10 things you need to know about the puggle before you buy one

A puggle is a small, comical and often rather entertaining dog type that is one of a number of deliberate hybrid crossings that are fast growing in popularity all across the UK. Designed to combine the best traits of both parent breeds, puggles are unique and somewhat complex dogs that can be very rewarding to own for the right people, but that aren’t the right fit for everyone.

Dog ownership is never an endeavour that should be undertaken lightly, and it is vital to do plenty of research into any dog breed or type you might be considering buying before you commit to a purchase. However, finding out the truth about hybrid dog types like the puggle isn’t always easy, as there are so many variables – and this article is designed to help you to get the facts.

If you’re wondering what a puggle is, have already started to research puggles to determine if this might be the right type of dog for you, or just want to learn a little more about this popular hybrid dog type, read on to learn ten things you need to know about the puggle before you buy one.

Puggles are hybrid or cross breed dogs

A puggle is a dog type rather than a dog breed, and this is because they’re cross-breeds or hybrid dogs, comprised from mixed parentage of the beagle and the pug respectively.

Puggles may have one parent from each of the mentioned breed, or have been produced from later generation crossing of prior puggles

Puggles are not pedigrees and cannot be registered with the Kennel Club

Because a puggle is classed as a cross breed or a mixed breed, they are not pedigrees and as such, cannot be registered with the Kennel Club. This means there’s no breed standard in place to dictate what a puggle should look like or what their temperament should be, and they cannot enter formal Kennel Club shows, nor be added to a breed registry.

Puggles are brachycephalic, and understanding this is very important

The pug dog breed is brachycephalic, which means having an abnormally short, flat muzzle and elongated, thicker-than-normal soft palate. This has implications for their ability to get enough air, exert themselves and tolerate heat, and how much this affects them can be highly variable, depending on how flat the face is.

Puggles too are brachycephalic due to their pug heritage, but will tend to be more moderate due to the beagle influence, and so a face flat enough to cause problems is unusual in the puggle. However, you need to make sure you understand what owning a brachycephalic dog entails before you go ahead with a purchase.

Puggle health can be complex

Both of the puggle’s two parent breeds are associated with quite a large number of hereditary health issues, which means that the puggle in turn may inherit one of more of these from one or both of their parents.

However, the benefits of hybrid vigour tend to mean that puggles are healthier than either of their parent breeds, but you still need to bear in mind the parent breeds’ potential health challenges.

Puggles aren’t the smartest of breeds, but they are fun to have around

Neither the pug nor the beagle are ranked high on the canine intelligence spectrum, and the beagle in particular is very near to the bottom of the list. This means training a puggle can be a challenge and they are only likely to be able to learn and execute a limited number of commands, but this doesn’t mean that they can’t make for excellent pets nonetheless.

House training a puggle can take longer than for most dogs

The beagle dog breed is one that many owners say takes rather longer than the norm to house train fully, and this is apt to be the case to a certain extent in puggles too. You will need to be consistent, calm and patient when house training your puggle, and accept that this might potentially be a lengthy process.

Puggles often have a strong pretty drive

Beagles tend to have a strong prey drive and this is often replicated in the puggle, and dogs of this type are notorious for having rather poor recall too, which means they require vigilance and proper supervision when outside of the home.

Puggles are small dogs, but their size can be variable

The puggle is a small dog type, but the size of individual puggles can be rather variable and it might not be obvious when you pick a puppy how large your adult puggle will become. Dogs of this type tend to range anywhere from 20-38cm tall at the withers and weigh anything between about 6.8 and 14kg, which is quite a wide range.

Puggles shed quite a lot, but their coats are low maintenance

The puggle coat is short and single layered, which makes caring for it easy and not very time consuming. However, puggles do need to be bathed every few weeks, or they may get a distinctive doggy smell!

The breed does tend to shed quite heavily though, and despite their short coats and small size, this can make quite a mess.

Puggles can make for great family companions

The puggle is a fun loving, affectionate, entertaining and very social dog that tends to get on well with both other dogs and people, and as such, they are great companions for many types of homes including families with children.

However, they are not the brightest dog type, don’t always have a lot of common sense, and can take longer than normal to house train, so ensure you bear all of this in mind before you commit to a purchase.