A Pair of Pugs

On a warm afternoon in July I found myself face to face with two wonderful pugs in Montauk, New York. The pair was lounging under a tree near the beach quite content to just casually pose in the summer warmth. Pugs are part of a select group of 8 breeds tracing back to Ancient China. They date as far back as the Han and Tang Dynasty, around 150 BC and were refined for centuries for the sole purpose of entertaining the inhabitants of the Imperial City. It is commonly agreed that the first documented reference to pugs in Europe dates back to the year of 1572 when a small pug heroically awakened his master - William of Orange and leader of the Dutch revolt - just in time to save him from Spanish raiders in what is now southern Belgium. After 1860 a new wave of Pugs were imported from China with shorter legs and the now-familiar "pug nose". The Duke and Duchess of Windsor were probably the most famous pug lovers in the past century. They took their pugs, (along with their pugs' personal chefs and "pooper scoopers") with them to almost all social activities. Pugs became popular in the United Stated in the 20th century both a pets and show dogs. The Pug's head is the most unique and readily identifiable feature. The head itself should be round when you look at it from the front. From the side, the face should be flat without too much or too little chin. Pug eyes are round, dark, expressive and full of life. Pugs basically come in two colors: fawn and black. Many times over the years the fawns have been called, "apricot fawn," "silver fawn," "stone fawn," etc. in an attempt to differentiate them, but they are all still just fawn Pugs. This image shows the two colors of the dog, both of which were quite intent on staring at me with a affectionate look.