Researching the history of pugs has proven fascinating. In 1500s Holland, pugs became the official dog of the House of Orange when a pug saved Prince William's life by alerting him to the approach of Spanish soldiers. I told you they were good watchdogs. Any politician reading this please take notes.

You've probably heard stories about pigeons delivering secret messages, but I'll bet you never heard about the pugs that smuggled secret messages to Napoleon from his wife Josephine when she was imprisoned.

Don't feel bad. How could you know these things when “pretty” dogs have been so popular in our culture? Look at Lassie, Benji, Beethoven, Old Yeller, and that golden retriever (Shadow) in “Homeward Bound.”

That's changing. Pug popularity has risen in the last decade. Movies with pugs have exposed the public to what great pets and companions they are. Think “Men in Black.” Pug memorabilia is easy to find. My wife and I are shameless pug collectors and have pug plates, figurines, photos, paintings, and books on pugs. One of my favorites is “The Tao of Pug,” by Wilson Pug with Nancy Levine -- published by Viking Studio.

Then there's the hardcore AKC pug people who have been raising, breeding, and showing pugs since 1885, when pugs were first recognized as a breed. To get an insight into their lives check out the 45-minute documentary film titled, “A Pug's Life,” by Marilyn and Chuck Braverman.

I figure if Buddist monks in Tibet think pugs are cool, it's not just my imagination. Millie is like a therapy dog to me, without the training required to be a certified service dog. She follows me from room to room, content to settle wherever I do.

She's a good listener and doesn't have a mean bone in her short fawn-colored body. She doesn't have the vaunted “Prince Mark,”