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“He would at Windsor have taken possession of the throne if he thought that it looked comfortable enough, and been surprised if asked to move.”
~Anonymous Palace Staff Member talking about Bosco the Royal Pug
Purportedly appearing as far back as 400 BC, the adorable pug has been a member of royal households and entourages for centuries. Now a popular member of households across the globe, pugs steal the hearts of their owners while still serving as exceptional watch dogs. These small dogs, sometimes referred to as “a lot of dog in a tiny package” have enchanted their owners for centuries.
No one knows how far back the tenacious pug was a member of the imperial court. Some scholars speculate that they were present even in the Hang and Tang Dynasty in 150 BC. These references make it one of the oldest breeds on record. Confucius even mentioned them in his documents around 551 BC.
Chinese emperors prized the pug. Sometimes they gave them to their wives, children, valued servants, and most loyal guards. Later, Chinese diplomats began giving wriggling pug pups to important visitors from Korea to Japan. Some speculate that a few may have even been given to the Dutch or Russians. Explorers, soldiers, and diplomats from Italy, the Netherlands, and France purportedly brought pugs back from China to give to loved ones and children.
The pug grew in popularity throughout Europe during the Renaissance. However, it was soon made the official mascot of the House of Orange. Sir Roger Williams’ Actions in the Low Countries, a book printed in 1618, tells the tale of a courageous pug who rescued the Prince of Orange in 1572.
The Prince of Orange, Prince William, had gone to sleep, weary from the rigors of war. One of his many enemies, a man named Julian, attempted to assassinate him, but the little dog woke his master before it was too late. Prince William managed to defeat his enemy. In gratitude to the pug who saved his life, the prince vowed to always keep at least one pug in his household and make the pug his mascot. When he traveled to England to take the throne, two pugs attended him, both decorated with festive orange ribbons.
Some years later, the pug was accepted into another royal court because of Josephine. Her pug, Fortune, went with her everywhere, including her bed. When she married Napoleon in 1796, Napoleon did not wish for the dog to sleep with them because the pug had bitten him. Josephine, however, refused to stay in the bedroom without Fortune, and so the little pug was once more accepted in the royal court and home.
Despite its royal popularity, the pug started to decline in the mid nineteenth century. In analyzing the pug as compared to the other dogs in Europe, Taplin wrote that the pugs were “applicable to no sport, appropriated to no useful purpose, susceptible of no predominant passion.” Others seemed to share this sentiment as various hounds and sports dogs became more popular.
This sentiment was compounded as the pugs’ challenges increased. The little pug began to be known for eye and ear infections. Some stated that the black and silver pugs were bad luck, and that they should be destroyed.
The pug might have disappeared from Europe as other breeds such as the corgi, spaniel, and poodle increased in popularity. But Queen Victoria adopted several of the supposedly cursed black pugs as well as two silver ones. She took them with her on many of her trips and to many of her ceremonies. Queen Victoria also banned cropping the little pug’s ears. She said that it was far too cruel and unnecessary. This increase in popularity led to companies creating the famous Vienna Bronze pugs.
After Queen Victoria, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor took the flag of heralding the pugs’ unique position as noble dog. They took the dogs with them to all their activities, hiring chefs and cleaners specifically for the pugs. This devotion to the pug led to a further increase in its popularity and association with nobility.
The pug has certainly fixed itself firmly into the history of unique dog breeds and families. Pugs are now considered an excellent combination dog for both children and guarding, and they even have their own magazine, Pug Talk. Pugs have all the strengths of the big dogs without the drool and space.
The pug has had a long history through many cultures. And if you’ve ever had a pug, you’ll understand what it means to be completely in love with this sweet breed.