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A Pug is a toy dog breed with a wrinkly face and medium-small body. The word "Pug" may have derived from the Latin Pugnus (fist); the Pug's face can look like a clenched fist.^[1] Or, in nod to the breed's sometimes mischievous nature, from the character "Puck" of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

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The breed is often summarized as multum in parvo ("much in little"), in reference to the pug's great personality, despite its small size.^[2]

History

Origins

Bred to adorn the laps of the Chinese emperors during the Shang dynasty (1766-1122 BC),^[1] in East China, where they were known as "Lo-Chiang-Sze" or "Foo"^[1] (ceramic foos, transmogrified into dragon, with their bulging eyes are very Pug-like). The Pug's popularity spread to Tibet, where they were mainly kept by monks, and then went onto Japan, and finally Europe.^[1]

Sixteenth and seventeenth century

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The breed was first imported in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries by merchants and crews from the Dutch East Indies Trading Company.^[1] The Pug later became the official dog of the House of Orange.^[1] In 1572, a pug saved the Prince of Orange's life by barking at an advancing Spanish onslaught.^[3] A pug also travelled with William III and Mary II when they left the Netherlands to ascend to the throne in 1688.^[1] This century also saw Pugs' popularity on the rise in other European countries. In Spain, they were painted by Goya,^[1] in Italy Pugs dressed in matching jackets and pantaloons sat by the coachmen of the rich,^[1] and in Germany and France Pugs appear several times as footnotes to history.^[1]

Eighteenth and nineteenth century

The popularity of the Pug continued to spread in France during the eighteenth century. Before her marriage at age 15 to Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette owned a pug named Mops. Before her marriage to Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine utilized her Pug "Fortune" to carry concealed messages to her family while she was confined at Les Carmes prison as the pet was the only recipient of visiting rights.^[4]

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In nineteenth century England, Pugs flourished under the patronage of the monarch Queen Victoria. Her many Pugs, which she bred herself, had such names as Olga, Pedro, Minka, Fatima and Venus.^[1] Her involvement with the dogs in general helped to establish the Kennel Club, which was formed in 1873.^[1] Victoria favoured fawn and apricot Pugs, whereas the aristocrat Lady Brassey is credited with making black Pugs fashionable after she brought some back from China in 1886.^[1][2] The Pug has also thrived in democratic circles, arriving in the United States sometime in the nineteenth century^[1] (the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1885)^[1] and was soon making its way into the family home and show ring.

Appearance

While most Pugs appearing in eighteenth century prints tended to be long and lean,^[1] the current breed standards call for a square, cobby body, a compact form, deep chest, and well-developed muscle. Their heads, carried on arched necks, should be substantial and round, the better to accentuate their large, dark eyes. The wrinkles on their foreheads should be distinct and deep,^[1] and were especially prized by the Chinese as they seemed to spell out the character for "prince".^[1] The ears should be smooth and soft, like black velvet and come in two varieties: "rose" (small, round and folded with the front edge angled toward the mask, giving the head a more rotund shape) and "button" (level with the top of forehead and folded at a sharp ninety degree angle). Breeding preference goes to "button" pugs.^[5] The lower teeth should protrude farther than their upper, meeting in an underbite.^[6] Their fine, glossy coats can be apricot, fawn, silver or black.^[1] A Silver coat is characterized by a very light colored coat, absent of black guard hairs. Some unscrupulous breeders call "smutty" pugs silver. A "smutty" pug typically has a very dark head, with no clear deliniation at the mask, and dark forelegs. The tail should curl tightly over the hip; a double curl is considered perfection.^[1]

Temperament

Pugs are very sociable dogs, but quite stubborn.^[7] They are playful, charming, and clever, and are known to succeed in dog obedience skills.^[1] Pugs are sensitive to the tone of a human, so harsh punishment is generally unnecessary.^[7] Pugs get along well with other dogs and pets and require lots of attention; they may become slightly jealous if their owner ignores them or does not play with them. In general, they are very clingy dogs, always at their owner's feet or following them from room to room.^[1]

Health

Because they have extremely short snouts and no skeletal brow ridges, Pugs can easily scratch their corneas accidentally.^[1] Their short noses can also cause them to develop breathing problems.^[1] They are prone to obesity, so they can quickly reach unhealthy weights; it is therefore important for Pug owners to make sure their pets get regular exercise. Due to their short snouts, Pugs are vulnerable to temperature extremes. It is important to make sure that they do not overheat in hot weather, and likewise they should not be left outside in cold weather.

Pugs can also suffer from a chronic form of granulomatous meningoencephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) specific to the breed called Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE). There is no known cause or cure for PDE, although it is believed to be an inherited disease.^[8] All dogs either die or are euthanised within a few months after the onset of clinical signs.^[9]

Pugs, along with other brachycephalic dogs (boxers, bulldogs), are also prone to hemivertebrae [4]. The screwtail is an example of a hemivertebrae, but when it occurs in others areas of the spine it can be devastating, causing such severe paralysis that euthanasia is a serious recommendation.

Pugs are expected to live from about 12 to 15 years.^[7]

Famous pugs

• Algy from Rupert Bear
• Monroe from The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
• Otis from The Adventures of Milo and Otis
• Percy from Pocahontas
• Cheeka from commercials for the Hutch cellular network in India
• Frank from Men in Black and Men in Black II
• Cruiser from Legend of the Dragon (TV series)
• Chester & Charles, pets and occasional stars of the webcomic Natalie Dee
• Pakkun from Naruto
• Sophia from The Life and Times of Katrina Waisanen
• Bandit from Johnny Quest
• Bess from The West Wing
• Willie from EastEnders
• In David Lynch's film Dune, Duke Leto Atreides has a pet pug. Its name is never revealed.