A blanket ban of all postal deliveries was implemented on December 7th after the postal worker was allegedly savaged by the cute bundle of fur, who is a member of the Joyce family. The attack is said to be the latest in a long line of incidents involving the terrier.

Now, nearly two months after the attack, services have been reinstated.

The family behind the furore have said that they are “devastated” by the affair. The Joyces owned four dogs – Peggy, the terrier in question, a Jack Russell/terrier cross called Molly, a Jack Russell pup named Pippy and Shrek, a pug.

However, the row has left them with only one dog. Kathleen Joyce said:

“The only dog we have now is Peggy. Molly was the one they were saying was causing all the trouble – even though she wasn’t she would not hurt a fly.”

“I was heart-broken to part with her, she had been in the family for years. She has now been sent to live with my brother in Oxford. Shrek has also been sent there. And our little Pippy who is only a puppy has been stolen.”

“People just don’t like us and we would like to move to a Gypsy site where we can just get on with our lives.”

One resident, who wishes to withhold their name, expressed relief at having the post back to normality.

Officials at Northampton Borough Council became involved in the matter. A spokesman said:

“The legal process is still continuing and we are keeping all options under review for several weeks more. This will give us time to make sure that the dog has gone and the problems have ended.”

One 60-year-old resident who did not want to be named said:

“It is such a relief to have our post back. We are so relieved to have things back to normal.”

A spokesman for Northampton Borough Council said:

“The legal process is still continuing and we are keeping all options under review for several weeks more. This will give us time to liaise with the tenant and also with local residents to make sure that the dog has gone and the problems have ended.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said:

“Postal deliveries to Dorset Gardens resumed yesterday after we received assurances that our delivery staff are no longer at risk of attack from a dog in the street.

“We would like to apologise to customers for the disruption caused to their deliveries whilst this matter was resolved.”

According to the latest figures released by the established authority on dogs within Britain, the number of West Highland Terrier pups that were registered in the UK last year fell by over 50 per cent to just 5,890.

The numbers of Yorkshire terriers registered slumped 44 per cent to just 3,767, with the golden retriever not far behind with a drop of 39 per cent to 7,804 pups.

The UK’s biggest breeds also saw a decline in numbers, with the popularity of the Irish Wolfhound floundering. The last year saw numbers of the dogs, once used to hunt wolves, fall from 601 to 323. The Great Dane, one of the world’s tallest breeds, saw their numbers fall by just over 600 to 1,306.

The Alaskan malamute is not the only breed of dog to have experienced a surge in popularity with UK owners. The whippet, which bears a strong physical resemblance to the greyhound, nearly doubled its numbers in the past year, with the Kennel Club showing the number of registered dogs as 3,246. Beagles are also becoming more popular, with a rise from 956 to 2,592, along with the pug, whose number stands at 4,769, an increase from 861.

The bulldog also saw a rise in demand, increasing 114 per cent to 4,217.

Hot on the heels of the malamute is the Coton de Tuléar. Rumoured to have been favoured amongst pirates, the popularity of this small dog has grown just shy of the malamute’s from just two dogs registered in 2000.

How many Sunday morning lie-ins have been scuppered by the realisation that you need to get out of bed to take your dog out to do a boom-boom?

Walking your dog is just one aspect of the time and energy you need to put into looking after your pet. If your dog sheds, a lot of time must be spent grooming him as part of the war to stop your house from becoming a giant hairball. As tired as you may be, you need to spend some quality time with him, which means play time and obedience training. We all know that this effort is vital to ensuring your dog is healthy and happy, and it strengthens the bond between you both, but we’ve all had the odd guilty thought about not having to go to the lengths you do.

If, for whatever reason, you’re unable to devote as much time as you’d like to activities with your pet, you may want to consider a low maintenance dog. Bear in mind that there are many definitions for ‘low maintenance‘. It may be in terms of health issues, obedience, or even how much your dog slobbers, but for our purposes, we’ll just consider exercise and grooming. Here are Dream Dogs’ top five dogs for the dilatory owner:

Pug

With its origins lying in China, the pug is thought to be responsible for the Pekinese and the King Charles spaniel. This breed reached about a foot in height and, as long as you don’t feed them too much, they weigh about 18 pounds. They don’t require much exercise – because of the pug’s compact head, it will have difficulty in breathing if you do, so it’s best to stick to moderate walks. The only real drawback of this breed is that they tend to shed their fur a lot; they’re stubborn too, so may require some training not to climb up on your sofa. Oh, and not all of them talk like Frank the pug in the film Men in Black.

