Another History of Pugs

Theories about the origin of the Pug have caused much debate over the years, some thinking the breed to have developed in the Far East, others thinking it developed in Europe. It is now generally accepted that the Pug originated in China, from where it spread to Japan and later to Europe. It is also highly probable that the short-nosed Pug, crossed with other longer-faced European breeds, lies behind many of the other shorter-headed breeds.

In China there has long been a breed of dog known as the Happa (sometimes spelled Ha-pa), which is similar to a smooth-coated Pekingese. Indeed, many people believe that the Happa may be the progenitor of the Pug. Shortmouthed dogs in China are known as Lo-sze, and although they may well have been known there as far back as 1115 BC, there is no record of them until 663 BC. The Lo-sze had clear features distinguishing it from the Pekingese: the muzzle was different, the coat was short and the ears were small and vineshaped. By 732 AD we read of a small short-faced dog, known as the Suchuan pai dog, that was among gifts sent from Korea to Japan.

The Name “PUG”
The word “Pai” came to be used as the name for this type of dog, and it is possible that to Western ears this name may have resembled the name now used in the West, “Pug.” In 1731 the word “pug” was defined in a dictionary as a nickname for a monkey or dog. Marmosets were popular as pets at that time, and the Pug’s squashedin face probably caused it to share the same name.

Another possibility is that the name originated from the Latin word pugnus, which means fist, as some people thought that the shape of the Pug’s face resembled a clenched fist. The word “pug” or “pugge” was also a term of endearment, though it may also be a derivation of “Puck,” conjuring up Shakespearean images of an impish face.

In some Continental countries, the Pug is still known by the rather quaint name “Mops,” which comes from the Dutch word Mopshund. The verb mopperen means to grumble, and the name “Mops” may well have come into use because of the breed’s wrinkled, frowning appearance.

In France the name used was Carlin, after a famous 18thcentury actor who was renowned for his role as Harlequin. It is thought that the name Carlin was, and still is, used for the Pug in France because of the breed’s black mask.

The Breed in China
In China, dogs were frequently treated almost like royalty, even with titles of rank being bestowed upon some of them. They were carefully guarded, and many had servants employed to care for them and to see that they enjoyed every comfort. Understandably, the Pug was owned primarily by those within Court circles or from the ruling classes of the country, and often the dogs were treated primarily as ornaments.

The Pug enjoyed great popularity in China at least until the 12th century, but from then on interest appeared to wane and there was little mention of the breed until early in the 16th century.

The Pug Comes West
It is now generally accepted that the Pug originated in the Orient and eventually appeared in Europe, much resembling the breed known there today. Many people believe that the Pug descended from the Mastiff breeds, with ancestors such as the fighting dogs of ancient Greece. Certainly in Europe there were some extraordinary crossmatings in years gone by—with the Bulldog, among others—but in China the aim was certainly to breed dogs as true to type as possible. It is these that formed a firm foundation for today’s Pug.

Before reaching the West, the Pug was popular throughout Asia and it seems to have wended its way to Europe via Russia. The aunt of Russia’s Catherine the Great was reputed to have kept a score of Pugs and the same number of parrots in a single room. Perhaps equally fascinating is the picture conjured up in our minds when we learn that several of this Princess’s dogs always accompanied her to church.

The Pug has been very much connected with Holland, for it has been very popular there, though in the early years they were known as “Dutch Mastiffs.” This name may help explain the confusion that arose over the breed’s origin. Pugs from Holland were certainly destined to have a great influence on the spread of the breed throughout Europe.

The Dutch East India Company played an important role in trade with the Orient. It is clear that on many of the ships’ return journeys, both Pugs and Pekingese were brought back as precious cargo. It is a Pug that is reputed to have saved the life of William the Silent when, at Hermigny, around 1572, the Prince was under surprise attack from Spanish troops. When the Pug heard the noise of the troops he made a great noise, scratching and crying, and leapt upon the face of the Prince to awaken him. From then on, the Prince always kept such a dog, and, subsequently, Pugs were the favorite breed at the Dutch Court.

