Breed History

Dating back to at least 400 BC and surrounded by much controversy, no one can be certain just exactly what breeds created the Pug. From theories of the Pekingese and Bulldog being crossed, to some believing they are simply from the French Mastiff bloodlines, if there is one thing we can tell you that is a fact, it’s that the Pug is one of the most loved breeds in the United States today. From billboards to clothes, this breed is just as much on a pedestal today as it was honored in the past. In fact, Pugs were thought of so highly hundreds of years ago that they were treated as royalty.

Breed Appearance

The Pug is a small breed with males and females generally measuring 10-14 inches in height and weighing 14-20 pounds. Please note that males and females may be smaller or larger than show standard and still be purebred. This breed is built low to the ground and very stocky. Prone to weight gain, this breed should maintain a thick figure, however not appear with a belly or overweight. Their small head is square in appearance with two small triangular ears rounding off the sides and hanging gently along side of their face. Their two round eyes are light brown to black in color and are surrounded by small wrinkles from the forehead to their nose. Their muzzle is extremely short and square as well. Pugs have “beauty spots” on their face and please note that they also should have a slight under-bite. Their thick, short hair coat is available in fawn, black, apricot, silver and in rare occasions white. The Pug should carry a short, thick tail that is curled and rests on top of their back.

Breed Temperament

The Pug is by far one of the most loved breeds in the USA and there is absolutely reason behind that. Not only do they show many facial expressions and head tilts sure to make you smile, but they generally are such happy dogs to be around. Most wonderful with children he or she grows up around, as well as accepting of all other house pets and canines, this breed is known to be easy going. Please make note that there are always exceptions to every rule, and there are Pugs out there who prefer to be the only pet. This breed can be quite difficult to house train, as they do have a short attention span and tend to want to do, what they want. Early socialization and training classes is highly recommended to ensure a proper foundation with you and your new addition and to make training easier as your dog matures. The Pug needs to be included in all family activities and needs to feel like a family member in order to remain happy. This breed is wonderful to travel with and truly enjoys going places with their loved ones. Please be aware that only positive reinforcement training methods are recommended. This breed is great for apartments and country type living.

Breed Grooming

This breed sheds consistently. Regular brushing and baths can help. Please pay special attention to cleaning their ears and wrinkles on their face.

Special Notes

Please note that this breed is not meant for everyone. This breed is prone to many health issues, including but not limited to breathing issues, skin and food allergies, extreme sensitivity to cold and hot temperatures, weakened immune system, eye issues and even brain swelling around the age of 2-3. Please fully educate yourself about the Pug prior to considering one for your family to ensure you are able to provide life long physical and financial care for your your addition. This breed requires a proper fitting harness and leash, or properly fenced in area when outdoors at all times. This breed is known for being “deaf” while outdoors and not listening to his or her humans. All dogs originate from wolves (Canis Lupus). Each breed of dog was originally created by mixing different breeds together in an effort to bring forth certain characteristics. Once a breeder has created acceptable “breed characteristics” within their bloodline and these “breed characteristics” have shown to be reliably reproduced in the offspring for three (3) generations, the bloodline may be upgraded from the category of “foundation stock” to “pure-bred”. The same “pure-bred” breed standards vary from different continents, countries, territories, regions, breed clubs, and canine pure-breed registries depending on the goals of their breeders.

Dog DNA testing companies can have accurate results for a specific bloodline of a small colony of dogs. However, there are tens of thousands of different bloodlines in the world which have not yet been tested for marker baseline results by Dog DNA testing companies as of 2024. For this reason Dog DNA testing companies do not guarantee the 100% accuracy of their breed lineage results and will also show different marker results for the same pure-bred breed in different continents, countries, territories, regions, breed clubs, and canine pure-breed registries depending on the goals of their breeders.