Japanese Chin

Another toy breed that originated in the Far East, the Chin is traditionally the dog of Japanese royalty. It’s slightly smaller than the pug, weighing in at 8 – 11 pounds. It’s was bred as a lapdog, and as such needs little exercise. In fact, it’s considered by many to be the most cat-like of all dogs. Their coat requires brushing every couple of days, and it has no odour, meaning that it does not need frequent bathing. It’s a very sociable animal and gets on well with pets, and it’s known to perform tricks and ‘sing’. It’s probably the closest you could ever get to a Mogwai.

Bulldog

Originally bred to bite bulls – no, that’s not a typo – to enable its owner to tie a rope around the bovine’s neck, the bulldog’s fiery temperament has been bred out of it over the years, making it an affectionate and sociable pet. Although muscular, it’s not an active breed, so casual exercise is recommended to ensure it doesn’t become obese. Having short hair, they don’t require much grooming but you’ll need to clean the folds in his face – those wrinkles are Club Med for mildew.

Greyhound

What? A racing dog on a list for indolent owners? Don’t let this breed’s reputation for being as fast a lightning fool you. They’d rather not exercise too much, and a 20 – 30 minute walk a day will keep them happy. Despite their size – 2 ½ feet high and weighing 60 – 70 pounds – they don’t require much space. These qualities actually make them better ‘apartment dogs’ than smaller, more active breeds. It also has a short coat which is great if you have allergies.

Chihuahua

There’s a reason that the Chihuahua is the favourite of over-privileged socialites and spoilt heiresses everywhere. This dog can weigh between 2 – 6 pounds and is only 9 inches tall, meaning that it can fit in your Chanel purse with ease. The grooming requirements are low, even for longer haired varieties. They need minimal exercise, so the occasional walk will be enough, but they can suffer serious health problems if they become overweight. Chihuahuas are very highly strung, so if you have children or other animals you may have a meltdown on your hands. However, if you like to pose for the paparazzi with your pet, the chances are that you’ll have a dog psychotherapist on 24-hour call out.

A total of 122 dogs have been reported as having died on American flights since 2005, with 25 of those dogs being classed as English Bulldogs. 11 of the dogs that died were Pugs, with Pomeranians, Pekingese and Boxers also suffering as a result of being placed in aeroplane cargo holds.

The reason that short nosed dogs (Brachycephalic) are more at risk of death on board aircraft is due to their inability to breathe easily and cool themselves down in an otherwise warm environment, as cargo holds are often devoid of air conditioning.

Dan Bandy, the chairman for the health committee of the Bulldog Club of America commented:

“The way all dogs cool themselves is basically through respiration, either just panting or the action of breathing in or out, is a method of heat exchange for them. A dog that has a long snout or a long muzzle has more surface area within its nasal cavity for that heat exchange to take place. So breeds like labradors or collies or those types of dogs with the long muzzles have a more efficient cooling system.”

Anyone flying with a short nosed dog is risking the dog’s health by placing them in the cargo hold of an aircraft. One short nosed dog that flies a lot is ‘Uga’, the mascot for the University of Georgia. Uga is an English Bulldog, and several dogs have played the part of Uga over the years. As a mascot, Uga has to fly to games to support his team, but in order to ensure the dog’s safety on board any aircraft, each Uga undergoes a surgical procedure to assist with breathing.

Sonny Seiler, the owner of the mascot, stated:

“They go into the nasal passage and clip muscles and tissue and in essence, what they do is they make a bigger air passage,” Seiler said. “It’s a quick procedure, and once you have it done it really eliminates a lot of the problems with the breathing.”

“It’s just business as usual with us. He goes with the team.”

If you’re thinking of flying with your dog, it might be an idea to leave them behind.

Typical Pug facts

Height: Male 12 to 14 in (30 to 36 cm) female 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm)
Weight: Male 13 to 20 lbs (6 to 9 kg) female 13 to 18 lbs (6 to 8 kg)
Average litter size: 2 to 6 pups
Life expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Good with children: Yes
Kennel Club classification: Toy group

Colour of a Pug

The four colours of a Pug are black, fawn, silver and apricot. The early Pugs were usually golden or apricot until the mid nineteenth century when two strains of Pugs were introduced by breeders named Willoughby and Morrison, who were distinct rivals. The black Pug originated in 1886 and is considered by some to be hardier than the fawn coloured Pug.

