Unique facts about Pugs that you may not know

The Pug should be one of the most cuddlesome dog breeds ever to walk the face of Earth. Highly intelligent and sprightly, a Pug keeps your spirits high. Remember the cute one featured in a telecom service provider advertisement?

Some unique facts about Pugs are bound to surprise you:

• Pugs are hailed by several names, such as Chinese pug, Dutch Bulldog, Dutch Mastiff, Mini Mastiff, Carlin, and, hmm, Mops
• Pugs’ ancestry goes as far back as to 400 BC China. Apparently, they were the preferred breed of Tibetan monks, and were brought to Europe in the 16th century
• Pugs traversed China to the West through the Silk Route and found the pride of place among European royalty, including Queen Victoria the Duchess of Windsor and Josephine Bonaparte
• Legend has it Napoleon Bonaparte’s new wife Josephine wanted the Pug named Fortune to sleep beside them on their wedding night, leading to a dispute between the great emperor and her
• The last queen of France, Marie Antoinette, had a Pug named Mops that she had to leave behind when she entered France to marry Louis XVI at age 15
• The English Bulldog, the Pekingese, and the King Charles Spaniel have to thank the Pug for contributing towards their breeding

• Several kennel clubs, including the American Kennel Club (AKC), place Pugs in the toy group, which consists of the smallest breeds of dogs. Pug is categorized as the largest toy dog
• Pugs are brachycephalic breed with a short muzzle and wrinkly face. Its body temperature should stay between 101°F and 102°F, and if it hits 105°F, immediate cooling is needed for normal respiration. At 108°F, organ failure can occur

• A group of Pugs is called a grumble
• Unlike the more energetic members of their species, pugs sleep an average of 14 hours a day. Zzzz!