Pugs are no longer 'a typical dog' and people shouldn't buy them, experts say

Pugs have high health risks and 'can no longer be considered a typical dog' from a health perspective, according to experts.

People are being urged not to buy the breed until there is an improvement in their health and body shape. This comes after new research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) revealed the health of pugs in the UK is now substantially different and largely worse than other dogs.

It revealed pugs are almost twice as likely to experience one or more disorders annually compared with other dogs. According to the experts, this suggest the pug can no longer be considered a typical dog from a health perspective.

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The flat-faced nature and body shape of the breed – behind many of their health issues – has seen them increase in popularity in recent years. But researchers argue that the health of the dog should be prioritised over people’s desire to own one.

They say urgent action is required to reduce the high rate of health issues associated with the breed. Dr Dan O’Neill, associate professor in companion animal epidemiology at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said: "Although hugely popular as pets, we now know that several severe health issues are linked to the extreme body shape of pugs that many humans find so cute.

"It is time now that we focus on the health of the dog rather than the whims of the owner when we are choosing what type of dog to own."

From 2005 to 2017 there was a five five-fold increase in Kennel Club registrations of pugs. However, there is growing concern over health issues of the dogs stemming from the breed’s flat face, bulging eyes, wrinkled skin and tendency towards obesity. These