything marketed as a "training treat", I have had dogs get sick from too many or just had them ignore the treats all together (not a good thing when you are in class and can't get any attention from your dog) , the best thing I have found *so far* (besides whole chicken bits) is Nature's Balance, the one that comes in a roll. My dogs love the duck and potato version. It is high in calorie, though, so watch out.

On to our Prenatal diet: When we have a pregnancy in the house, it is all about nutrition even more than before. most of the time even cooking for the little preggo is a daily occurance. Our girl's are put on (of course) a premium diet, but also included are regular supplements of fresh home cooking. During nursing it even gets amped up even more. Needless to say we have some pretty fat and happy Pugs running around (but not too fat) so maybe I should say "plump' instead, but hey, Pugs are supposed to be a little plump!

If you can just put a little bit of research and concentration into tailoring a system to fit your dog (and often a little trial and error) you should have a happy, healthy Pug for many years to come.

If you are curious where your dog food brand stands, or are looking for a new one, here are a couple of websites with in depth star ratings and reviews: www.dogfoodanalysis.com

www.dogfoodadvisor.com

Why Pugs of Color?:

When you think of a Pug, most people think of Fawn and Black, thats it. There are many gorgeous Fawn and Black Pugs, and we love them too! But what many do not know is that there are quite a few other colors, in addition to the "standard", that have been AKC recognized since the beginning of the registry systems, and since the beginning of the breed.

These colors include:

*Silver-Grey

*Silver-Fawn

*Apricot

*Brindle (including Reverse-, Apricot-, Silver- and Fawn-Brindle Variations)

*Chocolate

*White

Though these colors have been occuring naturally in Pugs since their time in the Chinese Dynasty, they have been *hush hushed* and swept under the carpet to the point of near extinction, even to the point that when you go to register your Pug puppy the only two colors listed on the reg paperwork are for Fawn and Black even though the AKC has codes for and recognizes all of the other colors.

This section got quite lengthy so I have moved the rest to it's own page here