Puggle Dog Breed Profile

This designer breed dog is half purebred Pug, and half purebred Beagle. They are delightful creatures that were first documented in the 1980’s, although, many wrongly assume the Puggle dog breed was an accidental mix from in-and-around the 90’s.

With increased and steady popularity over the next 20-odd years, the Puggle is now a favorite choice among many individuals, families and celebrities. Famous folks such as Penélope Cruz, Julianne Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Uma Thurman, James Gandolfini and Kelly Osbourne all have Puggles.

The Puggle dog breed is not listed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) or Foundation Stock Service (FSS) as a registered breed, despite the boom in demand. These organizations only recognize purebred dogs and not hybrids.

In this short guide, we will have a look at understanding the basics of a Puggle. You'll learn what to look for when adopting the breed, the best ways to train them and what is required in taking care of one of these dogs.

Puggle Dog Breed Information

Meet The Parents

As you are considering adopting or purchasing a Puggle, it is a good idea to review the parents. Your hybrid will inherit some of the traits from each parent. It is most common for a Beagle being the mother, while the father is usually a Pug. If it is the other way around, there are usually complications since a female pug is too small for birthing.

These are some of the possible traits your Puggle may inherit from his parents:

The Pug

1. This temperamental cutie doesn’t require a backyard, so apartment dwellers need not despair.
2. The short coat makes them simple to brush and keep clean.
3. Beware, they do shed a lot, so you can expect to vacuum or sweep often.
4. The perky Pug is super friendly and makes for an ideal companion.
5. They are stubborn. Training can, therefore, be rather tricky. A lot of patience is necessary.
6. Breathing problems are caused by the distinguishing pushed-in face. This can even cause vomiting, excessive drooling or coughing when they are eating or drinking. Furthermore, this means that they snort, snore and wheeze. They also struggle to keep cool despite their short hair because it is difficult to pant.
7. Pugs can develop several types of eye maladies because of their prominent, bulging eyeballs. The most likely are cherry eye, eyelid entropion, cataracts, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), dryness and irritation.
8. Risks shared with the Beagle include idiopathic epilepsy and hip dysplasia.
9. Food cannot be resisted. The greedy Pug will eat as much as he can and is prone to obesity if not kept in check.

The Beagle

1. A backyard with a high fence is a must, as these dogs have an incredible sense of smell and will often wander off when following their noses. They are notorious for digging under fences to find the source of whatever scent they find appealing.
2. The beagle has a short-haired coat, which makes grooming a breeze. In winter, the Beagle’s coat thickens. They continue to lose hair all year round, but shedding is at its maximum in the spring.
3. The cheerful Beagle gets on with everyone including children, strangers, and other dogs. For this reason, they do not make the best guard dogs.
4. This breed is renowned for being hardheaded, and they may purposefully ignore you if they feel it. These dogs aren't the greatest option for a first time owner, as they require a trainer with experience.
5. The Beagle may have several eye related issues such as glaucoma, distichiasis, cherry eye, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) that can ultimately cause blindness.
6. Like the Pug, there is also the possibility of hip dysplasia and idiopathic epilepsy.
7. Beagles adore food too, so watch what they eat as they can easily become overweight.
8. Exercise is important, because these canines have quite a high level of energy.

RECOMMENDED: Beagle Breed Profile

Understanding The Basics of a Puggle

You need to keep in mind that the Puggle dog breed, as a crossbreed, may or may not develop some features from either of the parents. This also depends on individuality. For example, a Puggle litter may all look completely different from each other, so it is truly hard to say what the outcome will be.

There is simply no guarantee when it comes to cross breeds. Mother Nature’s chance game of DNA is out of the breeders’ control. This does not mean that your pup will automatically get the best traits of mom and pop, although this is what is most desired in this designer breed pet.

Appearance

Puggle groups and breeders have already nicknamed this dog as the ‘miniature Mastiff'.  This is actually a pretty accurate description of what the Puggle looks like. The short, smooth coat of the Puggle dog breed comes in a variety of shades, with the most common being tan or fawn with a black face. There are white, red, brown and even lemon-colored Puggles.

Like the Pug, the Puggle dog breed has a wrinkled forehead and face. The nose is still squished, but the snout is slightly longer. Some Puggles tend to snort and snore as well. Their sense of smell still remains incredible, which is an inherited trait from the Beagle side.

These dogs have full-barreled, stout bodies with short legs, floppy ears and an interesting tail. Their tail has the tight curl of the Pug, but it is longer and usually white like the Beagle.

