What Should I Do If My Pug Eats Chocolate?

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Do You Know What To Do If Your Pug Eats Chocolate?

Chocolate is a tasty treat for humans that can be fatally toxic for pugs. It may be one of the most common forms of poisoning in dogs, so it’s vital to know what to do if it happens to your pug.

Kilo the Pug once stole and devoured a whole tray of dark chocolate and walnut brownies when we first fostered him. I rushed him to the vet and they induced vomiting and gave him a charcoal product. Thankfully he was fine. Then just last week, our house-guest Angus snuck a few bites of a block of dark chocolate he scavenged out of a backpack. Luckily for him, he threw up his breakfast and all the chocolate almost immediately (on the white carpet of course). We monitored him carefully for the next 2 days and he was fine.

What To Do If Your Pug Eats Chocolate

If you know your pug has consumed Chocolate,  call your vet or the 24-hour ASPCA poison control hotline: 1(888) 426-4435. Some fees may apply if you get a full phone consult, but it may be worth it. They can better help you calculate the risk to your pup by taking important information like:

  • What exactly did they eat? Was it dark chocolate? (That’s the most dangerous kind)
  • How much did they consume?
  • How long ago do you think they consumed it?
  • How big is your pug? What do they weigh?
  • Did they vomit?

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What’s so bad about chocolate? It’s delicious!

Although you may be tempted at times, the unfortunate truth that sharing certain human foods with your pug can be seriously harmful to their health. Whether your pug took a bite of your brownie or stole an entire cake, it can be helpful to understand just what is happening and what to do.

See: 15 Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pug

Chocolate contains very toxic substances that are basically stimulants that can stop a pug’s metabolic process.

Toxins In Chocolate

Chocolate contains substances known as methylxanthines -specifically caffeine and theobromine. These Toxic substances are in all kinds of chocolate, with dark chocolate containing the most and white chocolate the least.

Carob Faux Chocolate

Symptoms of Chocolate Toxicity

  • Upset Stomach
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting

In More Severe Cases

  • Seizures
  • Muscle Tremors
  • Internal Bleeding
  • Irregular heart beat
  • Heart Attacks
  • Death

If your pug is showing any of these symptoms, then see your vet as soon as possible.

It’s also possible that if your pug has eaten chocolate they will naturally vomit on their own shortly after. Generally, within the first couple hours after consumption, if your pug hasn’t puked, the vet will need to induce vomiting. So it is crucial to get in to see your vet as soon as you realize your pug is at risk.

And again calling the 24 hour ASPCA hotline can help you calculate that risk quickly.

Nobody plans for these sorts of things to happen, but whether it’s the middle of the night and your vet is closed or not, the reality is that they do. Keeping a clear head and taking immediate action can save your pug’s life.

Safe ‘Chocolate’ For Pugs!?

Carob Faux Chocolate

While researching for the Dog Licks Dog-Friendly Recipes, we looked for a Dog-Friendly Substitute for Chocolate and found Carob. You’ll be impressed with the benefits for dogs and humans. In fact, all of the ‘chocolate’ photos in this post are actually Carob!

Carob is a chocolate substitute that can be ground into powder, melted or made into chips, just like chocolate. It has a similar rich dark brown color and naturally sweet flavor. It does not contain stimulants like caffeine, phenylethylamine or formamide, making it a great potential substitute for humans too.

Learn More About Carob HERE

Have You Ever Had A Chocolate Scare With Your Dog?

The Best Dog-Friendly Places In Toronto For Pugs

Explore Toronto with your Pug at these dog-friendly places

The Best Dog-Friendly Places To Explore In Toronto With Your Pug

With the start of 2017 we thought it would be fun to wrap up 2016 with a round-up of our favorite dog-friendly places to take your pug downtown in our hometown.

We wanted to try out the new Sony Action Cam we borrowed and film Kilo the Pug as he visited his favorite spots in The 6ix. See a product review for the Sony Action Cam here.

