Like their cousins, the Pekingese and the Shih Tzu, the Pug originated in China around 400 BCE. In China, they served as a companion to Chinese royalty only since it was illegal for anyone other than those in the court of the Emperor to own such dogs. Several hypotheses surround the development of these jovial little dogs and their exact routes out of the East and into the West. However, the most probable scenario is that the Dutch or Portuguese merchants who traded with China brought the dogs to Holland.
In Holland, Prince William of the House of Orange is credited with helping the Pug’s popularity climb. It is said that the Prince’s life was spared because Pompey, one of his beloved Pugs, barked out at night to alert the sleeping Prince of oncoming Spanish assassins in 1572. From that point on, the Pug became the official dog of the House of Orange.
Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, Prince William III and his wife, Queen Anne, also brought Pugs along when they ascended to the throne of England. There, the plucky little Pugs accompanied their reign as the preferred breed of royalty. From there, the Pug was exported from England to America, becoming an officially recognized breed in 1885. Today, the Pug is one of the most easily recognizable breeds in the world. With their endearing nature and comical (sometimes guilt-inducing) appearance, they have won the hearts of royalty and all kinds of people worldwide.
Breed Characteristics
Head: Rather brachycephalic skull-type, moderate in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head appears rounded when viewed from the front or side. The cheeks and temporalis area are smoothly muscled and filled, never appearing protrusive or chiseled. The forehead appears rather tall than elongated and parallel to the horizon. However, the head should never appear apple-headed or domed. A perceptible muzzle is preferred over a completely flat profile. The head may exhibit some minimal wrinkling, but never in excess or with exaggeration. A clean, minimally wrinkled head is preferred.
Eyes: The eyes are medium to large in size, dark in color, and globular, round, or lemon-shaped. They are never bulging or almond in shape. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes and prevent them from appearing to protrude or bulge. Wall-eyes or exposed whites are incorrect. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Ears: Small to medium in size, set high on the edge of the skull, and may be drop or rose-shaped. There is no preference between the two ear types. The ears are never long, overly large, or erect. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Muzzle: The muzzle is short, broad, full, and rather deep. It should protrude sufficiently from the stop to a distance that is easily perceptible in profile and from the front. The upper and lower jaws are broad and have good bone substance, appearing strong and well-developed, never appearing snipey or weak. The lower jaw is somewhat longer than the upper jaw and slightly turned up, giving the pug a slight pouting appearance when viewed from the front and giving the muzzle a rounded profile; however, the lower jaw should never protrude beyond the break of the lips. The teeth and tongue must be completely concealed when the mouth is closed.
Nose: The nose sits slightly further back than the end of the muzzle but should never appear completely pushed in. The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well-opened. Pinched nostrils, narrow nostrils, and heavy nose wrinkles extending beyond the nose leather are all unacceptable and should be penalized.
Neck: Thick and a moderate length to allow for proud head carriage. Strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck is relatively clean-cut, but slightly loose skin is permissible near the throat. Excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap is incorrect for the breed.
Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed but not protrusive.
Body: The body is well put together, compact, cobby, solid, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Tail: Set high on the croup. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. It may be short to medium in length and straight, gently curved, or it may be curled over the back in a loose or tight single or double curl. Preference is given to a straight tail. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked.
Movement: The Pug’s movement should be steady, strong, and purposeful. A slight rolling action is forgivable so long as it doesn’t appear constrained, cumbersome, or inefficient. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and a good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament: The Pug is a charming and even-tempered breed. They are known for their outgoing, sociable, and playful nature. They are intelligent and capable of learning many commands and tricks. They are especially suitable lap dogs, strongly devoted to their family. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
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Breed Standard
BREED GROUP 12: Companion and Toy Breeds
Proportions: Square in proportion to the length of the body, measured from the point of the forechest to the point of the rump, being equal to the height at the withers. The ideal body height-to-length ratio is between 1:1 and 10:9. The body is well put together, with solid substance and medium bone. The Latin phrase, multum in parvo, meaning “a lot in a little,” is often used to describe the Pug, and aptly so. The weight of a male or female is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Rather brachycephalic skull-type, moderate in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head appears rounded when viewed from the front or side. The cheeks and temporalis area are smoothly muscled and filled, never appearing protrusive or chiseled. The forehead appears rather tall than elongated and parallel to the horizon. However, the head should never appear apple-headed or domed. A perceptible muzzle is preferred over a completely flat profile. The head may exhibit some minimal wrinkling, but never in excess or with exaggeration. A clean, minimally wrinkled head is preferred.
