All The Pug Colors (With Pictures!)
Pugs are irresistibly cute and known for their loveable yet mischievous nature. They’ve also been around for some time, dating back to 400 B.C. in China. Originally being lap dogs for emperors and the wealthy, today they’re a family favorite in many homes worldwide.
As they’re a toy breed, they’re perfect for any living arrangement, from an apartment to a mansion. They’re also natural cuddlers, attention seekers, and great companions for other pets in your home.
But one prominent loveable feature often overlooked is the stunning Pug colors. To know more about the different types of pug colors, keep reading.
Ready? Let’s go!
The Ideal Pug Owner
Before jumping straight into the different Pug dog colors, let's look at this toy breed in more detail and see if you would be the right fit. As mentioned before, this is such a dainty breed; they're perfect for an apartment. If you know an older person who wants company, they're even better suited!
Unlike some dogs, most Pugs only require one hour of exercise daily. This can be achieved through play or a walk. Their playful personality makes them great entertainment for kids, and they are highly affectionate.
If you're the type of person who loves to kick back and watch Netflix, then a pug will easily climb into your lap for a cuddle. They do have some comical moments and sleep a lot when they get older, being relatively low maintenance.
However, their coat sheds regularly and requires frequent grooming every 6 weeks. So, if you suffer from allergies, especially dog hairs, the Pug breed may not be the best to have in your home.
Pug Colors According To The Kennel Clubs
As Pugs have been around for a while, major Kennel Clubs have set strict guidelines on their color for entering competitions. They also state the unrecognized clubs for competitions also.
AKC
For a Pug to fall into the breed standard to be recognized by the American Kennel Club, they must be either black or fawn.
UKC
The UKC recognizes the colors apricot, silver, fawn, and black. They typically follow guidelines set by the most notable dog club in the UK, the Pug Dog Club.
FCI
The FCI states the breed standard for Pug colors are: apricot, fawn, silver, and black.
All The Pug Colors
Many more Pug colors exist in addition to the ones recognized by the kennel clubs, which are:
Black
Black pugs have a dark rich coat that is solid in color. They also have a black mask, ears, and nose also. Compared to other Pug colors, there’s no major difference, as the whole body is black.
Sometimes there may be small white markings that occur on their chest, but this does not always happen. When a black Pug ages, it may be prone to having gray hairs on its face or body.
For a Pug to have a black coat, only one of its parents must carry the black gene. Unlike some genes, black is the most dominant gene and overpowers other colors. However, black Pugs are the second most popular coat type, first is fawn. The reason for this is breeders selectively breed fawn as it’s more of a popular color.
Fawn
Out of all the Pug colors, fawn is the most common. You’ll typically see this color in movies and on your neighborhood Pugs. To describe this color, it closely resembles a lightly toasted marshmallow or a milky coffee. A fawn Pug is not always solid; there can be slight variances.
Sometimes fawn Pugs can have a stripe of hairs that are black on their tips, running down the back that break away the fawn color. It’s not unusual to find two different variations of fawn in the coat, i.e., a light apricot shade and a light cream shade blending together.
There are instances where there’s been some confusion entering Fawn pugs in competitions. This is because Fawn pugs can have coat color temperatures ranging from light to medium.
Apricot
Apricot Pugs share a close similarity to Fawn Pugs due to their warm undertones. The major difference between an Apricot Pug and a fawn Pug is the orange in their coats.
Often they will have richer orange hues that are deeper than the ones seen in a fawn coat. It’s also normal for an Apricot Pug not to have a full apricot color; sometimes, they may have hints of fawn or white patches on their chest.
Silver Fawn
One of the more rarer types of pug colors is the Silver fawn. This color contains a shiny gray sheen on the coat and is also the lightest coat color for a Pug. Many kennel clubs do not recognize the silver fawn Pug, so they may request the Pug to be registered under fawn.
White
In extremely rare situations, you may come across a white Pug. If you do find this, then the Pug is most likely to be an Albino. They will have a light pink nose, paws, lips, and ears alongside their coat. Their coat hair will look in between white and cream. On the contrary, white Pugs may also exist due to a genetic mutation called Leucism, making the melanin in their DNA difficult to form.
Brindle
The Brindle coat contains a pattern that helps weave in a combination of dark and light colors, making it look stripy. These colors tend to be black, ranging to grey, and are often seen in other dog breeds like the American Bull Dog, Boxer, and Bull Terrier. Compared to other Pug colors, this coat is not accepted and is often heavily disqualified in the show ring.
Panda
As the name suggests, one common type of Pug coat coloring is the Panda coat. Like a Panda, they have a smooth black and white coat. This coat color is believed to be created by a Pekingnese and a Pug. However, this coat color is rare, and many breeders will charge extremely high prices for them.
Merle
Merle Pugs are cute but come with the risk of many health problems. They also have patches of blueish grey and blue in the coat. As opposed to coat color, merle is more like a pattern seen in the coat.
Often Merle Pugs are not purebred and are associated with many health problems like hearing impairments, hip dysplasia, skin infections, vision impairments, and risk of skin cancer.
Brown
A brown coat is extremely rare to find in a Pug. But, when you do find this Pug, it's often they will have a consistent solid brown color. You'll find the brown across the body, around its eyes, muzzle, and nose.
Sable
The Sable color in pugs tends to come from the agouti gene. When you see a sable pug, you'll find them having black tipped hairs on its fawn base. This sable pattern is often across the whole body; however, it may not look evenly distributed. The pattern tends to be darker on the back and light on the chest.
Black and Tan
Another rare coat color you'll find is black and tan. This is mainly a black Pug with tan patterns spread across its legs, head, chest, ears, and tail. Sometimes there may be tan spots that come over their eyes. The tan looks more like a chocolate/brown color instead of a pale cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Most Common Pug Color?
The fawn Pug is the most common you'll find when visiting a breeder. Second, you'll find black, the next common coat color.
What Is The Rarest Pug Color?
Rare Pug colors are often a heavily debated subject. Mainly, it's thought silver fawn Pugs are the rarest. However, white Pugs are also rare and are hard to come by.
Do Pugs Change Color?
Not all Pugs change color, however, sometimes their coat might get a bit lighter or darker during their first year.
How Much Does a Pug Cost?
A Pug can cost anything between $800-$2000 on average. However, their coat color, breeders' reputation, location, and health can also play a role.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, Pugs are an amazing toy breed to own, whether you're a first time owner or looking for a pet to provide you with comfort. They have a range of coat colors, but the most common ones you'll find are fawn and black.
If you want to enter a Pug for a show, then pay careful consideration to Kennel club guidelines. Coat colors like White, Brindle, Apricot, Panda, and others aren't recognized.
Alex Wrigley is a professional writer and blogger who loves travel, technology and dogs. She is originally from the UK but currently lives in Nepal with her three dogs: two pugs and a golden retriever.