Toronto is a pretty inclusive city that has many dog-friendly spots perfect for people and pugs to visit. Whether you’re looking to enjoy the outdoors, take a walk, play in the park, shop or have a pug party, these are the best places.

Kilo the Pug’s Favorite Dog-Friendly Places

Purina PawsWay

One of our favorite spots on the Toronto Waterfront is Purina PawsWay. They promote the well-being of pets by encouraging responsible pet care. Pet owners or those considering adopting can explore permanent exhibits, attend special events, participate in themed programming, do training workshops and discover the pet world. PawsWay is a Nestlé Purina PetCare initiative and is also the permanent home of the Purina Animal Hall of Fame.

Tim hands out treats to group of pugs at the Pugalug Pug Claus Christmas Party

The pet-friendly place is perfect for events like the launch of Talent Hounds’ Rescues Rock TV series,  PugALug‘s Pug Claus and other fundraiser parties, fashion shows like Strut Your Mutt,  classes like agility, doga and puppy school and Rescue Adoption drives.

See photos from PugALug’s Pug Claus party

The Waterfront

Toronto’s Waterfront is the perfect place for a walk with your pug in any weather. Toronto is home to one of the longest urban lakefronts in the world. From the Rouge River to Etobicoke Creek, the 46-kilometre shoreline has attractions ranging from parks, beaches, marinas to concert venues, art galleries, skating rinks and even a BMX park. TH-Kilo-waterfront-view-364x270

I love to walk with Kilo and see the Tall Ships, grab a coffee at the Starbucks in the Radisson Hotel or Williams Cafe in PawsWay and sit on one of the many lakefront benches or shop at the markets.

Evergreen Brick Works 

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Toronto’s Don Valley Evergreen Brick Works has been transforming public landscapes into thriving community spaces with environmental, social and economic benefits. The beautiful space is the perfect landscape enjoying nature, explore the wooded area and shop the farmers or garden markets. It connects with a huge network of ravines and parks to explore.

The Fairmont Hotel

Doug the Pug chilling at the Fairmont Royal York with a special bone pizza from the Chef
Doug the Pug chilling at the Fairmont Royal York with a special bone pizza from the Chef

Out of all Toronto’s pet-friendly hotels, nothing beats the historic 5-star Fairmont Royal York right in the heart of the city. The Fairmont Royal York is a luxury hotel that often sleeps celebrities visiting Toronto like the King of Pop Culture himself, Doug The Pug.

Dog-Friendly Restaurants

What’s better than having an amazing meal or delicious coffee? Being able to enjoy it with your dog.

Tom & Sawyer  -This place serves coffee and cold drinks for humans so you don’t have to tie up your best friend on the street, but its real reason d’être is to serve up freshly prepared pet food. We had our meeting on our 2 dog-related films “Music Rescues” and “Pippy Love” there just before Christmas and it was such a great ambiance.

Thor Espresso Bar – bring your dog on the patio or grab a drink and head to the nearby Victoria Memorial Park

Kilo the Pug Black Tie formal wear

Williams Coffee Pub– located inside Purina PawsWay enjoy sitting indoors on the patio with your dog.

Sassafraz– adored by celebrities, this Yorkville spot has outdoor seating that dogs are welcome to with a bowl of cool water.

Trinity Bellwoods Park ‘The Dog Bowl’

crowd at Trintiy Bellwoods dog bowl for the Novemeber 2016 Toronto Pug Grumble
The November 2016 Toronto Pug Grumble

Trinity Bellwoods Park is a large public park located in the downtown west end of Toronto.  It is a favorite place for local residents to walk their dogs. The ravine, known as ‘The Dog Bowl’, is the designated leash-free area for dogs to play.

We attend the Toronto Pug Grumble hosted by our pal Helmut the Pug at The Dog Bowl. It’s the perfect place to host meet-ups for pugs to socialize and play. I have to say it was a bit frosty in December when we tried to film with the Sony Action Cam and so the turnout was low and I had a few technical fails.

