You don’t have to know a thing about dogs to spot a Pug.
That squashed little face, those big dark eyes, the flat button nose. The breed disarms just about everybody, dog person or not.
So, are Pugs good with kids? Mostly, yes, and it’s not really close. This is one of the easier-going small breeds you can put in a house full of children.
Where the Pug Came From
Before we get into why Pugs do so well with kids, it helps to know where the breed started. The history explains a lot about the dog you end up with.
Pugs trace back to China, somewhere between 206 BCE and 200 CE. Chinese royalty doted on them. These dogs had their own quarters and, by some accounts, their own guards. Old records put Pugs in ancient Tibet and Japan as well.
From there the breed worked its way across Europe and into some famous laps. Marie Antoinette kept one. So did Josephine Bonaparte, Queen Charlotte, Lord and Lady Willoughby d’Eresby, and even Queen Victoria.
Pugs reached the United States after the Civil War and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1885. The Pug Dog Club of America followed in 1931. Two thousand years on from those palace dogs, they’re as popular as they’ve ever been.
The Pug in Brief
Pugs are stocky and compact, and the AKC files them under the Toy group. They’re friendly, social, and genuinely funny, the kind of dog that seems to know it’s getting a laugh and plays right into it. They show off, they ham it up, they perform.
They were bred to be lap dogs, and it shows. A Pug wants to be on you, near you, part of whatever you’re doing. He’ll happily melt into your lap for a two-hour movie and stay there.
That easy temperament is what makes him good with kids and other pets. One catch: if your children want a dog that fetches and runs flat out from morning to night, look elsewhere. A Pug has bursts of energy, then he’s done. He naps hard.
So if the question is whether Pugs make good family dogs, the answer is yes, as long as nobody’s expecting an athlete. Pugs read adults, kids, and most animals well, and that’s exactly what makes them such a steady family pet.
Here’s the flip side of all that affection. A Pug should not be left alone for hours on end. He’s a companion breed to the core, and a Pug who’s solo all day every day gets anxious and unhappy. If you work full-time with nobody home, this is the wrong dog for your schedule.
Give him company, though, and you’ve got a loving, low-drama dog who’s hard not to adore.
Pug Stats and Quick Facts
If you like your breed research in numbers, here’s the Pug at a glance:
- Dog breed group: Companion dog
- Height: 10 to 14 inches tall at the shoulders
- Weight: 14 to 18 pounds for both males and females
- Lifespan: 12 to 15 years
That comical face comes with deep folds around dark, wide-set eyes and the famous flat, round muzzle. Legend has it the Chinese prized those wrinkles because the creases on a good Pug’s forehead resembled the character for “good luck.”
The most prized of all, the story goes, were Pugs whose wrinkles spelled out something close to the word for “prince.”
As for the name, one common theory traces “Pug” to the Latin word for “fist,” since a balled fist is roughly what the breed’s face calls to mind.
A Big Personality in a Small Dog
Pugs are charming and easy company, with a mischievous streak. Happy little clowns, most of them. Training, though, can test your patience.
The reason is simple. A Pug is smart and knows it, and that intelligence comes bundled with a stubborn streak. Don’t let that scare you off. Stay patient, lean on positive reinforcement, and keep treats handy, and most Pugs come around just fine.
For housebreaking, crate training is the way to go. It tends to click faster with a Pug’s headstrong personality than anything else.
One thing to brace for: Pugs shed, and they shed a lot for such a small dog. That short coat is actually a double coat, which is where all the hair comes from. Own a Pug and you’ll get to know your vacuum well.
Their size and quiet nature make them solid apartment dogs. Just keep them indoors most of the time. That flat face can’t cool or warm itself efficiently, so a Pug struggles badly in real heat and real cold.
Trained up, a Pug can even play watchdog. He’ll alert you to someone at the door without the constant barking some breeds bring, which your neighbors will quietly thank you for.
What About Their Health?
Pugs are generally healthy, but the breed comes with a watch list. Keep an eye out for these:
- Because of their very prominent eyes, they are prone to eye injuries
- They are greedy eaters and will overeat when not monitored, which can lead to obesity
- They are prone to hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, von Willebrand’s disease, and hypothyroidism
They can also run into:
- Allergies, including contact allergies and food allergies
- Cheyletiella dermatitis (walking dandruff)
- Corneal ulcers
- Dry eye and other eye problems
- Demodectic mange, or demodicosis, which affects their skin
- Epilepsy
- Nerve degeneration
- Sensitivity to certain vaccines
- Staph infection or yeast infection
- Patellar luxation, or dislocation of the kneecap
- Pug dog encephalitis (PDE)
Don’t let that list rattle you. The odds of any one Pug developing most of these are low. A reputable breeder will hand over a health workup, since the good ones have a vet check every puppy before it goes home.
Steady care and regular vet visits are your best defense against all of it. And speaking of care…
How to Care for Your Pug
For all their clowning, Pugs are low-maintenance, which is part of why they suit older owners so well. Let yours outside daily for a little exercise, then bring him back in. Indoors is where a Pug belongs the rest of the day, and that goes double if you live somewhere hot and humid.
Feed two meals a day, and cap it at roughly one cup of good-quality food total. He will absolutely eat more if you let him, so don’t leave it to his judgment. Watch the bowl.
A bath once a month does the job, though some owners go more often. Regular brushing plus the occasional bath keeps the shedding from taking over. Trim his nails on a schedule too.
Those face folds need their own attention. They trap moisture and dirt, and that’s how they get infected. Clean inside the wrinkles thoroughly at bath time, and between baths run a dog-safe wet wipe through the creases to clear out grime and sweat.
Brush his teeth regularly, same as you would for any dog, to head off dental disease.
And a warning for light sleepers. Pugs snore, sometimes loudly. You may want a pair of earplugs on the nightstand.
Pugs: A Natural Fit for Kids and Families
Playful, easygoing, social, and flat-out funny, a Pug fits a family with or without kids. He’s easy to please, hungry for company, and comfortable around cats, other dogs, and pretty much whatever else you’ve got.
He’s simple to care for too, with the shedding being the one thing that’ll keep you busy. You don’t need a big yard either, since a Pug’s exercise needs are modest. For a lot of households, that combination is exactly the point.
Bringing One Home
Want to adopt? Check your local shelter and Pug-specific rescues, because there’s usually a Pug somewhere waiting on a family. Buying instead? Vet the breeder hard, read the paperwork, and if you can, meet a parent or a littermate before you commit.
Either way, few people regret bringing one home. A Pug is a goofball and a loyal little shadow at the same time, and that mix makes him one of the most entertaining roommates a household can have.