Puggle (Pug Beagle Mix): Breed Facts and Temperament

Cross-breeding is a common practice among dog breeders. While it has sparked controversy among owners who prefer pure breeds, other dog owners believe that cross-breeding has added health benefits to their generation of dogs.

One of the more famous cross-breeds are puggles. What is a puggle? A puggle, also known as pug beagle mix, is a cross between a pug and a beagle hence, the name. It has the face of a pug and the size of a beagle. Curious to know more about it? Read on for a comprehensive guide about puggles.

History of the Puggle

While cross-breeding dogs were being practiced in several parts of the world in the 19th century, it was not until the 1990s did puggles “officially” exist. The first account of a puggle dog ever recorded was during these years thanks to Wallace Havens of Wisconsin.

Wallace Havens’ goal of cross-breeding both pugs and beagles was simple – to have the best characteristics of both breeds in one dog. This sounds competitive for a dog breeder, but it’s not because of competition that Havens wanted to cross-breed.

One of the most common negative characteristics of pugs is being prone to health disease. Some illnesses common to them are Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE), stenotic nares, keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), and obesity. While beagles are relatively healthier than pugs, they are still prone to epilepsy, central progressive retinal atrophy (CPRA), and glaucoma.

Ideally, these health concerns can be canceled out by the healthy characteristics and stature of the other dog. The outcome was a mix of the intelligence and health of the beagle and the pug’s stature and loving nature.

As the pug beagle cross-breed grew popular after the ’90s, more and more dog owners became interested in owning such a dog. Some of the famous celebrities who love this breed include Sylvester Stallone, Uma Thurman, and Kelly Osborne.

Quick Facts About the Puggle

Here are quick facts about the puggle that you will be interested to know:

• The puggle takes its longer snout from the beagle while gets its affectionate eyes from the pug.
• Their size can range from 10-15 inches in length.
• Their colors vary. It can take the black or tan colors of the pug or the rich brown coat of the beagle.
• It is an indoor dog that loves affection and attention.
• Aside from the barking, a puggle mix howls, whimpers, and wanders. The howling and the whimpering come from pugs, while the wandering is from beagles.
• In spite of being very active dogs, they are at risk of obesity because of their huge appetite.

It is important to know that the size, color, and characteristics of a puggle vary depending on which parent has a stronger gene. For example, if the father pug has a stronger influence on the puppy’s genetics, then it can get the facial features and color of the pug. It is also not a rule that the father has a stronger gene. Either way, cross-breeding has no fixed set of rules of what gets inherited from the parents.

Things You Should Know About Owning a Puggle

Excited to own your very first pug beagle mix? Here is everything you need to know from nutrition to temperament.

Health

As first-time puggle owners, it is important to know the health requirements and problems associated with this cross-breed.

Pugs are known for their skin and respiratory problems. Their faces are built with short snouts which makes them suffer from breathing problems like stenotic nares. This is common to dogs that have short snouts and pinched nostrils. To add to that, pugs are prone to skin inflammation mainly because of the folds found on their faces.

Unlike pugs, beagles are a lot healthier. They barely have breed-specific illnesses save for eye infections. They are also known to have epilepsy and hip dysplasia.

Fortunately, the mix of the pug and beagle can help mitigate the health conditions common to their pure breeds. The longer snout taken from the beagle can help prevent stenotic nares. If your cross-breed also took the facial features of the beagle, then the folds that are prone to skin inflammation will be eliminated.

However, the pug beagle mix does not fully eliminate all the health concerns of their parents. Depending on their genes, they can still inherit the health conditions of their parents. Nonetheless, the cross-breeding has made them a lot healthier than your average pug, but less healthy than a pure-bred beagle.

Training

Beagles have a very good track record of being smart. They are naturally curious and they have a habit of following their nose wherever it may lead. If you are training your dog, the intelligence taken from beagles is already a plus!

Like most dogs, it is easier to teach them at a young age, so it’s important to train them as early as they can. Because of the beagle’s high energy, it can be challenging to teach them at first. They will be in a constant state of motion, running around and chasing whatever it is that falls their way. However, there are ways to make training easier for you. Here are the 4 P’s that you need:

• Patience – if you are not hiring a dog trainer, patience will help you understand your dog. It will also help keep your cool whenever they don’t pick up as fast as you expect them to.
• Persistence and Consistency – these two things should go hand-in-hand. Of course, your dog cannot learn everything in just one day. You have to keep training them for days (and even weeks) to make sure they perfect whatever it is you are teaching them.
• Positive Reinforcement – positive reinforcement means reinforcing a certain behavior by giving a reward following that behavior. It only works if there is a reward and it is given right after the behavior that you want to reinforce. In the case of your puggle dog, a small treat will do.
• Playmates – never underestimate the power of socialization for your pug beagle mix. Start this at a very young age so they can develop social skills and intelligence with other dogs. Exposing them to human affection and attention will also help develop the natural intelligence of puggles.

