Style File: Pug 
With a wrinkly, short face, big eyes and a little curled tail the Pug is well known for being a very cute — if not slightly weird looking — little dog. Their enormous personalities endear them to their owners, and they are seemingly able to get along with anybody who gives them attention. They are exuberant, alert, have wonderful characters and are very affectionate. Hence they are great with children and make fantastic family pets because they are patient dogs that are always up for a game and a quiet cuddle.
Pugs — named after the old word for goblin — have been described as “a lot of dog in a small space” or “much in little”. They look like a tiny mastiff with their square compact bodies, large bone structure, dense coat and thick wrinkly skin. Pugs come in silver, black and fawn with black markings. Given their flat faces Pugs can suffer from a variety of health issues that include breathing problems and overheating. Their protruding eyes are prone to problems and should be kept clean, moist and away from sharp vegetation like thorns and spikes. Overeating is also common in Pugs so owners need to make sure they keep their dog active and don’t feed them too many snacks.
History
As with many breeds the exact origins of the Pug are unknown, but we do know these little dogs were bred to sit in the laps of Chinese sovereigns during the Shang Dynasty, thousands of years ago. This makes them one of the world’s oldest breeds! Jump forward several millennia to the 16th century and the Dutch East India Company brought the Pug to Europe where they became a popular breed with aristocrats and royalty. The House of Orange in Holland even made them their official dog after a Pug called ‘Pompey’ saved the life of Prince William by alerting him to approaching assassins. Their popularity continued to spread through time and across continents, allowing them to become favourites in Napoleonic France and Victorian England. They eventually arrived in the United States and Australia in the 19th century.
Celebrities with Pugs
Pugmania has been around for centuries but really hit its heights in the 50s and 60s when the Duke and Duchess of Windsor owned dozens of pugs that they showered with gifts including silver bowls, monogramed bed linen and special pug cushions. Today’s pub-loving celebrities include Tori Spelling, Paula Abdul, Billy Joel, Dennis Quaid, Jessica Alba, Kelly Brook, Jenna Elfman, Jonathan Ross, Kelly Osbourne and Valentino.
- 1. Kelly Brook & Rocky
- 2. Pugs not Drugs Card
- 3. Mama Biscuit: Blog Star and Pug Style Icon
- 4. Port-a-Pug
- 5. Seven Pugs from Vic Judges
- 6. Amigurumi Pugs
- 7. Pug temporary tattoo
Popular Pug Names
Your Pug
We would love to finish off our style file with a gallery of your Pugs! So whether you have a pure-bred Pug or a Pug-cross of any kind we would love to see your photos. Just email us at style@puppytales.com.au, attach your pics and let us know your dog’s name, and we will put them up! Looking forward to choosing a new breed for our next Style File.
Published on June 17, 2012
4 comments from other dog lovers
Ah LOVE Mamma!! Love a bit of pug love
Thanks Serena, Mama is pretty stylish we couldn’t leave her out
Love this!!
Thanks Naomi, we would love to include a pic of Rufio in the Pug gallery if you have one you want to send us