Learn, Don't Return - Pug Dog Breed

Posted by Brian Aho on


The Pug is an old dog breed.

Excuse me, Brian?!

The Pug is an ancient breed that dates to 400 BC and originates from China, and was prized by emperors during this Warring States Period and beyond!

Pugs even had their own guards to protect them when they were known as the Foo Dog, which means happy or prosperity in Mandarin.

Follow me now: The Dutch have been building ships since prehistoric times, and they really hit their stride when they built ships for the Dutch East India Trading Company - the first multinational trading company, which started on March 20th, 1602.

And I'm sure it's no coincidence that in that same century, the first Pugs entered Europe, courtesy of the Dutch traders.

The Pug was probably traded to England royalty from Dutch traders near the end of the 17th century.

If you want to learn how the Pug got its name click the link below.

The Pug is the largest dog in the Toy Group and his square head and squishy face are full of wrinkles that achieve a face full of expression, which makes the Pug a great movie dog breed.

The Pug originates from Chinese emperors and they provided the Pug to the Dutch East India Trading Company in the 16th or 17th century.

Probably thinking they originated from the Dutch - which they did not, the Pug got the name, Dutch Mastiff - which didn't stick.

While not a guard dog, in 1572 the Pug became the official dog breed of the Dutch House of Orange, because "Pompey", a pug, alerted and saved the life of the Prince from an assassin's attack.

The Pug in America today came from Dutch traders to the English monarchy in the 17th century and arrived in the United States sometime after the Civil War which ended in 1865.

Click the link below for more Pug knowledge.

The Pug is in the Toy group, with the Maltese and Havanese which I've already Learned, Don't Returned; and the Chinese Crested.

If you're interested in a Learn, Don't Return of the Chinese Crested or any dog breed, leave it in the comments!

Near the end of this Learn, Don't Return, I'll put a link up here for the Maltese and the Havanese - they are small but interesting dog breeds!

The Pug originates from Chinese emperors during the Warring States Period which was 400 BC.

And while property of the emperors during this violent period Pugs had their own guards to protect them, when they were known as the Foo Dog, which means happy or prosperity in Mandarin.

Follow Me Now: The Dutch have been building ships since prehistoric times, and they really hit their stride when they built ships for the Dutch East India Trading Company - the first multinational trading company, which started on March 20th, 1602.

And I'm sure it's no coincidence that in that same century, the first Pugs entered Europe, courtesy of the Dutch traders.

The Pug was probably traded to England royalty from Dutch traders near the end of the 17th century; and this Pug entered America also during violent times - sometime around the Civil War in 1861 to 1865 or possibly a little after.

The Pug dog breed gets their name from 3 possible sources.

I'll give you all 3 options and you can decide, then I'll give you my opinion at the end too, and we'll see if we agree, sound good?

Option 1: The Marmoset monkey, which apparently was a popular pet during the 18th century, went by "pug monkey"  and if I'm being honest, I get it, their faces could be considered similar looking; but I'm just not 100% on-board.

Option 2: According to the British - Oxford Dictionary, Pug means "a dog of a dwarf breed like a bulldog with a broad flat nose and deeply wrinkled face".

I think I know what you're thinking because I thought the same thing; so what do they call the Pug in England?

Right?!

Well, in England they call the Pug the Dutch Mastiff!

Very interesting!

I like the sounds of this one, but let's check out the 3rd option!

Option 3: "Pugge" was a term of endearment, like "my cute little Pugge" and it was shortened to Pug.

I know around here, in my home, everything ends with "e" to show love, and we do love our dogs, but this is in reverse, from Pugge to Pug, so I'm not 100% positive.

So, what do you think?

I'm going with all 3 because it sounds like the term Pug was a popular term in the 16th and 17th centuries, it's probably a combination of all 3.  It started out as one thing and morphed into additional meanings.

But, would your wife or husband love it if you called them - your pugge?

Comment below.  

The Pug is the largest dog breed...in the Toy Group and weights a small 14-18 pounds.

And you don't want a fat Pug, because they have a brachycephalic head that can obstruct breathing, so feed a small amount of premium pet food from a 1-quart dog bowl.

And while Pugs are not hypoallergenic and do shed year round, you can breathe easy because Pugs don't suffer from any other major health issues.

The Pug's eyes will not pop out, and your eyes won't pop out over their veterinarian bills, but consider getting pet health insurance.

The Pug is only 10-13 inches tall and in 2023 the Pug ranks 36th in dog breed popularity.

The Pug has a wonderful personality that is loving, charming, and mischievous, but a Pug pet parent shouldn't be mischievous and consider adopting an older Pug since Pugs can live to be 13-15 years old.

And Pugs are a loving choice for people in the city or apartments since they don't bark much, only need bathing every month, and don't need haircuts.

Pugs have a little bit of a protective instinct because we know Napoleon Bonaparte was bit by Josephine's dog, Fortune!

And they saved the Dutch Prince of the House of Orange from an Assassins attack in 1572!

But the Pugs' intelligence, quick wit, and funny facial expressions are why "Frank" is the perfect dog for the Men in Black movie series - a Pug is the perfect dog breed for that movie role!

The Pug only needs 30 minutes of leash walking per day to keep the weight off and better yet, get your Pug in AKC Obedience, Rally, or Agility which combines the physical and mental stimulation a Pug needs, and you'll enjoy watching your Pug exceed your expectations.

The Pug was recognized by the AKC a long time ago, in 1885!

And the Pug Dog Club of America (www.pugdogclubofamerica.com) was formed in 1931.

And for doing the right thing and learning about the Pug before adopting, you can use the discount code: "Pug" at www.PetzPaws.com for 10% off.

Curious, do you believe the Pug is the best dog breed for your family?

Comment below.

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