The Pug Goes to England
The grandson of William the Silent was William of Orange who went to England with his wife, Mary, in 1688 to take the throne. With the couple came many Pugs, each wearing an orange ribbon around its neck to denote its connection to the Royal House of Orange. The breed quickly found favor in England, where it soon became known as the Dutch Pug, although later Pug or Pug-dog was the name used.

In 18th-century Britain, the Pug became highly fashionable, not only at court but also among people of “quality.” Indeed when ladies ventured outdoors, it was quite “the done thing” for them to be accompanied by a turbaned servant and a Pug. Charlotte, wife of George III (1760–1820), was also inordinately fond of the breed and had many, one of which is depicted in a painting hanging in Hampton Court. However, by the end of the reign of George IV in 1830, the Pug was no longer fashionable and by the middle of the 19th century had fallen into decline.

The decline of the Pug was by no means averted by the author Taplin, who wrote of the Pug, “…applicable to no sport, appropriated to no useful purpose, susceptible of no predominant passion…” Such comments could surely not have served to enhance the popularity of the breed that all too quickly became known, rather contemptuously, as an “old lady’s pet.”

But the Pug did not remain out of favor for long, thanks in part to Queen Victoria, who was such an ardent dog lover and who owned Pugs among several other breeds. It is likely that her earliest Pugs were given to her by royal relations on the Continent. Her dogs appear to have been kept as nursery dogs, most appropriate for this breed that gets along so well with children.

The Prince of Wales gave a Pug named Bully to his wife, Queen Alexandra, before leaving for an Indian tour. Of course, Queen Alexandra, too, was famous for her devotion to dogs and took an active interest in dog shows, an increasingly popular activity, particularly among Pug owners.

There were two main strains in Britain in the early decades of the 19th century. A publican by the name of Mr. Morrison bred pale fawn Pugs in Waltham Green, and Lord and Lady Willoughby d’Eresby used imported blood to improve type. There is some conjecture as to whether the d’Eresbys actually obtained two Pugs from a Russian tightrope walker, or whether they got a dog from a Hungarian countess who lived in Vienna. Nevertheless, the Willoughby Pugs, and indeed the Morrison Pugs, played a very important part in the breed’s early development in Britain. It has been suggested that dogs of the Willoughby kennel came directly from the Royal kennels of Queen Charlotte. In time the two strains came together and so, to a certain extent, lost their individuality, though even today the distinctive bloodlines show through occasionally.

Although their story does not necessarily have foundation, the apricot-fawn-colored Pugs, Lamb and Moss, also feature prominently in breed history. Their parents apparently were captured during the siege of the Summer Palace in China in the 1860s and supposedly were brought to England by the Marquis of Wellesley, where they were given to a lady named Mrs. St. John. This may not be exactly true, as various facts do not quite agree with history, but these two dogs were certainly the parents of Click, one of the most important Pugs in the breed’s history. He was an invaluable stud, producing some very good bitches, and he also had a great bearing on the breed in the USA.

Black Pugs
In 1877 black was considered a “new” color in the breed. Again there has always been debate as to the actual origin of Lady Brassey’s black Pugs, but she certainly exhibited some black ones at Britain’s Maidstone Show in 1886. One of these was Jack Spratt, who possibly may have been acquired by Lady Brassey on her short trip to China.

However, although black was then claimed as a new color, we know from the paintings of William Hogarth that blacks existed before then. Hogarth’s House of Cards, painted in 1730, depicts a black Pug. A hundred years later, Queen Victoria owned a black Pug that was marked with white. The latter, though, may have been brought into England, perhaps as a gift to the Queen from China.

It has been said that black Pugs had been bred for many years earlier in England, but because they had been bred from apricot-fawns they were considered mutations and thus destroyed at birth. It is also possible, however, that such “blacks” were not true blacks (ebonies), but instead were smuts, so were not considered attractive.

