Pug

Pug

A black Pug
Other names	Chinese Pug Mops Puggu Carli Dutch Bulldog Mini Mastiff
Country of origin	China[1]
Traits
Classification & standards FCI Group 9 Section 11 #253 standard AKC Toy standard ANKC Group 1 (Toys) standard CKC Group 5 - Toys standard KC (UK) Toy standard NZKC Toy standard UKC Companion breeds standard

The Pug is a small breed of dog with a wrinkly, short muzzled face . The word "pug" may have come from the Old English pugg or "puge", which were affectionate terms for a playful little devil or monkey. ^[2] Pug puppies are often called puglets.^[3] The breed is often summarized as multum in parvo ("much in little"), describing the Pug's remarkable personality despite its small size.^[1]

Description

A fawn Pug, the most common coloring

A black Pug puppy

While most Pugs appearing in eighteenth century prints tended to be long and lean,^[4] modern breed preferences are for a square, cobby body, a compact form, a deep chest, and well-developed muscle.^[5]. Breeding preference goes to "button" Pugs.^[6] 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.^[5] The lower teeth normally protrude further than their upper, meeting in an under-bite.^[1]

Coat and color

Their fine, glossy coats can be fawn, apricot, silver or black.^[4] 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.^[5] The tail normally curls tightly over the hip.^[4]

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.

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. Pugs are often referred to as the comedians of the dog world.^[4] 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.^[4]

History

Origins

Bred to adorn the laps of the Chinese sovereigns during the Shang dynasty (1600-1046 BC),^[4] in East China, they were known as "Lo-Chiang-Sze" or "Foo"^[4][7] (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.^[4]

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.

Sixteenth and seventeenth centuries

Hogarth with his "Pug", Trump, in 1745.

The breed was first imported in the late 16th and 17th centuries by merchants and crews from the Dutch East Indies Trading Company.^[4] The Pug later became the official dog of the House of Orange.^[4] In 1572, a Pug saved the Prince of Orange's life by barking at an assassin.^[1] A Pug also traveled with William III and Mary II when they left the Netherlands to ascend to the throne of England in 1688.^[4] This century also saw Pugs' popularity on the rise in other European countries. In Spain, they were painted by Goya,^[4] in Italy Pugs dressed in matching jackets and pantaloons sat by the coachmen of the rich,^[4] and in Germany and France. Pugs appear several times as footnotes to history.^[4] Sometimes, they were used for Scent hounds. They were used by the military to track animals or people, and were also employed as the guard's dogs.

Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

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 (the German, Dutch, Russian, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish name for the dog's breed). Before her marriage to Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine had her Pug, Fortune, carry concealed messages to her family while she was confined at Les Carmes prison. The pet was the only recipient of visiting rights.^[8]

The English painter William Hogarth owned a series of Pugs, to which he was devoted. In 1745 he painted his self-portrait together with that of his Pug, Trump, now in the Tate Gallery, London.^[9]

In nineteenth century England, Pugs flourished under the patronage of the monarch Queen Victoria. Her many Pugs, which she bred herself, included Olga, Pedro, Minka, Fatima and Venus.^[4] Her involvement with the dogs in general helped to establish the Kennel Club, which was formed in 1873.^[4] Victoria favoured apricot and fawn Pugs, whereas the aristocrat Lady Brassey is credited with making black Pugs fashionable after she brought some back from China in 1886.^[4][1]

The Pug arrived in the United States during the nineteenth century^[4] (the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1885)^[4] and was soon making its way into the family home and show ring. In 1981 the Pug Dhandys Favorite Woodchuck won the Westminster Kennel Club show in the United States, the only Pug to have won since the show began in 1877. The World Champion (Best in Show or BIS) at the 2004 World Dog Show held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was a Pug, Double D Cinoblu's Masterpiece. The Crufts show in England has not had a Pug win BIS since it began in 1891.

Health problems

Pugs have large, expressive eyes and a wrinkled face with a long tongue. Improper care of the wrinkles may sometimes cause adverse health effects.

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.^[4] 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.^[10] 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.^[11]

Pugs, along with other brachycephalic dogs (e.g. boxers, bulldogs), are also prone to hemivertebrae.^[12] 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.

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 but are usually resolved by the owner calming the dog and gently rubbing the throat to induce a swallowing action; the symptom may also resolve itself without intervention. Owners typically recognise this phenomenon as a pathological symptom rather than as an endearing behavioral pattern.

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 disinterested 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.^[13] It is very important that the drainage from their eyes is cleaned from their wrinkles.

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 then 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.

Pugs in media and culture

In a May 23, 2007, web issue of The Onion, Pugs were lampooned in a fake news article titled Dog Breeders Issue Massive Recall Of '07 Pugs.^[14] The piece satirized Pugs and Pug breeders by speaking of the dog and its characteristics as a faulty product, "evidenced" by a fictional quote from the American Pug Breeders Association director, "While pug owners are accustomed to dog malfunction, the latest animals are prone to more problems than just the usual joint failures, overheating, seizures, chronic respiratory defects, and inability to breed without assistance. The latest model Pug is simply not in any way a viable dog."^[14]

• A pug appears in the movie "Beverly Hills Chihuahua".
• Otis from The Adventures of Milo and Otis.
• Odie the Talking Pug - First appearing on David Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks" Odie went on to win America Online's Top T.V. Moment of the Year in 2004.
• Frank from Men in Black and Men in Black II.
• Weenie, from Kay Thompson's Eloise book series.
• Shakespug is a friend of Satchel Pooch, a main character in the comic strip Get Fuzzy.
• Mr. Pickle, BBC-presenter Jonathan Ross's Pug, seen in his talk show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
• Ethel Skinner, a now deceased character in the British soap opera EastEnders, had a pug called Willy.
• Ralph, Don Burke's dog In the long running channel 9 show, was a Pug and a frequent guest of the show.
• Percy Pug from Pocahontas and Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World.
• Bean from The Clique (novel) series.
• Lloyd from Norbit.
• Lady Bertram, a character in Jane Austen's novel Mansfield Park, had a female pug called Pug.
• Pakkun (パックン) from Naruto.
• The Bedford CA van of the 1950s and 60's is commonly referred to as pug-nosed, because its frontal appearance is reminiscent of a pug's face.
• Pug dogs appeared as royalty pets in the movie Dune and the Dune 2000 miniseries.
• A pug appears in U.S. commercials for the allergy/asthma medication Advair.
• Monroe, in The Life and Times of Juniper Lee.
• Rock band Menomena claims to be managed by a black female pug named Getty Lee.
• Vodafone India (previously Hutch) have a line of commercials with a pug.
• A pug is the main character of Dan Yaccarino's illustrated children's book Unlovable.
• Kopo the kick one pick one action dog on Nickelodeon's night time block Nick at Nite is a pug.

See also

• King Charles Spaniel
• Companion dog
• Companion Dog Group
• Toy Group
• Lap dog
• Foo Dog, dog breeds originating in China that resemble Chinese guardian lions and hence are also called Foo or Fu Dogs or Lion Dogs.

References

External links

• Pugs at the Open Directory Project
• Pug breed standard at the official American Kennel Club website