Pugairn

The Pugairn is a relatively new hybrid, though the two breeds that make the hybrid have long histories. First seen in China during the Han dynasty, Emperors of China owned Pugs and treated them as royalty. In fact, the Pugs were often provided with their own guards. The Pug arrived in Europe with Dutch traders during the 1500’s and 1600’s, where they again became popular among royalty. Often, the breed was given a new name in each place it arrived. After the Civil War the breed arrived in the United States and earned recognition by the American Kennel Club in 1885. Notable owners of the Pug were Josephine, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Marie Antoinette, and Prince William of Orange, who said his Pug once saved his life. Used to trap prey in rocky holes or cairns, the Cairn Terrier received its name from his role. With large front paws made for digging, the dog would squeeze himself into the cairn and bark, alerting his human and the hunter that he could finish his hunt.  In the breed’s early history it was considered to be the same as the Scottish Terrier and West Highland Terrier; only in the 1900’s did the dog begin to be bred individually. The breed was first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1913.