Pug FAQ: What Was The History Of Pug?

Pugs have been around for thousands of years in one form or another. It is generally thought that the Pug originated in China, although there is no way to confirm this. The first writings that mentioned very short-nosed little dogs did refer to Chinese dogs. Sometimes, it is not sure if these dogs were Pugs or Pekingese. It is also unknown what the Pug's parent breeds were, but Pekingese had to have played a role somewhere.

Pugs were reserved for the Imperial court of China, but through trade and wars eventually made their way to Europe, first through Holland. They were a common sight in European royal homes and thrones by the sixteenth century. Famous Pug owners include Josephine (Napoleon's wife); William, Prince of Orange in Holland who credits a warning from his Pug in saving him from an assassin. And English painter William Hogarth, who put his Pug "Trump" in several paintings.
The Pug as we recognize it did not exist until the 1800's. The Pug went through a long series of changes in body shape, body size and color that (for unknown reasons) some were encouraged while others were not. Some writings from Dutch traders in China indicated that there were longhaired and shorthaired Pugs, and that most of them were golden in color all over.

If Hogarth's representations of his Pug were accurate, then Pugs in his day (1697 – 1764) were probably barely recognizable as Pugs. They had longer legs, a slimmer body and a longer nose. They were bred in a variety of colors like fawn, black and silver. There were a limited number of Pugs brought to Holland, and then they spread out to other countries. It is commonly thought that Pugs were bred to small Bulldogs or an extinct small Mastiff in order to continue the breed.

Other Pug owners of note throughout history include Josephine, the infamous wife of Napoleon and the English painter William Hogarth, who included his Pug "Trump" in several paintings. If Hogarth was accurate, then Pugs in the sixteenth century had much longer legs, leaner frames and slightly longer noses than they do today. Since there was not a large gene pool of Pugs in Europe, it is thought that for centuries they were crossed with Bulldogs and possibly small Mastiffs.

The Pug as we know today came about in the 1800's, when the first organized dog shows began in Europe. It didn't take long for the idea of dog shows to cross the Atlantic. The American Kennel Club (AKC) officially recognized the breed in 1885. The AKC, incidentally, was founded in 1884. Pugs have been consistently one of the top twenty most registered dog breeds in America for decades. Their plan to take over the world is nearly complete.

Jenny Donaldson has met Pugs and their owners on both sides of the Atlantic. A Pug is an old breed that makes a great family pet.. Knowing basic Pug information can help when deciding whether the breed suites your lifestyle.