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The Pug is a small breed of dog with a wrinkly, short muzzled face, and curled tail. The word “pug” may have come from the Old English pugg or “puge”, which were affectionate terms for a playful little devil or monkey. ^[2] Pug puppies are often called puglets.^[3] The breed is often summarized as multum in parvo (“much in little”), describing the Pug’s remarkable personality despite its small size.^[1]

They have Chinese origins, but were popularised in Western Europe by the House of Orange of the Netherlands. In dog shows, best in shows haven’t been too common, with one winner at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and one at the World Dog Show. They can suffer from a variety of health issues, including overheating, obesity, pharyngeal reflex and two fatal conditions which are granulomatous meningoencephalitis and hemivertebrae. In addition, care must be taken by their owner to clean the folds of skin on their face.

While most Pugs appearing in eighteenth century prints tended to be long and lean,^[4] modern breed preferences are for a square, cobby body, a compact form, a deep chest, and well-developed muscle.^[5]. Breeding preference goes to “button” Pugs.^[6] The legs are very strong, straight, of moderate length, and are set well under. The shoulders are moderately laid back. The pasterns are strong, neither steep nor down. The feet are neither so long as the foot of the hare, nor so round as that of the cat; well split-up toes, and the nails black.^[5] The lower teeth normally protrude further than their upper, meeting in an under-bite.

Their fine, glossy coats can be fawn, apricot, silver or black.^[4] A silver coat is characterized by a very light coloured coat, absent of black guard hairs. Some breeders call “smutty” Pugs silver. A “smutty” Pug typically has a very dark head, with no clear delineation at the mask, and dark forelegs. The markings are clearly defined. The trace is a black line extending from the occiput to the tail.^[5] The tail normally curls tightly over the hip.^[4]

Pugs of different coat types shed to varying degrees, but they all shed quite a bit year round. Fawn Pugs, which have both an undercoat and an overcoat, are the most notorious for shedding.Regular coat grooming can keep the shedding down.

Strong willed, but rarely aggressive, the Pug is suitable for families with children. Pugs are tolerant of children, and sturdy enough to properly play with them. Otherwise they can be quiet and docile, but also vivacious and teasing, depending on their owner’s mood. They can make good watchdogs, and they are always alert, but not yappy.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia