176 THE BOOK OF TIIR DOG. 



intelligent dog, and his place seems far more to be in his mistress's boudoir than following 

 her about the streets or out of doors. He is usually phlegmatic in his temperament, and 

 appears incapable of taking care of himself if surprised or frightened. Some specimens, and 

 especially tho.e who possess the Bull cross, are nevertheless snappish ; and the majority of them 

 are reluctant to make friends with strangers. Their owners they do know, but the devotion 

 of a Pug is usually not nearly so pronounced as is that of most dogs. This breed, too, 

 seems abnormally inclined to lay on flesh, and the spectacle of a Pug in a painful state of 

 obesity is no uncommon sight. Many specimens of the breed, moreover, give utterance to 

 the most unpleasant sounds in the throat, which is due to the shortness of the muzzle and 

 a consequent difficulty in respiration. On this account they are objected to by many ladies, 

 who naturally dislike being disturbed by the snorting, wheezing, and grunting of a dog on 

 their lap. Many persons innocent on the subject of doggy matters consider it is a desirable 

 feature in a Pug if its tongue hangs out of its mouth, and cannot be drawn in. This formation 

 is certainly an abnormal one, resulting from paralysis of the tongue (to which many of the 

 smaller breeds are very liable) and so far from being an acquisition, should be many points against 

 the affected animal. 



In the face of the tendency towards stoutness which is alluded to above, it is very 

 desirable to diet and exercise a Pug properly. Fattening food, or that which is calculated 

 to heat the blood, should be carefully eschewed ; and a daily walk, when the weather is 

 favourable, is almost indispensable if the animal is to be kept in health and condition. 

 Vegetables should be chopped up and mixed with bread and gravy for his principal meal, 

 and plain, not sweet, biscuits are excellent for a Pug between times. 



With reference to the unpleasant grunting to which notice was drawn above it may be 

 remarked that the breed is not as a rule a hardy one, and naturally any affection of the 

 throat or bronchial tubes is certain to increase the severity of such sounds. Especial care 

 must, therefore, be taken to keep Pugs out of a draught when in the house, and warm 

 clothing is invariably adopted by careful owners when their pets go out of doors in cold or 

 damp weather. 



The points of a Pug are as follow : 



Head. Large and massive, not too round or apple-headed, with a short, blunt muzzle. 



Eyes. Large, brown, and prominent. 



Ears. Small, fine in texture, and falling close to the head "button ears" in short. 



Neck. Short and full, with no dewlap. 



Legs. Of a fair length, straight, and set on well under the body ; with round feet, well 

 split-up toes. 



Body. Short and cobby, wide in chest, and well ribbed up. 



Tail. Well turned up over the back, and tightly curled, with an inclination to lie on 

 one or other side of the spine. 



Colour and Markings. This is a most important feature in a Pug. The principal colour 

 should be a bright fawn, or its various shades from the " apricot" fawn down to a pale yellow 

 tinge. The black markings, however, must be clearly defined, and the success of many u 

 Pug depends upon the position and brilliancy of his black. The muzzle or mask must be 

 jet-black, and the ears, wrinkles, and moles on cheeks should be as dark as possible ; 

 there should also be a " thumb-mark," or dark spot, on the forehead, and a black trace down 

 the back to the root of the tail. Tlie toe-nails, too, should be quite black. 



