Here at It’s A Doggie Thing, we have a special love and passion for pugs.
Pugs have personality characteristics that are unique, setting the breed apart from other dogs.
Pug faces are capable of many different expressions ranging from comical to worry because of their exaggerated facial features.
Big beady black eyes and their squashed flat face resemble a cartoon character. One can’t resist picking up one of the sweet dogs and giving them a cuddle.
Where did the pug come from?
The pug breed goes as far back as 206 B.C. in China.
During the Han Dynasty, the pug breed was produced through selective breeding of the Tibetan Mastiff, Pekingese, and Lo-sze (a relic pug dog.)
Chinese emperors had a great love for pugs and indulged them in a luxurious lifestyle.
If you look at a pug’s face, you probably see those big deep eyes and soft rolls of wrinkling.
Did you know that ‘pug’ in Latin means ‘fist?’ There is a strong resemblance of a fist in the face of pugs. Who would’ve thought?
What are pugs like?
Docile and sweet in nature, the pug is the ideal companion dog. These little stocky guys roll around and love to play no matter what age they are.
It is quite entertaining to watch them interact with other pugs, canine siblings, and humans.
Pugs rarely ‘wake up on the wrong side of the bed’ with their sunny and happy disposition.
Can you imagine having one of these precious pups there every morning to tell you it’s time to get up and ‘play with me?’
Although they pack a lot of spunk and sweetness, they tend to be ‘velcro’ dogs.
Pugs need to be with their humans and don’t do so well with separation from their owners for prolonged periods. These babies are truly laptop dogs!
Pug Characteristics, Traits, and Problems
- Lifespan: 12-15 years
- Size: pugs will grow up to 1’ tall
- Weight: 14-18 lbs.
- Build: stocky and boxed (similar to a bulldog)
- Colors: fawn and black
- Temperament: loving, gentle, playful, funny
- Training: very intelligent and can be a challenge to train
Potential Medical Issues
Breathing
Pugs are known for making snorting noises like a pig. This is because their airway is built differently than those of other dog breeds.
The nasal passageway in a pug is shorter, which causes snoring and breathing difficulty.
Dog breeds that have the characteristic flat face have a high tendency to develop Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome.
Pugs have soft tissue in their airway that can obstruct breathing, cause snoring, and gasping for breath.
When they have this condition, they have an intolerance to heat and exercise.
It’s important to maintain a healthy weight in your pug to help alleviate these problems.
Skin
The wrinkling on pugs may be adorable, but they also cause itchy skin allergies.
The skin folds can easily become home to bacteria, dirt, grass, yeast, moisture, etc.
Joint
Those little pug legs have to support a stocky body, and because of this, the hip and leg joints are predisposed to problems like luxating patellas.
To prevent joint issues in small dogs, it’s essential to keep them from jumping off or on things.
Pet stairs are highly recommended for pugs to reduce and prevent joint damage.
We recommend the PetSafe Solvit PupSTEP Plus Pet Stairs for your pug!
Pugs Are Pawsitively Precious!
Pugs are like little clowns with a comical personality.
Pet-parents of these little dogs never have a dull moment in their homes with a pug around.
Although we don’t offer pugs the regal luxury that the Chinese emperors did back in the day, we do have a whole lot of love to give them.
A pug is a complete package of sweetness, perkiness, love, and devotion all packed into one!