Pug
Breed at a glance
- Origin
- China [ 1 ]
- Weight
- 14-18 lb (6.35-8.16 kg) in males and females.
- Coat
- Fine, smooth, soft, short and glossy, neither hard nor woolly.
- Colour
- Silver, apricot, fawn or black only.
intro
The Pug is a breed of dog with the physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. Pugs have a coat that is fine, smooth, soft, short, and glossy, coming in a variety of colors, most often fawn (light brown) or black, and a compact, square body with well developed and thick muscles all over the body. Pugs were brought from China to Europe in the sixteenth century and were popularized in Western Europe by the House of Orange of the Netherlands , and the House of Stuart . [ 2 ] In the United Kingdom, in the nineteenth century, Queen Victoria developed a passion for Pugs which she passed on to other members of the royal family. Pugs are known for being sociable and gentle companion dogs . [ 3 ] The American Kennel Club describes the breed's personality as "even-tempered and charming". [ 4 ] Pugs remain popular into the twenty-first century, with some famous celebrity owners. The dogs are susceptible to various health problems due to their bred traits. [ 5 ]
Obesity
Research from the UK found that Pugs are more prone to obesity than other breeds. They are three times more likely to become obese, and one in every five Pugs are diagnosed as obese in a year. [ 51 ] Obesity should be considered a health priority in Pugs because of the high prevalence, associated health problems and reversible nature of the disorder. [ 52 ]
Etymology
There are several theories as to the origin of the name "Pug". Some sources state the breed was named after the marmoset monkey , a popular exotic pet during the 18th century, which was also known as the "Pug-monkey". [ 6 ] The Pug probably acquired its moniker on account of its flat face loosely resembling that of a primate. Another popular belief is that it's derived from the Latin "pugnus" meaning "fist". Early Pugs were commonly cropped and supposedly that alteration resulted in a head that looked like the shadow of a closed fist when viewed from the side. [ 7 ] The Oxford English Dictionary has the word "Pug" as in the dog breed being descended from the meaning of "A dwarf animal, an imp, etc.". Since the late 16th century the term "pug" has been used in English to describe squirrels, hares, foxes, ferret, salmon, sheep, and monkeys. The first attestation of "Pug-dog" is in 1749. The OED also notes it may be related to a now obsolete term of endearment for a person or animal. [ 8 ]
Temperament
The American Kennel Club says the motto of the breed is the Latin phrase multum in parvo , or "much in little" or "a lot of dog in a small space". [ 1 ] Pugs tend to be intuitive and sensitive to the moods of their owners and are usually eager to please them. [ 3 ] Pugs are playful and thrive on human companionship. Pugs are often called "shadows" because they follow their owners around and like to stay close to the action, craving attention and affection from their owners. [ 11 ] Unlike many dog breeds that were developed for hunting, herding, or guarding, Pugs were bred primarily as companion animals, a role they have retained for centuries. [ 12 ]
21st century
The World Champion – or Best in Show – at the 2004 World Dog Show held in Rio de Janeiro , was a Pug named Double D Cinoblu's Masterpiece . [ 30 ] [ 31 ] The breeding trend of Pugs led to shorter muzzles and shorter legs over time, with the dogs susceptible to some health problems. In 2023, the Netherlands placed limitations on the breeding of various short-faced breeds, including the conventional Pug. [ 32 ] Since around 2006 there has been a counter-trend in some countries to breed "retro pugs". Breeders who pursue that change in the breed aim for longer snouts, less protruding eyes, straighter legs and fewer facial wrinkles. [ 33 ] [ 34 ] [ 35 ]
Brachycephaly
Since Pugs lack longer snouts and prominent skeletal brow ridges , they are susceptible to eye injuries such as proptosis , scratched corneas , and painful entropion . [ 2 ] They are also prone to dry eyes, inflammation of the cornea, and corneal pigmentation, leading to vision impairment or blindness if untreated. [ 36 ] The shortened snout and pushed in face of the Pug is known as brachycephaly . [ 37 ] Brachycephaly results in deformation of the upper airway tract and leads to obstruction of breathing. [ 38 ] [ 39 ] [ 40 ] Potential effects of brachycephaly are stridor , stertorous breathing, emesis , skin fold dermatitis , brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome , exophthalmos , pharyngeal gag reflex , cyanosis , and laryngeal collapse. [ 41 ] [ 42 ] [ 39 ] [ 43 ] [ 44 ] [ 45 ] [ 46 ] Other issues arising from brachycephaly are risk of complications whilst under anaesthesia, [ 47 ] and hyperthermia – with the latter caused due to an inability to effectively reduce body temperature via panting. [ 48 ] Their breathing problems can be worsened by the stresses of traveling in air cargo, which may involve high temperatures. Following the deaths of Pugs and other brachycephalic breeds, several airlines either banned their transport in cargo or enacted seasonal restrictions. [ 49 ] [ 50 ]
Chinese origins
The ancestor of the Pug was a dog called the Lo-Chiang-Sze, or Lo-Sze in its shortened form. [ 6 ] That name explicitly refers to a short-legged, short-mouthed [ citation needed ] and, most importantly, short-coated dog, potentially as a way to distinguish it from the Pekingese , which was of similar build. Many people today refer to it as the "ancient pug". The Lo-sze was popular in the imperial court during the Song dynasty [ 13 ] and was brought from China to Europe in the sixteenth century by the Dutch East India Company . [ 2 ] The Happa or Hap-pah dog has also been considered as playing a part in the formation of the modern Pug breed, but it was not acquired by European fanciers until 1860 when specimens were looted by British and French troops during their burning of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing during the Second Opium War . [ 14 ] In ancient times, Pugs were bred to be companions for ruling families in China. Pet Pugs were highly valued by Chinese emperors, and the royal dogs were kept in luxury and guarded by soldiers. [ 3 ] Pugs later spread to other parts of Asia. In Tibet , Buddhist monks kept Pugs as pets in their monasteries. [ 3 ] The breed has retained its affectionate devotion to its owners since ancient times. [ 3 ]
Life expectancy
A study in the UK of veterinary records found the Pug to have a life expectancy of 7.65 years – far below the general average of 11.23 years for dogs. [ 53 ] Another UK study found a life expectancy of 11.6 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds . [ 54 ] A review of pet cemetery data in Japan found the Pug to have a life expectancy of 12.8 years, below the average of 13.7 years and lower than the average for small breeds. [ 55 ]