They may look worried but the Pug is a happy little fellow!

Don’t let the sometimes worried look on this dog’s face fool you. The Pug is a happy breed. Just be aware that these dogs require attention from their owner – a lot of attention. If you’re looking for a dog that you can feed and forget about, you should probably re-think your choice of this dog for a pet.

You’ll have a constant companion!

Some dogs are very good at amusing themselves. Some dogs are perfectly happy in the company of other dogs. Some breeds are known to be “observers” of family life – happy to be around people and watching the interaction and the activity. Just be warned: this does not describe the typical Pug! You have a friend for life who will prefer your company to anyone else. If you’re looking for a constant companion who will follow you around from room to room and watch your every action, you almost can’t do better than this wonderful small dog breed. They love to be the center of your attention and they will do almost anything to stay in the spotlight. Not paying attention to him? Don’t be surprised if he takes something from somewhere and marches in front of you daring you to take it away. He wants to play. He wants your attention and he will do whatever it takes to get you to focus on him.

For thousands of years Pugs have been companion dogs. Most experts believe this dog originated in China. They have a history of associating with the upper class! They were companions to the monks in Tibet and a favorite of Royalty through the years. When they were brought to Europe they became very popular very fast and were the official dog of the House of Orange in Holland. Legend has it that Prince William’s Pug warned him about the rapidly approaching Spanish Army and allowed him to escape. His Pug, Pompey, is memorialized as part of Prince William’s tomb in Delft Cathedral. In 1688, ninety six years after Pompey’s heroics, Prince William’s great grandson ascended the throne in Great Britain. William III and his wife took their Pugs with them. The dog remained popular in Holland but became a huge favorite in Great Britain as well. Winston Churchill himself was a lover of this adorable breed of dog!

They are very intelligent

The fact that they can figure out how to get your attention is an indication of their intelligence. And the good news is that, because of this, they are fairly easy to train. Charming, intelligent and dignified are the words most commonly used to describe this breed. They do have a dignified air about them. We may be partial but a healthy Pug is one of the cutest and most attractive dogs in the world. They are definitely attention getters! Their personality is among the best of any breed! Take your little guy for a walk and people will stop you and ask about your little companion. And they’re smart little dogs too. They can develop a very long list of words that they recognize and have even been known to understand when someone is spelling the word rather than saying it. Naturally, they can’t spell and they don’t really know what the words mean but they have a sharp mind and can associate the sound with an action. They can do it with a word or a string of words (which is what spelling out a word sounds like to them.)

Rest assured, this is an intelligent dog. A little stubborn? Yes. A little starved for attention? Yes. But a great companion and very, very cute. We think they are the cutest of all the Small Dog Breeds and, without a doubt, make one of the best companion dogs in the world. They are a great choice if you’re looking for a smaller dog. “Multum in parvo” is Latin for a lot in a little space and that is exactly what this dog is. They are the largest dog in the Toy Group and, with an ideal weight of around twenty pounds, they make a great dog for the city dweller or anyone else that does not have a big house. They’re an inside dog and should not be outside for extended periods of time. This is particularly true in hot weather because they can be prone to becoming overheated. This little dog has become very popular in urban areas and usually make the top ten list in terms of popularity for the major cities. Overall, they are almost always in the top 20 breeds in terms of popularity.

The Standards for this Breed are set by the American Kennel Club. A pure bred, pedigree Pug can be an expensive purchase so it wise to do some research to determine whether this type of dog is really for you. You can also buy a pet quality dog rather than one that would be suitable as a Show Dog. The best place to find a Pug is a reputable breeder and they can be very helpful in determining what is best for you. Many times a slight deviation from the standard will lower the price of the dog. For example, there is line that goes down the back of the “perfect Pug” called a trace. There should also be a diamond shaped mark, sometimes called a thumb mark, on the forehead of a dog that conforms to the breed standard completely. And the tail should have a curl. The double curl is even more desirable and can look almost like a cinnamon bun if it is curled really tight. If your dog has all of these features (plus some other ones that are listed in the standard), the price of the dog can skyrocket. And if he comes from a long line of ancestors who have done well in competition, your dog can cost a small fortune. But what if the tail is straight? What if there is no trace mark on his back or no diamond on the forehead? It’s still a Pug! It’s just called pet quality rather than show quality and this could be perfectly fine for you. Be sure of what you want and shop around.

If you’re not in a hurry you may also find a real bargain. Although free Pug puppies are hard to find, it’s not impossible. You can also contact a Pug Rescue group. These are wonderful organizations that work to rescue dogs from troubled situations. This is a definite win-win situation. You’ll be getting a wonderful pet and you’ll be saving the life of a wonderful dog.

