Pug Information & Dog Breed Facts

Many theories about the origin of the Pug has been debated over a couple of years, some thinking the breed was developed in the Far East, others thinking it developed in Europe. Although today it is generally accepted that the Pug originated in China, from where it spread to Japan and later to Europe. It is unclear as to how long ago the breed actually appeared but some people suggest that its origin dates back to the Han and Tang Dynasty (206 B.C. to 200 A.D.), whereas others place the date back even further to the Shang Dynasty around 400 B.C. Some sources even claim that the origins of the Pug could go back as far as the Chou Dynasty between 827 and 782 B.C. Furthermore, Pugs were most likely bred as lapdogs for Chinese monarchs where they were prized by the emperors and lived in luxurious accommodations, sometimes even being guarded by soldiers. Pugs are one of the three types of short-nosed dogs that are known to have been bred by the Chinese; the Lion dog, the Pekingese, and the Lo-sze or Foo dog, which is thought to be the representation of the ancient Pug.

On the other hand, another theory of Pugs puts the breed first in Buddhist monasteries in Tiber around 400 B.C. According to researchers monks may have used the pugs primarily as pets and possibly as guard dogs. The Pug bears a resemblance to Guardian Lions, and it is believed that the sculptors may have modeled the lions after this breed. Guardian Lion statues stand outside of Chinese temples and are believed to have protective powers. In the Tiber, Pugs were called ‘lags k’yi’, which means “hand dog” and came from a Tibetan legend about the origins of Pugs. According to the legend, if a human touches a young eagle right after it is hatched, it will be transformed into a pug dog.

It is now accepted generally that the Pug originates from the Orient and eventually appeared in Europe but in Europe, still many people believe that the Pug descended from the Mastiff breeds, with ancestors such as the fighting dogs of ancient Greece. However, it is true that in Europe there were some extraordinary crossings, especially with the Bulldog as the years went by. There are also several stories about how the breed got popular in European countries but we are sure that it spread around the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Some people claim that the first Pugs were brought to Europe through Dutch traders, who named the breed Mopshond, a name still used today. The breed quickly became the favorites of many royal households, for example in Holland the Pug even became the official dog of the House of Orange after a Pug named Pompey saved the life of William, Prince of Orange by giving him a warning that the Spaniards were approaching in 1572. When William of Orange went to England with his wife, Mary II, to take the throne from James II, they took their Pugs with them. As the Pug’s popularity spread throughout Europe, it was often called different names in different countries. For example in France, it was called Carlin, in Spain Dogullo, in Germany Mops and in Italy, Caganlino.

At the beginning of the 19^th century, Pugs were standardized as a breed with two lines becoming dominant in England. One of the lines was called the Morrison line, which was founded upon the royal dogs of Queen Charlotte. The other line was developed by Lord and lady Willoughby d’Erasby and was founded on dogs imported from Russia and Hungary. Meanwhile, in China, Pugs continued to be bred by the royal families. When the British overran the Chinese Imperial Palace in 1860, they discovered several Pugs and brought some of the little dogs back to England with them. Pugs became very popular during the Victorian era and were featured in many paintings, postcards, and figurines of the period. Even Queen Victoria had many Pugs and also bred them. The Queen preferred apricot fawn Pugs, whereas another Pug fancier, Lady Brassey, made black Pugs fashionable in the late 19^th century. After the Civil War, Pugs were introduced to the United States and the breed was also recognized by the AKC in 1885. At first, Pugs were very popular but by the turn of the century, interest in the breed decreased. A few Pug lover and dedicated breeder kept breeding and after some years the breed gain popularity again. Founded in 1931, the Pug Dog Club of America was also recognized by the AKC that year.