See photos from The Toronto Pug Grumble

Cherry Beach Off Leash Dog Park

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In the warmer month’s Cherry Beach’s Dog Park is the perfect place for pugs and owners to cool off in the water. It has one of the largest areas of lakefront and beach of any off-leash dog park in the city. In fact, almost the entire West side of Cherry Beach is designated just for dogs. With the beautiful views of the Toronto skyline and of Lake Ontario, it’s a scenic experience for everyone. The park is large enough to really tire your pug out and is usually busy with a constant flow of dogs to meet and greet. Even unsociable Kilo loves roaming around with his dog cousins and humans there.

 Toronto Dog Parks and Off-Leash Areas in Toronto from Toronto Dog Stuff

Have You Been To Any of These Places With Your Pug?

The Best Holiday Gift Ideas For Pugs and Pug Lovers

Santa Pug Brings you The Best Holiday Gift Ideas For Pugs and Pug Lovers

Have You Seen Our Holiday Gift Ideas For Pugs and Pug Lovers?

I love pugs and so do many of my friends since I adopted Kilo the Pug. See our round-up of the best holiday gift ideas for that lucky pug lover in your life.

Help Pets In Need

Donating to a local shelter of pug rescue organization is always a great gift option to consider. If you can’t donate money, they are always looking to supply donations, volunteers, and foster homes. You can also shop with companies that are giving back.

Dog Lovers Treats and More Holiday Gift Box

What Pug doesn’t love treats? And a happy Pug is a Happy Pug Lover.

Kilo the Pug and I loved the box we were given to review:

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BUY this perfect gift for your Pug or the Pug Lovers in your life. Reduced price of  ONLY $39.99 plus HST and FREE shipping by clicking here by December 15th.

WIN This special Christmas Treat Box with an estimated value of over $200! Canada Only. Enter daily until December 15th, 2016.

Christmas Bow Ties from Handmade in the Hammer  or Tuesday’s Ties  

Kilo got a new one in the sample Holiday Gift Box but a Pug can never have too many bow ties and bandanas (or Bullwrinkles LOL).

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2017 Igor Pugdog Calendar 

If you haven’t got yours yet order by emailing igorpugdog@gmail.com ALL proceeds to Pugalug Pug Rescue. We love ours.

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Apparel for Pugs and Pug Lovers

Match Your Pug in Ugly Christmas Sweaters for humans and Dogs by Funky Tails

Funky Tails booth at the Toronto Christmas Pet Show Day 2

Pug Socks by Wheel House

I got the pair with a black pug for myself and my daughter.

Wheel House socks booth at the Toronto Christmas Pet Show Day 2

Pug Shirt Face Dog T-shirt Tie Dye Adult Tee

I got one at a PugALug Pug Rescue Event with a black pug’s face. They also have new t-shirts and I printed a bespoke one with Kilo’s face on it as well – Staples, Vista Print and other Printers are all offering personalized gifts.

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Pug Slippers and PJs

Plus I saw some fabulous Pug Slippers and PJs in one of the raffle gift baskets at the PugALug Pug Claus event.  I bought lots of tickets but no luck so I will be searching online.

Aslidesign Pug Pattern Infinity Scarf 

Pug Dog Pattern Animal Print Infinity scarf by Aslidesign

Cute Pug Scarf

Pug Scarf

For all your Coffee and Tea Needs (and I love mine)

Buy some cute options or make your own at Staples or Vista Print

Tea Infuser– now that is a fun way to start the day.

Pug Tea infuser

Coffee Travel Mugs Pug Thermos

Funny Mug and Carrier on Amazon

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AbbieImagine 10 oz Pug Mug or make your own at Staples or Vista Print

Pug Mug by AbbieImagine

Pug-oloply Game

Pug-opoly game

 

Name That Cookie: Personalized Pug Cookie Cutter

I really want some of these!!!

Name that cookie: Pug Cookie Cutter

Best Ever- Pug Wine Stopper

Pug wine-stopper

I love my red wine so must have.

