The true history of the Pug is somewhat unknown. However, one can find lots of stories about Pugs, some dating as far back as 400 BC.

What we do know with certainty is that the Pug is of Oriental origin and that this particular breed was considered to be of vital importance there too. It is said that Pugs were held as pets by Buddhist monks in Tibet and that they also were used as guard dogs in ancient Chinese temples. However, some sources state that Pugs were bred to be companion dogs, rather than watch dogs and that they often were kept by Chinese emperors, who loved to paper and spoil their fury friends. If this is true, then we all know where those “treat-me-as-a-king-characteristics” most Pugs seem to possess come from.

 

After the Dutch started trading with China, some sailors could not refuse the urge to bring these funny-looking dogs back to Europe, where they become very popular – especially with the upper class in Holland. According to the legend about the William, Prince of Orange, it was nothing less than a small Pug who saved his life by alarming him about the Spaniards approach of Hermingny in 1572. By the 1790s, the Pug’s popularity had spread to France. Here, the most famous Pug story involves the one of Napoleon’s wife Josephine. It is said that Josephine depended on her little Pug "Fortune" to carry secret messages in his collar to her husband while in prison. It is also said that when Napoleon refuesd to allow “Fortune” to sleep in their bed on their wedding night, Josephine simply told him: "If the Pug doesn't sleep in our bed, neither do I!" And from then on, Napoleon had to share his bed with both his wife and her Pug.

During the mid 1800s, the breed finally made it to the United States, where it was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885.

During the last ten years or so, Pugs have become immensely popular. Some say that their popularity has grown because some celebrities love to bring their wrinkly-faced Pugs with them every where they go. Others say that it is thanks to movies such as “Men in Black II”. But here at PugCenter.com we think it is just because people have finally realized how amazingly loving, friendly and cute Pugs really are.