A pug is a wrinkly, round-faced little dog that is hugely fun to draw. This step-by-step tutorial shows kids how to draw a cute pug with its big round eyes, squashed nose, folded ears, and the wrinkly forehead that gives the breed its famous grumpy-but-lovable face.

What makes a pug so fun to draw is that it is full of character. Most dogs need a long snout and careful proportions, but a pug is almost the opposite — a big round head, a squashed flat face, and a stocky little body. This means you can be bolder and rounder with every shape. The forehead wrinkles and the dark face mask are the two details that carry the whole drawing, so even a very simple pug shape becomes instantly recognisable once you add them. Keep the pug’s body short and barrel-shaped on its little stubby legs, and finish with that tightly curled tail — a straight tail looks like the wrong dog entirely, but a neat little spiral is pure pug.

🖍️ What You Need

  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Black fine-liner
  • Tan, brown, and black coloured pencils
  • White paper

How to Draw a Pug Step by Step

  1. Draw a large circle for the pug’s round head.
  2. Add a smaller rounded body below, since pugs are short and stocky.
  3. Inside the face, draw two big round eyes set wide apart.
  4. Add the short, flat muzzle with a small wrinkly nose and a curved mouth.
  5. Draw the two folded “rose” ears that flop down at the sides of the head.
  6. Add a few curved wrinkle lines across the forehead and above the nose.
  7. Draw four short, stubby legs and a tightly curled tail.
  8. Outline in pen, erase guides, then colour the body tan with a black mask on the face.
💡 Parikshet's Tip: Don’t forget the forehead wrinkles — those few curved lines are the secret detail that instantly turns a plain round dog into a recognisable pug.

🌟 Did You Know?

Pugs are one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, kept by Chinese emperors over 2,000 years ago. Their wrinkly foreheads were even prized because the folds were thought to look like Chinese symbols for good luck.

Details That Make a Pug Look Right

  • Give it a black “mask” face against a tan body.
  • Make the eyes large and slightly bulging — pugs have big round eyes.
  • Keep the legs short and the body chunky and barrel-shaped.
  • Add a few soft wrinkle lines on the forehead and around the muzzle.
  • Curl the tail tightly into a little spiral over the back.

🎯 Try This: A Pug in a Costume

  1. Draw your basic pug.
  2. Add a little superhero cape or a bow tie.
  3. Draw a tiny hat or party crown on its head.
  4. Add a name tag on its collar.