Pug

The Pug is a small, sturdy companion dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face and a tail that curls tightly over the hip. The body is compact and square, with a deep chest and thick muscles all over.

The coat is fine, smooth, soft, short and glossy. It most often comes in fawn (light brown) or black, and fawn shades include apricot fawn and silver fawn. Markings are clearly defined, with a faint black line running from the back of the skull to the tail.

The muzzle is blunt and very short, giving the head a square look. Ears come in two shapes, small folded "rose" ears and the more usual "button" ears. The lower teeth normally stick out past the upper ones, giving an under-bite. The legs are strong, straight and of moderate length, with small feet and black claws. Pugs are kept as companions.

Pugs come from China, where their ancestor was a short-coated dog called the Lo-Chiang-Sze, or Lo-Sze. It was popular in the imperial court during the Song dynasty. Pugs were bred as companions for ruling families, were highly valued by emperors, and later spread to other parts of Asia, including Tibet, where Buddhist monks kept them in monasteries.

The Dutch East India Company brought the dogs to Europe in the sixteenth century. They became popular at European courts and reportedly became the official dog of the House of Orange in 1572, after a Pug named Pompey alerted the Prince of Orange to assassins. A Pug travelled with William III and Mary II to England in 1688.

In nineteenth-century Britain, Queen Victoria bred many Pugs herself and passed her passion on to other royals. Her interest in dogs helped to establish the Kennel Club, formed in 1873. In 1860, short-legged "Happa dogs" taken from the Old Summer Palace in Beijing probably changed the look of the modern Pug. Lady Brassey made black Pugs fashionable after bringing some from China in 1886. Pugs reached the United States in the nineteenth century.

Since around 2006, some breeders in some countries have produced "retro pugs" with longer snouts, less protruding eyes, straighter legs and fewer wrinkles.

Pugs are known as sociable, gentle companions. The American Kennel Club describes their personality as "even-tempered and charming". The breed's motto, multum in parvo, means "much in little" or "a lot of dog in a small space".

Pugs tend to be intuitive and sensitive to their owners' moods, and are usually eager to please. They are playful and thrive on human company. They are often called "shadows" because they follow their owners around, stay close to the action and crave attention and affection.

Unlike many breeds developed for hunting, herding or guarding, Pugs were bred mainly as companions, a role they have kept for centuries.

The short snout and flat face is known as brachycephaly. It deforms the upper airway and can obstruct breathing. Pugs are also prone to eye problems such as scratched corneas, dry eyes and entropion, skin fold dermatitis, and overheating, because panting does not cool them well. Several airlines have banned or restricted their carriage in cargo.

UK research found Pugs are three times more likely to become obese than other breeds. Other conditions linked to the breed include hip dysplasia, hemivertebrae (which can cause pain and loss of function in the hind legs), demodicosis, and necrotizing meningoencephalitis, which affects roughly 1-2% of Pugs. Pugs are also highly likely to need caesarean births because of the size of puppies' skulls.

Lifespan figures vary by study. One UK study of veterinary records found 7.65 years, another UK study found 11.6 years, and a Japanese study found 12.8 years. A 2008 study found the UK's Pugs to be so inbred that their gene pool was equal to only about 50 individuals.

This is general awareness only, not veterinary advice. Always consult a vet about your pet's health.

What is a Pug?

The Pug is a breed of small companion dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face and a curled tail. It has a short, glossy coat, usually fawn or black.

How long do Pugs live?

Studies give different answers. UK studies found 7.65 and 11.6 years, while a Japanese study found 12.8 years. The 7.65-year figure was well below the 11.23-year average for dogs in the same study.

Are Pugs good family pets?

Pugs are known as sociable, gentle, even-tempered companions that thrive on human company. They were bred primarily as companion animals and are playful and eager to please.

Why are Pugs called Pugs?

The origin is uncertain. One theory links it to the marmoset, once called the "Pug-monkey", and another to the Latin "pugnus", meaning fist. The Oxford English Dictionary links it to an older word for a dwarf animal or imp, and the first written use of "Pug-dog" was in 1749.

Do Pugs have breathing problems?

Yes, their short snouts can obstruct the airway and make panting less effective at cooling them.

Are Pugs prone to weight gain?

UK research found Pugs are three times more likely to become obese than other breeds. About one in five is diagnosed as obese in a year.

Queen Victoria's Pugs included Olga, Pedro, Minka, Fatima and Venus, and she favoured apricot and fawn colours.

The wrinkles on a Pug's forehead can resemble the Chinese character for prince, and this "prince mark" was once a prized feature.

Joséphine's Pug, Fortune, reportedly carried hidden messages to her family while she was in prison.

The painter William Hogarth included his Pug, Trump, in his 1745 self-portrait, now in the Tate Gallery in London.

In Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, Lady Bertram owns a pet Pug. A Pug named Willy also appeared in EastEnders from 1985 to 1992.

Only one Pug has won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, in 1981.