Pugs have been around for thousands of years in one form or another. It is generally thought that the Pug originated in China, although there is no way to confirm this. The first writings that mentioned very short-nosed little dogs did refer to Chinese dogs. Sometimes, it is not sure if these dogs were Pugs or Pekingese. It is also unknown what the Pug's parent breeds were, but Pekingese had to have played a role somewhere.
Pugs were reserved for the Imperial court of China, but through trade and wars eventually made their way to Europe, first through Holland. They were a common sight in European royal homes and thrones by the sixteenth century. Famous Pug owners include Josephine (Napoleon's wife); William, Prince of Orange in Holland who credits a warning from his Pug in saving him from an assassin. And English painter William Hogarth, who put his Pug "Trump" in several paintings.
The Pug as we recognize it did not exist until the 1800's. The Pug went through a long series of changes in body shape, body size and color that (for unknown reasons) some were encouraged while others were not. Some writings from Dutch traders in China indicated that there were longhaired and shorthaired Pugs, and that most of them were golden in color all over.

If Hogarth's representations of his Pug were accurate, then Pugs in his day (1697 – 1764) were probably barely recognizable as Pugs. They had longer legs, a slimmer body and a longer nose. They were bred in a variety of colors like fawn, black and silver. There were a limited number of Pugs brought to Holland, and then they spread out to other countries. It is commonly thought that Pugs were bred to small Bulldogs or an extinct small Mastiff in order to continue the breed.
Over the centuries, the Pug came in many different colors. They came in all golden-tan, brindle and bicolor (splotches or brown or black on a white coat). For some reason, the shorthaired Pug was much preferred to the longhair variety, which has been bred out. However, the nose has gotten flatter over the centuries and the jaw undershot. Pugs were one of the first breeds to be recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Pugs are now entirely dependent on people for survival. Because of their flat, wrinkly faces, they cannot clean themselves properly. They cannot live for very long out of doors. One of the reasons Pugs have become more popular in the last twenty years is seen to the Pug who plays an alien on Earth in the hit movie "Men In Black". Since the Pug has stuck by man throughout the centuries, the least we can do is breed healthier Pugs.

A Pug is an old breed that makes a great family pet.. Knowing basic Pug information can help when deciding whether the breed suites your lifestyle.