PUG FACTS AND INFO
Do you love pugs?
Do you want to know more about them, then you've come to the right place! CLICK HERE FOR FUN FAST PUG FACTS!
Pug’s are squishy faced dogs with totally amazing personalities. They also have a bunch of secret facts we bet you didn’t know!
We compiled the best info on pugs including pug puppy facts, facts about pug behavior, and pug health facts. If you want to know the truth about pugs, you've come to the right place! We got pug history facts, pug health facts, even pug running facts! And scroll down to the end for a special on pug puppy facts!
THIS IS A LONG ARTICLE SO FEEL FREE TO SKIP AROUND USING THE TABLE OF CONTENTS BELOW.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PUGS ARE: QUICK STATS
PUG TRAITS
HISTORY
MODERN DAY PUGS + PUG MIXES
PERSONALITY
SIZE
LIFESPAN
HEALTH ISSUES
PUG CARE + GROOMING
CONCLUSION
PUG FACT MEGA LIST
PUGS ARE: The most snuggly of dogs and your average pug is 30% dog, 30% clown, 40% potato.
Pugs are a toy breed, this means they are small.
Pugs stand 10-13 inches tall, and weigh from 14 to 20 pounds.
Pugs have an average life span of 13 to 15 years with a a bunch of common health problems including breathing trouble, hib dysplasia, eye problems, and skin infections.
A Pug’s body is covered in short smooth hair (except on their pinkish-brown bellies). The most usual Pug colors are fawn and black.
QUICK FACT: Black Pug usually sheds less than the white).
Pug’s personalities are sweet-natured and adaptable. They can be extremely stubborn at times. Any pug owner who has tried to get their little guy to poop while its raining knows what I’m talking about.
Pugs are the hardest dog to potty train.
Pugs look like squish faced dogs. They have flat-nosed with big round eyes. This gives them pretty human-looking expressions and is why popular culture has fallen in love with the Pug.
The Pug originated in ancient China, became a dog of royalty in teh west and is one of the most popular dogs today!
PUG QUICK STATS
Toy breed,
Size: 10-13 high
Weight 14-20 pounds
Life Expectancy - 13 - 15 years
Short Shedding Hair (Fawn pugs shed more than black pugs)
Pugs are stubborn. They can be difficult to potty train, but once you have bonded with your pug, you will definitely forgive them.
Pugs also have a quirky head tilt when they are interested in something. A curious Pug rolls their head side to side as if testing their ears to make sure they heard you right!
FUN FAST PUG FACT LIST
10 Unbelievable Pug Facts!
In the 18th century, the most popular pug in ITALY was named TRUMP!
The Pug breed dates back to 400BC in China!
Napoleon’s Wife, Josephine Bonaparte had a Pug named Fortune. Josephine used Fortune to carry secret messages to her family while she was in prison.
Early 17th century Pugs had long and lean bodies! Beginning in 1860 they began to change into the short stubby body we know today!
Pugs are great bed warmers! A Pugs normal body temperature is between 101 and 102 degrees!
Pugs are prone to "reverse sneezing” This causes them to suddenly gasp and snort!
The pug is considered a "toy" breed of dog. However, Pugs are the largest dog in this breeding group.
In over 138 Years of competition, only one pug has won best in show at Westminster
The English word "Pug" comes from a monkey! It originates from their facial expression which is similar to that of a Marmoset Monkey! These monkeys were popular pets in the early 1700's and called 'Pugs'!
Pugs wrinkles spell out good luck symbols in Chinese! Legend has it that the Buddhist monks who bred pugs prized their deep wrinkles because they resembled good luck symbols in Chinese. They especially bred pugs for wrinkles that seemed to form the letters for the word "prince" in Chinese.
PUG HISTORY
Pugs have a rich history dating back all the way to B.C. 206 to A.D. 200. Pugs were first bred in China. They were seen as a luxury because only the wealthy had them. It is understood that this is why they traveled in popularity so much throughout history. They traveled to Europe around the early 1600s, where they were also almost exclusively owned by the wealthy. Marie Antoinette even had a pug named Mops! Interestingly enough, pugs had different names in different places. For example, in China they were called “Lo-sze”, “Doguillo” in Spain, and in Finland, they were called “Mopsi”. Pugs eventually made their way to the United States after the civil war.
MODERN DAY PUGS
Like we mentioned earlier, pugs are one of the most popular breeds among pet lovers. The American Dog Kennel Club found that pugs are the 28th most popular among the dog breeds. There are many reasons why they are so popular in our current world. Pugs are unique in so many ways, aside from their adorable smushed in faces. Pugs are also known to have funny personalities that will always entertain their owners.
There are also a whole slew of modern day Pug Mix breeds. If you have heard of another dog breed, you can be sure that someone has mixed it with a pug. There are pug pitbull mixes, pug pomeranian mixes, and the pug husky mix! That last one is our favorite because its called a HUG.
