Pugs! Trivia Quiz

Answer: China

Pugs have an ancient history; in fact, the earliest reference to them was found in China in 600 BC. In about 950 AD, Emperor Kang Hsi commissioned a dictionary of all Chinese characters, and in it there are two references which could describe the Pug: "dogs with short legs" and "a dog with a short head." By the 14th century there were three main types of dogs in China that are identifiable as founders of breeds of today: the Pekingese, the Japanese Spaniel, and the Pug.

Answer: brindle

Most pugs, like my Peter, are fawn, which is a light tan color. Their little faces have a black muzzle. There are also pugs that are solid black, and further sorted into blue black or rusty black, the distinction of which is beyond me. There's also a variety of fawn Pug called the apricot fawn- these are sort of orangish. Brindle pugs do exist, but these are often considered to be a cross, usually with a French bulldog.

Answer: toy

Pugs are classified as Toys, or small dogs. They are actually the largest of the Toys, weighing between 14 and 18 pounds. However, their pudgy little bodies have a tendency to get fat, so it's not uncommon to find one over 20 pounds.

Answer: none

Pugs are one of few breeds that were created with no purpose in mind, other than being lap dogs (which they're very good at). They are very loving and friendly, and make surprisingly good watchdogs, as they have a deceivingly deep bark.

Answer: Babe

According to the American Kennel Club, the popularity of pugs has increased greatly in the past few years, partly due to their exposure in the media. Pugs ranked 19th in 1996 for the number of registered dogs in the US, which was a great increase from the ranking of 28th in 1993.

As of 1999, they've become the 16th most popular breed of registered dogs in the US. Otis, a pug, was the star of "Milo and Otis"; Frank the pug had a role in "Men in Black"; and a black pug has a bit part in "Runaway Bride".

There's also one of our snorting friends on the TV sitcom "Dharma and Greg".

Answer: Mary, who wants an affectionate lap dog

Mary is the only one of these people who would be a good match for a pug. Pugs are not meant to be "outdoor" dogs- they can overheat easily and should be kept in air conditioning. Nor are they athletic. Although they have short hair, they do shed quite a bit, which should be taken into consideration by any potential pug owners.

Answer: upright ears

One of the cutest things about pugs is their curly tail, which resembles a little pig tail. The tail should have what's called a double curl, meaning it curls back on itself. If a pug walks around with his tail uncurled, something's wrong. Another cute feature is their bulging eyeballs, which protrude from their sockets. Because of this, however, they're more prone to injury and other eye problems.

Answer: Elizabeth I

Many royalty have owned pugs, including Queen Victoria and Marie Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI of France. In fact, it was William of Orange and Queen Mary who are credited with originating the "pug craze" among Europeans in the seventeenth century. As the story goes, William and Mary brought pugs with them to England in 1788, and the country quickly became captivated by the unusual little dogs.

It became fashionable to carry around a pug as sort of an accessory, and the little grunters could often be found on royal laps.

Answer: William Hogarth

English painter, engraver, and writer William Hogarth (1697-1764) was better known for his engravings than for being a pug dad. He actually featured a pug in two of his paintings- "The House of Cards" and "Self-Portrait with Pug". I've seen the latter; the pug is not that cute- it looks more like a pit bull. Hogarth was also a writer, his best-known work being the satirical eight-part series "The Rake's Progress" (1735).

Answer: prince

In ancient China, it was preferable for pugs to sport three wrinkles on the forehead and a vertical bar, forming the Chinese character for "Prince"; a white button or blaze on the forehead, which would be almost impossible to find nowadays, was even better.

It is a myth that pugs are minituarized Mastiffs, although it is believed that the English bulldog is a mixture of the Mastiff and pug.