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Blog

Wrinkles on a pug's head

9/14/2022

3 Comments

 
Did you know?
Pugs have wrinkled faces because Chinese breeders purposely bred them that way. They actually aimed to create a pattern of wrinkles on the dogs’ foreheads, which resembled the Chinese character for “prince” (王).
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Here is the most recent Pickwick Pug puppy to go to a new home (Fergus, new name Shorty, from the Flying Kilt Litter). Aren't his markings incredible? Like art .... God size art.
Here are some other Pickwick pugs we have bred over the last 8 years:
Our Annie, (Zobear's American Idol), bred by Julia Ashton in Scotland, has a gorgeous diamond on her forehead. She was younger in this photo so the pigment was still developing.
Picture
Did you know?
It takes time for these wrinkles and markings to develop. The same is true for pigmentation (the lighter ears on puppies will gradually darken as they age). Sometimes it can take up to 2 years before the face 'masterpiece' is finished maturing. For example, here's Macintosh (CH Pickwick's Peachtree Hill Country Mighty Macintosh) as a young puppy, then adolescent puppy, then at age 1.5:
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In Leah Clarke's wonderful book "The Pug Dog Illustrated" she explains more about a proper pug head, according to breed standard . . . .
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And, regarding the wrinkles . . . .
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With each year of our participation in dog shows it seems that more and more pugs are being shown who have hardly any wrinkles or pigmentation on the face. In fact, some exhibitors (breeders and judges) have commented that "they prefer a lighter face".  Perhaps these markings are being lost because of the never ending quest to create lighter and lighter (blonde and cream actually, versus the specified "Fawn" color) coats. But, whatever the reason, we are going to work hard to fight to preserve the wrinkles and expression AND pigment. It's an important aspect of the breed to us and one important reason we chose this breed back in 1990. So, when we see these clear faces with no black in the wrinkles, or sometimes not even any wrinkles, it's sad for us to see judges awarding these pugs. 
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As newer breeders, we are constantly consulting more experienced experts and it is always emphasized that structure must always come first .... and they tell us to never let a gorgeous face "blind" us to the body attached to this face. "You can't breed a head" is a constant mantra we hear. And we agree. Our goals (if we had to choose 2) as pug breeders are: "a pug with a gorgeous face who moves well". (Yes, we'd love a soft mink like double clear coat, bush tails, high tail sets, big round heads, lots of bone, etc. etc..... but, if we had to choose ONLY 2 things, it would be face and movement).

Every breeder will have something they focus more on but, whatever these are, we hope that the beautiful wrinkles and markings of pugs will start appearing more in the show ring and in whelping boxes. We hope that these wrinkles and markings will become important again in the years to come ..... with judges, breeders, owners, and all supporters of the pug breed. When exhibitors and handlers paint on these markings and dye ears it doesn't help the future of the breed. At some point, it's going to become obvious that the painter is a human and not God and the pug breed will have disappeared.
3 Comments
Trevor Walker link
10/19/2022 12:13:57 am

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10/21/2022 05:59:58 am

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11/13/2022 10:14:03 pm

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    Amy Aberg McLelland, co-owner Pickwick Pugs

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    • About Us >
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          • Health Guarantee
  • Available
    • Puppies >
      • Current and Planned Litters >
        • Winter/Spring 2022-23 >
          • Southern Belle Litter
        • Future Possible Litters 2023-2027 >
          • Jane Austen Litter
          • Mamma Leone's Litter
          • Galaxy Litter
          • Bridgerton Litter
          • Duchenne Litter
          • 5th Element Litter
    • Older Puppies or Adult Pugs
    • Application Form >
      • Purchase & Contract Page >
        • Contract
    • Puppy Culture Protocol - What Has Your Puppy Been Up To These Past 12 Weeks?
    • Puppy Blog >
      • Puppy Parties
      • Scenes from Puppy Nursery
      • Temperament Evaluation Form
      • Conformation Evaluation Form
      • Guardian Home Information
    • Past Pickwick Pugs Litters >
      • Begin the Beguine Litter
      • Thrill Litter
      • Lemaître Litter >
        • Stewart All Eyes Look at Me
        • Coco (Pickwick's Cold Champagne in the Afternoon)
        • Winston (Pickwick's Cosmic Constellation in the Stars)
        • Rocket Girl (Pickwick's You Can Call Me Rocket Girl) >
          • Rocket Girl (Pickwick's You Can Call Me Rocket Girl)
        • Marie Claire (Pickwick's Cotton Candy in the Sky)
        • Stella Artois (Pickwick's Watching the Stars Align)
      • Stars Fell on Alabama >
        • It's a Barnum and Bailey World
        • Pickwick's Show the World How to Smile
        • Casanova in Disguise
        • Even the Moon is in on My Scheme
        • Unforgettable in Every Way
      • Diamond Litter >
        • Pickwick's Doris Diamond Breakfasts at Tiffany's
      • Emerald Litter
      • Christmas Star Litter
      • New Year's Eve Litter
      • Adirondack Litter
      • Flying Kilts Litter
      • Coffee House Litter
      • Poldark Litter
    • Retired Show Pugs & Adults
    • Fosters Needing Adoption
  • Our Grumble
    • Pickwick Champions >
      • CH Pickwick's Peachtree Hill Country Mighty Macintosh, TKN
      • CH Peachtree's Kirkcudbright Kayleigh, CGC, RIN, RI, TKN
      • CH Pickwick's Child, That Hemline's Out of Sight TKN
      • CH Pickwick's Show the World How to Smile
      • CH Wright's Triumphant Tiger Eye at Pickwick
      • GCH Hill Country's I'll Bee Your Shining Star
    • In the Rings Now (Conformation, Rally, Freestyle, Tricks) >
      • Diabolbric’s Start Me Up (Jagger)
      • Pickwick's Worship The Ground I Walk On
      • Pickwick's Where Heaven Kisses Earth
      • Pickwick's Follow the Star
      • Pickwick's While the Leaves Play the Music
      • Pickwick's Thrill on Blueberry Hill
      • Zobear's American Idol
      • Pickwick's Watching the Stars Align
      • Princess Buttercup's Forever is Now
    • Fosters, Rescues, Companion Pugs (altered, not part of breeding program) >
      • Sebastian, BGR, CGC, RN, RA, TKN
      • Charlie Chaplin >
        • Randolph (Charmin's and Toyland's Lord Randolph of Pickwick)
      • All-American Rescue Jerry (lab/chow/GS mix)
      • All-American Rescue Lexi
    • Gone but not forgotten . . . >
      • Pickwick's Cotton Candy in the Sky RN
    • Pedigrees
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • New Owner Checklists A >
      • Puppy Sample Daily Schedule
    • New Owner Checklists B >
      • Puppy Training & Socialization Checklist Chart >
        • Socialization Checklist
      • Training & Socialization >
        • Canine Good Citizenship Test
        • Conditioning Exercises
        • Rally Training Boot Camp
        • Canine Freestyle
        • Conformation Puppy Boot Camp
    • Articles >
      • Helpful Info for Pug Owners
      • Driving Home With Your Puppy
      • Flying Home with Your Puppy
      • Prayers >
        • Breeding/Whelping Notes >
          • Puppy's Life Day-by-Day
          • Puppy Daily Records
      • Why buy from a responsible preservation Breeder?
      • Breed Standard
      • Pug Dog Club of America
  • Pugiano
  • Photo Album
  • Calendar
    • Calendar