Exercise

Puggles are very active dogs. Thanks to the energy and hyperactivity of their parent beagles, puggles have a tendency to want to walk, exercise, and play during the course of the day. You should also know that the pug beagle mix tends to have short bursts of energy rather than prolonged active periods.

The ideal exercise period for puggles is 15-20 minutes twice a day. You can do one in the morning and one in the afternoon after you get back from work.

When walking your puggle, make sure that you keep them on a leash because they tend to run where their nose takes them. If they aren’t trained to follow your instructions, you might end up running after them in the park. Head over to our review of dog leashes for more options.

Aside from physical exercises, you should allow a few days of the week to practice your dog’s mental health. You can substitute one day of physical exercise for mental exercises as well. Don’t forget that when you plot your puggle’s exercises for the week that you don’t over exhaust them.

Nutrition

The amount of food your puggle dog should eat depends on certain factors like size, age, and activity.

A baby puggle has different dietary requirements compared to its adult counterparts. For male puppies, they are required to eat 1,400 calories a day, while females are required to eat 1,100 calories. For male adults, 700 calories are required while 500 calories are needed for females. This calorie count should be a balance of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

To avoid overeating, avoid giving them human food as they tend to crave these tastes. If they get used to eating human food, they can refuse to eat dry dog food for them. As dog owners, it can be tempting to feed them meat, but as much as possible, steer clear of doing so. If you want to reward your dog, giving small treats will do.

The right time to feed your puggle is during the morning and afternoon. For adult puggles, serve them one cup of the prescribed dog food each. You can also just divide the number of calories into two to know how many cups should be served.

It’s important to take note that puggle dogs love eating. Even if they are not active, they love munching on food throughout the day. This is why they are always at risk of being overweight or obese. As pet owners exercise restraint in giving in to their stares when they are hungry.

To know more about the nutritional requirements of your own puggle, always consult a vet. You will be able to ask specific questions about your pet to them.

For more guides on choosing the right dog food, you may wish to check out our reviews of the best dog food for weight loss, organic dog food, grain free dog food,  dog food for pugs and puppy food. 

Grooming

Even though both the pug and the beagle are short-haired, your puggle will still shed. Their hair will grow (although not as fast as other dogs’), so you will need to get their hair trimmed and shaped at least once a month. Bi-monthly grooming can also be an option depending on how fast your puggle dog’s hair grows.

It’s a big plus that other than the shedding, your pug beagle mix is low maintenance. They are easy to groom and they don’t need special shampoos and brushes to keep their hair nice and smooth. Of course, the minimum requirements for dog grooming are still necessary. For more options, check out our detailed review of dog shedding brush.

To keep your dog’s hair soft and smooth, spend at least five minutes every other day brushing your puggle’s hair. Use a soft-bristled brush and gently smoothen out its hair. Remove loose hair or other fleas found in their coat. If your dog has a lot of fleas, consult with a vet for proper treatment. Do not use human medicine to remove fleas as they are different. Take a look at our reviews of flea treatment for dogs and dog flea combs for more options.

As part of your dog’s hygiene, make sure that their teeth are brushed, their nails are trimmed, and their ears are cleaned. The ears are often forgotten by pet owners which is why infection is common. Other kinds of skin and face infection can also be a result of improper grooming. To avoid these illnesses, make sure to do a weekly grooming routine for your puggle.

You may also like the following dog grooming guides: dog grooming gloves, medicated dog shampoo, dog shampoo, dog grooming clippers, dog nail clippers, dog nails grinders and dog wipes.

Temperament

As you already know by now, puggles are great indoor pets. They are very sociable and energetic which makes them perfect friends for children and adults alike.

Puggles are almost always in a good mood especially when they are given attention. The keyword here is attention. Yes, puggles love attention more than anything else, so you can expect them to bound on you whenever you arrive home. You can thank the beagle’s side for the playfulness, while the pug’s side for the sweetness. Pugs are generally known to be “snugglers” so you can expect your puggle to love snuggling by your side, too.

But there is something you should take note of when it comes to their personality. Puggle temperament is something owners should watch out for because these dogs tend to be stubborn and hot-tempered when their wants are not being met. As mentioned earlier, when puggles are not given the attention they want, they can be moody and stubborn.

There are times when a puggle’s stubbornness can result in mischievousness. In fact, even if puggles aren’t chewers, they can chew on shoes and furniture if they are craving for attention.

You should also be mindful of your puggle’s mood as they can feel lonely at times. When they are left alone for long periods of time, your puggle can feel bored and sad. If their continuous antics do not warrant the attention they want, they can get sad and eventually get depressed.

Nonetheless, a balance of attention and affection is always the key to having a good and healthy relationship with your puggle.

Overall, a puggle is a low-maintenance cross-breed. They are energetic and smart, and they are not prone to any breed-specific health conditions. If you’re looking for your first cross-breed, a puggle is a great choice.