The normal heart rate for adult dogs at rest ranges from 60 to 160 beats per minute. Heart rate varies depending on such factors as a dog's size and activity level. For instance, toy breeds tend to have higher heart rates than large breeds. A puppy's heart rate is as high as 220 beats per minute. The heart beats faster with exertion, fright, and high temperatures.

You can feel the heartbeat by pressing against the rib cage over the heart (it's on the left side), along the inside of the thigh where the leg joins the body, or just below the left elbow joint. To take your pug's pulse, count the beats per minute. An easy way to do this is to count the beats for fifteen seconds and then multiply that number by four.