The Pug

The pug is one of the dogs that divides the nation. Some love him and others do not. But the Pug is a very robust and compact dog that not only likes to be with its owner, but also shows a very strong waking and protective instinct for its small size.  As an active little companion it cuts a good figure even on long walks and is also available for one or the other practical joke. The pug is basically more of a comfortable four-legged friend, but it can also display an amazing amount of energy at a young age and can really step on the gas. Because of its balanced temper, the pug is of course also particularly well suited as a family dog and is especially tolerant of children in this role. Nevertheless, these dogs are also equipped with a high intelligence, so that they would like a little bit of activity in this area. All in all, the pug is a very versatile representative of its breed. It feels just as comfortable on long walks as it does on somewhat shorter rounds with subsequent power cuddling.

The nature of the pug

The pug is rather a relatively calm and balanced representative of its species. However, it is very much related to its human, so that it would like to have a direct and full-fledged connection to its family in any case. Although it can very well stay at home alone, it basically feels the need to be with them wherever and whenever possible. Due to the compact size of the pug and the fact that he is a dog with good manners if he is educated consequently, this wish of the pug can be realized very often. This race does not necessarily belong to the sporty dogs now, although they are already gladly in the nature on the way, they like nevertheless rather the leisurely rounds. A small problem with this race is the fact that it comes along also with a special courage. Paired with the missing ability to judge certain situations correctly, it can come just with the meeting with other, bigger dogs fast times to problems. A pug can't or only with difficulty interpret their threats, so that he often starts quite cheekily and it can come to arguments. With other pets these in itself very friendly dogs are to be held together nevertheless very well. In general the pug is a very peaceful and charming dog, who always tries to please his humans. However, the pug tends to be overweight, not least because of its cozy nature. In any case you should pay attention to a balanced diet.

The historical background of the pug

The pug has a long history behind it. It is believed to originate from the empire of China. Here it was probably bred about 2000 years ago out of dogs that were very similar to a Great Dane.  However, at that time he was a pure dog of the emperors. He was not allowed to be touched by any normal person. Dogs with which it was not possible to continue breeding at the imperial court for various reasons were sold to the people at high prices.  The pug came to Europe at the end of the 16th century through the Dutch East India Company. From here it began its triumphal procession into the salons of the ladies of high society. Although the pug was replaced as a fashion dog by the Pekinese around 1900, a renewed upswing in its popularity began again around 1918. Especially the numerous historical paintings from the different epochs testify the great popularity of this breed also in history.

What demands does the pug

The pug is more of a frugal dog that prefers to cuddle rather than accelerate. It can also be kept well in smaller apartments, but in any case it would like to enjoy the absolute closeness to its humans and would like to have them always around itself. He would like to be always with you on the couch or in bed. Because of its nature, the pug is also a great companion for older people.  It likes to play, but does not necessarily have to walk long distances to be fully occupied. On the whole, the Pug can adapt very well to the life situation surrounding him and with a little consequence in education he will become an absolutely dreamlike and faithful companion. It is also equipped with a healthy waking instinct and knows how to guard the belongings of its owner as well as the owner himself very well. Nevertheless, it is no Kläffer, can be held also in apartments therefore. In a multi-family house it should be however always also paid attention or considered that a pug in higher age no more stairs can rise. This should be considered in time for the well-being of the dog.

The pug and its health

The pug is characterized by a very round head with a short snout and slightly protruding eyes. Therefore it belongs to the brachycephalic dogs. These are dogs that have difficulty breathing because of the short nose. For this reason, responsible breeders have also dedicated themselves to the task of re-breeding this breed back to its origin, since the short nose was bred later in the course of a fashion trend. Also in the area of the spine pugs have quite often problems, which leads to the fact that they are physically not as resilient as other dogs. The breed-specific disease of the central nervous system, however, is fortunately rarely found today. Here came studies on about one percent of sick dogs. Also in the area of the cornea these dogs often have problems, because it is very overexcited by a high load by fur and nasal cleft. Also this problem with the cornea is tried to compensate by new breeding directions.

The perfect person for a pug is....

Affectionate, calm and of a balanced nature without too great sporting ambitions. He allows his dog to be as much as possible and also allows him the one or other intensive cuddling. The owner of the Pug should deal intensively with the nutritional problems and thus protect his four-legged friend from being overweight, which would be very harmful in many ways due to his physique. However, the perfect person for a pug should also bear in mind that he does not have a dog that he can really lead in an athletic manner. In this case, the demands of the pug must be taken into account in any case.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a sporty dog for the big adventure, a pug is not the right choice for you. However, if you are looking for a loving and well-balanced family dog that is not only distinguished by its particularly friendly nature but also by its loyalty, the pug is the perfect choice for you. Due to its character traits and the fact that it does not really need extremely long walks, the pug is indeed also very suitable for older people. It is also very patient and friendly towards children. Not a special all-rounder, but nevertheless an especially dear and love-needy dog, who is basically always available for fun.