Mine's a puguccino: pug-themed cafes and events 'irresponsible', say vets

Flat-faced dog breeds are prone to a host of health conditions, say experts, who warn that events may raise their popularity and fuel trend for unhealthy breeds

A growing craze for pug-themed social events has drawn criticism from experts who fear they could help fuel the fashion for the squashed-nosed dogs.

Flat-faced breeds, including French bulldogs and pugs, have soared in popularity in recent years, with data from the Kennel Club in the UK revealing that annual registrations of pugs alone rose from 2,681 to 10,408 between 2006 and 2016. The two breeds are now the third and fourth most popular in the UK respectively, with Labradors remaining top dog at almost 34,000 registrations in 2016.