Expression: Curious, alert, lively, intelligent, and charming.
Stop: The stop is definite, preferably forming a 90-degree angle between the topskull and muzzle. A wrinkle or roll over the stop is not to be penalized.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 8:1, with the topskull being longer than the muzzle. The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis is convergent.
Muzzle: The muzzle is short, broad, full, and rather deep. It should protrude sufficiently from the stop to a distance that is easily perceptible in profile and from the front. The upper and lower jaws are broad and have good bone substance, appearing strong and well-developed, never appearing snipey or weak. The lower jaw is somewhat longer than the upper jaw and slightly turned up, giving the pug a slight pouting appearance when viewed from the front and giving the muzzle a rounded profile; however, the lower jaw should never protrude beyond the break of the lips. The teeth and tongue must be completely concealed when the mouth is closed.
Lips or Flews: The lips are somewhat clean, broad, and thick, yet fit snuggly over the teeth and jaws. The teeth, tongue, and lower jaw are completely concealed by the lips. Lips meet in an inverted “V” in the front.
Nose: The nose sits slightly further back than the end of the muzzle but should never appear completely pushed in. The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well-opened. Pinched nostrils, narrow nostrils, and heavy nose wrinkles extending beyond the nose leather are all unacceptable and should be penalized.
Cheeks: The cheeks are smoothly muscled but should not appear chiseled or coarse. Some wrinkling around the cheek, extending from the outer corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth, may be present.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level, reverse-scissor, or slightly undershot. Less than 1/8 of an inch of space between the upper and lower incisors is permissible. Contact preferred between the top and bottom incisors.
Eyes: The eyes are medium to large in size, dark in color, and globular, round, or lemon-shaped. They are never bulging or almond in shape. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes and prevent them from appearing to protrude or bulge. Wall-eyes or exposed whites are incorrect. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Ears: Small to medium in size, set high on the edge of the skull, and may be drop or rose-shaped. There is no preference between the two ear types. The ears are never long, overly large, or erect. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Body and Tail
General Description: The body is well put together, compact, cobby, solid, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Neck: Thick and a moderate length to allow for proud head carriage. Strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck is relatively clean-cut, but slightly loose skin is permissible near the throat. Excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap is incorrect for the breed.
Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed but not protrusive.
Topline: Level from withers to croup. The back is broad, powerfully muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut, flat, and level, or slightly (almost imperceptibly) arched, yet supportive. The back is never long, swayed, or roached.
Croup: Flat and level with the back or gently sloped.
Underline: A slight tuck-up is present, or the underline may parallel the topline. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set high on the croup. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. It may be short to medium in length and straight, gently curved, or it may be curled over the back in a loose or tight single or double curl. Preference is given to a straight tail. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always in balance with the hindquarters. They are well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. Shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbows is approximately half the dog’s height at the withers, or the distance from the withers to the elbows may be just greater than the distance from the elbow to the ground.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of moderate bone, and parallel to one another. Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are equal in length, strong, sturdy, of moderate bone, and well-muscled. Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another. Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: The coat is short, smooth, and close to the body throughout. The texture is soft and glossy.
Coat Color or Pattern: CKC recognizes two color varieties of the Pug breed: the standard and nonstandard.
Standard coat color variety: Fawn, apricot, seal, or shaded fawn (all with black mask) or solid black.
Nonstandard coat color variety: Cream or white (both with or without melanistic mask), brindle, silver fawn (with silver/grey mask).
Movement
The Pug’s movement should be steady, strong, and purposeful. A slight rolling action is forgivable so long as it doesn’t appear constrained, cumbersome, or inefficient. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and a good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Pug is a charming and even-tempered breed. They are known for their outgoing, sociable, and playful nature. They are intelligent and capable of learning many commands and tricks. They are especially suitable lap dogs, strongly devoted to their family. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be properly healthy and free from disease or defects. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
Proportions: Square in proportion to the length of the body, measured from the point of the forechest to the point of the rump, being equal to the height at the withers. The ideal body height-to-length ratio is between 1:1 and 10:9. The body is well put together, with solid substance and medium bone. The Latin phrase, multum in parvo, meaning “a lot in a little,” is often used to describe the Pug, and aptly so. The weight of a male or female is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Rather brachycephalic skull-type, moderate in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head appears rounded when viewed from the front or side. The cheeks and temporalis area are smoothly muscled and filled, never appearing protrusive or chiseled. The forehead appears rather tall than elongated and parallel to the horizon. However, the head should never appear apple-headed or domed. A perceptible muzzle is preferred over a completely flat profile. The head may exhibit some minimal wrinkling, but never in excess or with exaggeration. A clean, minimally wrinkled head is preferred.
