Pug 101: Breed History

For such a small dog, the Pug has a very large history. They have gone through many changes over the centuries, but one fact has always been the same - they love being with people. Many famous people owned Pugs throughout history, which helped to spread their popularity among the fashionable of the world. Looking at their history shows us a glimpse of what living with a Pug is like.

Pugs were bred to be the companions and protectors of royalty. Although the Pug was to go through many changes physically, the basic temperament seems to have been the same. Pugs have always been noted for their abilities as a watchdog, for their even temperament, and their devotion to their people. Fortunately, these qualities have not been bred out, although some physical features, like a longhaired coat, have.

Small snub-nosed dogs in China were considered Imperial property. Chinese Emperor Ling To (168 - 190 CE) is reported to have any Pug-nappers be put to death. However, his Pugs had Imperial guards around them, so they were most likely safe. Back then it is thought Pugs came in both long and short coats, again suggesting a Pekingese influence. Pugs were also seen in many colors, not just the three colors recognized today (fawn, black and silver).

This is because a Pug's timely warning saved his master, William, Prince of Oranges, from an assassin's strike. By the sixteen hundreds, Pugs were popular in most European courts. Other famous owners of Pugs were Josephine (Napoleon's wife, who proves she always liked them small) and the popular English painter William Hogarth.

Over the centuries, the Pug came in many different colors. They came in all golden-tan, brindle and bicolor (splotches or brown or black on a white coat). For some reason, the shorthaired Pug was much preferred to the longhair variety, which has been bred out.

The Pug as we know it didn't come into being until the formation of a breed standard in the 1800's. Although Pugs had been longhaired, they now had to come in short haired coats in order to be shown. Pugs used to come in many different colors, but for some reason only three official colors are allowed in both the show rings of Europe and America.

Pugs quickly conquered the hearts and homes of the New World, where they were one of the first breeds to be approved by the American Kennel Club in 1885. A renewed interest in Pugs occurred after the release of the hit movie "Men In Black", featuring Frank the Pug, who played an alien on Earth.

Pugs have always loved people and always will, as long as the breed survives. Hopefully, there will be an emphasis on breeding healthy dogs rather than show-winning dogs in the future. It's the least we owe the Pug.