Redefining What it Means to “Live the Pug Life”

We are capable of so much more than what others have led us to believe

Pugs, as a dog breed, are generally misunderstood to be lethargic, sedentary, overweight dogs that are incapable of anything except eating, sleeping, and dreaming of wanting a slice of pizza 24/7. Personally, I find this to be an exhausted & uninspiring trope that I see consistently reinforced in popular culture every single day on social media. There are dozens upon dozens of memes critiquing these little dogs for their man-made shortcomings, making a joke out of just how far removed they are from their wild ancestor, the grey wolf.

One of my favourite podcast episodes by Daniel Vitalis discusses the topic of the degenerative effects of human domestication. In the first episode, titled The Neoaboriginal Revolution, Daniel invites plant taxonomist & ancestral skills mentor Arthur Haines. to discuss 4 criteria that define a domesticated species: 

1. Altered Temperament

2. Altered Diet

3. Altered Social Structures

4. The ability to Breed in Captivity

While digging into these ideas, Daniel and Arthur question whether or not current humans should be re-classifed as a new sub-species of homo sapiens after just how far-removed they have come from their ancestors, based on these four criteria. In this particular episode, Daniel even refers to pugs, and I instantly saw a connection.

Human beings (as we are today, in comparison to our ancestors), and pugs as they are today (in comparison to their ancestors), are simultaneously experiencing the degenerative effects of domestication.

A pug may no longer be much like a wolf, but they are still classified as canines. We may no longer be much like our ancestors, but we are still classified as homo sapiens.

But whereas pugs may have “devolved” at the hand of man, I would argue that our own species’ de-evolution has been happening as a result of the self-perpetuating machinations of our own industrialized society.

Since realizing this, I have developed a deeper connection to the pugs in my life, knowing that even though they are limited based on how far removed they have become from their wild ancestors… there are still measures I can take to ensure they are living their healthiest, best lives right up to their fullest canine potential, despite the fact that they are often very misunderstood or criticized in the domesticated dog world.

The same goes for myself, of course. I may be as far removed from my own ancestors as the pugs are to theirs, but I’m not a write-off, either. I believe I can take control of my life and my health, regardless of the current circumstances.

I can make healthy choices in regards to the food I eat, the environment I live in, the air I breathe, the workplace I work in, the view I look out at every day, the people I interact with in my life, and the activities I engage in. I can rewild my body, mind, and soul be in alignment with deep health and wellness.

The same goes for my pugs, which is why I take so much pride in feeding them a balanced raw-food diet and approaching veterinary care with a holistic, preventative lens. I love seeing them live their lives as the canines they are, consciously rewilding them in the same way I’m rewilding myself.