Pug breed standards compared
Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.
Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.
Size
| Measure | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 6.3–8.1 kg | 6.4–8.2 kg | 6.4–8.2 kg | 6.3–8.1 kg | 6.3–8.3 kg |
| Height to length | 1 | 1 | No ruling | No ruling | 1 |
Conformation
| Form | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiteUndershot | Standard (“Jaws / Teeth: Slightly undershot.”) | Standard (“A Pug's bite should be very slightly undershot.”) | Standard (“meet in a slightly undershot bite”) | Standard (“Mouth: Slightly undershot.”) | Standard (“A Pug's bite should be very slightly undershot.”) |
| BiteWry mouth | Fault (“Wry mouth, teeth or tongue showing all highly undesirable.”) | No ruling | Disqualifying (“Eliminating Faults: Wry mouth.”) | Fault (“Wry mouths, teeth or tongue showing all highly undesirable.”) | Disqualifying (“DISQUALIFICATIONS Wry mouth”) |
| DentitionFull dentition | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“A full complement of large, white teeth”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Eye shapeRound | Standard (“Dark, relatively large, round in shape”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Dark, relatively large, round in shape”) | No ruling |
| Ear carriageButton | Standard (“Button ear ... Preference given to latter.”) | Standard (“Preference is given to the latter.”) | Standard (“preference is given to the button ear”) | Alternate (“Two kinds: button ear”) | Standard (“Preference is given to the latter.”) |
| Ear carriageRose | Alternate (“Two kinds - Rose ear - small drop-ear which folds over and back”) | Alternate (“There are two kinds - the rose and the button.”) | Alternate (“rose (drop ears that fold over and back)”) | Alternate (“rose ear - small drop ear which folds over and back”) | Alternate (“There are two kinds the rose and the button.”) |
| Muzzle shapeBlunt | Standard (“Relatively short, blunt, square, not upfaced.”) | Standard (“The muzzle is short, blunt, square”) | Standard (“The muzzle is short, blunt and square.”) | Standard (“Muzzle relatively short, blunt, square”) | Standard (“The muzzle is short, blunt square”) |
| Muzzle shapeSquare | Standard (“Relatively short, blunt, square, not upfaced.”) | Standard (“The muzzle is short, blunt, square”) | Standard (“The muzzle is short, blunt and square.”) | Standard (“Muzzle relatively short, blunt, square”) | Standard (“The muzzle is short, blunt square”) |
| ToplineLevel | Standard (“Topline: Level, neither roached nor dipping.”) | Standard (“The short back is level from the withers”) | Standard (“The topline is level.”) | Standard (“Topline level neither roached nor dipping.”) | Standard (“The short back is level from the withers”) |
| ChestBroad | Standard (“Broad in chest.”) | Standard (“wide in chest and well ribbed up”) | Standard (“with a wide chest and well-sprung ribs”) | Standard (“broad in chest.”) | Standard (“wide in chest and well ribbed up”) |
| Tail setHigh | Standard (“TAIL: High-set”) | Standard (“level from the withers to the high tail set”) | Standard (“The high-set tail”) | Standard (“High set”) | Standard (“level from the withers to the high tail set”) |
| Tail carriageCurled over the back | Standard (“tightly curled over hip”) | Standard (“curled as tightly as possible over the hip”) | Standard (“curled as tightly as possible over the hip”) | Standard (“tightly curled over hip”) | Standard (“curled as tightly as possible over the hip”) |
| Tail carriageDouble curl | Standard (“Double curl highly desirable.”) | Standard (“The double curl is perfection.”) | Standard (“the double curl considered the ideal”) | Standard (“Double curl highly desirable.”) | Standard (“The double curl is perfection.”) |
Markings
| Marking | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mask | Standard (“Muzzle or mask ... trace as black as possible”) | Standard (“The mask should be black”) | Standard (“Markings are found on the muzzle, to include the mask”) | Standard (“Muzzle or mask ... trace as black as possible”) | Standard (“The mask should be black”) |
| Dorsal stripe | Standard (“thumb mark or diamond on forehead and trace as black as possible”) | Standard (“the back trace should be as black as possible”) | Standard (“as a back-trace, which is a line extending from the occiput to the tail”) | Standard (“thumb mark or diamond on forehead and trace as black as possible”) | Standard (“the back trace should be as black as possible”) |
| Spots | Standard (“moles on cheeks, thumb mark or diamond on forehead and trace as black as possible”) | Standard (“moles on cheeks ... should be as black as possible”) | Standard (“as moles on the cheeks”) | Standard (“moles on cheeks, thumb mark or diamond on forehead and trace as black as possible”) | Standard (“moles on cheeks ... should be as black as possible”) |
| Chest patch | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Alternate (“The white on the chest to be no larger than a dime”) |
| Thumb mark on the forehead | Standard (“thumb mark or diamond on forehead”) | Standard (“thumb mark or diamond on forehead”) | Standard (“as thumb marks or diamonds on the forehead”) | Standard (“thumb mark or diamond on forehead”) | Standard (“thumb mark or diamond on forehead”) |
Cropping, docking and other procedures
| Procedure | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewclaw removal | No ruling | Alternate (“Dewclaws are generally removed.”) | Alternate (“Dewclaws may be removed.”) | No ruling | No ruling |
The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live. See where each procedure is banned or allowed.
Pug colors and patterns
What each club's breed standard says about every Pug color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.
Breed standards describe the Pug in Black, Silver, Fawn and Apricot. Standard patterns: Solid.
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Standard (“Black”) | Standard (“silver or apricot, fawn and black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn, or black”) |
| Silver | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Disqualifying | Standard (“silver or apricot, fawn and black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn, or black”) |
| Fawn | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Standard (“Fawn”) | Standard (“silver or apricot, fawn and black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn, or black”) |
| Apricot | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Disqualifying | Standard (“silver or apricot, fawn and black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn, or black”) |
| White | Not recognised | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised (“White”) | Not recognised |
| Albino | Not recognised | Disqualifying | Disqualifying (“Albinism”) | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Blue | Not recognised | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised (“Blue”) | Not recognised |
| Brown | Not recognised | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised (“Brown”) | Not recognised |
| Chocolate | Not recognised | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Tan | Not recognised | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised (“Black & Tan”) | Not recognised |
| Cream | Not recognised | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised (“Cream - no Black Mask”) | Not recognised |
| Patterns | |||||
| Solid | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Standard (“The colors are fawn or black”) | Standard (“silver or apricot, fawn and black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn or black”) | Standard (“Silver, apricot, fawn, or black”) |
| Brindle | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Not recognised |
| Sable | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Not recognised (“Sable”) | Not recognised |
| Tan point | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Not recognised (“Black & Tan”) | Not recognised |
| Reverse brindle | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Not recognised |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark brown | Standard (“Dark, relatively large”) | Standard (“dark in color”) | Standard (“dark in color”) | Standard (“Dark, relatively large”) | Standard (“Dark, relatively large”) |
| Color or pattern | FCI | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Standard (“Nose: Black”) | Standard (“Nose black”) | Standard (“Nose black”) |
What the rulings mean
- Standard
- Described by the club's breed standard.
- Disqualifying
- The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this colour or pattern.
- Not recognised
- The club does not accept this colour or pattern for the breed.
Color changes
How a Pug's colors can change over its life.
Blackchanges toRust
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toGrey
Coat · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back
Sources
Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.