It is important to remember when picking your Puggle that they often get bigger than initially expected.

This is still a comfortable size, as they are considered a small breed. While they may be small, they are also quite sturdy. This means they tend to be quite heavy, so you may not want to tote them around in a purse or carrier.

When measured at the shoulder, the average height of the Puggle dog breed is 11 to 15 inches. There is a toy version as well, and they measure about 8 inches in height. These dogs usually weigh 18 to 30 pounds, but if you do not monitor their food intake they can easily become obese. Miniature Puggles weigh in at around 8 to 17 pound.

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Personality

Once again, this will differ from Puggle to Puggle. Overall, you are looking at a playful pooch that is lovable, social, enthusiastic, and 100% cute. The idea with the mix-and-match breeding was to have a pup that has the Pug’s more laid back approach to life, which should curb the wandering traits of the sharp-nosed Beagle.

Unfortunately, this doesn't work for every Puggle. Either way, both of the parent breeds are mulish and seriously love to eat. You can comfortably expect this type of behavior from a Puggle. Additionally, these pups have quite a sense of humor, and you'll find yourself laughing a lot at their antics.

Who Would be a Suitable Owner?

Simply put, anyone would be a good fit for a Puggle. Families with children, folks who live alone or in a city apartment with no yard, the elderly and even first-time dog owners can handle this breed.

Puggles are indoor dogs, affectionate, loyal, and bond strongly with their humans. This is why they make fantastic family pets, as they will adore each and everyone in the family. Their laid back nature and sturdy build makes them a good fit for families with children as well.

When Considering a Puggle

The Puggle dog breed has an average lifespan of between 10 and 15 years. They like sitting on your lap, cuddling, and lavish in attention. The result is that some of these canines can suffer from separation anxiety if left to their own devices for an extended period of time.

As they are smart, this means they can get bored easily. In this case, they will find innovative means to keep themselves occupied. Common behavior issues often found with the Puggle dog breed including chewing, digging or sniffing out food.

SIMILAR: French Bulldog Breed Profile

How Will My Dog React To Other People and Pets?

Puggles are extremely welcoming – like both of their parents. They love to play with children of any age, as this breed is forever young at heart. Puggles are not bothered by screaming or excessive hugging and petting. You will, however, want to supervise them with tiny tots.

Puggles are just as warm towards people that they don’t know, so using them to guard the house is not advisable. Your Puggle will bark to inform you of a strangers presence, but will greet the intruder warmly while wagging his tail.

Household dogs present no problems for the Puggle. As for other pets, they will get along with these too, but may chase smaller animals like cats or rabbits. This hunting instinct is pure Beagle, but the overall drive for this is a little less with the Puggle dog breed.

These dogs are not considered yappers, but still enjoy the act of barking. They will courageously bark quite a lot more when there is someone in the vicinity. Some howl or bay if they lean more to the Beagle side. This is quite commonly seen when the dog is left alone.

RELATED VIDEO GUIDE: How To Stop A Dog From Excessively Barking

Puggle Dog Breed Training and General Care

Although the Puggle is lovable, they are unquestionably willful and free spirited. This can be amusing at times if they pretend to not hear you, but could present a real issue to a trainer that is impatient.

This personality quirk does not make them impossible to train. If you use positive reinforcement like treats, play and praise as rewards, you will find that the Puggle dog breed will be more amiable and learn rather quickly.

Due to their super noses, these dogs do get easily distracted if they catch the whiff of something appealing. It is best that training sessions are entertaining and keep their attention. Make it fun, rather than something boring and tedious, to keep them in the moment.

As with any breed, training no-no’s include:

• shouting at your dog
• aggressive techniques such as electronic collars, choke chains, head collars and spike collars
• forcing your dog to do things he is not comfortable with

Taking Care of a Puggle

The heat could be challenging for the Puggle, as the flattened nose makes panting difficult. Panting is your dog's way of cooling himself down. Brachycephalic breeds, or breeds with squished in noses, are prone to other breathing problems as well.

Take care when it is exercise time. If it's hot outside, limit your pet to short walks and stimulating inside activities. It is best recommended to play inside on humid days as well, because the humidity will make it even more difficult for your Puggle to breathe.

Puggles are easy to care for and are moderately low in maintenance. Basic dog hygiene is required. The grooming tasks required to care for the Puggle dog breed include:

1. Brushing

It is recommended that you brush your Puggle regularly to keep his coat in tip top shape and remove dead skin cells and loose hair. Do this on a weekly basis with a rubber curry brush. The Puggle, like both of his blood relations, is known to shed constantly.

