The history of the development of the pug

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The history of the development of the pug
The history of the development of the pug
Anonim

General characteristics of the dog, territory of origin of the pug, owners of the species, origin of the name, further development, recognition and current position. The Pug or Pug Dog is a toy breed developed in the Netherlands and the UK that probably originated in China. Although this breed suffers from a number of health problems as a result of its unique snout, it remains one of the most popular breeds in America and in many countries around the world. These dogs have many other names: Mopsi, Carlin, Carline, Doguillo, Pug Dog, Chinese Pug Dog, Dutch Bulldog, Dutch Mastiff, the Miniature Mastiff, Lo-Chiang-Sze, and Lo-sze.

The pug is definitely small and portable, but it's not the kind of animal you'd like to carry in your wallet. Such dogs are well built, very dense and stocky. Although the limbs of the pug are not particularly thick, this breed is described as a small "tank". Pets have a very square body. The tail is short and tightly curled at the back. Some believe that a dog's gender determines the direction in which the tail is curled.

The head and muzzle are the defining characteristics of the breed. The pug is the embodiment of the brachycephalic type, with a depressed muzzle. The head is located on a very short neck, which is so wide that it seems to merge with the body. It is very round, almost spherical, and wrinkled. The muzzle is very short, perhaps the shortest of all canine breeds. It is also very square and wide, seemingly occupying almost the entire front part. The muzzle is more wrinkled than the rest of the head. Almost all pugs have a small snack, although some have an extreme one.

Pugs have very large eyes that are often very prominent. They are very dark black in color, although quite shiny, with a caring and determined expression in their eyes. Pet ears are small and thin. They are located almost exactly with the top of the skull, semi-straight and mobile, they are divided into 3 types. There are individuals whose ears are directed forward, in others they are at an angle of almost 90 degrees to the top of the head, and in others they fall back. The Pug has a smooth, soft and glossy coat, dyed fawn with black markings. Pugs should have a black muzzle, tan eyes and black ears.

History and origin of the pug

Pug sitting
Pug sitting

The history of the pug is something mysterious. These dogs have long been associated with nobility and status of nobility, both in the Netherlands and England, but most agree that the breed was originally native to China. At one time it was theorized that the pug may have descended from the English Bulldogs or from the Dogue de Bordeaux. However, these theories have been largely abandoned, especially since pugs are known to have been present in China in the 1800s.

Although much of what has been said about the origin of the animal is speculative, since the breed was bred 100 years before official records of dog breeding began to be created. The pug is credited with a fairly ancient origin. Most experts assume that the breed was first bred as companion pets of the royal family of the Chinese Shang dynasty. If so, the pug has existed as a separate breed since about 400 BC. NS. Chronicles from around this period describe Lo-Chiang-se or Foo (Lo-Chiang-Sze or Foo), which have traditionally been associated with the dog.

In his writings, Confucius painted short, flat-faced dogs that were created sometime between 551 BC. and 479 BC He wrote that these dogs accompanied their owners even when they moved in their chariots. At some point, during the reign of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, from 221 to 210 BC. er, he destroyed all the documentation of the pug, including all the scrolls and images. Therefore, partly as a result of the elimination of these records, the exact origins of the pug are likely lost in time.

The breeds that laid the foundation for the pug

Two dogs of the pug breed
Two dogs of the pug breed

The species is almost certainly closely related to a similar breed, the Pekinges. It was originally thought that the pug was first bred by the Chinese and then crossed with long-haired Tibetan dogs such as the Lhasa Apso to develop the Pekingese. However, the most recent research shows that the Pekingese is essentially an old breed, with roots that go back to the Tibetan dogs that were originally brought to China. Recent genetic data in the form of DNA research has also confirmed that the Pekingese is the older of the two breeds. The most common version of the development of the pug is based on the fact that it was either bred from the shortest-haired Pekingese, or by crossing the latter with shorter-haired dogs.

