Pug

The Pug is a small dog with a huge personality, featuring a distinctive wrinkled, flat face and curled tail that originated in ancient China as companions for royalty. These charming clowns (14-18 pounds) are famous for their expressive faces, snorting sounds, and desire to be the center of attention. Pugs are affectionate, playful, and surprisingly comedic—they seem to have a natural talent for making their humans laugh with their antics.

Pugs are excellent apartment dogs with moderate exercise needs—short walks and play sessions suffice, as their flat faces make breathing difficult, especially in heat. Like all brachycephalic breeds, Pugs overheat easily, can't swim well, snore spectacularly, and are prone to eye injuries due to their prominent eyes. Their wrinkled faces need regular cleaning to prevent infections, and they shed constantly despite their short coat.

If you want a comical, affectionate companion who thrives on human attention, is great with kids and other pets, and fits well in smaller living spaces, a Pug delivers endless entertainment. They need climate-controlled environments, regular wrinkle care, and owners who can handle health challenges—but they offer unwavering devotion, constant entertainment, and a dog who believes their entire purpose is to be your shadow and make you smile.