Over the last few years, the popularity of the pug breed seems to have grown enormously. Aside from the fact that they are such wonderful and happy dogs, their notoriety is due in part to more and more pugs being featured on TV and in films, as well as product advertising.
You’ve probably heard of Doug the Pug, based in the US, with several million followers on social media and his own line of pug merchandise! Well, the trend is catching on in the UK too, with the most famous pug on social media being the adorable Pangpang!
Pangpang has a social media following of over 665,000 people and has featured in ads for companies such as Virgin Media and NSPCC’s Letter From Santa and has appeared on the Jeremy Vine Show and ITV’s The Pet Show. Also featuring in The Mail Online, The Sun, My London and Take A Break Pets.
Pangpang in his Happy place!
We were wondering what it’s like to be a pug who’s so much in the limelight and also what it’s like to be the proud parent of such a well-loved pooch, so we spoke to Pangpang’s Dad, Dan to find out more…
- How did you end up being a pug owner and what attracted you to the breed?
I’ve been obsessed with pugs ever since I first saw Agent Frank (the pug agent) in Men In Black. I was struck by how adorable and funny they were and when I first encountered one face-to-face, I discovered that they were even cuter in real life. I liked their playful nature and wanted a dog that would be good around kids so a pug seemed like the perfect breed for me. On the day I moved into my first apartment in China, a friend got me a pug as a surprise and from there I was hooked.
- How did you decide on Pangpang to be your pug companion?
Having previously been a pug dad, I was sure I wanted to get another pug. At the time, I wanted to adopt a pug but wasn’t having any luck and eventually saw a few photos of Pangpang online and he reminded me of my first pug in terms of his personality and his facial features so knew he was the one for me. I called up to reserve him on the spot and ended up taking him to his forever home on 26 December so he’s my little Christmas miracle.
- What advice would you give to anyone considering adopting a pug?
I think adopting a pug should always be the preference over getting a pug from a breeder and the PDWRA is really helping to make this process easier, so definitely register with them to get put on the waiting list. Once you get notified that there is a pug needing a forever home, it’s always a good idea to learn about their specific circumstances (e.g. good with kids, can’t be around other pets etc.) just to ensure it’s a good match for your personal situation. And because pugs really need attention from their hoomans and can get separation anxiety, I would only recommend getting a pug if someone in the household is at home most of the time. If you work 9-5 in the office every day, a pug will get lonely and bored as they love to interact with people. If your situation allows, however, I’m sure adopting a pug will be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.
- What’s your favourite thing about having a pug in your life?
This could be a very long response…😂 To me, they’re just so loving and are determined to be your best friend at all times. They fill your home with happiness and I love their big personalities. Basically, Pangpang brings so much joy that I can’t imagine my life without him. I also love the way Pangpang has a calming influence on my life – if I’ve had a stressful day, he’s able to make me forget about it in 5 minutes as he’s always making me laugh.
- In what ways has your life changed since becoming a pug parent?
I eat less blueberries and cucumber as the Very Important Pug (VIP) in my life has first dibs 😂 But in all seriousness, he’s been a really positive addition to my life. Having Pangpang makes me more active as I always want to take him places and ensure he’s getting the right amount of exercise. I don’t spend time playing computer games anymore as all my free time goes to him. I think having a dog makes you a happier person all-round.
- How did it come about that Pangpang embarked on the celebrity route?
Initially, I started Pangpang’s Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook accounts because I wanted my friends and family who met him as a puppy to be able to keep up to date with how he was doing. He was such a hit with everyone who met him that I was regularly being asked for his latest photos and videos so thought this would be a good way to share them. However, after posting, the feedback from pug lovers from around the world was amazing so I decided to keep going with it. For me it’s more about Pangpang having amazing experiences and doing cool stuff that he enjoys than being a celebrity – I just want him to have the best life possible.
- What’s it like being on set with Pangpang?
