Owners of the Pug-Zu say he has a lot of personality and is playful and friendly, making them a great breed for a family pet. The Pug-Zu will love to eat and is very intelligent, though can be rambunctious at times. On occasion, the Pug-Zu will develop small dog syndrome, though this is rare for Pugs and is not typically a concern. The hybrid will be loyal and curious and love being around his humans. While the Pug-Zu can be stubborn on occasion, he is mostly curious, sweet and happy.

The Pug-Zu is a relatively new hybrid, though the parent breeds have long histories. The Shih Tzu has a long history and though the exact ancestors of the breed are not known, experts feel that the breed is a cross of the Lhasa Apso from Tibet and a small dog from China, like the Pekingese. Chinese royalty favored the breed as far back as the Tang dynasty (618-907). The dogs became popular among the commoners as well during the Ming dynasty. The small dogs were practically eliminated during the Chinese Revolution, with only seven males and seven females surviving. These 14 dogs are the ancestors of all of the Shih Tzus seen today. Dogs of the breed made their ways to other countries like Norway, England and North America. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1969. The Pug first originated in China between 206 B.C. and 200 A.D., during the Han dynasty. Emperors of China owned the dogs and treated them as royalty, at times even providing them their own guards.