This breed was produced to have a more exaggerated head with a great dome and flatter face, possible from the Pug though it is uncertain. It was originally sought after and bred to warm the laps of royalty in their drafty castles and carriage rides. They were a favorite of the aristocracy in the early nineteenth century. A dog called Ann's Son became the model for the first breed Standards and in 1945 the Kennel Club finally recognized it as a breed apart.