Expression: Curious, alert, lively, intelligent, and charming.
Stop: The stop is definite, preferably forming a 90-degree angle between the topskull and muzzle. A wrinkle or roll over the stop is not to be penalized.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 8:1, with the topskull being longer than the muzzle. The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis is convergent.
Muzzle: The muzzle is short, broad, full, and rather deep. It should protrude sufficiently from the stop to a distance that is easily perceptible in profile and from the front. The upper and lower jaws are broad and have good bone substance, appearing strong and well-developed, never appearing snipey or weak. The lower jaw is somewhat longer than the upper jaw and slightly turned up, giving the pug a slight pouting appearance when viewed from the front and giving the muzzle a rounded profile; however, the lower jaw should never protrude beyond the break of the lips. The teeth and tongue must be completely concealed when the mouth is closed.
Lips or Flews: The lips are somewhat clean, broad, and thick, yet fit snuggly over the teeth and jaws. The teeth, tongue, and lower jaw are completely concealed by the lips. Lips meet in an inverted “V” in the front.
Nose: The nose sits slightly further back than the end of the muzzle but should never appear completely pushed in. The nose is well-pigmented and black. The nostrils are well-opened. Pinched nostrils, narrow nostrils, and heavy nose wrinkles extending beyond the nose leather are all unacceptable and should be penalized.
Cheeks: The cheeks are smoothly muscled but should not appear chiseled or coarse. Some wrinkling around the cheek, extending from the outer corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth, may be present.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level, reverse-scissor, or slightly undershot. Less than 1/8 of an inch of space between the upper and lower incisors is permissible. Contact preferred between the top and bottom incisors.
Eyes: The eyes are medium to large in size, dark in color, and globular, round, or lemon-shaped. They are never bulging or almond in shape. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes and prevent them from appearing to protrude or bulge. Wall-eyes or exposed whites are incorrect. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Ears: Small to medium in size, set high on the edge of the skull, and may be drop or rose-shaped. There is no preference between the two ear types. The ears are never long, overly large, or erect. Any signs of entropion or ectropion are incorrect for this breed.
Body and Tail
General Description: The body is well put together, compact, cobby, solid, and of good substance. The body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Neck: Thick and a moderate length to allow for proud head carriage. Strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck is relatively clean-cut, but slightly loose skin is permissible near the throat. Excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap is incorrect for the breed.
Chest: Deep and broad, but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows. The forechest is well-developed but not protrusive.
Topline: Level from withers to croup. The back is broad, powerfully muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut, flat, and level, or slightly (almost imperceptibly) arched, yet supportive. The back is never long, swayed, or roached.
Croup: Flat and level with the back or gently sloped.
Underline: A slight tuck-up is present, or the underline may parallel the topline. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set high on the croup. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. It may be short to medium in length and straight, gently curved, or it may be curled over the back in a loose or tight single or double curl. Preference is given to a straight tail. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always in balance with the hindquarters. They are well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. Shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The point of the elbows is approximately half the dog’s height at the withers, or the distance from the withers to the elbows may be just greater than the distance from the elbow to the ground.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of moderate bone, and parallel to one another. Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are equal in length, strong, sturdy, of moderate bone, and well-muscled. Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another. Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: The coat is short, smooth, and close to the body throughout. The texture is soft and glossy.
Coat Color or Pattern: CKC recognizes two color varieties of the Pug breed: the standard and nonstandard.
Standard coat color variety: Fawn, apricot, seal, or shaded fawn (all with black mask) or solid black.
Nonstandard coat color variety: Cream or white (both with or without melanistic mask), brindle, silver fawn (with silver/grey mask).
Movement
The Pug’s movement should be steady, strong, and purposeful. A slight rolling action is forgivable so long as it doesn’t appear constrained, cumbersome, or inefficient. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and a good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Pug is a charming and even-tempered breed. They are known for their outgoing, sociable, and playful nature. They are intelligent and capable of learning many commands and tricks. They are especially suitable lap dogs, strongly devoted to their family. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be properly healthy and free from disease or defects. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
Dog Fact #31
The oldest dog ever recorded was Max, a beagle-terrier mix. He lived to be 29 years and 282 days old.
