The Black Pug: Five Things You Didn’t Know

Like a lot of dog breeds, pugs can come in a number of colors. Common examples range from brindle to silver, but it is interesting to note that black and fawn are the most common. As a result, there is a fair amount of interest in black pugs, which can make excellent companions for much the same reasons as their other-colored counterparts.

Here are five things that you may or may not have known about black pugs:

1. Popularized By Lady Brassey

No one knows the exact origins of the pug for the simple reason that the breed originated in ancient times. However, it is interesting to note that it was a world traveler, Lady Brassey of Sussex, England, who popularized black pugs in her homeland when she brought a pair of them from China in 1854. Not content with this alone, Lady Brassey is known to have launched into a breeding program for the animals, with the result that she exerted considerable influence over the look of the breed for decades and decades.

2. Companions to Royalty

The stories say that pugs were bred to serve as companions to the ruling families of China. Whether this is true or not, it is known that a wide range of kings and queens, emperors and empresses, and other potentates have had pugs at their sides. For example, the pug became the official dog of the House of Orange when one of its heads was alerted to an assassination attempt by his faithful pug. Furthermore, Queen Victoria is known to have been fond of the breed, which is why she had a number of black pugs as well as pugs in other colors over the decades of her rule.

3. Older Pugs Had Different Proportions

Based on the paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, it is known that the pugs of the time had different proportions from their counterparts in the present. In brief, they had longer noses as well as longer legs, which made it clear that they were similar but not quite the same with no more than a single glance. It is believed that this changed when there was a wave of imported pugs from China in the late 19th century, which combined with the choices of the breeders to create the breed that exists in modern times.

4. Life Expectancy of 12 to 15 Years

Pugs can be expected to live to 12 to 15 years, which is not unusual for dogs of their size. However, it is important to note that this is true of dogs that are in good health, which means a nutritious diet as well as regular exercise. In contrast, pugs that become obese because of a sedentary lifestyle are known to suffer from more health problems, which in turn, means a shorter lifespan.

5. Are Known For Eye Prolapse

Unfortunately, pugs are similar to other breeds in that they are prone to a number of medical problems. For example, they suffer from higher-than-normal rates of eye prolapse, which can cause permanent damage to the organ when the eyelids cannot close because it is bulging out of the orbit. Fortunately, a veterinarian should be able to pop it back in with a prompt visit, but sometimes, it happens so frequently that the pug will need surgical treatment to prevent future recurrences.

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