Motto:
„A LITTLE PIG, A LITTLE CAT,
FROM THE LATTER, A LITTLE BIGGER.
OUR TAIL IS CURLY AND NOT WRY,
OUR NAME IS PUG! GOT IT, SILLY?”
/ excerpt from the Kameleon song titled “Pugmania” /
There is a “standard” for every dog breed, which contains the desirable requirements set by the International Cynological Federation regarding appearance, movement, individual body parts, and sometimes weight, height, etc. In most places, this standard is quoted or summarized, but for hobby owners or enthusiasts, we describe the breed from a slightly different perspective (the standard text is in quotation marks).
The pug is a “distinctly square, compactly built dog,” with solid, balanced, tight muscles. Square (quadratic) means that when viewed from the side, the distance from the neck to the base of the tail is roughly the same as from the ground to the backline (at the base of the neck and the base of the tail). Thus, if you connect these points, you get a square. Indeed, the pug is compact, but muscular and NOT FAT, contrary to the popular misconception. A fat pug is not cute but endangered, because its heart and joints can become ill quickly, and its lifespan is shortened.
“From its dark, very large, and round eyes, it radiates a gently worried look, which is bright and full of fire in excited states.” To this poetic description, we would add that — contrary to common belief — the eyes of a genetically healthy pug are NOT BULGING! Moreover, since it doesn’t have a long nose to protect them as the majority of dogs do, they are extremely vulnerable. And one more weak point: the eyes are often dry, which can be noticed if it frequently rubs its nose/face against something; in this case, lubricating eye drops are recommended.
“Thin, small ears,… …the ear tips lie closely against the skull so that the ear tips point towards the eyes.” Especially in young dogs, the ears indicate calcium deficiency: if the ear folds break and the ear tips flap up and down while walking, the dog has a calcium deficiency, whether due to teething, heat cycle, or some prolonged illness.
“Straight back…, …the tail set high, curled as tightly as possible onto the rump.” The tail must form at least one closed ring, but preferably curls like a bun. If the ring is not closed, it is a cosmetic fault (but not a health issue). However, if the back is not straight but arched upwards (quasi “hunchbacked”), that indicates that either the stomach/abdomen or the spine is hurting, so a vet visit is recommended.
“Very slight underbite,” meaning the lower jaw protrudes forward. Pugs’ teeth are famous for being "like cow’s pee," so there is no need to be frightened by it. But do ensure that baby teeth do not remain.
The tongue should be inside the mouth! In fact, a protruding tongue is not cute! Because it usually indicates some upper respiratory abnormality around the pharynx-soft palate area. Sometimes the tongue is simply too long (but narrower), which is no better because the protruding part dries out and hurts. (Keep this in mind when liking a poor pug with a hanging tongue!) In both cases, consulting an ENT specialist is advised.
“Fine, smooth, soft, short, and shiny coat.” However, the standard does not mention that the beige color sheds terribly! The black does not. Giving fish oil, however, can bring very good results!
Silver (-beige), peach (-beige), beige, or black color is accepted. Different color combinations (e.g., striped, white, etc.) are the result of crossing with another dog breed (primarily French bulldog). Less knowledgeable people sometimes call the beige color “fawn” from the English literal translation. All markings — mask, ears, muzzle spot, forehead spot (star) — should be as dark as possible, whereas the white color is considered a color fault. For the black color variant, a white spot on the chest is allowed, but not elsewhere, e.g., on the leg.
According to the standard, it is very charming, dignified, intelligent, balanced, cheerful, and lively. Has anyone ever met a pug in which at least three of these six traits were present simultaneously?
Let's rather expand the list based on life experiences: stubborn, if it really wants something that we don't, it takes at least three firm prohibitions before it gives up on its intention.
Does it snore? No, that's a misconception! A healthy pug DOES NOT snore loudly! Of course, many pugs snore loudly, but their soft palate has become too elongated, which obstructs the free flow of air, which can even lead to heart enlargement and can quickly take our poor pet away. For a puppy that snores loudly, it is recommended to perform nostril widening at a young age, which can help prevent the enlargement of the soft palate. If that is not enough, the next step (or in severe cases together with nostril widening) is to shorten the soft palate. Dogs operated on this way tolerate heat better and live longer.
However, I won't say they don't oink, they do, like little pigs. And since we are talking about sounds, many of their barks are anything but barking, it's a wonder they haven't been reported for animal cruelty yet…
Hiking, sports? In moderation. Rock climbing, regular stair climbing, jumping on and off chairs higher than a chair SHOULD BE AVOIDED! You must accept that longer monotonous running is not designed for them either. Hiking longer distances is healthy, but avoid greater elevation differences. If we do not take the above into account, we will most likely expose them to injury risk: sooner or later the spine and/or hips and/or knees, elbow joints will be damaged.
Hyperactive when young, but later most outgrow this and can lie around all day and then sleep soundly at night, of course some remain active adults; for them, it is enough to eat once a day: from waking up to falling asleep, their thoughts are mainly filled with where they can find some food; the exception proves the rule.
Last but not least, flattery rivaling cats: after wall-licking kisses, curling up next to the owner… the world is perfect…
