Pug

The pugs were bred during the Shang Dynasty. The pug didn’t arrive to Europe until the late 16th and 17th centuries by the Dutch East Indies Trading Company. Pugs are currently the 14th most popular dog breed in America according to the American Kennel Association. Pugs traveled with William III and Mary II when they ascended to the throne of England in 1688. Marie Antoinette owned a pug named Mops. Josephine owned a pug named Fortune while married to Napoleon. The pug was recognized as a breed in 1885 by the American Kennel Club. Only one pug has ever own the Westminster Kennel Club show, and that was in 1981 by Dhandys Favorite Woodchuck. Pugs have appeared in many movies, like Men in Black, The Adventures of Milo and Otis, and Disney's Pocahontas. The pug is classified as a toy breed dog and weighs 14 to 18 pounds. The name Pug derives from the Latin word "Pugnus" meaning "A Fist". This is because the profile of the dog's head seemed to resemble a clinched fist. The Pug is thought to be one of the oldest breed of dog on earth, originating from the Orient. The breed found its way to Holland (The Netherlands) in the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th century that the Pug became established in the western world. The pug started gaining attention in the United States after the Civil War and was first officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885. From that time pugs have continued to grow in popularity here. In fact for the last several decades, the pug has been consistently listed in the top 20 dog breeds as determined by the American Kennel Club.