In keeping with its official motto “Multum in Parvo” which means “a lot in alittle”, the history of the Pug is spectacularly lengthy for such a small dog

Okay let’s first tackle the issue of this dog breed’s name, The Pug. Multiple theories abound to the origins of the name “The Pug” and include the following:

• Pug is derived from the Latin word “pugnus” which means fist and was ascribed to the Pug dog breed in obvious reference to its squashed-face features which show some resemblance to a clenched fist.
• The name Pug was derived from the name once ascribed to ancient fighting dogs (Pugnaces) of which the Pug was an unmistakable dwarf variety.
• Pug happens to also mean “monkey” and some believe that this dog breed got the name on account of its facial resemblance to the marmoset “Pug” monkeys that were once all the rage as pets in the 18^th century.
• Pug owners from the dawn of history of this breed have always and invariably doted on their dogs and some are of the thinking that this is how the dog breed got its name because one of the 18^th century definitions for the word Pug was “tenderly loved.”
• Another less flattering meaning for the word Pug was:  hobgoblin; imp and puck and when used to describe a dog was generally understood to refer to the dwarf nature of the dog.
• In Germany the Pug is referred to as Mops and in Holland in almost likewise fashion is known as Mopshond.

If the origins of this miniscule dog breed’s name seems rather considerable wait until you get to grips with the account of where it supposedly originated from!

Most folk concede that the Pug originated from China and I personally concur with this assumption for the simple reason that the Pug possesses similar facial attributes commonly found in other dog breeds that originate from Asia (in particular from China).

That said let’s have at it and grapple with the various other hypotheses of the Pug’s true origins:

• Back in the day the Pug was often referred to in England as The Dutch Pug on the grounds that it was believed to have originated from Holland. Tale has it that the Pug was introduced to England by William and Mary of Orange when they took over the English throne in 1688.
• Other theories concerning the origin of the Pug dog breed speculate that it came from Russia (which would conveniently explain its Spitz tail as being a remnant from some artic ancestor) from where it made its way to England via Holland.
• Many believe that the Pug originated in western China circa 700 BC at which time it was known as the Lo-chiang-sze which was later abbreviated to Lo-sze. From west china the pug breed migrated west with various traveling bands of traders, found a home in Tibet where it was known as the Lags-kyi and eventually made it through Russia ?Holland ? England.
• The Portuguese became the first European traders to make it to China, which was in 1516, and it is postulated that it was they who introduced the Pug to Europe, fore mostly through their own country ?Holland ? England.
• Some contend that the Pug originated from Ancient Rome and made it to England via the Rome invasion and occupation of Britain.
• Another theory has it that the Pug originated from Ancient Egypt and from there found its passage to England via Phoenician traders but not before establishing a presence in Rome.

As you can see the origins of this dog breed are many and just as equally varied but in all likelihood the Pug came from China. What is indisputable though is that the Pug is an ancient breed that traces its history way back to the ancient war hounds of old.

Article on the pug written by kayye Nynne