Animal register · DogIn the app

Pug

Carlin, Pug dog

The Pug is a small companion dog from China, today under British patronage at the FCI. The FCI standard describes a decidedly square and cobby dog — "multum in parvo" — with great charm, dignity and intelligence and an even-tempered, happy and lively disposition, an ideal weight of 6.3–8.1 kg, a fine, smooth, short and glossy coat in silver, apricot, fawn or black, and a tail tightly curled over the hip. It asks for fairly large, well-opened nostrils and finds pinched nostrils and a heavy over-nose wrinkle unacceptable. The Royal Kennel Club places the breed in Breed Watch Category 3, with points of concern that include breathing difficulty, protruding eyes, skin-fold dermatitis and being too fat.

PDSA calls the Pug a severely brachycephalic (flat-faced) breed that can easily become out of breath, advises avoiding exercise in the heat and says its vets would strongly recommend a breed with a normal snout or a Pug cross-breed instead. The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to 1 hour of exercise a day and grooming once a week, says the breed sheds and gives its lifespan as over 10 years. PDSA describes a dog that often gets on well with children and other pets but adores company and does not do well if left alone; PetMD advises cleaning and drying the facial skin folds every day and notes that obesity is common in the breed.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated: 10 October 2026

At a glance

Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S355
Adult weight: males 6.3–8.1 kg, females 6.3–8.1 kg — FCI S354
Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S355
Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S355
Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S355
Lifespan: median 11.6 years — Scientific Reports S54; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S355

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

apartment livingS355
families with childrenS357 S359
homes with other petsS357 S359

Keep in mind:

flat face — breathing and heat problemsS93 S355 S356 S357
sensitive skin — prone to itching and inflammationS356 S359
loves food — watch the weightS357 S359
loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS357
shedsS355 S359

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S355

Coat and grooming

Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S355
Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S355
Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S355

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

Lifespan: median 11.6 years — Scientific Reports S54
Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S355

Life stages

Reaches adult size at: about 9–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S355
Height at the withers: males 25–33 cm, females 25–33 cm — PDSA S357
Adult weight: males 6.3–8.1 kg, females 6.3–8.1 kg — FCI S354

Training

No. 57 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
FCI standard no. 253, group 9 (companion and toy dogs); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S353

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Pug need?

According to our sources, the Pug needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S355.

How long does a Pug live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Pug is: median 11.6 years — Scientific Reports S54; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S355. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does a Pug get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Pug, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S355; Adult weight: males 6.3–8.1 kg, females 6.3–8.1 kg — FCI S354.

How much grooming does a Pug need?

Coat and grooming of the Pug, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S355; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S355; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S355.

Who is the Pug a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Pug as a good fit for: apartment living — The Royal Kennel Club S355; families with children — PDSA, PetMD S357 S359; homes with other pets — PDSA, PetMD S357 S359. Keep in mind: flat face — breathing and heat problems — UK Brachycephalic Working Group, The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S93 S355 S356 S357; sensitive skin — prone to itching and inflammation — The Royal Kennel Club, PetMD S356 S359; loves food — watch the weight — PDSA, PetMD S357 S359; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PDSA S357; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club, PetMD S355 S359.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stage	Starts	Meals a day	Daily step goal
Puppy	arrives at 2 months	4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 2	1,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dog	month 9	2	6,000 steps
Adult	month 36 (3 years)	2	6,000 steps
Senior	month 104 (8.7 years)	2	4,500 steps

Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
Learns commands more slowly than the mixed breed of the free plan (0.7× its speed).
Becomes a senior in month 104 (8.7 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
Combing once a week.
Care: cleaning the skin folds every day — a task for the child.
Care: brushing the teeth every day — a task for the child.
In summer (June–August; December–February in the southern hemisphere) the child and walk screens show a calm reminder between 11:00 and 16:00 family time: no walks in the heat. No weather data, no penalty — steps still count.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, Scientific Reports, PDSA S10 S11 S14 S18 S19 S21 S24 S35 S45 S54 S355 S357 S359

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breed: the short muzzle, narrow nostrils and extra soft tissue in the airway can make breathing harder (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, BOAS). — PDSA S357
Overheats quickly and is more vulnerable to heatstroke than most dogs, especially in warm weather. — PDSA S357
The skin folds, especially on the face, can trap moisture and become infected (skin fold pyoderma); the facial wrinkles need daily cleaning. — PetMD S359
Eye problems occur in the breed, such as dry eye, eye infections and ulcers on the surface of the eye; the shallow eye sockets also make eye injuries more likely. — PDSA S357
Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S357
Puts on weight easily — portions and treats need watching. — PDSA S357

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1 K2
The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1 K9 K10
National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9 K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

Genetic diversity — check the inbreeding coefficient — The Royal Kennel Club S355
Kneecap check for luxating patella before breeding — The Royal Kennel Club S355
The breed club's health scheme for the parents — The Royal Kennel Club S355
X-ray of the parents' spine for hemivertebrae (malformed spinal bones), after 12 months of age — The Royal Kennel Club S355

Other screening schemes for this breed

Breathing test for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS grading) — University of Cambridge K24

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
S54Scientific Reports (LJMU repository copy) — Author Correction: Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death (McMillan et al. 2024, doi:10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w) (PDF)https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/22506/8/Author%20Correction%20Longevity.pdf
S93UK Brachycephalic Working Group — UK BWG home pagehttps://www.ukbwg.org.uk/
S353FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — PUG (253)https://www.fci.be/EN/nomenclature/CARLIN-253.html
S354FCI — FCI-Standard N° 253 Pug (PDF, English; official valid standard 08.09.2026)https://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/253g09-en.pdf
S355The Royal Kennel Club — Pug — breed information page (Breeds A to Z)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/toy/pug
S356The Royal Kennel Club — Pug - Category 3 — Breed Watchhttps://thekennelclub.org.uk/events-and-activities/dog-showing/judging-dog-shows/breed-watch/pug-category-3
S357PDSA — Pug breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/small-dogs/pug
S359PetMD — Pug (dog breed health and care; updated Oct. 16, 2025)https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_pug
K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
K24University of Cambridge (research news) — Scheme launched to improve health of French Bulldogs, Pugs and Bulldogs (04 Feb 2019)https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/scheme-launched-to-improve-health-of-french-bulldogs-pugs-and-bulldogs

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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