258 Modern Dogs. 



the pug became first favourite at the Dutch Court 

 in the time of the father of our William III. 

 who, like others, had enemies. One night, whilst 

 camping out, he was wakened by the scratching and 

 barking of his pug dog, which had been aroused 

 and rendered furious by the appearance of a party 

 of pikemen, who sought the life of the Prince. Two 

 of his attendants were killed, but otherwise the 

 murderous attempt was baulked through this watch- 

 fulness and vigour of the canine guard. If such 

 were the case, and history is not always truthful, 

 there is little to wonder at the favouritism of the pug, 

 although it did no more than any other dog would 

 have done under similar circumstances. The quaint- 

 looking, courtly little dogs were quite the rage for 

 a time, but I fancy that for one reason or another 

 they did not make a great deal of headway in Britain, 

 possibly because in-breeding had made them deli- 

 cate. However, every now and then some fresh 

 blood was introduced from both France and Italy, 

 as well as from Holland, and so the breed was con- 

 tinued, although it did not become particularly 

 common ; still, there were plenty of pugs to be found 

 up and down the country, and they were fairly 

 installed one of our own varieties. 



About the time Hogarlh, the great painter, 

 flourished, Dutch pugs were as fashionable as black 



