We want to know everything about dogs. Everything! But there are countless breeds of dog out there, and each one is a unique animal with its own history. That's why every week, we shine a spotlight on a different breed. This week, learn some fun facts about Pugs.
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EARLY PUGS WERE FOUND IN ANCIENT CHINA
The Pug is a very old breed. We can trace its history back to China around 700-400 B.C.E., but details about the breed's development are lost in time. Pugs have certainly evolved as a breed since then, particularly after they were imported to Europe hundreds of years later. (Source)
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PUGS WERE BROUGHT TO EUROPE IN THE 16TH CENTURY
Pugs made their way to the Western world in the 16th century, when they were imported from China primarily by Portuguese and Dutch traders. Later, when King William III and Queen Mary II took the English throne in 1689, they brought Pugs with them to English shores. (Source)
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THE PUG IS THE LARGEST BREED IN ITS GROUP
Kennel clubs assign the Pug to the toy group. Although "toy" is not a precise classification, this group is made up of the smallest breeds of dogs. Of these small breeds, the Pug is the largest. So among small dogs, it's very big, but it's still pretty small. Get it? (Source)
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ONLY ONE PUG HAS WON BEST IN SHOW AT WESTMINSTER
In 138 years of Westminster Kennel Club Dog Shows, a Pug has won the coveted Best in Show title only once. In 1981, 3-year-old Ch. Dhandy's Favorite Woodchuck, aka Chucky, beat out 2,910 other dogs to take the top prize in the contest. (Source)
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WILLIAM I HAD A PUG THAT SAVED HIS LIFE
The story goes that as William I led the Dutch revolution against Spain, assassins infiltrated his camp one night to make an attempt on his life. But William's loyal dog, Pompey the Pug, detected the would-be killers creeping toward the tent and barked to warn his master. (Source)
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MARIE ANTOINETTE OWNED A PUG
When the future Queen of France was still a teenager in Austria, she had a beloved pet Pug named Mops. Pugs were commonly known as Mopshounds at the time, so Marie essentially had a Pug named Pug. Marie Antoinette: not that creative. (Source)
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NAPOLEON'S WIFE WAS A PUG FAN
Josephine Bonaparte had a Pug named Fortune who not only was a loyal pet, but a useful one too. While Josephine was imprisoned at Les Carmes after the onset of the French Revolution, she used Fortune to carry secret messages to her family. (Source)
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WILLIAM HOGARTH INCLUDED A PUG IN HIS SELF-PORTRAIT
In 1745, the famous English painter and satirist William Hogarth created a unique self-portrait. In it, Hogarth is depicted as a painting within the painting, while his loyal pet Pug sits in the foreground. The title of the self-portrait is "Painter and His Pug." (Source)
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A GROUP OF PUGS IS CALLED A GRUMBLE
We love when groups of certain animals are known by unique and unusual collective names. Sometimes, even a certain breed gets its own name when in a group. A group of Pugs is called a grumble. Seems like kind of a bad-tempered nickname for such a good-natured breed. (Source)
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PUGS ARE TERRIBLE SWIMMERS
While most dogs are thought of as skilled swimmers, not all breeds are alike. Pugs aren't really suited for swimming. The breed's front-heavy build makes the task difficult. Generally speaking, if you're looking for a super athletic dog breed, the Pug isn't for you. (Source)
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