White pugs?

[Jessi]

According to the AKC there is Black, and fawn...(fawn, apricot-fawn, and silver-fawn) When I went to the pet store, I saw what looked to be a well, white pug. After speaking with the owner for a few minutes, she said it was a genetic defect...(She shows silver-fawn pugs) , and that her white pug was a result from a defect in the pedigree or something to that effect. Have you ever seen a white pug? To anyone that shows their pugs, and has been around the block, does anyone know if that means that a white pug would be prone to more illness? Just curiousity. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Even when I google "white pugs" they come up. Does the AKC recognize them? I didn't want to ask the lady because she was busy...

[Ronnie's dad]

I was going ask the same thing when I saw you ask it in the other thread. Are you sure it was a pure bred & not crossed with a Maltese? There's a lot of that happening around here. I was showing mine for about 5 years (in NZ) & never saw or heard of one.

I wonder if someone is trying to invent a new colour like they did with "silver" Labradors? For those that don't know, a "silver" Labrador is a Lab X Weimaraner.

[bnwebm]

I've heard of them, years ago. I believe they occur from what the breeder said, genetic mutation. Unfortunately, like certain other white dogs, they tend to be deaf too. Genes don't just control one thing, so it's a toss up as far as health.

[Dieselsmom]

First off, you shouldn't set foot in a pet store that sells puppies. All pet store puppies come from puppymills. Do your research - even buying food from these stores keeps them in business and keeps the puppymills in business and the breeding pairs there continue living in horrid conditions.

As for the white pug, I am not familiar enough with the genetics to give you an intelligent answer on that, just wanted to urge you not to buy a pug from a pet store.

[Puggered]

All mammals can have albinos, which can happen in pugs, too. True albinos will have no pigment anywhere, including eyes, nose, nails etc.
Any all-white pug-type dog with coloured eyes, nose etc. has some non-pug genetics somewhere. Probably crossed with French bulldog way back, which is reputedly how one line of so-called "white pugs" began.

[Wally 'n' Leto]

Check out the Pug of Color Club. White, brindle and chocolate purebred pugs DO exist, though they are unusual. The PCC breeders' pugs originate from AKC registered pure pug parents. A genetic 'sport' or throwback turns up in a random litter somewhere, and then breeding these together or with 'standard' pugs will increase its chances of appearing in subsequent offspring.

Very old photos and paintings frequently depict brindle pugs, however since the development of the breed standard nothing but fawn or black is accepted as a 'legitimate' colour by the AKC.

Albino animals have a mutation that prevents the formation of melanin, which gives cells colour. Albinos can be identified by pink or red eyes and a total lack of pigment including in the nose (think of a white rabbit or lab rat). A white pug could be albino, or it may be just a random colour. Whites will have dark eyes and a black nose like any other white dog.

And yes, many non-black or fawn pugs can be crossbreeds. The Lo-Sze Pugg looks to me like a pugXpeke or a pugzu, and who knows about many backyard breeders and mills producing 'pugs'. But some unusually coloured pugs from legitimate breeders are for real.

[Bethy]

There is no gene for white, brindle, chocolate, blue, or pewter, in the pug breed. Any "pug" that displays any of these colors, is a mix of something else, primarily French bulldog, or even more often, Boston Terrier. The person at the pet store was lying to you, hoping to make a sale of a "rare" color. The standard states unequivocally, what the colors are to be. Anything else is bogus, and not a purebred pug.
No matter what you are told, no matter what you see, no matter what you read on the Pugs of Color web site, these dogs are NOT purebred pugs, but at some time in their pedigree, have been crossed with something else, in order to introduce another color.

[jj-1962]

They may not be purebreds but I googled pics anyway - how cute are they?

[Ronnie's dad]

Cute yes, but look at the big fold of skin above the nose. You can bet they'll get bad skin infections in there. Definitely not purebred IMO.

[bnwebm]

I vote Pug-szu, they look like Wally!

They may not be purebreds but I googled pics anyway - how cute are they?