Little Pawz -- Pug -- Pug Dog -- Small Dogs -- Small Dog Breed Information -- Toy Dogs -- Miniature Dogs -- Dog Breeds

The Pug is a gay little dog, which looks extremely elegant, if not allowed to indulge in its inherent greed. It makes a chrming family pet, provided care it taken that it does not develop respiratory trouble through over-heating, or vigorous exercise, for with its flat, squashed-looking face it can encounter similar breathing difficulties to the Bulldog.

Like the Bulldog, the Pug also has a tendency to snore. But it shares the foolhardiness of the Chihuahua and certain other toy breeds, in believing that attack is the best form of defence.

Size
Weight: should be under 14 – 18 lbs. (6.4 – 8.2 kg)

Coat, Colour and Markings
The coat is fine, smooth, soft, short and glossy, neither hard nor woolly. The colours are silver fawn, apricot fawn, or black. The silver fawn or apricot fawn colours should be decided so as to make the contrast complete between the colour and the trace and the mask. Black to be glossy jet black. The markings are clearly defined. The muzzle or mask, ears, moles on cheeks, thumb mark or diamond on forehead, and the back trace should be as black as possible. The mask should be black. The more intense and well defined it is the better. The trace is a black line extending from the occiput to the tail.

Exercise
An energetic dog, the Pug will relish more exercise than many breeds of similar size. But remember that gluttony and a tendency to weight-gain go hand in hand, as will fatness and lethargy if the dog's greed in indulged. The Pug will do best walking on the lead, and should not indulge in vigorous exercise for fear of respiratrory trouble.

Grooming
A good daily brushing will keep your Pug looking its best.

Feeding
Recommended would be 1/2 – 3/4 can (13.3 oz 376 g size) name-brand dog food, with a biscuit, or 1 – 1 1/2 cups dry dog food. Always provide an ample supply of fresh water for your Pug.

Origin and History
The Pug found its way to France with the Turkish fleet in 1553. The little dogs were brought by the sailors as gifts for their ladies, and were subsequently known as 'Little Turks.' They also found favour in Holland, where the tinge of their coat was likened to the colour of the House of Orange. When William and Mary of Orange journeyed to Britain to ascend the throne in 1689, a numbe rof Pugs accompanied them. For a period of almost 300 years the breed enjoyed a popularity similar to that of the Poodle today.

Pugs gradually declined in numbers until in 1864 even Queen Victoria had difficulty in locating one to add to her kennels. Some 20 years later the Pug Dog Club was formed and efforts were made to improve and standardize the breed, resulting in the elegant and solid little Pug we know today.

Celebrity Owners
Paula Abdul owns a Pug named Puggy Sue — Billy Joel owns a Pug named Fionnula; and Martina Navratilova has a Pug named Frodo. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor had many Pugs and a world-class collection of china and porcelain Pug figurines.