Companion Dogs
December 17th, 2008 by Jenny Donaldson
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 come in a few colors, but two are the most recognized. One is solid black, and the other is fawn with an all-black face. The rarest acceptable color is called silver, which is a light grey body and a black mask. In the history of the Pug, many other colors popped up, but these are the only three colors now accepted by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
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.
If you are thinking of getting another family pet, consider the Pug dog. It will be a good, lovable family pet, eager to please and with a wonderful disposition. It will be excited to be with a family to play with, and to entertain with antics to get attention. They are such wonderful companion dogs that get along great with children, visitors to your home and all sorts of other pets. These things make it a great addition to a family. He will stay a smaller size, and love to go for walks. While they aren’t the greatest at being trained, they do try hard to please and will be fun to have around in so many ways.
Pug information such as the breed standard will also be clear on recognizing a Pug by temperament as well as bodily features. Unless a Pug has been severely abused, they won’t turn vicious. They are, for the most part, friendly, charming, very personable and get along with all kinds of species. They seem to thrive on being stared at and adored. Pugs will often seem to smile when they are pleased with how they have blessed the world with their presence.
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