Flat-faced dogs originated in China. This breed was specially bred for local rulers and nobility. Later in France the list of pets was added. A few years later they settled in the Netherlands and gained universal popularity.
The interesting color of pugs was similar to the colors of the ruling Frankish dynasty, and from there the animals were brought to England. They became popular in Russia, but much later. So, let's move on to their description and look at the main features of this type of dog.
Characteristics and description of the breed
Pugs originate from China. Over many centuries, they have undergone changes in appearance as a result of human selection work. In 1987, a standard was approved according to which one can get an idea of what a dog looks like and what its character traits are. Breeders should know everything about a pug - its character, habits, food preferences, diseases, methods of treating them.
Breed standards
According to the official standard, pugs have a large round head with a protruding forehead, flat between the ears. The muzzle is flattened and short. The eyes are large, dark, set wide, slightly slanted. The ears are high and close to the head. The lower jaw protrudes forward by 3 mm. The teeth are strong and white. The neck is of medium length, powerful, strong. The body is muscular, almost square. Limbs straight, widely spaced. The tail is thick, in the form of a tight ring, pressed to the back. The coat is short, shiny, with a thick undercoat. Height at the withers is up to 36 cm, weight is 6-10 kg.
Pugs character
The breed is distinguished by its balanced character, friendliness towards others, boundless devotion and affectionate disposition. The dog loves to be close to his owner, gets bored and suffers in his absence, and is very happy to meet him.
They are persistent, sometimes stubborn, and are not enthusiastic about training and training. Children are treated with love and play with them with pleasure. They are careful and sensitive towards strangers, they will definitely notify you of their approach and can rush to defense, despite their small stature.
Pug boys
Regardless of gender, pugs are sociable, not very active, but behave differently. Males are stubborn, not demanding. All they need is delicious food and a minimum of attention. If the owner does not have enough time to spend time with the dog, it is better to get a boy. Males are self-sufficient, can lie in their place and not ask the owner to sit on the sofa. While walking, they behave proudly, do not fuss, and often get into fights even with large dogs.
Pug girls
Bitches are more obedient, gentle and loving. They expect a similar reaction from their owner - they love to be petted and hugged. They are very jealous if attention is directed to someone else, they may begin to feel sad or even get sick. The girl is easy to train, smart, and amenable to training if you find an approach to her. Very attentive, understands mood at the level of intuition, worries if a loved one is sick. He can lie next to him and sigh heavily.
Pug qualities and behavior
The dog can be an excellent companion for both adults and children. He is able to lie on the couch with his owner all day long or jump around and have fun with the children. Dogs know how to truly rejoice - they dance, jump, lick your face, and squeal. They love to be picked up and their bellies stroked. They can follow them all day long, watch carefully and wait for someone to play with them.
Standard
There are different opinions about the pug breed. Some talk about their passive lifestyle. They emphasize that they practically do not express their emotions. Others say that they are very active and playful. This difference of opinion is justified by the appearance of pugs. If you look at them, you might think that they are phlegmatic animals that love to lie down and eat treats. Therefore, many people think that an active pug is fantastic.
In fact, many of the breed are quite energetic and playful. Especially under the age of 4 years. As a dog grows up, it becomes calmer and smarter. But you shouldn’t delude yourself and think that if you get a pug, you will avoid the frisky one that runs around and destroys everything that comes along the way.
Among dogs there are also members of the intelligentsia who will not disturb the peace of your home. They will lie quietly almost all day in the place that you have prepared for them. But there are few such dogs. Most pugs are moderately active and love to play standard dog games. And most importantly, they take an active part in all the affairs of their owner.
Pugs cannot be shy or aggressive. It is these shortcomings that are a serious obstacle to participating in an exhibition career. They are very friendly. And they even become friends with cats. They often don’t understand why cats don’t want to be friends with them.
It is worth noting that pugs are not only decorative dogs. They consider it necessary to warn the owner of any danger. Pugs react to any noise outside the door and act as a bell. If the pug was sleeping calmly in its place, after a second it can already jump and bark at the door, thus warning its owners about an unexpected visit.
Many people think that pugs are not emotional. It's not like that at all. They can express such intense joy that everyone involuntarily smiles.
