The Pug's appearance is characterized by a flat, wrinkled face, compact body, and curled tail. Pugs have four color variations: fawn with a black mask and ears, entirely black, silver, or apricot. The silver or apricot-fawn colors should be decided so as to make the contrast complete between the color and the trace and the mask. The breed generally stands between 10 and 11 inches (25–28 cm) tall at the withers with an ideal weight range of 14 to 18 lb (6.3 to 8.1 kg). However, current AKC judges indicate slightly larger Pugs as higher quality. "Fawn" is the most common Pug color, black is rare, and silver is very rare. Most fawn Pugs have black facial features. While Pugs do not bark much, they are still quite noisy. Pugs make a grunting nasal noise. This noise increases when they get excited. They also snore.
The Pug is a very sociable dog, if often quite stubborn. The breed even has its own motto associated with it: "multum in parvo" (a lot of dog in a little space). The Pug is a popular breed for a housepet, as it is easy to groom (though it sheds substantially more than other dogs of similar size). Pugs are true "lap dogs", in that they most often want nothing more than to curl up in their owner's lap (and perhaps a snack). They require regular exercise, and some Pugs will walk for an hour or more. When exercising a Pug, however, it is important to make sure they do not overheat, as their short noses do not cool them off as easily as those of longer-nosed breeds. Pugs are generally compatible with most children and other animals. Small children may pose a problem, however, as they may poke the Pug's eyes. Ill natured people may also be inclined to pull a Pug's tail to watch it uncurl and recurl, which most Pugs do not enjoy. Pugs are not noted for high achievement in obedience competitions, although, like all dog breeds, they are intelligent and learn quickly in the right environment. According to the book The Intelligence of Dogs, they have only fair ability to learn new commands and to obey commands the first time. On the other hand, it is worth noting that there is much debate about how to accurately measure dog intelligence. Unlike many other breeds, Pugs have not been bred for physical attributes, but rather have been bred for human companionship. In other words, Pugs have been bred to have amiable dispositions, and to enjoy being with humans.
The demeanor of a Pug ranges from expressive and playful to calm and warm.
Most agree that the Pug originated in China, dating back to around 700 BC, though there is some debate as to the breed it was derived from, perhaps from Korea. It was bred to be a companion dog, rather than a guardian. Pugs were kept by the royalty and were pampered and spoiled, and the expectation of such treatment is a characteristic that seems to remain with them to this day. Sometimes, as a mark of great esteem, Pugs were given to members of the court. Some interesting anecdotal history (not officially verified but worth mentioning) includes an ancient Chinese law whereby only the Emperor was allowed to own a Pug. According to these anecdotes, a person could be put to death for owning a Pug, unless it was given to him by the Emperor himself. When the Dutch started trading with China, the sailors smuggled some Pugs home to Europe where, being small dogs and natural companions, they quickly became popular. Again, they became associated with nobility. A legend has it that during one conflict the Prince of Orange, William The Silent, was accompanied by his Pug. One night, as the prince lay sleeping, assassins crept toward his tent. The Pug heard them and jumped up, barking, thereby alerting his master to the impending danger.
Breeders Domain offers a direct connection to quality, responsible Pug Breeders in the United States and Canada. We have an extensive directory of Pug Puppies for Sale and Pug Breeders. The majority of our Pug Breeders offer health guarantees and nationwide shipping of their puppies to approved homes. Breeders Domain is also an excellent source of information about the Pug breed, general health concerns and photos of Pug puppies and adults.
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