Pug dog owners

Pug in hands
Pug in hands

However, as soon as the pug was first "born", he immediately became a valuable animal in the circles of the Chinese nobility. Only persons of noble blood or monks were allowed to own these dogs. Eventually, the breed's name was shortened to Lo-Chiang-Sze to simply Lo-Sze. Very quickly, these pets spread throughout China and appeared in Tibet, where they became favorite companion animals in monasteries.

The high respect for the pug, which he held for a long time, was also demonstrated by the Emperor Lin, who ruled from 168 to 190 AD. NS. Pets lived in most of his possessions. The monarch placed female pugs in the same position as his wives. He also stated that his dogs would be guarded by people with weapons, and ordered to feed them only the best meat and rice. An attempt to steal one of Lin's pets was immediately followed by the death penalty.

More than a thousand years later, in the Yuan Dynasty, from 1203 to 1333, it was customary to parade all of the Emperor's dogs. The pug was shown right after the lions. Many believe that Marco Polo was the first European to see pugs during his travels in the East. It is very possible that he first observed them in such a parade. From China and Tibet, pugs also spread to neighboring countries Korea and Japan, and possibly to Mongolian and Turkish lands.

In the era of exploration, European sailors began sailing all over the world. In the 1500s, Dutch and Portuguese traders traded with China and Japan. It is generally believed that some of these Dutch merchants acquired these dogs, which they called Pugs. Humans brought these adorable and unique companion dogs to the province of Holland. Very quickly, on the territory of this country, the breed became a favorite companion of the nobility, acquiring the status of a cherished pet of the House of Orange.

During this time, military actions were launched in the Protestant Dutch provinces for gaining independence from Catholic Spain. In 1572, an assassination attempt on the Dutch king William Tyment was thwarted when his loyal pug, Pompey, woke him up. In gratitude, the pet became the official dog of the House of Orange. In 1688, the English Prince William of the Netherlands and his wife Mary, brought pugs with them to England. These dogs wore orange collars to represent the House of Orange at the coronation ceremony.

Origin of the name and further development of the pug

Pug running on the grass
Pug running on the grass

The Dutch pug, transformed into an English pug, has become quite fashionable throughout the British lands. It is unclear where and how exactly their name evolved, but it is believed to derive from one of two Latin words: "pugnus" or "pugnaces Britanniae". "Pugnus" was the Latin word for fist, which could describe the face of a Pug."Pugnaces Britanniae" was the Latin phrase used for the English Mastiff, which looked a lot like a giant pug.

The British are largely responsible for the activity that made the pug into a more modern breed. It is believed that English breeders crossed the dog with the English Toy Spaniel because its muzzle resembles that of a pug. From England and Holland, the pug was popularized in Western Europe.

This breed usually belonged to the upper classes of Spain, Italy and France. Many artists have depicted the pug in their art. Perhaps the most famous of these were the Spaniard Goya and the Englishman William Hogarth, who owned a series of canvases depicting these dogs. In London's Tate Gallery hangs a very famous self-portrait of Hogarth with his pug Trump.

Around 1736, this dog became the secret symbol of the secret society of the Order of the Pug, led by the Grand Master of the Freemasons. By the late 1700s, the Pug was one of the most popular companion breeds of European nobility, although it became less popular in England due to the popularity of Toy Spaniels and Italian Greyhounds. In Italy, it has become fashionable to dress dogs in matching shirts and pantaloons.

Napoleon Bonaparte's wife Josephine owned a pet named Fortuna. It is said that in the first two years of his married life, Napoleon at first did not allow the dog to be in bed with him. But then, Fortune rested on Napoleon's lap - one of the most brilliant generals in history. When Napoleon and Josephine were imprisoned, Josephine used Fortuna to relay messages to her husband.

Queen Victoria of England was very fond of pugs and kept them as pets, calling them by different nicknames: Olga, Pedro, Minka, Fatima and Venus. The Queen was also an avid breeder of the breed, and her involvement with dogs in general helped lead to the founding of the Kennel Club in 1873. Until 1860, pugs were significantly taller, thinner and longer snouts than modern-day members of the species, and looked like a miniature version of the American Bulldog.