It’s a bit of a weird feeling to be honest. I found that I was the nervous one and that Pangpang was a natural born performer. The times we’ve been on set (like when we did commercials, The Pet Show, and The Jeremy Vine Show) he was absolutely buzzing. I was keen to see that he wasn’t anxious or scared by all the props and people and I needn’t have worried – he was so excited to be exploring new places and making new friends. The crew all made a big fuss over him and I was on dog treat duty so it was a lot of fun and definitely something I’d consider doing again in the future.
- How easy was it to train Pangpang to do tricks?
I was fairly new to training dogs when I got Pangpang but i decided that I was going to start from day one. I could never have imagined that he would learn so many tricks by the time he was just two months old. By this point, he knew sit down, turn around, high five, shake hands, speak, wait, give a pug kiss and – my personal favourite – play dead, among others. I found it really easy because Pangpang is so food-motivated that he focuses really hard as he’s determined to get the treat.Now and again, I’ll try to teach him something new as I think it’s a great way to form a really strong bond with your dog and keep them mentally stimulated. Most recently, he learned how to press buttons, bells and objects, jump up (when he wants picking up) and go to a set place. I’m still amazed by how quickly he learns tricks and commands when there’s a treat going!
- How well does Pangpang cope with his celebrity status, has it gone to his head at all?
He’s very modest about it really. I inform him when he receives lovely messages from his online friends. And I let him know when he’s going viral but he normally just looks as me blankly like “how many treats will that get me then?” I hope it will lead to more exciting opportunities for Pangpang in the future as I just want him to have an amazing life and all the experiences I could wish for him. For example, one of my little dreams for Pangpang is to experience life in Japan or the US so fingers crossed he lands a major movie role one day. It would also be cool if Pangpang could appear in a music video for one of my favourite artists.
- What’s your favourite thing about being a parent to a celebrity pug?
Haha I’m a bit shy about calling him a celebrity but as long as he’s making dog and pug lovers smile around the world that makes me really proud. I still find it a bit crazy that 38 million dog lovers saw one of his videos but it’s definitely a great achievement for him. Really though, it’s when you receive messages saying that he brightens people’s day and helps them through difficult times that we realise the positive impact he’s having. I like for him to get involved in interesting projects like the NSPCC Letter from Santa campaign and we’ve really enjoyed cooperating with the PDWRA to help raise awareness of the amazing work you do to help pugs in the UK. Ultimately, I hope that I can become a full-time stay at home dog dad and spread happiness through Pangpang’s content while spending all my time with him.
- How much of your time is involved in updating Pangpang’s various social media channels?
I try to keep a close eye on how much time I spend on social media as my focus must always be on keeping Pangpang happy, healthy and enjoying his best pug life. I love making content that captures the joy of being a pug pawrent and that he enjoys too – which is why lots of my content involves Pangpang eating dog treats! But over the years, I’ve definitely become more efficient with producing content so I find it’s not too time-consuming anymore.
- What do you think it is about the pug breed that makes people fall so head over heels in love with them?
They are so cute and funny that they capture your heart with ease. I think a lot of people are drawn to their faces as they look adorable. Then there’s the famous pug head tilts – I don’t think anyone can resist these, right? I sometimes get people approach me on walkies saying things like “I don’t really like dogs but your dog is so cute that I had to come and say hello”. I also think they have a reputation for being a friendly breed of dog which is important. This was definitely something I considered as I wanted a dog that would be welcoming of guests to the house and Pangpang is certainly that – pug kisses seem to be compulsory if you sit down on the sofa!
We’d like to give a huge thanks to Dan for making the time to talk to us and if you’d like to keep up to date with Pangpang’s adventures, check out his links below to find out more –
www.youtube.com/c/pangpangthepug
www.instagram.com/pangpangthepug
www.tiktok.com/@pangpangthepug
www.facebook.com/itspangpangthepug
https://twitter.com/pangpangpug
