Pug Shots

From Winston Churchill to American humorist Margo Kaufman, who quipped "the pug is living proof that God has a sense of humor," these little dogs with squashed faces, protruding eyes, bulging bellies, and corkscrew tails have always had a devoted following. Now, however, they are at a zenith of popularity. Protagonists in movies like Men in Black, Pocahontas, and Milo and Otis. . . ABC's Primetime Live featured a story about a California festival called "Puggo de Mayo" and The New York Times' recent piece on the pug phenomenon. . .they conquered the art world when Sotheby's hosted "The Pug Tea" prior to the auction of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's estate, which included many valuable pieces from their collection of pug paintings and decorative objects. Celebrity pet photographer Jim Dratfield has compiled a witty album of pug shots, matched with timeless quotations and witty captions from "Litter Pug" and "Pugnacious" to "Pugs and Kisses" and "Sex, Pugs, and Rock and Roll." Cute costumes and whimsical props and settings capture the roguish essence of the pug in a wealth of clever settings, making Pug Shots the definitive homage to a dog that almost defies description--and can't be resisted by dog lovers of any age.Jim Dratfield, author of The Quotable Canine and The Quotable Feline, is the owner of Petography, Inc., a photography studio specializing in pet portraiture. His celebrity clients include Henry Kissinger, Oscar de la Renta, Bebe Neuwirth, and Jennifer Aniston. He lives in New York City with Caleb, his black Labrador.