puggles as pets

Do puggles make good pets?

That question could not be answered with an unequivocal yes or no. The reason for this is simple, certain people or families need certain types of dogs that suit their lifestyle. Therefore, that question comes with hundreds of other questions, different for each individual. Are Puggles good with children? Do Puggels need a lot of space? How big are Puggles?, etc.

Obviously I couldn’t answer all of those questions, however I have four Puggles of my own so I can at least give my honest opinion on the positives and negatives of the Puggle.

First the positives, in my opinion they are the cutest dogs on the planet and they can be playful and affectionate in perfect amounts. They love to cuddle and are great at making you feel loved. They have a very easygoing temperament which makes them great with children of any age. They grow to a very moderate size (40lbs max) and are actually available in a smaller version known as the “Pocket Puggle”. These smaller Puggles tend to top out at around 20 pounds.

Of course, as in everything, if there are positive things, there are negative things. Puggles are very needy little dogs. They need a lot of attention and a good amount of exercise. Also, I’ve heard of people having a hard time training them fully at home, personally, I didn’t have this problem, but I’ve heard this on a few occasions. Lastly, they are a fairly new “hybrid type” breed, so there is not a lot of Puggle information, it can become a learn-as-you-go, fail-as-you-go process if you’re not careful. A responsible dog owner does whatever research he can in an attempt to avoid going through the “fault on the fly” process.

A side note, because this is a new breed, you should consider a fairly high level of nutrition for Puggles. Most dog owners and future dog owners don’t realize how important a dog’s diet is. Believe it or not, there are plenty of dangers in dog food, and when dealing with a dog that has such a short history, it’s best to play it safe and stick to a quality diet.

The only negatives I can think of are really a result of its short history. With breeds that have been around much longer, troubleshooting guides are a dime a dozen. Puggles themselves are readily available, but a true Puggle is the result of a male Pug crossed with a female Beagle. I think we are starting to see a lot of Puggle to Puggle puppies masquerading as real Puggles, as they become more and more popular.

If you are looking for a Puggle or Puggle puppy, you should try to get one from a reputable breeder. If you want a chance at knowing that you’re getting a Puggle that is actually the result of a Pug that was bred with a Beagle, I’ll give you a little trick. Most puggle to puggle litters will have much more diversity than a pug to beagle litter. Ask to see your littermates, when there are pug faces, beagle faces, fawn, black, By-&-Tri-colors all in the same litter, that’s usually a dead giveaway, usually. Litter diversity is not an exact science for determining parents, but it can be used as a good clue.

Again, I can’t stress it enough, your dog’s diet can dictate exactly how long you share memories, sorry to be morbid, but it is indeed a serious issue.