Life

Doug the Pug Is Instagram's Newest "It" Dog

by Jamie Kenney

Unpopular opinion: I don't like pugs, and I feel extremely alone in this. Why are people so into pugs? If I had never seen a dog before and you gave me a line-up of a number of different breeds, I might not even correctly identify a pug as an actual dog. They look like a completely different creature. They (along with fellow canines Chinese Crested Dogs and Aye-Ayes, which are not canines but deserve mentioning because they are so weird-looking) look like Muppet extras for the Jabba's Palace scenes in Return of the Jedi. That being said, I must admit that Doug the Pug's Instagram is giving me a fresh perspective on his kind, and, yes, melting my dark icy heart.

My bias is nothing against pugs as a whole, it's just that they're...very odd. My distaste for the breed probably comes from my childhood neighbor's horrible pug. She snorted constantly and was deeply unpleasant. She chased me around the neighborhood trying to bite me (and even succeeded once). She also tended to chase cars and kept getting hit by them (although, to be fair, she always survived, so I do sort of have to salute the old girl's tenacity). But Doug the Pug is ushering in a new era of pug-love into my heart (#NotAllPugs, right?), and once you see for yourself you'll probably be every bit as in love with him no matter where you stand on this breed:

Doug's owners are winning at life by capturing the essence of the pug's very soul.

And it's a soul I'd sort of like to go out for a drink with.

Doug is a modern, empowered guy.

He has a direct communication style that leaves no room for unnecessary nuance or drama.

He values the arts.

And he is big on self-improvement.

And he has excellent taste in books.

Most of the time...

Well done, all around.

Images: itsdougthepug/Instagram