toy Group
Pug
The Pug is a popular breed in the United States. They are affectionate, friendly, and playful companions, but they also love to cuddle on the couch. With such lovable, squishy faces, it’s easy to see why the Pug has consistently ranked around the top 10 small dog breeds, and within the top 35 dog breeds overall since 2013.
Pugs are playful, great with young kids and other dogs, and eager to please when it comes to training. They’re pretty well controlled when it comes to barking, but it’s well worth crate training at an early age to keep things in check.
As for their grooming requirements, Pugs are well known for shedding, so be sure to get yourself a good vacuum for dog hair.
The many wrinkles found on a Pug will require maintenance to prevent irritation, skin sores, and infection. Nothing too strenuous, but a reasonably regular bath while ensuring you get in and wash the crevices, including a good rub down to dry, will suffice.
A fully grown Pug has an average height of 10–13 inches, and will weigh somewhere between 14–18 pounds.
The average life expectancy of a Pug is around 13–15 years.
Pug Average Statistics
Average size and life expectancy of a Pug.
Height
10–13 inches
Weight
14–18 pounds
Life Expectancy
13–15 years
Pugs – A Consistently Popular Breed
In 2022, the Pug was ranked the 35th most popular breed overall, making it the 11th most popular small dog breed, according to the total number of registrations with the AKC (American Kennel Club).
Pug Characteristics
Just like humans, dogs have unique personalities. But did you know that there are common personality and character trends unique to each breed?
This means that it’s worth taking the time to understand the differences in personality, character, and needs of each breed before choosing the right dog for your family, for you, and your lifestyle.
Below is a table we created to show the personality and character traits commonly associated with Pug‘s in an easy-to-read table. Each row contains a character trait, a score ranging from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest), and a description.
| Trait | Score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Affectionate | 5 | How affectionate a breed is with family members or close friends. Some breeds are reserved around strangers, while others treat everyone as a close friend. |
| Playful | 5 | How eager a breed is to play, even as an adult. Some breeds will want to play tug-of-war or fetch until they are old, while others will be content to lounge on the couch with you. |
| Energy | 3 | A breed’s need for exercise and mental stimulation. High-energy breeds are always ready for their next challenge. They’ll spend the day running, jumping, and playing. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes who enjoy a good nap. |
| Trainability | 4 | How easy it will be to train and how eager your dog will be to learn. Some breeds only want to please their owners, while others prefer to do their own thing, whenever they want! |
| Grooming Requirements | 2 | How often a breed’s coat needs to be brushed, trimmed, or otherwise maintained. When looking at the grooming effort required, consider your time, patience, and budget. Nail trimming is required on all breeds. |
| Shedding | 4 | How much fur and hair the breed will leave behind. High-shedding breeds require more frequent brushing, are more likely to cause allergies, and require more frequent vacuuming and lint-rolling. |
| Drooling | 1 | A breed’s drool-proneness. If you’re a neat freak, dogs that slobber on your arm or wet your clothes may not be the best choice. |
| Watchdog | 3 | How often the breed will bark or howl. Some breeds will bark at every passer-by or cat in the window. Some barkless breeds can still communicate using other sounds. |
| Good with Children | 5 | The breed’s tolerance to children’s behavior and overall family-friendly nature. Always supervise dogs around young children or children of any age unfamiliar with dogs. |
| Good with Dogs | 4 | How sociable a breed is with other dogs. Interactions and introductions with other dogs should always be supervised, but some breeds are naturally more likely to get along, both in public and at home. |
| Good with Strangers | 5 | How friendly a breed is towards strangers. Some breeds are reserved or cautious around strangers, whether at home or in public. In contrast, others will be excited to meet a new human! |
Keeping your Pug happy & healthy
Did you know that each dog breed has different needs to keep them both physically and mentally healthy?
That means things like exercise requirements, grooming needs, mental stimulation, frequent training, and bonding time will need to be taken into consideration before you decide whether a Pug is right for you.
So let’s start with listing out the needs of the Pug, and describe the minimum expectations that will be required to keep your dog happy and healthy, helping you to decide if they’re the right breed for you.
Exercise Requirements for Pug‘s
While a Pug doesn’t require extensive exercise, it will need moderate levels of activity each day to stay happy and healthy.
We suggest aiming for daily exercise between 30 and 60 minutes, which can be spread across several daily walks or playtime in the backyard.
Are Pug‘s a playful breed?
Yes, Pug‘s are a playful breed. In fact, Pug‘s are rated as one of the most playful small dog breeds, making them a perfect fit for young, fun, and playful families. They’ll just love running around playing in the house or yard, and love to play games such as rope pull, chase, and make games for themselves out of any soft toy.
Are Pug‘s easy to train?
Pug‘s are known to be quite a challenge when it comes to training, but with some persistence, consistency, and patience, you can be sure to reap the benefits from taking the time to train him.
Just remember that as with any element of training, but especially potty training your dog, positive reinforcement and consistency from you is one of the most important aspects of training.
Random Facts about Pugs
For a bit of fun, here are some facts about Pugs:
- The average life expectancy of a Pug is around 13–15 years.
- Pugs don’t require too much mental stimulation, and their energy level isn’t too high, so this makes them a perfect candidate for city life in an apartment, or a house with a small yard. Just be sure to give them at least one 30 minutes walk per day for exercise.
- You should expect a fair amount of vacuuming with this breed, as Pugs are quite prone to shedding.
- Pugs are an affectionate and playful breed, and they’re great with children and other dogs. Making them a perfect choice for families both young and old.
Medical Conditions
Some breeds are prone to medical conditions, so severe, others mild. But either way, it’s important for you to be aware of such issues as a responsible dog owner, so you know what potential symptoms to look out for, and what steps to take if you spot any in your dog.
FAQs about Pug‘s
People also regularly ask the following questions about Pug
What is the average height of a Pug?
The height of a fully grown Pug will be somewhere around 10 to 13 inches. Don’t worry if your Pug is slightly over or under those figures, as this is just a breed average.
What is the average weight for a Pug?
Ideally, your Pug should weigh somewhere between 14 and 18 pounds. This is an average for the breed overall, so if your pup comes in slightly over, or slightly under this weight, don’t worry too much.
How to tell if my Pug is overweight?
In surveys conducted by Pet Obesity Prevention since 2012, more than 55% of dogs are now classified as overweight or obese. This number has been steadily increasing from 52.5% in 2012, with the most recent numbers in 2018 being 55.8%.
That’s an increase of 3.3% in just six years, showing that dog obesity is a problem that is only getting worse over time.
We’ve created an easy-to-use dog calorie calculator to give a pretty good idea of how many calories your dog needs to maintain energy requirements (or MER).
Keep your dog happy and healthy, and be sure to regularly check the weight of your dog to ensure a long and healthy life.
What is the life expectancy of a Pug?
The average life expectancy for a Pug is 13 to 15 years, although don’t be surprised if your dog lives longer!
It’s not uncommon to fall outside of this age range, mainly due to health and medical conditions. So keep your dog happy and healthy, ensure your dog’s weight is kept within the ideal range, with plenty of exercise and playtime to keep his mind and body healthy, helping to extend his life!
References, and Further Information
- Pug full breed standard, AKC (American Kennel Club)
- Pet Obesity Prevention