Even if you don’t get a dog that fully conforms to the show standard, it doesn’t mean you won’t have an adorable dog. Nor does it mean that you can’t enter into competitive events. You will be able to enter training or obedience events that grade a dog on rigid behavior standards. This can be a great bonding experience for dog and owner and the result is that you’ll end up with a well behaved dog. When you have a dog that listens, obeys commands and behaves well in public you actually extend the time that you can be with your little friend. We hear of many owners who can’t take their dog anywhere because they don’t behave well in social situations. This robs the owner and dog of many pleasant experiences. The good news is that you can remedy the situation fairly easily with proper training techniques. Even problem behaviors can be corrected with careful, consistent and patient training. This can actually bring you closer to your dog and there are ways to make the training experience very enjoyable for both of you. The only thing better than a Pug is a well behaved Pug! Please be sure to sign up for your Free Pug Training Mini Course! There are other activities that can be enjoyed with your dog. There are events for agility and even dancing! On a non-organized level, almost every dog enjoys playing games with their owner and you’ll probably have fun inventing a few of these on your own. In the end, a these dogs most enjoy being with their owner. That is part of their history. For thousands of years the Pug has been a great companion. Now, we’ll be the first to say that we may be slightly biased in our opinion because we don’t think you can do better than a Pug when you are looking for dog. However, we also know that this dog is not for everyone. If you don’t want a dog that will smother you with affection you might want to consider another breed. If you want a guard dog, this probably isn’t the breed for you. It is not a work dog and you won’t find this breed on many farms. If you’re looking for dog that doesn’t shed you need to be warned that this dog can shed with the best of them. If you took a poll of owners, shedding might very well be listed as the most undesirable trait in this breed. A seemingly insatiable appetite might be listed next. These dogs can be an eating machine!

Are they always hungry?

It does seem like these little guys are always looking for a little bite to eat. They are definitely food-motivated. We like to think that they follow their owners around because they’re so loyal. We also know that one possibility might be that they’re always hopeful that there might be a morsel of food thrown their way. There is no doubt that a Pug LOVES to eat. There is also no doubt that obesity is a very common and serious problem with this breed. It is one of the reasons that a little bit of knowledge about dog food and nutrition can be very helpful for an owner. It is also a reason that rewarding a Pug’s behavior, especially for training purposes, should not be done with food. There are advanced techniques that find alternative methods of reward. Still, almost every owner is confronted with the same question: how do I satisfy the appetite of this little dog? We offer one bit of advice that we have had success with but you should consult with your veterinarian or breeder before following it. We have found that baby carrots are great little treats that offer a crunchy and healthy snack that our Pug seems to love. Given in moderation these have been a great choice for use when compared to some of the more fattening alternatives. Some owners are so concerned about this that they actually make some of food that their Pug consumes. If you have an interest in that, here are some great FREE recipes. as well as some helpful nutritional information. If you're interested, there's a Calorie Calculator on our page about dog food.

When you describe what it’s like to live with a Pug you’re struck by the fact that these dogs are almost like living with another person or even a little child. They like to be with you, they always want your attention, they run to greet you when you arrive home, they’re always looking for something to eat and they’re always ready to play! You’re describing a dog with a great personality. You’re actually describing another member of the family! It’s no wonder that there always seems to be a story behind the name that owners give their dog. After all, your little companion will be your friend for the rest of his life. Choosing an appropriate name requires a little bit of thought! We find it very interesting to find out how or why an owner came up with the name that they chose for their dog. Here's some food for thought in naming your little friends! Pugs are unique little dogs and we believe their owners, many times, are just as unique. Pug owners actually have their own social network because there are clubs in many parts of the world. Owners can get together and share stories about their little friends and can often get valuable information about this breed of dog.

It's one of the reasons we invite all Pug clubs to share their contact information by visiting our club registration page. We'll update this directory to provide contact information for these organizations. Keep in mind we also list Rescue organizations in separate area on this site. The club directory is meant to give owners a chance to socialize and learn from each other on where to go for valuable information about Pugs. Hopefully the website you're visiting right now will be one of those sites. We welcome you to the exciting world of one of the most adorable dog breeds in the world!

If you're thinking about getting one of these incredible dogs you are in for many years of wonderful companionship. If you've ever wanted a true companion, someone who will greet you at the door when you arrive home, a Pug is the perfect way to complete your life. If you've ever wanted to experience unconditional love, one of the little guys is just what you're looking for. Cute, loyal, lovable and endlessly entertaining are just a few of the words you can use to describe this adorable breed of dog.

One of the best things about this little dog is that they will bring you enjoyment for many years. The will be true companions through each stage of their life from being an adorable and playful puppy, through their adult life and into the years where they come a Senior Pug. They will be the best and most loyal companion you could ever have. You, indeed, will have a friend for life!

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We try to cover a wide range of topics and answer many of the most common questions of Pug owners from health care information to grooming supplies and even information on the different types of dog fences you may want to consider. All of this is designed to give you the best information on having a safe and happy Pug.

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