What is it with pugs?

[Flippetydip]

Didn't want to derail the "name the pug" thread by being unfriendly but I don't get the attraction. They are overbred to the point of being disastrously unhealthy from everything I've read and seen.

My daughter (6) loves them (sadly for her, we have the extreme opposite - a greyhound!) but I have told her we will never have one as the vets' bills would be sky high.

Would rather have your pointy than a squashed face! I don't get it either.

Designer breed. They're a 'cool' breed. A bit like the "cockapoo's" (admittedly health wise they aren't as bad as pugs).

I'm with you, I don't see the appeal, in fact I think it's cruel and if you research how a pug used to look/is meant to look, it's really sad to see what poor breeding has done to them.

I don't understand why anybody wants to support an overbred breed that is unhealthy, cruel and sets the dog up for a tough life health wise.

I also don’t get it , and somebody was saying to me the other day that dogs don’t get it either apparently many dogs , mine included, are very disturbed by all the snuffling noises that these types of dogs make .

I look after a pug sometimes and when I take him out and about, some people will clamour to get a picture with him, they go crazy for him. Some people have made comments that having such a dog is cruel. I mean, you can hear him coming way before you see him, with his snuffling and breathing. To my knowledge, touch wood, he's been healthy so far, for a pug. Although they've made him a bit fat.

God love him though but he's a stinky creature. The stinkiest dog I've ever known. I had to have a window constantly open.

OK, at least I'm not missing something.

There's a French bulldog that gets taken to school in the mornings and my daughter is wild about her too - she admittedly though is quite cute but still quite squash-faced - although nowhere near like the pugs we see. I would imagine it would still cause breathing difficulties though. Poor DD - has the pointiest dog in the world! She does love her though, so she reassures me each morning after she's had her dose of French bulldog!

Only a total weirdo wouldn't love a pointy!

I feel the same about French Bulldogs. They seem to be all the rage at the moment and I am seriously frustrated at a couple of friends who have recently spent a fortune on pups with no health checks and from obviously backyard breeders. What's more they are then surprised at how expensive insurance is for them (because they have so many health problems). Sigh.

I don't get the visual appeal, and the health of them makes me disgusted with people, but...

They are really nice little dogs, they're so perfectly suited to being pets. (Temperament I mean)

They're the only small breed I'd have if I had a dog vacancy and was looking in rescues.

I'm afraid I've inadvertently-trained my kids to point out Brachycephalic dogs and say "look that poor dog can't breathe properly"

Pug faces are everywhere and on everything, and kids love it

The attraction, I believe is that because their noses have been bred off and their eyes are too big, they actually look a bit like babies.

I agree.

I judge everyone who buys a puppy but especially those who buy "designer" breeds. I've lost friends and had arguments in the park with people about this.

Bubble Good for you.

Sometimes when I meet a new dog with my dog I say "Did you rescue her/him?"

When they say "No"

I say "Oh my, I don't know you live with yourself"

It is a fashion thing, but personality wise they are quite sweet imo.

When my son got bullied at school, one of the things the bullies picked on was his (our) ugly dog (aka our gorgeous greyhound).

According to the cool kids, cool people have cockapoos, cavapoos , french bulldogs or pugs.

It made DS love our reject-adopted grey even more.

It is sad that pugs are so inbred, as IMO they are "proper" fun dogs, but their bad health makes me sad...

They're an accessory.

Bubble I love that! I came across one in the woods the other day when out with my dog, who wanted to run around with it. I told him that he was wasting his time as it wouldn't be able to run very far before it started wheezing.

My mum recently got a Frenchie, and people - especially children - go nuts for it. Can't see the visual appeal personally, she looks like a gremlin to me! Sweet nature though - bossy little thing who insists on getting all the snuggles.

Pugs and French Bulldogs are in fashion- presumably a reality TV star must have had one at some point.

I don't get the appeal. I find the squashed face and googly eyes really ugly, and the health problems are just awful.

For me, a big part of having a dog is going on very long walks up hills and down dales- I imagine that would be challenging with a dog who can't breathe properly.

They clearly struggle with life

But there’s such lovely little dogs temperant wise. One plays with my dog at daycare (he’s obsessed with her and follows her round relentlessly). He’s the stupidest dog you could ever meet, really really dim - lovely natured though. Basically just wants to sit on you and lick your face.

I have a friend with a 10 month old pug- he's a perfectly pleasant little chap and she adores him but he's a snuffly rectangle on legs and his breathing was really noisy whilst having a bit of a rough and tumble with Elfpup. I think she's in for a lifetime of vet's bills I'm afraid

@fiddle when someone introduces me to their new maltidoodleschnauzski I do my best sad face and say “ oh he’s come from a puppy farm then, poor doggy”....

I recently adopted a jug - a pug x jack russel. I agree that the health issues are a massive problem, and I would never buy one. My jug is basically a pug with a much longer nose. Also, because he’s half jack Russel, he’s got so much energy.

Can you put up a pic of your Jug Pop ?

I’ve never seen one

waterlego

For me, a big part of having a dog is going on very long walks up hills and down dales- I imagine that would be challenging with a dog who can't breathe properly

Yep, that's what I love about having a dog. I rescued a Rottweiler assuming she'd be quite energetic and certainly capable of handling long walks.

Nope. She's unbelievably lazy. While she'll happily go for a couple of miles every so often, she absolutely won't do this every day. Even on our irregular longer walks, she likes a nice lie down after a about a mile and a half. This is fine if you're out in the country and can sit and appreciate the view and the bird song.

When you're not, it's not so great. She once decided to go for a lie down on a traffic island which is in the middle of about 7 A and B roads and only has one of them electricity sub-station things on. I looked like a right loon standing there for about 10 minutes in this desolate industrial wasteland with what looked a giant dead dog on the end of a lead.

Bubble I'd really like to be friends with you IRL, you sound awesome

"Yep, that's what I love about having a dog. I rescued a Rottweiler assuming she'd be quite energetic and certainly capable of handling long walks."

Swap you... mine is like a Tasmanian devil...

slimshady I'm sorry your DS got bullied. What horrible people claiming that "cool" people like puppy-farmed animals and how totally ridiculous.

My DD has definitely been indoctrinated with the fact that rescues are the way forward but I know in her heart she yearns for a sweet-faced puppy it's never happening. DS couldn't give a flying fart.