There are many ethical ways to find a Pug puppy for sale that does not involve the support of any system that is cruel to dogs, such as puppy mills. Do not buy puppies from pet stores or online puppy stores, as they support puppy mills, overseas travel of far too young puppies and other cruel practices.
If you really want a Pug puppy, and want that puppy to be a good companion for you during the fifteen or so years of a Pug's life, then you need to use other ways of going on a Pug hunt.
First off, ask anyone you can reasonably trust where they got their own Pugs. They will usually be able to refer you to a breeder or a Pug breed rescue group. If they say they got their Pugs from a pet store, don't lecture them. Just nod, thank them for the information and keep on with your Pug hunt.
Other places you can visit can be local dog shows. They will often not have Pug puppies for sale at the show, but you get to meet and talk to many Pug breeders who will have puppies for sale in the future. The look and temperament of their Pugs will tell you a lot about the qualities of the breeder. You can also go to MeetUp.com and find a Pug meet-up group in your area to get recommendations. The nations' biggest Pug Meet-up is in Philadelphia.
The best places to go to find a Pug puppy for sale is an American Kennel Club licensed Pug breeder or a Pug breed rescue. You can find a good Pug breeder from contacting the AKC, from attending a local dog show, from talking to friends and family who have Pugs, or from checking the Internet. A good Pug breeder doesn't ship a puppy and never has them for sale year round.
You can also go online to find local Pug breeders in your area. Avoid any site that sells puppies all year round or offers to ship a young Pug puppy for sale anywhere in the country. They usually are fronts for puppy mills. However, there are many good breeders who also have websites. You can contact the AKC for information on any Pug breeders in your area.
Only buy your Pug puppy supplies from pet shops that do not sell puppies. Some large chains have afternoon events when dogs from local shelters are brought in. They may have Pugs. If they don't, the odds are the volunteers and workers can put you in touch with the closest Pug breed rescue.
Sometimes they do have puppies, usually over six months old. Although not really having Pug puppies for sale, the adoption fees are a few hundred dollars. This is to discourage the Pugs winding up in bad hands.