The pug was always Brachycephalic (and why that doesn't actually matter).
Introduction: I'd first like to preface this post with one key fact: Brachycephaly is a spectrum. Brachycephalic dogs encompass a wide range of phenotypes, ranging from the more moderate Dogue de Bordeaux to the practically snoutless pug and frenchie. I feel it's important that this distinction is made. After all, your average bullmastiff with minimal facial foreshortening is far less likely to be a snorting wreck when compared to the respiratorally challenged pekingese. It also plays into a wider discussion about history and the snub nosed breeds of the past. See, fanciers have always asserted that the pug was intended to be brachycephalic with this conformation dating back to ancient China. It should be said that there is no such thing as an ancient pug. The Lo-sze did indeed resemble what we would recognise as a pug today, but it was a breed in it's own right which differed vastly from the dogs produced by the Europeans. You can read more about the Lo-sze and it's
