Faults are weaknesses that can cost a pug points in the show ring. A structural fault involves the way the dog is put together or the way it moves. A cosmetic fault is aesthetic in nature, affecting only the dog's appearance.

Faults range from the superficial to the serious, although they may not affect a pug's ability to be a good companion, except as they relate to your personal preference. The following list includes examples of faults that might be seen in the pug:

• Lean and leggy body

• Long body with short legs

• Apple-shaped head

• Wry mouth (one in which the teeth or tongue are showing)

• Overbite

• Long nose, one that sticks out from under the nose wrinkle

• Small white spot (or spots) on the chest or toes

• Hard or woolly coat

• Straight legs that don't turn in or out at the joints

• Tail that doesn't curl

A disqualification is a serious flaw that makes a pug ineligible for the show ring. A pug with disqualifications should not be bred. The following conditions or faults are disqualifications for pugs:

• Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid (one or both testicles are undescended)

• Viciousness or extreme shyness

• Albinism

• Brindle coloring