The dog sits quietly if you brush it, because it thinks that this is a certain sign of attention and is happy about it.
Pugs are very smart animals. But there is such a feature as excessive stubbornness. Pugs have a high level of self-esteem. When a dog is already an adult, it can hardly be forced to learn something new, and it will be reluctant to carry out old commands.
This breed is very loyal. They are very worried in those moments when they have to be alone and they get a feeling of abandonment and resentment. But the mood immediately changes the moment the owner appears on the doorstep.
Care and maintenance of pugs
Maintenance does not require large investments. The pug needs to be given a cozy place with a mattress to rest, but keep in mind that the dog snores quite loudly in its sleep. You will need bowls for food and water, toys that can be chewed, tools for caring for fur and claws, a leash and collar for walking, and warm, waterproof overalls.
It is very useful to meet and communicate with the owners of this breed, who will tell the whole truth about pugs, the intricacies of keeping and care.
Teeth and coat care
The specific structure of the jaws of pugs leads to the fact that pieces of food get stuck between them. An unpleasant odor appears and the gums may become inflamed. Brush your teeth two to three times a week with a brush and chicken-flavored toothpaste.
Pugs have short fur, so they don't need to be brushed or cut often. For care, use a brush, cloth and a special glove to collect hairs. They are rarely bathed, otherwise the protective film on the skin will be damaged. You can clean the coat with dry shampoo. It is rubbed in and then combed out.
Feeding
The diet of pugs should be balanced and moderate, as they are prone to gaining excess weight. Puppies are fed 4-5 times, and by eight months their food intake is reduced to twice a day.
The diet should contain:
- lean meat (rabbit, chicken, beef);
- boiled fish;
- vegetables (except potatoes);
- kefir, cottage cheese;
- porridge;
- greenery.
Flour and sausage products, milk, sweets, salt and pasta are contraindicated for pugs.
When choosing ready-made pet food, we focus on premium and super-premium quality. The serving size should correspond to the dog’s weight and the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Walking outside
Despite the fact that the pug is called a “couch” dog, it needs walks. At 3-4 months, they walk five times for 15-20 minutes. By the age of one year, the time spent in air is increased to 30-40 minutes twice a day. A leisurely walk near the house and a short jog is enough. In winter, at temperatures below -20 ⁰C, dress the dog and walk it for no more than 15 minutes. The same duration in the heat, at +25 ⁰С and above.
Care for folds
Numerous folds on your pet's face require daily care. They are wiped with damp wipes to remove food debris, dust, and fallen hairs. Lack of hygienic care for folds leads to the development of dermatitis, skin inflammation, and in severe cases, blood poisoning.
Training and education
You need to start training from a young age, when pugs are not so stubborn. You need to let the dog know that you are not playing with it, but training it. For a positive result, you will need patience and constant practice. You can't yell at the puppy. You can achieve results only with persistence, affection and encouragement with treats.
Predisposition to disease
Those who decide to get a pug need to know about the existence of diseases characteristic of this breed:
- Aseptic necrosis of the hip - the joint ceases to function due to impaired blood flow.
- Juvenile demodicosis is a parasitic skin disease caused by mites.
- Obesity is excess weight gain due to overfeeding or disorders in the endocrine system.
- Respiratory syndrome - frequent colds that are a consequence of the structure of the muzzle.
The cardiovascular system
A pet has heart problems if it does not tolerate even minor physical exertion - it gets tired quickly and breathes frequently. Other symptoms are possible:
- Change in the shade of the mucous membranes to bluish.
- Pulse 120-140 beats per minute.
- Spontaneous cough.
- Intense thirst.
If these symptoms are detected, you need to reduce the dog’s physical activity to a minimum and contact a veterinary clinic.
Respiratory system
Snoring and breathing problems are common among all pugs. This is explained by the brachycephalic shape of the skull. Don’t be alarmed if your dog often inhales air and makes strange noises. “Reverse sneezing” occurs due to dust and pollen entering the back wall of the nasopharynx. To stop the attack, you need to pinch your nostrils or tickle your neck.
If your dog is coughing or has nasal discharge, it means he has a cold. The breed is very sensitive to cold and is prone to bronchitis.
