Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Dog Breed: Pug

Somebody told me the other day they had no idea what a pug was, hence this adorable breed of dog has to be my next description.

General:
One of the lesser known dogs in the UK, this breed gained a significant rise in popularity following the pug who starred alongside Will Smith in Men In Black.

This breed is stocky, good natured and loving, and makes a good family pet when children are old enough to play nicely.  I say that because of the need to be careful around their eyes – see Health section for more detail.

Their tail curls over at the back, the tighter the curl the better and a double curl is considered perfect.

Height: 10 – 11 inches fully grown
Weight: 14 - 18 lbs
Average Litter Size: 3 – 4 pups – or puglets as they are often affectionately known
Life Expectancy: 12 – 14 years
Price: Expect to pay around £800 - £1000 for pugs as they are difficult to breed and to care for in a litter

Colour:
They have fine, glossy coats, which can appear in one of several colours referred to as silver, apricot, fawn or black. You’ll note from the pictures, they usually have a dark mask around the face

Grooming/Cleaning:
The pug does shed fur, so a light brushing every day will help keep the shedding minimal and the pug will always enjoy the attention if you start early enough.

Due to the folds of skin around their face, they need their face to be wiped or cleaned inside the creases to stop any irritation or infection.

They should be bathed as sparingly as possible to avoid stripping the essential oils from the fur, so once a week maximum is ideal.

Common Ailments:
The most common problem with these dogs are the eyes.  When they’re in the litter, their eyes don’t seem to have the speed of normal reaction so they don’t blink as quickly as other breeds.  As a result, it’s quite common for them to have their eyes scratched by other puglets in the litter.

Like other short snouted dogs, they have a pinched nose, which makes breathing more difficult so they often make little snorting sounds.  With this breathing difficulty, pugs have difficulty controlling their temperature so should be indoor pets as they struggle to cope with hot temperatures.

Temperament:
They are sociable yet can be stubborn at times, loving and good natured, good with children and pets (subject to the usual correct socalisation)

History:
Like the mastiffs and shih tzus, the pug originated in Tibet, bred in China. They were known as companion dogs to the monks – those monks sure kept a lot of dogs!

In the 16th and 17th centuries the little dogs were imported to Holland and became the official dog of the House of Orange.  Throughout history in many countries, they were often dressed in little jackets and were used by the military as sniffer dogs to track people and as companions to the guards.

A pug saved the life of Prince William of Orange in 1572 by licking his face and barking to warn him before assassins broke into his camp.  They had orders to kill the prince but he managed to escape, thanks to the pug.  From then on, William was inseparable from his pug and when he became King of England, the pug dogs came with him and their popularity subsequently grew in England.