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Pug
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The Pug is a small breed of dog with a wrinkly, short muzzled face.
A pug has a curled tail, and pugs may make little snorting sounds.
The word "pug" may have come from the Old English pugg or
"puge", which were affectionate terms for a playful little devil or
monkey. Pug puppies are often called puglets. The breed is often
summarized as multum in parvo ("much in little"), describing the
Pug's remarkable personality despite its small size.
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Pug
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Description
While most Pugs appearing in eighteenth century prints tended to
be long and lean, modern breed preferences are for a square,
cobby body, a compact form, a deep chest, and well-developed
muscle. Breeding preference goes to "button" Pugs. The legs are
very strong, straight, of moderate length, and are set well under.
The shoulders are moderately laid back. The pasterns are strong,
neither steep nor down. The feet are neither so long as the foot of
the hare, nor so round as that of the cat; well split-up toes, and the
nails black. Dewclaws are generally removed. The lower teeth
normally protrude further than their upper, meeting in an
under-bite.
Temperament
The stern expression of the Pug belies its true sense of fun. Pugs
are sociable dogs, and usually stubborn about certain things, but
they are playful, charming, clever and are known to succeed in dog
obedience skills. They rank 57th in Stanley Coren's The
Intelligence of Dogs, being of fair working/obedience intelligence.
Pugs are often referred to as the comedians of the dog world.
Pugs are sensitive to the tone of a human voice, so harsh
punishment is generally unnecessary. While Pugs usually get
along well with other dogs and pets, they generally prefer the
company of humans and require a great deal of human attention;
they may become slightly anxious or agitated if their owner ignores
them or does not play with them. In general, they are very attentive
dogs, always at their owner's feet, in their lap, or following them
from room to room.
Coat and Color
Their fine, glossy coats can be fawn, apricot, silver or black. A
silver coat is characterized by a very light coloured coat, absent of
black guard hairs. Some breeders call "smutty" Pugs silver. A
"smutty" Pug typically has a very dark head, with no clear
delineation at the mask, and dark forelegs. The markings are
clearly defined. The trace is a black line extending from the occiput
to the tail. The tail normally curls tightly over the hip.
Pugs of different coat types shed to varying degrees, but they all
shed quite a bit year round. Fawn Pugs, which have both an
undercoat and an overcoat, are the most notorious for shedding.
Pug owners have gone to great lengths to control this Pug
characteristic. Partial solutions to the problem involve using special
shampoos, supplementing or changing the Pug's diet, or even
trimming the Pug's coat. Alternatively, regular coat grooming can
keep the shedding down.
History
Bred to adorn the laps of the Chinese sovereigns during the
Shang dynasty (before 400 BC), in East China, they were known
as "Lo-Chiang-Sze" or "Foo" (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.
This breed may also be referred to as a "Lion Dog" or "Foo (or Fu)
Dog" due to its resemblance to Chinese guardian lions just like the
Pekingese dog breed from China of similar origin and resemblance
to Chinese guardian lions which are considered a guardian spirit.
Health
Because Pugs lack longer snouts and prominent skeletal brow
ridges, they are susceptible to eye injuries such as puncture
wounds and scratched corneas and painful Entropion. Pugs also
have compact breathing passageways, leaving many pugs unable
to breathe properly or efficiently or their ability to regulate their
temperature through evaporation from the tongue. These
complications can lead to accelerated injury or death should they
be left in hot locations where cooling cannot properly take place
such as cars on hot days or in outdoor conditions in temperatures
over 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27°C).
Pugs living a mostly sedentary life can be prone to obesity, though
this is avoidable with regular exercise and a healthy diet.
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.
All dogs tend to either die or are euthanised within a few months
after the onset of clinical signs, which usually occur anywhere from
6 months to 3 years of age.
Pugs, along with other brachycephalic dogs (e.g., boxers,
bulldogs), are also prone to hemivertebrae. The screwtail is an
example of a hemivertebrae, but when it occurs in other areas of
the spine it can be devastating, causing such severe paralysis that
euthanasia is a serious recommendation.
The Pug, like other short-snouted breeds, has an elongated
palate. When excited, they are prone to a "reverse sneeze" where
the dog will quickly, and seemingly laboriously, gasp and snort.
This is caused by fluid or debris getting caught under the palate
and irritating the throat or limiting breathing. "Reverse sneezing"
episodes are not harmful to the Pug, and can usually be resolved
by lifting the dogs head and blowing a short, strong breathe into
the dogs nose which can clear the fluid/debris from the palate.
Alternatively, one can just give them a second and they will work it
out on their own.
As with all small breeds, some problems may arise in pregnancy
and during birth. The most common problems include the need for
a Caesarian section birth and new mothers being uninterested in
the puppies, sometimes accompanied by the mother not opening
the birth sac.
As Pugs have many wrinkles in their faces, owners normally take
special care to clean inside the creases, as irritation and infection
can result from improper care. It is very important that the drainage
from their eyes is cleaned from their wrinkles. They tend to sniff the
ground a lot, so dirt and other debris can be trapped inside.
Pugs are one of several breeds that are more susceptible to
Demodectic mange, also known as Demodex. This condition is
caused by a weakened immune system, and it is a minor problem
for many young Pugs. This causes pugs to catch diseases much
more easily than regular dogs do. It is easily treatable although
some Pugs are especially susceptible and will present with a
systemic form of the condition. This vulnerability is thought to be
genetic, and good breeders will avoid breeding dogs who have had
this condition. Inbreeding can cause some pugs these problems.
An investigative documentary carried out by the BBC found
significant inbreeding between pedigree dogs, with a study by
Imperial College, London, showing that the 10,000 pugs in the UK
are so inbred that their gene pool is the equivalent of only 50
individuals.
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Country of Origin
China
Weight
13-20 lb
Height
10-14 in
Coat
Short, fine, glossy
Color
Fawn, apricot, silver or black
Life span
12-15 years
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