Pug Shiba

The Pug Shiba is a rare hybrid breed. In order to understand the origins of the Pug Shiba, one can study the history of the parent breeds in order to know more about the history of the hybrid. The Shiba Inu hails from Japan. He was used as a hunting dog which flushed out small game and birds for hunters. The breed nearly died out during World War II. Shibas that did not die during bombing raids perished from distemper after the war was over. The Shiba was brought to the United States in 1954 by a military family who moved back to the United States. The first litter was born in the United States in the 1970s. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1993. The Pug hails from China, where he lived a luxurious life as the Emperor's favorite type of dog. When China began trading with European countries, the Pug became a traded commodity. He found himself a favorite with nobility from France to England. Marie Antoinette owned a Pug before she married Louis XVI, and William of Orange claimed his Pug saved his life, warning him of an attack by Spaniards. As a reward, William named the Pug the official dog of the House of Orange. The Pug found its way to the United States after the end of the Civil War, and was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885.