Pugs are a breed of dog that has sort of exploded in popularity more and more over the past decade or so. They began permeating online spaces with their silly looks, becoming mascots and characters for more franchises, and ultimately have grown in demand.
This increased desire for the breed has led to some less-than-ideal breeding practices, which has saddled the poor pugs of today with so many health issues, researchers are classifying them outside the 'typical dog' species.