by Gina Scialabba
Pugs have a passionate, cultlike following. And if you don’t believe it, you’ve never been to Pug Sunday, a once-a-month gathering of owners and their wrinkly breed. It’s a time to socialize, nosh and sniff (not the owners, the dogs).
These little critters get together and run wild right around 2:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month. It’s been happening at Alta Plaza Park in Pacific Heights for years, although know no one knows exactly how long.
What makes these ridiculously cute dogs so unique? They heavily snort and grunt. They have an insatiable appetite for anything even remotely food-related. They are playfully clownish, yet stately and dignified. Pugs have been referred to as mini-Ewoks and aliens, with a face only a mother could love.
The gathering I went to included up to 20 pugs in their Sunday best. Pug lovers in attendance came from as far away as England.