Eyes
Due to insufficient tear production, keratoconjunctivitis may develop. The eyes turn red, the eyelids become inflamed. If left untreated, the infection spreads and affects the entire eye.
Another eye disease, entropion, develops as a result of the bending of the edge of the eyelid. Eyelashes irritate the cornea and cause inflammation. At an early stage, the pathology is eliminated surgically.
Characteristic diseases
Heart
- Myocarditis.
- Myocardial infarction.
- Myocardosis.
- Endocarditis.
Breath
- Laryngitis, acute swelling of the larynx.
- Acute bronchitis.
- Allergic bronchitis.
- Emphysema.
- Bronchiectasis.
Eyes
- Cataract.
- Entropy.
- Red eye.
- Dry eye syndrome.
- Progressive retinal atrophy.
- Eye loss.
Peculiarities
In boys
When choosing a pug puppy, you need to be clearly aware of the purpose for which you are purchasing it. Then the choice in favor of a girl or a boy will be easier.
Pros of purchasing a pug boy:
- Participation in the exhibition. The pug boy will not lose his shape. He is stronger and healthier, especially if he was the first in the litter.
Minuses:
- Stubbornness. As he gets older, it becomes more difficult to teach a boy pug to follow commands.
- The boys greet their hosts very enthusiastically after a long wait. Until they get their share of attention, they will not calm down.
- A male dog, if he sees a pretty representative of any breed on the street, can run away from his owner . When walking, you need to be careful and keep your eyes on the dog.
When purchasing a dog, remember that each of them has its own character, the main thing is that you find a common language with your pet.
For girls
Pros of buying a girl:
- Females are more obedient and controllable . They are easy to train, less willful and stubborn than boys.
- They greet the owner more reservedly. If the boy barks violently and demands attention, the girl will pet him a little, make various sounds and give the owner a rest.
- Breeding puppies.
Disadvantages of purchasing girls:
- Female dogs are less suitable for showing . They can be trained well, but often become out of shape due to pregnancy. It may be necessary to miss a few exhibitions until it takes shape again.
- Estrus. At this time the girl becomes uncontrollable. She may not obey her owner, she may run away from home if she loses control over her. The dog will dirty the furniture, since it was not previously limited in anything.
It doesn’t matter what gender of puppy you decide to buy, the main thing is to give them love and affection. Choose the one you like best. Personal sympathies are important.
Summer
Pugs love summer. We walk in the summer for 1-2 hours in the morning and evening. In the park where we take our walks, we meet other pugs. They run around with each other and have fun. The owners are always positive people.
If the temperature is above +20, it is better to walk early in the morning and in the evening after sunset. When the pug is hot, he lies down in the shade and lies down after a 10-minute walk. Take a bottle of water with you. The dog is very thirsty when it’s hot outside.
During the summer, treat your dog with tick repellent.
Interesting Facts
Having finally made a decision on whether to get a pug, let's study interesting facts about them.
- The ancient Chinese saw the image of a hieroglyph in the folds on the forehead of a small dog and therefore treated it as a higher being with a divine mark.
- A cute dog named Fortuna belonged to Josephine Bonaparte. The French Empress loved her funny pug and did a lot to breed the breed.
- It is worth remembering an interesting fact that funny snub-nosed dogs became the heroes of popular blockbusters - “Men in Black -1” and “Kingsman: The Secret Service”.
- Daria Dontsova often mentions friendly, funny kids in her detective stories. She is the happy owner of super pugs - Feni, Kapa, Musi and Fira.
Would you like to get yourself a pug?
How to choose a puppy
Buying a pug puppy is not difficult - this breed is very popular and does not belong to the rare category. You should not buy a baby on the market or on the Internet, because in this case no one will give you a guarantee about the purebred and health of the puppy. There are many kennels that breed pugs. The breeder will show the puppy's parents, share contacts of buyers who purchased babies from this or previous litters, issue the necessary documents confirming purebredness, and a purchase and sale agreement.
Puppies should be observed for some time. Experts advise choosing the most active and good-natured baby. He should be cheerful, clean and well-groomed. Festering or watery eyes, nose, ears, matted, dull fur are symptoms of a disease.
As for the cost of pugs, purchasing in large cities will cost $250-750 (depending on the exterior class). In small cities, the cost of puppies is lower - $160-450.
