Pug

AKC Group: Toy

Club: Pug Dog Club of America, Inc.

Secretary : Donna Manha
Address: 449 Maar Ave, Fremont, CA , 94536-4472
Website: www.pugs.org
Email: pugsrus2@comcast.net
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

Symmetry and general appearance are decidedly square and cobby. A lean, leggy Pug and a dog with short legs and a long body are equally objectionable.

Size:

The Pug should be multum in parvo , and this condensation (if the word may be used) is shown by compactness of form, well knit proportions, and hardness of developed muscle. Weight from 14 to 18 pounds (dog or bitch) desirable. Proportion square.

Coat:

The coat is fine, smooth, soft, short and glossy, neither hard nor woolly.

Temperament:

This is an even-tempered breed, exhibiting stability, playfulness, great charm, dignity, and an outgoing, loving disposition.

History:

The truth of how the Pug came into existence is shrouded in mystery, but he has been true to his breed down through the ages since before 400 B.C. Authorities agree that he is of Oriental origin with some basic similarities to the Pekingese. China is the earliest known source for the breed, where he was the pet of the Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. The breed next appeared in Japan and then in Europe, where it became the favorite for various royal courts.

The Pug became the official dog of the House of Orange after one of the breed saved the life of William, Prince of Orange, by giving alarm at the approach of the Spaniards at Hermingny in 1572. Later when William II landed at Torbay to be crowned King of England, his cortege included Pugs and they became the fashionable breed for generations.

By 1790 the Pug's popularity has spread to France where Josephine, wife of Napoleon, depended on her Pug "Fortune" to carry secret messaged under his collar to her husband while she was impresoned at Les Carmes.

In 1860 British soldiers sacked the Imperial Palace in Peking and dogs of the Pug and Pekingese type were brought back to England. This was the first time since the early 16th century that dogs in any great number had been brought out of China. Black Pugs were imported from China and exhibited for the first time in England in 1886. One year earlier, in 1885, the Pug had been accepted for registration with the American Kennel Club.

The Pug is well described by the phrase "multum in parvo" which means "a lot of dog in a small space." He is small but requires no coddling and his roguish face soon wiggles its way into the hearts of men, women and especially children, for whom this dog seems to have a special affinity. His great reason for living is to be near his people and to please them. He is comfortable in a small apartment or country home alike, easily adaptable to all situations.

Fun Facts:

• The Pug is one of the oldest breeds of dog; has flourished since before 400 BC.
  
  
• Authorities agree that the Pug breed is of Chinese origin with some basic similarities to the Pekingese.
  
  
• The Pug was pet of the Buddhist monasteries in Tibet.
  
  
• The Pug was the official dog of the House of Orange in Holland after one of the breed saved the life of the Crown Prince; the dog appears in the effigy of the monarch over William's tomb.
  
  
• Josephine, wife of Napoleon, used her Pug "Fortune" to carry secret messages under his collar to her husband while she was imprisoned at Les Carmes.
  
  
• Though called "Mopshond" (Dutch, "to grumble") in Holland and "Carlin" in France, but the name "Pug" probably comes from the dog's facial expression, which is similar to that of the marmoset monkeys that were popular pets of the early 1700's and known as Pugs.