PERSONALITY
Pug’s personalities are one of the reasons why they are such a popular breed. Pugs are incredibly loyal and crave attention. They will love you and want you to love them right back! Pugs are also great with kids. They will be the last breed to snap or growl at a child. This can be an especially important fact when it comes to finding the best breed for your family. Pugs want to please their owners. This can be great in regards to attempts to training your pug. In most cases, they will want to please you and behave in the way that you teach them to.
SIZE
Pugs are relatively small even when they are fully grown. They tend to range between 14-18 pounds. We mentioned earlier that pugs love to eat! This isn’t a bad thing, as long as they don’t get to the point where they are overweight. If your pug becomes overweight this can lead to increased chances of health problems. You can consult your vet to see if your pug is health according to his specific size. Pugs tend to have shorter legs, but they still are strong and sturdy! These legs are most prominently used for running into their owner’s open arms.
LIFESPAN
The average lifespan for a pug is between 12 to 15 years. There are some health issues that can affect your pug’s lifespan. It’s important to educate yourself on these issues and keep an eye out for symptoms with them. Some of these health issues can be prevented, but others accompany old age. It’s important to be educated on what issues can be prevented and how to do so.=
HEALTH ISSUES
The two most prominent issues to look out for in pugs are PDE (Pug Dog Encephalitis) and CHD (canine hip dysplasia). PDE causes inflammation in the brain. Canine hip dysplasia occurs when your pup’s hip joints do not function properly. It’s important to make sure you are feeding your pug a healthy diet and incorporating exercise. CHD is not always preventable, but sometimes the possibility can be decreased by incorporating the previously mentioned habits. In addition to these health issues, pugs are also at risk for respiratory issues due to the shape and structure of their faces. You can help prevent respiratory distress in your pug by making sure they are not forced to be in extremely hot temperatures. This can aggravate their breathing and make it more difficult for them to breathe properly. In addition to this, pugs can be more at risk for corneal ulcers, because of how large their eyes are. It’s important to prevent your pug from getting into anything that might injure their eyes.
Brachycephalic Syndrom: They are part of the brachycephalic family of dogs with short smushed in faces. This means the pug’s airflow into their nose isn’t what it should be and they can have trouble breathing. So take care of your pug on hot days and especially if flying with them. Pugs also have big bulging eyes that can get injured quite easily.
Mitral Valve disease is another thing to look out for, its a type of heart disease common in smaller dogs, and symptoms include loss of energy and coughing.
Tracheal Collapse: please make sure they are wearing a harness and not a dog collar! We love this medium-size Puppia Harness. It fits perfect for most pugs.
Skin Issues: They are prone to mites and yeast infections in their folds and their ears. We use this ear cleaner on Momo occasionally and it seems to help! *Note: if you see anything unusual about your pug’s ears or skin, please visit your vet!
Hip Problems: Pugs also can develop bad hips from years of jumping up and down on couches. This is called hip dysplasia and can be managed by keeping their weight down.
PUG CARE + GROOMING
Taking care of your pug is important to ensure your pet lives the happiest and longest life possible. There are some grooming techniques that are specific to pugs. For example, one of the most prominent characteristics of pugs are their adorable skin wrinkles. It’s important for pet parents to take special care into keeping their wrinkles/skin clean. Pugs can get infections if their wrinkles aren’t cleaning often enough. Pugs do shed quite a bit but brushing them as often as possible can help with this. They also have a “double coat” which means you should not completely shave them for any reason.
PUG MEGA FACT LIST
Pugs: an ancient breed!
Turns out the pugs ancestors date back to before 400BCE!
The pug breed originated in China!
The pug ancestor might be a Pekingese
The original pug name was "lo-tze"
Budhist monks kept pugs as pets in Tibetan monestaries
Pugs are Royal dogs!
ANCIENT:
Ancient Chinese royalty would keep pugs as pets
Sometimes the pugs had their own mini palaces
Some pugs even had their own guards!
Some think monks bred pugs to have wrinkles that spelled out the name of god in chinese!
Pugs were brought from China to Europe in the 16th Century
MODERN:
The pug is the official dog of the House of Orange in Holland
A pug named Pompey saved the life of William The Silent, the crown prince of Orange.
While William was campaigning in France some assasins crept up to his tent. Pompey heard them and started barking, then jumped on Williams face to alert him of the danger!
Pompey is memorialized at his masters feet in the monument of Williams grave in Delft.
In England, Queen Victoria had a passion for pugs!
Some of Victoria's pugs were: Olga, Pedro, Minka, Fatima and Venus
Queen Victoria Favored apricot fawn pugs.
In the 18th century, the most popular pug in Italy was named Trump!
The english painter William Hogarth painted a whole series of this plucky pug.
Pugs were also painted by Goya, a famous Spanish painter.
Napoleons Wife, Josephine Bonaparte had a pug named Fortune
Josephine used Fortune to carry secret messages to her family while she was in prison.
Even Marie Antoinette owned a pug!
These early 17th century pugs were long and lean, beginning in 1860 they began to change into the short stubby body we know today!
In 138 Years, Only one pug has won best in show at Westminster
In 1981 Chucky, beat out 2,910 other dogs to win the contest!
