Pug
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| Pug | ||
|---|---|---|
| Classification and breed standards
<tr style="text-align: left;"><th>FCI:</th><td>Group 9 Section 11 #253</td><td>Stds</td></tr><tr style="text-align: left;"><th>AKC:</th><td>Toy</td><td>Stds</td></tr><tr style="text-align: left;"><th>ANKC:</th><td>Group 1 (Toys)</td><td>Stds</td></tr><tr style="text-align: left;"><th>CKC:</th><td>Group 5 - Toys</td><td>Stds</td></tr><tr style="text-align: left;"><th style="white-space: nowrap;">KC (UK):</th><td>Toy</td><td>Stds</td></tr><tr style="text-align: left;"><th>NZKC:</th><td>Toy</td><td>Stds</td></tr><tr style="text-align: left;"><th>UKC:</th><td>Companion Breeds</td><td>Stds</td></tr> |
- This article is about a dog breed. For the character in Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar Saga, see Pug (fictional character). Pug is also a common name for some smaller moths in the family Geometridae.
A Pug is a toy dog breed of dog with a wrinkly face and medium-small body. The word "Pug" may have derived from the Latin Pugnus (fist); the Pug's face can look like a clenched fist.<ref name="Pugs in public">Farr, Kendall, Montague, Sarah (1999). Pugs in Public (in English). New York, United States: Stweart, Tabori & Chang, a division of U.S. Media Holdings, 79 pages. ISBN 1-55670-939-0.</ref> Or, in nod to the breed's sometimes mischievous nature, from the character "Puck" of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The breed is often summarized as multum in parvo ("much in little"), in reference to the pug's great personality, despite its small size.<ref name="AKC History"> American Kennel Club - Pug History URL last accessed August 19, 2006.</ref>
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[edit] History
[edit] Origins
Bred to adorn the laps of the Chinese emperors during the Shang dynasty (1766-1122 BC),<ref name="Pugs in public"/> in East China, where they were known as "Lo-Chiang-Sze" or "Foo"<ref name="Pugs in public"/> (ceramic foos, transmogrified into dragon, with their bulging eyes are very Pug-like). The Pugs popularity spread to Tibet, where they were kept by monks, and then went onto Japan, and finally Europe.<ref name="Pugs in public"/>
[edit] Sixteenth and seventeenth century
The breed was first imported in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries by merchants and crews from the Dutch East Indies Trading Company.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> The Pug later became the official dog of the House of Orange.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> In 1572, a pug saved the Prince of Orange's life by barking at an advancing Spanish onslaught.<ref >[1]URL last accessed October 5, 2006.</ref> A pug also traveled with William III and Mary II when they left the Netherlands to ascend to the throne in 1688.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> This century also saw Pugs' popularity on the rise in other European countries. In Spain, they were painted by Goya,<ref name="Pugs in public"/> in Italy Pugs dressed in matching jackets and pantaloons sat by the coachmen of the rich,<ref name="Pugs in public"/> and in Germany and France Pugs appear several times as footnotes to history.<ref name="Pugs in public"/>
[edit] Eighteenth and nineteenth century
The popularity of the Pug continued to spread in France during the eighteenth century. Before her marriage at age 15 to Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette owned a pug named Mops. Before her marriage to Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine utilized her Pug "Fortune" to carry concealed messages to her family while she was confined at Les Carmes prison as the pet was the only recipient of visiting rights.<ref>Katharine Macdonogh (1996 August). "Prison Pets in the French Revolution". History Today 46.</ref>
In nineteenth century England, Pugs flourished under the patronage of the monarch Queen Victoria. Her many Pugs, which she bred herself, had such names as Olga, Pedro, Minka, Fatima and Venus.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> Her involvement with the dogs in general helped to establish the Kennel Club, which was formed in 1873.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> Victoria favoured fawn and apricot Pugs, whereas the aristocrat Lady Brassey is credited with making black Pugs fashionable after she brought some back from China in 1886.<ref name="Pugs in public"/><ref name="AKC History"/> The Pug has also thrived in democratic circles, arriving in the United States sometime in the nineteenth century<ref name="Pugs in public"/> (the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1885)<ref name="Pugs in public"/> and was soon making its way into the family home and show ring.
[edit] Appearance
While most Pugs appearing in eighteenth century prints tended to be long and lean,<ref name="Pugs in public"/> the current breed standards call for a square, cobby body, a compact form, deep chest, and well-developed muscle. Their heads, carried on arched necks, should be substantial and round, the better to accentuate their large, dark eyes. The wrinkles on their foreheads should be distinct and deep,<ref name="Pugs in public"/> and were especially prized by the Chinese as they seemed to spell out the character for "prince".<ref name="Pugs in public"/> Pugs lower teeth should protrude farther than their upper, meeting in an underbite.<ref >[2]URL last accessed October 5, 2006.</ref> Their fine, glossy coats can be apricot, fawn, silver or black.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> A Silver coat is characterized by a very light colored coat, absent of black guard hairs. Some unscrupulous breeders call "smutty" pugs silver. A "smutty" pug typically has a very dark head, with no clear deliniation at the mask, and dark forelegs. The tail should curl tightly over the hip; a double curl is considered perfection.<ref name="Pugs in public"/>
[edit] Temperament
Pugs are very sociable dogs, but quite stubborn.<ref name="breed info">Dog Breed Info Centre. URL last accessed August 12, 2006.</ref> They are playful, charming, clever; and are known to succeed in dog obedience skills.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> Pugs are sensitive to the tone of a human, so harsh punishment is generally unnecessary.<ref name="breed info"/> Pugs get along well with other dogs and pets and require lots of attention; they may become slightly jealous if their owner ignores them or does not play with them.<ref name="Pugs in public"/>
[edit] Health
Because they have extremely short snouts and no skeletal brow ridges, Pugs can easily scratch their corneas accidentally.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> Their short noses can also cause them to develop breathing problems.<ref name="Pugs in public"/> They are prone to obesity, so they can quickly reach unhealthy weights; it is therefore important for Pug owners to make sure their pets get regular exercise. Due to their short snouts, Pugs are vulnerable to temperature extremes. It is important to make sure that they do not overheat in hot weather, and likewise they should not be left outside in cold weather.
Pugs can also suffer from a chronic form of granulomatous meningoencephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) specific to the breed called Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE). There is no known cause or cure for PDE, although it is believed to be an inherited disease.<ref>Pugs.org - Health section URL last accessed August 12, 2006.</ref> All dogs either die or are euthanised within a few months after the onset of clinical signs.<ref>Pet Place.com URL last accessed August 12, 2006.</ref>
Pugs, along with other brachycephalic dogs (boxers, bulldogs), are also prone to hemivertebrae [3]. The screwtail is an example of a hemivertebrae, but when it occurs in others areas of the spine it can be devastating, causing such severe paralysis that euthanasia is a serious recommendation.
Pugs are expected to live from about 12 to 15 years.<ref name="breed info"/>
[edit] Famous Pugs
- Algy from Rupert Bear
- Monroe from The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
- Otis from The Adventures of Milo and Otis
- Percy from Pocahontas
- Cheeka from commercials for the Hutch cellular network in India
- Frank from Men In Black and Men In Black II
- Cruiser from Legend of the Dragon (TV series).
[edit] References
<references/>
[edit] External links
es:Carlino eo:Mopso fr:Carlin he:פאג hu:Mopsz nl:Mopshond ja:パグ pt:Pug ru:Мопс (порода собак) sl:Mops fi:Mopsi sv:Mops zh:巴哥犬
