At a glance
- Type
- Purebred, FCI No. 253, Group 9 (companion dogs)
- Height
- Not set by the standard; typically about 25–33 cm
- Weight
- 6.3–8.1 kg under the FCI standard
- Life expectancy
- About 12–15 years
- Coat
- Short, fine and glossy; silver, apricot, fawn or black, with a black mask; sheds a lot
- Grooming
- A weekly brush, more often while shedding; nose fold wiped and dried every day
- Exercise
- About 30–60 minutes a day at an easy pace
- With children
- Very good: sturdy, patient and playful
- In an apartment
- Yes, one of the best breeds for an apartment
- Cyprus summer
- Poor: an extremely short-nosed breed; air-conditioning and dawn or after-dark walks in summer
- Our price
- from €1,350
About the Pug
Pugs came out of China, where small flat-faced dogs were prized for centuries, and reached Europe in the 1500s aboard Dutch East India Company ships. They crossed to England with William III and have never really left fashion since. The old phrase used for the breed, multum in parvo, promises a great deal of dog in a very small package, and it still holds.
Temperament is what sells a Pug, and it deserves the reputation. He is even-tempered, comic and genuinely interested in people; not a barker, not a chaser, and he gets along with children and other dogs with very little effort. He is happiest in the room with you, and will follow you to the next one.
He is also the breed that needs the most thought in a Cypriot climate. A short-faced dog cannot cool himself the way a longer-nosed dog can, and heat is the single biggest risk to a Pug here. From May to September, walk him at first light and after dark, keep him indoors and cool in between, never leave him in a parked car, and stop straight away if his breathing turns noisy on a walk.
Otherwise care is easy: up to an hour of gentle activity, a weekly brush, clean and dry the face wrinkles, and keep him slim, because extra weight makes the heat much harder on him. Ten years and more is normal.
Origin, purpose and temperament follow the official FCI breed standard; exercise, grooming and family suitability follow The Royal Kennel Club (UK). Every puppy is an individual — ask us about the one you are considering.
Living with a Pug in Cyprus
Breathing comes first. No breed we offer has a flatter face than the Pug. His soft palate, throat and nostrils are packed into very little space, and in many dogs this narrows the airway: vets call it BOAS, brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. Snoring and loud breathing at rest are a sign of it, not part of the charm. Above 35 °C a Pug with a narrow airway can barely cool himself, so he spends the summer in air-conditioning.
Cats, thorns and dust. A Pug’s eyes bulge, with no muzzle in front of them for protection. A swipe from a stray cat, a thorny shrub on a hillside path or windblown summer dust can scratch them, and a scratch can turn into a corneal ulcer within hours. If he squints, keeps one eye shut or paws at it, see a vet the same day.
The nose fold. The wrinkle over the nose traps tears, food and moisture, and in the humid coastal summer that is where skin infections start. Wipe it with a damp cloth every day, then dry it well.
Food, hair and evenings. Pugs put on weight easily, and every extra kilo presses on an airway that is already narrow, so weigh his meals. He is a wonderful apartment dog, but the short coat sheds all year, more than most people expect. On evening walks from about May to October, sandflies are out, and their bites can pass on leishmaniasis; plan protection with your vet, and for ticks see our puppy care sheet.