Professional Photos, Drawings, and Paintings Of Your Pug

We are lucky that talented Aria takes great photos of Kilo and our friend at Sadie and Co. did a beautiful painting of him which I LOVE.

I also saw several great portrait painting options including  My Pooch Face– we met at BarkWorld.

Other Personalized Options like Cel Phone Covers and Door Hangers

I also saw that various printers including Staples and Vista Print are offering Cel Phone Covers and plan to order a Kilo version. I am also making some door hangers featuring Kilo.

Plush Replicas

I also like the look of Custom Petsies  plushes – I would love one of Kilo as I can never find a black pug plush. Crusoe the Dachshund’s looks so cute.

What will your pug or the pug lover in your life be getting this holiday season?

Adorable Christmas Party Photos Of Happy Pugs Celebrating

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Christmas Party Photos of Pug at Pugalug’s Pug Claus

This weekend was Pugalug Pug Rescues’s annual Christmas party, Pug Claus, held at Purina PawsWay Toronto. It was a great event for pugs and pug lovers to gather, take photos with Santa and celebrate the holidays with their families and friends. We  saw our pal Fishstick, the star of the Backseat Barkers series looking very dapper in his Christmas Bowtie.

Such a fun way to raise funds for pugs in need. The raffle prizes were fantastic this year. They had 3 beautiful big gift baskets, a one night stay at the Westin Harbour Castle for and gift certificates too! Sadly, I did not win.

Kilo came along and sat with my husband enjoying cuddles and treats.

thumbnail_Kilo at the Bar getting courage before the Pug Party
Kilo the Pug getting up courage to go in

The event had awesome gifts to buy like Peachy Keen harnesses, bandanas and bow ties  our friend Igor’s calendars, and new PugALug t-shirts- all available online.

Tim and Fishstick the Pug
Tim and Fishstick the Pug

It was tons of fun meeting new pug lovers and of course playing with some many adorable pugs.

Tim hands out treats to group of pugs at the Pugalug Pug Claus Christmas Party

Tim was like a Pug Whisperer-  having a great time handing out treats to the pugs. He and Crystal also brought along Fishstick’s 2 BFFs

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Christmas Photos of Pugs from Pugalug's Pug Claus Event at PawsWay

Check out our gallery for event photos and share yours with us online.

Have You Been To A Pug Christmas Party Before? Share your photos with us.

Adorable Photos of Pugs at The Toronto Pug Grumble

Susan and Kilo the Pug at the Novemeber 2016 Toronto Pug Grumble

Adorable Photos of Pugs Having Fun at The Toronto Pug Grumble

Sunday was pretty nice weather, so  Kilo the Pug headed off to Trinity Bellwoods Park “Dog Bowl” for the monthly Toronto Pug Grumble for the first time (we popped by the Halloween event but it was at a store nearby). The event is hosted by handsome Instagram Celebrity Pug @HelmutthePug and his Mom. We were lucky enough to see them twice this week as Helmut was a model at the Strutt With Your Mutt Event at Purina PawsWay.

Kilo is a rescue and was quite anxious and shy at first, as he always is outside the house – we believe a bigger dog must have attacked him in a dog park before we got him and he just was not socialized. However, the pugs were all his size and not threatening so he handled the occasional butt sniff well and hung out on the perimeter with my husband. He did not react at anyone or anything and remained happy enough to eat the occasional treat and have a few cuddles with me.

We only stayed for 15 minutes but it was so fun as pugs are just too cute and sociable.  I am hoping that these little safe outings will gradually give Kilo a more positive feeling and build his confidence. He loves attention and playing with me so I hope some day he finds some new dogs friends he can relax with.

We saw our pal Helmut the Pug and many more pugs at Novembers Toronto Pug Grumble, see more photos.

 

Check out our photos below and visit the Toronto Pug Grumble Facebook page for more.

We’ll see you at the December event! Details HERE.