Luckily, all you need to worry about is stray hair to clean up as the Puggle doesn’t drool. Some of these dogs may require trimming and stripping every now and them, but this will depend on their coat.

2. Bathing

Bath time is basically when needed, as the Puggle is a faily clean dog. This will be mostly when they have decided to frolic and have a roll in something unsavory and pungent, which is both Beagle and Pug behavior. If your Puggle stays close to home, he'll probably only need a bath about once a month.

The Puggle, just like the Pug, will need a bit of extra attention to keep his wrinkles and folds dry and clean. If you don't keep them clean, dirt and debris can build up in these skin folds and cause infection.

3. Oral Hygiene

Brushing their teeth, like any other dog, is necessary. Make sure to use approved canine toothpaste, because the human kind could make your pooch ill. Your Puggle probably won't enjoy having his teeth brushed at first, but remember to reward each time you clean his chompers. Hopefully he'll realize that the task is worth the reward.

4. Ears & Eyes

You need to clean the ears of your best friend frequently and make sure that they stay dry. Any moisture can cause harmful fungal or bacterial growth inside the ear canal of pets with floppy ears. Your Puggles' eyes may also seep occasionally, but you can just wipe this wet a cloth.

5. Nails

Your dog’s nails may naturally get worn down, particularly if he walks on pavement or concrete a lot. A good rule of thumb is that if you can hear your furry friend click-click-clicking when he walks on hard surfaces, then his nails are too long.

It is recommended that you clip weekly or biweekly at the very most. This is good for your dog in preventing infections of the sensitive paw area, It's also beneficial so his nails don't get ripped off should they get caught on something.

For more detailed information on these specific dog grooming tasks, you can check out Top Dog Tips' helpful video grooming guides, including:

• How To Stop Dogs From Shedding
• How To Bathe A Dog
• How To Brush A Dog's Teeth
• How To Clean A Dog's Ears
• How To Clean Dog Tear Stains
• How To Cut A Dog's Nails

Health Concerns of the Puggle Dog Breed

With the gamble of genetics, it is hard to know exactly what hereditary heath issues your Puggle may have. Both parents are susceptible to idiopathic epilepsy. It needs to be noted that sometimes mixed breeds skip over the problems of the parents, and it is not 100% guaranteed that your Puggle will have these identical problems.

Eye related health issues are common with both the Beagle and the Pug. The Puggle dog breed can suffer from keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), cataracts, glaucoma, uveitis and ectropian.

Your Puggle may also develop respiratory problems, which in turn could lead to heart or lung failure. These conditions are especially common in the Pug, so if your dog seems to show more characteristics of this breed, you need to be especially observant of his breathing.

Other health risks for the Puggle are hip dysplasia, which both the Beagle and Pug suffer from, patellar luxation, hypothyroidism, and Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease.

The biggest health problem for the Puggle dog breed is obesity. This can affect the length of their lives adversely. These dogs have the same traits as their joint lineage, and that is that they will do just about anything for food.

This even includes downright sneakiness. If you don’t watch them during your mealtimes, they will resort to literally stealing the food off your plate! You'll need to be extra careful about keeping them out of the garbage, and measuring their food every day is a must.

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Exercise

Puggles require a minimum of one hour of proper exercise per day. It does not need to be all at once, so a 30 minute walk in the morning and a 30 minute walk at night is just fine. If you supplement these walks with additional play time, you'll have a very happy and healthy pet.

While the Puggle dog breed enjoys being outdoors, it's best to keep them leashed. Their Beagle side may decide to dash off if they smell something enticing. This trait also makes for a bad jogging partner, as they will want to stop and sniff all the time.

If these dogs do not expel their energy, they will find alternative means to get rid of it. You may not always like the result, as they are known to chew belongings and dig holes in the yard.

If you are into dog sporting, the Puggle is great for agility routines. Just remember, if your Puggle is more Pug-like, he will have a much lower energy capacity.

Where Do I Get My Puggle?

Both parents of the Puggle must be purebreds, so do your homework and find a reputable breeder. The fact that the Puggle is a crossbreed means that the are usually more affordable than either of their purebred parents.

It is become less rare to have litters produced by two Puggles. These are called second generations, and should also be less expensive than first generation Puggles. Make sure you ask the breeder about the parents, and spend time with mom and dad if it is possible.