"What do you mean there's no more food?"
Researched Facts
-Originated in China
-Despite appearance, are strong willed but not aggresive.
-Compact breathing passageways which lead do difficulty in breathing and regulating body temperature.
-Eye prolapse can occur as a result of the skin/skeletal shape. The eye may have to be removed if chronic.
-Most are prone to being overweight if sedentary which may also be a factor in extra skin.
-Extra skin to keep them warm and dry.
-Helps them trap their desired scent
-Helps them be generally resistant to pain
-Protects muzzle
-Other fighting animals don't cause as much harm to Pug.
Reference Links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kkrmubsgf8
http://www.dogster.com/forums/Choosing_the_Right_Dog/thread/688257
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ReplyDeleteI wonder if pugs are artificially selected by breeders just to look a certain super cute way... Do you think that there is an actual advantage in terms of natural selection for looking like this? Seems like from your research, there are a few disadvantages... Interesting.
ReplyDeleteOther than the noted advantages, I couldn't find much more. I researched further and discovered that they are indeed selectively bred. Pugs used to be larger in size similar to a bulldog but longer and leaner; however, people began to prefer them small when they migrated out of China. Furthermore, breeders try to make them look as cute as possible without regard to their health. This means flatter faces, more skin, and smaller bodies, which are the leading causes in many of their disadvantages.
Delete***Interesting fact:
"An investigative documentary carried out by the BBC found significant inbreeding between pedigree [purebred] dogs, with a study by Imperial College, London, showing that the 10,000 pugs in the UK are so inbred that their gene pool is the equivalent of only 50 individuals" (Wikipedia)