Grooming a Pug

Pugs shed hair all year round and so will benefit from a daily brush to keep the hair loss to a minimum. Fawn coloured Pugs have an undercoat as well as an overcoat which means that they shed a little more than the other colours, but again, daily brushing will minimise the hair loss. A double coat is unusual in a Pug as they were intended to be a lap dog, living exclusively indoors. It is necessary to clean inside the wrinkles on the dog with care as poor care in this area can cause infection and irritation. The nails and the teeth will require attention, as with any breed, to avoid problems.

Pug common ailments/health issues

Pugs are generally healthy dogs who need little more than a daily brush and the creases in their face cleaned. Pugs can be prone to many of the common problems that affect all dogs and should be avoided by the necessary screening of both parents to avoid the issue of hereditary disease. There are three areas where you should pay attention to avoid problems with your Pug. These are: body temperature, eyes and weight. The Pug has a relatively short head and flattened nasal passages, which puts them at greater risk of heatstroke or breathing difficulties. As the eyes of a Pug are prominent you have to watch that they don’t get injuries to the eye. The weight of a Pug has to be watched as they love their food and, without adequate exercise, will soon gain weight. Good quality food is essential to promote the health of their skin and coat. As with any dog, health screening, good food and care will ensure your Pug stays healthy and alert.

Temperament of the Pug

Pugs are versatile and are just as happy with one owner as with a family but are most suited to a family as they are quite tolerant of children. Their soft, velvety coat and playfulness make them ideal companions who will easily reflect the mood and temperament of their owner, being docile and quiet just as easily as being excitable and playful. Many owners of Pugs say that they love the playful antics of their pet as well as the sounds that they make, such as soft snoring and grunting sounds. A Pug will happily follow you around the house as they have a curious nature as well as some unusual traits – such as lying with their back legs stretched out behind them in a ‘frog’ position. They also tend to sit in a Buddha position with their legs open in front of them rather than tucking them underneath like most other dogs.

Training a Pug

Pugs are extremely intelligent dogs, although a little stubborn when it comes to training. It is important for you to be in control as your Pug will try to be in charge, although very rarely aggressive. As a Pug is a food lover he will respond very readily to treats to assist his training. Short 10 to 15 minute sessions are enough if practiced daily as the Pug soon learns.

Exercise for a Pug

Pugs require a daily walk and exercise to maintain their health and fitness, as well as preventing boredom and associated problems. However, it is important to keep an eye on their temperature as they can’t control their body temperature as easily as other dogs. If they start to pant it is better to let them stay in the shade until they cool down. Pugs are ideal for someone who doesn’t go for long walks each day as they require only short walks.

History of the Pug

The origins of a Pug are uncertain, with many believing that they originate from the East, probably China. The first Pugs to arrive in England were Dutch and this led to them being known as Dutch Mastiffs originally. Known to be a brave little dog, his courage was first recorded in 1572 when the King of Holland was awakened by one of his Pugs just in time to avoid being assassinated. The wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Josephine, had a Pug who reportedly shared the marital bed upon the insistence of Josephine. Pugs retained their popularity until the early 19th century when demand for Pugs declined. Around 1860, Pugs were imported from China with shorter legs and the now popular ‘pug nose’. The most famous Pug lovers in the 20th century were the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, who took their Pugs everywhere with them. America fell in love with the Pug in the 20th century as show dogs and as pets.

Famous Pug dogs

One of the most recent famous Pugs, a fawn Pug, played the part of an alien in Men in Black in 1997 – called Frank.

Willy is another famous Pug, from the BBC soap Eastenders. Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke is also a well known dog lover and Pug owner.

Chatshow host Jonathan Ross owns a Pug (as well as other dogs) named Mr Pickle.

Useful Pug Links

The Pug Dog Club UK

The Pug Welfare and Rescue Association

Pug Information Website

This fed up looking little pug has been nicknamed the saddest dog in the world after this photo made him an Internet sensation across the globe.

This photograph was taken by Chris Michael and appeared in The Sun newspaper yesterday. Mr Michael commented:

“He was hanging around looking for someone to love him. I tried to cheer him up – he seemed happy to see me.”

The photo has appeared on websites and been emailed all over the world and now has even topped the Internet charts for the most popular photo.

The little pug is dubbed Mr Newman after the Hollywood legend and was pictured sat outside a San Francisco café wearing his little dog sweater waiting for his owner. So there you have it, Mr Newman is the world’s saddest dog.