The Puggle
What is a Puggle, anyway? Believe it or not, the Puggle is a hybrid cross between a pure bred Pug and a pure bred Beagle, creating a new breed of dog, that is registrable with the American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC).{mosgoogle} Puggles have short, soft coats that most often are a fawn color, but can also be black or a mixture of fawn, black and/or white.
Their velvety, floppy ears, wrinkled foreheads, and slightly pushed-in muzzles combined with bright, round eyes make for a rather expressive face. They have rather short legs and a distinctive curly tail. Growing to about 14 inches tall and 14-25 pounds, Puggles are considered small dogs and are perfect for just about any living situation, whether it be an apartment or a house.
This dynamic breed demonstrates a great “hybrid vigor”, which often occurs in hybrid animals and basically means that the first generation hybrid offspring are usually healthier and strong than either of the two parent breeds. Puggles are generally very healthy and very easy to care for, with no apparent special needs or problems.
They will usually do very well with the occasional bath to keep clean, a nail clipping session every couple of weeks, and regular ear cleaning. Puggles generally take on the best traits of both of their parent breeds, combining a sweet-tempered, playful attitude with intelligence, trainability, and a propensity to be social and affectionate.
They usually enjoy cuddling with family members, when they are not busy playing and tend to get along well with children and other pets. This interesting hybrid’s affectionate nature can lead it to become very attached to its human counterparts and sometimes a Puggle will demonstrate a touch of separation anxiety.
Luckily though, this does not usually result in a serious problem and can be corrected with proper training. Their inherent intelligence allows them to easily learn new training commands and their easy going makes them very trainable dogs. Puggles are also very playful and generally love to play fetch. Some, though not all even like to play in water!
Due to their small size and short hair, Puggles do not shed excessively and although they will shed some, it is very manageable. Their diminutive stature also makes indoor litter box training possible! All in all, the Puggle’s even temperament and gentle nature make it a great all-around family dog , a loyal companion and a joy to be around.