Every breed out there has its stereotypes of weirdness that involve bizarre intricacies, and annoying behaviours and tendencies. Sure, stereotypes exist for a reason, they’re an oversimplified image or idea of something that has some basis or merit. They wouldn’t have existed had there been nothing to base on. But I personally feel like pugs have a not-so-shining long list – thanks in part to a “few” pugs that have tarnished the good breed name. And as the parent of one, I feel it my dog duty to correct these. So here you have it, the top 5 biggest misconceptions surrounding pugs.
1. Fatties
Prior to my days as a pug-mom, the only pugs I saw out there were severely overweight. So I assumed ALL pugs were overweight. NOT TRUE! This is definitely a by-product of their LOVE of food – they could eat a whole bag of food if given the opportune chance. It’s definitely because their owners aren’t restricting their food intake and likely on top of that, a lack of exercise. Raised healthy, there’s absolutely no reason why a pug should be so overweight!
2. Not the Brightest Dogs in the Dog House
The poor little guys have a stereotype of, put simply, being dumb. Again – not true! They are stubborn little fur balls, but there’s more to them than meets the eye. They know how to get what they want and work their owner to make it happen. Seriously. You’d be surprised at the intelligence behind these goofy little guys.
3. Not Physically “Inclined”
People have this picture of pugs conjured in their mind where they’re lazy AF. The perfect ‘couch potato.’ Another misconception. All the pugs I know love to go for walks and run around like crazy guys (or gals) at the dog park. They’re seriously balls of energy. However, this isn’t to say they’re not ALSO the perfect lapdog. Because they are.
4. Yappy
Pugs, well, small dogs in general, have this common stereotype that they are extremely yappy. A little bias coming from over here, but pugs are very quiet dogs. While there’s the occasional yapping when someone knocks on the door, or there’s weird noises on those late night walks, all in all, pugs don’t have that irritating yappy-small-dog-character.
5. Loud Snorers
Ok. So this is partially true. Ok ok…this is ACTUALLY true. The first year or so my little guy wasn’t allowed to sleep in bed because his snoring was NOT conducive to sleeping. (Well, that, and the boyfriend at the time…but neither here nor there). He’s just like a human snorer – he has some angles that make him snore more than others – so it’s just about getting him in his right position so that he’s a silent little sleeper.
Well, there you have it. The five biggest misconceptions around pugs! The next time you see one of these cute little guys (or gals!) in the neighbourhood, don’t go jumping to conclusions!