Anatomy of a Pug
There are 4 distinct pug colors: Fawn, Apricot Fawn, Silver Fawn, and Black
Pug ears have two distinct shapes "rose" and "button"
A group of pugs is a Grumble
Pugs are described by the latin phrase Multum in Parvo (much in little)
The pug is considered a "toy" breed of dog.
However, Pugs are the largest breed in this group.
Pugs are strong willed (many say stubborn), but pugs are rarely aggressive
Most pugs are lazy in nature and nap a lot.
In fawn pugs there is usually a black trace down the center of the back
A pugs black face is called a "muzzle" or "mask"
Their moles are called "beauty marks"
Since they dont have long snouts, pugs are susceptible to eye injuries.
They also have smaller breathing passageways, giving them trouble regulating temperature and breathing.
A pugs normal body temperature is between 101 and 102 degrees!
The average life span of a pug is only 11 years.
Pugs are prone to "reverse sneezing, causing them to suddenly gasp and snort!
PUG NAME FACTS
PUGS ARE NAMED AFTER MONKEYS!
In English the word "Pug" originates from their facial expression which is similar to that of a Marmoset Monkey! These monkeys were popular pets in the early 1700's and called 'Pugs'!
Another possibility is the word pug comes from Pugnus, the latin word for Fist, because the pug face resembles a scrunched up fist.
The Dutch name for pug is "Mopshound"
In german they are called Mops (dont confuse that with 'Möpse' which means breasts!)
In French, the pug is called a Carlin
In russian pugs are called mops or "мопс"
In Chinese its Ní liào
In Spanish its Doguillo
Some people call pugs "Shadows" because they follow their owners everywhere!
MORE PUG INFO!
The latin description of pugs is Multum in Parvo, which means that this is a lot of dog in a small space. Pugs are know to be sturdy, compact dogs and have been a part of the American Kennel Club’s Toy group since 1885, These cute little dogs are sometimes referred to as the clowns of the dog world. As pets, pugs have great senses of humor and like to show off for their family. Most important to a pug (besides foooood) is human companionship and pugs just love hanging out with their people.
Even though pugs look silly, they have a serious side and have a lot of dignity. Pugs love to play games, and often need to be the center of attention when there are people around.
A pug's funny face is highlighted by deep wrinkles around big, dark eyes. They have flat round faces and long black whiskers kind of like a catfish, Legend has it that the Buddhist monks who bred pugs prized their deep wrinkles because they resembled good luck symbols in Chinese. They especially bred pugs for wrinkles that seemed to form the letters for the word "prince" in Chinese. Others think the Pug's name comes from the Latin word for "fist" because a pugs face resembles a scrunched up human fist.
The modern pug has a square shape like a loaf of bread, They are often muscular and thickset, usually weighing no more than 20 pounds. This wasnt always the case, before the 1860's the pug breed was more elongated and svelt! We know this from paintings and descriptions of early pugs. Today the average pug's heads is large and round, with big bulbous round eyes.
The moles on your Pug's cheeks are referred to as "beauty spots." Though their muzzle or mask is black and wrinkly, there is usually a clearly defined "thumb mark" on the forehead. In fawn pugs there is usually a black trace down the center of the back. His ears are smooth, black and velvety. He has a characteristic undershot jaw (the lower teeth extend slightly beyond the upper teeth) and a tightly curled tail.
Personality-wise, Pugs are happy and affectionate, loyal and charming, playful and mischievous. They are very intelligent, however, they can be willful, which makes training challenging.
Pug Falling Asleep Gif
MOTR PUG FACTS!
The folds in the pugs skin were bred to look like Chinese characters.
Pugs are brachycephalic - meaning that their head is wide and short, which gives them that smushed face look.
In 16th century England, Prince William of Orange was saved by his pug Pompey. Spanish troops came to ambush his army but meanwhile Pompey’s crazy barking alerted Prince William so that he could escape!
Pugs aren’t usually good swimmers because of their trouble breathing and short legs.
Pugs are one of the oldest dog breeds, dating back to 600 BC!
Pugs have a latin phrase all to themselves “multum in parvo” meaning “a lot of dog in a small space”.
Pugs can sleep on average of 14 hours per day!
Pugs were originally a dog of chinese royalty. The first pugs could only be owned by members of the royal court or tibetan monks.
There is a Freemasonry lodge called The Order of the Pug. They formed after the Catholic church banned freemasonry and picked the Pug as their symbol for its loyalty and trustworthiness.
In Germany Pugs are called Mops. Don’t confuse it with Mopses which means breasts!
Pugs can run up to 3-5 miles per hour!
Queen Victoria and Empress Josephine Bonaparte are some more famous pug owners.
The perfect pug tail has 2-4 curls.
CONCLUSION
Pugs are one of the most popular dog breeds all around the world. They are excellent companions because they always want to be by their pet parent’s side. Sure, they may snore, but have you seen their precious little noses? They truly embody the “man’s best friend” role and do so happily.