In 1896 efforts were made to show the black Pug as an Englishmade variety, but despite considerable support this was not allowed. There was a very wellknown black Pug who was known as the “singing Pug.” Apparently, when given a chord on the piano, or by humming, he could pick up the note and sing most tunefully. The black Pug certainly had its admirers, and in 1900 two were reported as having been sold to fanciers in New York for a sum totaling £350.

The Pug in Art
Many artists have incorporated the charming little Pug in their paintings, and from these paintings we have a good indication of the quality of dogs at the time. Goya portrayed some lovely examples of the breed, and from these we can tell that the quality of the breed in Spain was high.

William Hogarth (1697–1764) owned a Pug; his Self Portrait is well known, depicting the artist with his dog. He also included Pugs in other portraits and conversation pieces.

Reinagle is another artist, renowned as an animal painter, who portrayed the charming Pug in his work. Many early dog books include engravings of this adorable breed, though not all of these engravings have been well thought of by breed enthusiasts. Although there are many other portrayals of note, Blonde and Brunette, painted by Charles Burton Barber in 1879, is one of my favorites, depicting a young lady engrossed in her book while her Pug rests comfortably in her arm.

Meissen, or Dresden, porcelain is also famed for its portrayal of the Pug. Indeed, the Pug must surely rank among one of the most popular breeds of dog portrayed in porcelain and other collectable items. Most of those from the 18th century fetch very high prices, and even those from the 19th century are increasingly scarce. Sometimes such renderings are discovered of Pugs with cropped ears, and many have bells around their collars, making them even more charming.

The Pug Comes To America
Although we lack documentation on the arrival of the first Pugs to America, we do know that some dogs were in the country shortly after the Civil War. The breed gained attention because of its uniqueness and, during the 1880s, many Pugs were shown. The breed gained recognition from the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1885 and was classified in the Toy Group, as it is in other countries around the world.

The breed fell into relative obscurity at the turn of the 20th century as other breeds gained favor, many of which were “exotic imports” at the time. Breeders on the East Coast began stirring up interest in the Pug again, and by 1931 a club was formed. Twenty years later, the Pug Dog Club of America (PDCA), the current parent club for the Pug, was established as the breed’s principal promoter and protector in the US. The first members of the PDCA were prominent Pug people such as Dr. Nancy Riser, Filomena Doherty, Mrs. Joseph Rowe, Suzanne Bellinger, Dr. James Stubbs, Ralph Adair, Mary Lou Mann, Miriam Dock, Mr. And Mrs. John Madore and J. Hartley Mellick, Jr.

By the 1940s, Pug breeders began producing consistent winners. Such kennels as Catawba, Winna Pugs, Paramount, Gin Rickey, Lucky Ace, Clavone and others began to dominate the show scene in North America. The following decade, breeders such as Filomena Doherty, Frederic Soderberg, Mrs. Edwin Pickhardt, Gordon Winders and Rolla Blaylock produced top winners, including an early Best in Show winner, Ch. Pugholm Peter Punkin Eater. To add to the growing Pug fraternity, Peter and Carolyn Standish, Ann Crowley, Shirley and Rayne Thomas, Esther and Gus Wolf, Hazel Martens, Barbara Minella and Agnes Miner represent just some of the important breeders responsible for the Pug’s climb to fame in the US in the 1960s and 1970s.

Since those decades, the Pug has remained a popular breed, frequently seen in the show ring and counted among the top 20 breeds according the AKC’s registration statistics. Although the Pug is not as flashy and intense as other top contenders in the Toy Group, including his relatives, the Pekingese and Shih Tzu, the breed does well in conformation shows and has racked up an impressive number of Best in Show awards over the years. In 1981, the first Pug ever to win the famous Westminster Kennel Club Show was named Ch. Dhandys Favorite Woodchuck, owned by Robert A. Hauslohner. To date, “Chucky,” as his friends called him, is the only Pug to receive this great honor. He was bred by Mrs. W. U. Braley and Mrs. R. D. Hutchinson and was handled to the win by Robert Barlow.

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