Animal health
If we talk about the most common health problems in pugs, we should highlight :
- Eyes. Pugs' eyelids can roll inward, requiring surgery to correct the problem. In addition, there is an impressive list of eye pathologies that are most often diagnosed in these animals. In addition to diseases, eye injury may occur, or the eyeballs may come out of their sockets.
- Due to the anatomical features of the structure of the muzzle, pugs may experience various problems with difficulty breathing or overheating in hot weather.
- The folds on the animal's face require daily cleaning. Otherwise, bacteria may arise and multiply and the dog may become infected.
- Invagination can occur in male pugs, which can be fatal. In this case, the animal may experience vomiting and diarrhea, and in some cases, constipation. The most pronounced symptom of this condition is the appearance of blood in the stool.
- Pugs may develop neurological problems, such as the development of cerebral encephalitis, which leads to seizures.
In addition to those listed above, there are a number of other health problems in dogs of this breed.
Winter
In winter, a pug can walk without clothes. We wore a jacket when it was colder than -15. I've never caught a cold. We almost always wore boots, since in Moscow there are a lot of reagents and the dog’s paws sting. He begins to bend them after a couple of steps. You have to pick him up, shake off his paws and carry him until the snow is pure in his arms.
When it gets colder than -25, it is better to take the dog outside in your arms and carry it to the place where it is used to going to the toilet. In such cold weather, she categorically refuses to move on her own, even in boots. It is important that she goes to the toilet and can be immediately carried back home. A couple of times during the worst cold weather, our pug refused to pee outside. He just got up, made a sad face and stood rooted to the spot. At home I didn’t want to go to the toilet either. I endured it all day. At this time, it is better to feed him less to make it easier for him to endure.
Origin story
There is no single version regarding the origin of pugs, but most scientists believe that they descended from the “Lo Jie” dogs, which resemble Pekingese in appearance, and their homeland is the People’s Republic of China.
The first mentions of this breed were found in Chinese manuscripts dating back to 600 BC.
In Europe, the first representatives of the breed were registered at the end of the 16th century. Pugs were popular among representatives of high society, and the presence of such a pet spoke of the good tone and taste of the owner.
The first club for pug lovers was opened in 1883 in England, the first official standard was adopted in 1888.
In Russia, they learned about this breed only at the end of the 19th century, but due to wars and revolutions it was on the verge of extinction, appearing again only in the 80s of the 20th century.
Owner reviews
“We are crazy about these cute dogs that have settled in our house. They don't even need to be trained. They adapt perfectly to their owner. They live completely in the rhythm and tempo that is inherent to a person. Our pugs constantly follow us around the house. They will never be left alone in the room.
A pug will never fight with a dog on the street; it will not cause fear in people passing by. But, unfortunately, they suffer from hereditary and genetic diseases. But this can be fixed. We go to a specialist several times a year to examine the dog.”
“These dogs are very clumsy, short legs, flattened muzzle. They constantly grunt and make unpleasant sounds. They suffer from increased gas formation. Many people don't share my love for them. But I just love them."
“Our pug is very spoiled. He behaves like an aristocrat. He practically does not pay attention to our commands and requests. The main thing is that he is fed on time and not distracted from rest.
He sleeps in the same bed with us. They tried to give him a separate place, but he was so stubborn that this turned out to be impossible. This problem could have been avoided if we had started parenting earlier. It’s very difficult to correct an adult dog.”
Dog food
So, in the nutrition of these dogs it is important to adhere to the following principles:
- To begin with, the food your dog consumes should be at room temperature. Consumption of cold or hot food is not allowed, as this can cause problems with the digestive system.
- Liquid food is not an acceptable nutritional option.
- Pugs should always have clean water in their bowl. In this case, it is recommended to feed the animal with filtered water.
- You shouldn’t salt your pug’s food the same way as people do. In this case, it is better not to salt the meat at all.
As for the list of prohibited products, this should include:
- pasta and vermicelli;
- semolina porridge is also unacceptable in a dog’s diet;
- to exclude the possibility of developing diabetes in a pug, it is better to give up potatoes;
- sweets and confectionery products are strictly prohibited for these four-legged friends;
- smoked meats, salted foods and semi-finished products are also excluded from the diet of these animals.
