The second summer, he went a little deeper and his feet actually came up off the bottom. Not for long, though, maybe just a couple of doggy paddles and he was back where he could touch. By the end of summer, he would actually go after a stick (if it was close) but he loved the water and we couldn't drive by a lake without him whining to go "swimming".
This is his third summer and I am proud to say MY pug can swim. Take that all you pug owners who said it couldn't happen. Maybe you just need to be supportive and encouraging to your puggy. Elvis has surprised us by how far he will go, especially for a wonderful stick!
Now, if we could only figure out how to get him to fetch a stick on land. Hmmmmm.