In 1860, French and British forces took control of the forbidden city of China during the Opium Wars. Most of the loot was transferred to the UK, including Pekingese and Pugs with short legs and significantly shortened snouts. These dogs were further interbred with existing English pugs, and most of them were imported from China.

Until this time, Pugs were almost exclusively tan or fawn in color with black markings. In 1866, Lady Brassi imported solid-colored black pugs from China and popularized them throughout Europe. For much of the 1800s, it was customary to trim pug ears, although the practice was banned in England in 1895.

Pug confession

Pug near a flower bed
Pug near a flower bed

It is unclear when Pug first arrived in America. However, after the Civil War, the breed's popularity skyrocketed across the Atlantic. The Pug was one of the first breeds to be recognized by the American Kennel Club (ACK) in 1885. The United Kennel Club (UKC) also quickly recognized the pug, first doing so in 1918. The Pug Dog Club of America (PDCA) was founded in 1931 and became an official Kennel Club with the AKC. Since the advent of America, the demand for pugs has been steadily growing. The variety has long been very common in the United States, although not one of the most popular.

For a number of years, the pug has taken 10-25 points in terms of registration with the AKC. In 1981, Dhandys Favorite Woodchuck won the Best-in-Show at Westminster, first introducing the breed. It is widely believed that one of the main reasons for the long-term popularity of the species is their compact enough size to be loved by women, but with a masculine appearance, which is acceptable for a courageous person. Quite a few housewives have resolved the dispute about what breed of dog is optimal to acquire by having a pug.

Pugs' involvement in art and literature

Pug with bow tie
Pug with bow tie

Because the variety has a unique appearance and charming personality, it has long been a popular choice for films, television, and the arts. Perhaps the most famous fictional pug is Otis, the star of the classic children's film, Milo & Otis. This "life-giving" film by Dudley More tells the story of a pug and a cat who become best friends and go on a great adventure together.

Another very famous fictional pug named "Frank" from the movie Men in Black, Men in Black II and the animated series based on the films. Frank parodies the strange appearance of the dog, since in fact aliens are hiding behind him. Other films featuring Pug characters include Disney classic Pocahontas, 12 Rounds, Marie Antoinette, The Great Race, and Dune. The pug has also made a regular appearance on the small screen, including Spin City, King of Queens, The West Wing, and Eastenders.

The breed has appeared on numerous occasions in numerous books and novels, and more recently in video games such as the Nintendogs and World of Warcraft. The pug has long been a favorite of the European royal family, and several of the continent's family remaining noble houses still own such pets. The dogs have also become favorites of the world's wealthy and famous celebrities such as Maria Bamford, Jonathan Ross, Jessica Alba, Hugh Laurie, Jamie Jazz, Valentino Garavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gerard Butler, Jenna Elfman and Rob Zombie.

The current position of the pug

Three pugs in a royal cape
Three pugs in a royal cape

Bred as companion dogs for perhaps over 2,500 years, pugs do their job admirably. Indeed, almost every pug on the planet is a companion animal or show dog, although a very small number of them are entertainers. Some dogs compete successfully in tests of agility or obedience, but in general, these pets are less suitable for these purposes than more athletic breeds. As with most varieties, the pug goes through cycles where it becomes more or less popular depending on the latest trends.

However, the pug is more immune to strong population changes as the breed has a very large and consistent following. In 2010, the Pug was ranked 24th out of 167 complete breeds in terms of AKC registration. In recent years, members of the species have become a very popular choice for crossing with other small breeds to create so-called designer canines. Perhaps the most popular of all these designer breeds is the cross between Pug and Beagle, resulting in such dogs as Puggle. While most of these dogs are just one-time breeds, it is believed that some, especially Puggle, will eventually become true purebred purebred dogs.

In the past few decades, fashion and poor breeding practices have taken their toll on pugs. The popularity and small size have made the breed one of the most widespread. Because of this, factories breed puppies, creating dogs for mass consumption, with little regard for health, quality, or temperament. This has led to the fact that occasionally some individuals develop serious health and behavioral problems. It is imperative for potential breeders to carefully select a breeder breeder from an official dealership.

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