At-A-Glance:  The Pug Dog Breed

The Pug dog breed is intelligent, abundantly playful, able to warm up quickly with strangers, good with children (but does not tolerate roughhousing), and usually gets along with other dogs.  This breed rarely shows aggression, which makes him a great family pet.

The Pug dog breed is a member of the toy dog group whose name is believed to have derived from the Latin word Pugness, which means “fist”. This perfectly describes their facial features as it can be said to look like a clenched up fist. The Pug has a solid, squarish body, a pushed-in muzzle, and protruding eyes. The Pug stands 9-11 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 14-18 pounds.

Training this dog breed can be a bit challenging because of his slightly stubborn nature, although he usually comes around well if a patient and consistent training method is applied.  Socialization that begins from puppy hood is necessary to increase this breed’s confidence level.

History/Origin:  The Pug originated in Tibet but in the 16th century, the breed found his way to France with the Turkish Fleet.  These little dogs were brought by the sailors as presents for their ladies and were subsequently known as “Little Turks.”

Pugs also became a favorite in Holland as well as Britain and for about 300 years, the breed enjoyed popularity similar to that of the poodle today. This dog breed has been recognized by the AKC since 1885 and has become an extremely popular house pet and show dog ever since.

Proper Care & Maintenance:   As with all toy dog breeds, the Pug needs to have plenty of exercise on a daily basis.  A brisk walk for 20 to 30 minutes would be ideal, or a fun physical activity which centers around a dog game would be great.

You can look forward to your Pug living a long and healthy life of up to 15 years, and sometimes longer.  The only two major health concerns that all Pug owners should be worried about is CHD and Pug dog encephalitis. Minor health concerns, which rarely pop up with this breed include patellar luxation, KCS, hemivertebra, elongated palate, Legg-Perthes, stenotic nares, and skin infections.

When it comes to grooming, this dog needs regular cleaning due to its heavy wrinkles, especially around the face and neck areas.  Should the Pug get wet he will need to be dried off immediately as to prevent infection of the skin, which is sometimes typical of this breed. 

The Pug is not the type of dog that should be kept outdoors for an ongoing period of time.  This animal is meant to be indoors and cannot stand hot temperatures and humid weather. Of course there is nothing wrong with keeping your Pug in the yard for a few hours each day, but always ensure that he has plenty of shaded areas to retreat to when the weather is hot.