THE PUG 569 



one are equally out of harmony with the ideal Pug, which, although 

 not so graceful in contour as the Greyhound and some of the 

 Terriers, should yet be so well proportioned that each part is, as to 

 size, in harmony and conformity with every other, and in combination 

 forming a symmetrical whole. Condition, which materially affects a 

 dog's chance in the judging-ring, alters the general appearance, and 

 destroys the symmetry when it represents extreme poverty or 

 excessive obesity. The Pug is a multum in parvo ; but this con- 

 densation, if one may use the word, should be shown by compactness 

 of form, in well-knit proportions, and hardness of developed muscle. 



The head should be round and short, the skull well domed and 

 large, to correspond with the general size bigness is the better 

 word of this delightful little ladies' pet. The muzzle must be short 

 and square (a pointed muzzle is a serious drawback). The nose is 

 short, but the Pug is not ' up-faced,' like the Bulldog : his nose 

 should be decidedly of the snub variety, but not retrousse. The 

 protrusion of the tongue is a deformity often arising from partial 

 paralysis of that useful organ, and apt to appear in all short-faced 

 dogs ; but it should always be looked on as a fault. 



The ears should be small, thin, soft, and velvety, and black in 

 colour. Some are carried flat, and close to the face, called the 

 ' button ear ' ; others have the ears partially thrown back, the edge 

 again slightly folding forward, and a portion of the interior shown. 

 This corresponds with a variety of ear of the Bulldog called the 

 'rose ear.' I prefer the 'rose' to the 'button ' ear in both breeds, 

 the latter giving a dull, heavy, almost sulky look to the countenance. 



The eyes are dark in colour, very large, bold, and prominent, 

 globular in shape, soft and solicitous in expression, and very 

 lustrous, and, when excited, full of fire. There should be no 

 tendency to water, or weep, as it is called. 



It was formerly insisted that there should be a black mole, with 

 three hairs growing out of it, on each cheek. ' Stonehenge,' in his 

 valuation of points, gives five for this. ' Idstone ' lays it down as 

 important, and hundreds have re-echoed the opinion. A mole on 

 each cheek is not peculiar to Pugs, but will, on examination, be 

 found in every breed, and is easily enough seen on all smooth-faced 

 dogs. 



The mask is the black colour of the face. The more intense it 

 is, the better, and it should include the eyes, running in a straight 

 line across the forehead ; the more sharply defined this mask is, 

 the better, as the contrast between it and the body colour is thereby 

 more strongly marked. Separate from the mask is a black patch, 

 or thumb-mark, and no Pug can be considered absolutely perfect 

 without it. The loose skin of the head forms into wrinkles, which 

 alter in depth with the varying emotions of the dog ; when seen at 

 their greatest, they give a frowning look to the face. The lines of 



