Puggle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 A puggle |
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| Breeds | Crossbreed of beagle and pug |
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A puggle is a dog hybrid, resulting from the mating of a female beagle with a male pug.[1] Puggles are crossbreeds.
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[edit] History
Puggles originated in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, where dog breeder Wallace Havens experimented with various crossbreeds in the 1980s.[2] Wallace was the first person to register his puggle with the American Canine Hybrid Club, a group created to register crossbreeds.[3] Havens is also credited with creating the name puggle. Havens began commercially breeding puggles on a large scale in 2000.
The AKC, the UKC, the NKC, The CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) and Continental Kennel Club do not recognize puggles as a breed.[4]
The American Hybrid Canine Association reported that puggles are the most popular type of dog among the 500 litters per month the group registers. [5] Famous puggle owners include Uma Thurman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sylvester Stallone, Julianne Moore, James Gandolfini, Jason Mewes, Spencer Grammer, Marie-Chantale Poirier and D.J. Grothe.[6][7]
[edit] Attributes
[edit] Appearance
Puggles tend to be between 15 and 30 pounds, and stand 10 to 15 inches at the shoulders.[citation needed] They can be considered lap dogs because of their relatively small size and demeanor. While colors vary, the majority are fawn colored. Some puggles are completely black, while others are multicolored, such as those who are a mix of brown, black, fawn, and white. The colors of second-generation puggles vary greatly; they can be white, black, fawn, or multicolored. With short, broad snouts, a fawn, short-haired body, and drooping ears, many puggles resemble a small version of the English Mastiff. Although only roughly one-sixth of the mastiff's size, many puggles are very much like miniature mastiffs, both in appearance and behavior.
As puggles inherit differing and unpredictable ratios of traits of their parents, beagles and pugs, puggles' appearances vary. Many puggles have a tail that is the length of a beagle, but it tends to be curled like that of a pug. Puggles also often display an underbite, a trait puggles inherit from their pug parent. Some, but not all puggles have a longer snout than most pugs.
[edit] Health
Puggles are not necessarily healthier than their parent breeds.[4] Both beagles and pugs can suffer from cherry eye, epilepsy, skin infections, luxating patellas, back ailments, and other genetic disorders that can be passed on to their puppies. Puggles also occasionally inherit hip dysplasia from one of their parents. While these disorders can be avoided through careful selection of parents, they are common enough to warrant concern. Because of many puggles' brachycephalic nature, like their pug ancestry, puggles are often intolerant of extreme temperatures.
The short face of pugs can cause them to have respiratory ailments, and they may snort, wheeze, and snore. Puggles' snouts are sometimes longer than that of pugs'; puggles who have longer snouts are at a lesser risk of these problems. However, puggles can suffer from the respiratory ailments commonly found in pugs, which can be problematic when combined with beagles' higher levels of energy.
[edit] Maintenance
Puggles are relatively low-maintenance dogs. They need occasional baths, nail clipping, tooth brushing, and ear cleaning. Like pugs, puggles also require regular cleaning of eye discharge in their facial wrinkles and around their eyes, as their eyes produce more discharge than is average among dogs. This can be accomplished with a warm washcloth.
Like their beagle and pug parents, puggles are not hypoallergenic.[citation needed] Puggles regularly shed their hair, especially in spring, and many owners occasionally brush their puggles with a fur-removing brush. Owners who keep their puggles indoors during the winter often find that their dogs' shed fur requires frequent cleanup. The nails of puggles grow particularly long if an owner does not walk them often; some puggles in this situation chew their own nails.
[edit] Temperament
While not hyperactive, puggles are generally high-energy dogs, and usually require regular exercise, whether in the form of regular walks or backyard play. Puggles tend to exhibit a relatively high degree of independence, which trainers may find challenging, but puggles are generally eager to please. Many puggles tend to dig holes and howl like their beagle parents, and puggles have a tendency to wander off if they catch interesting scents.
Puggles have an affectionate nature, which can work well in families with children. Many owners report that these dogs are quite desirous of physical affection and nuzzling, and enjoy licking their people. Families with allergy concerns may find that a puggle is not a good choice, because of puggles' desire for close contact.
[edit] Registration
Puggles are a mixed breed and cannot be registered.
[edit] Gallery
 Tri-color puggle with underbite |
 Two-year-old fawn puggle |
 A pair of fawn puggles |
 Black puggle puppy |
 Fawn puggle at 11 weeks |
[edit] References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Puggle |
- ^ Designer Mutts: Getting A New Crossbreed Combo: Barking Up Right Tree?, CBS News
- ^ "The Modern Kennel Conundrum". New York Times. 2007-02-04. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/magazine/04dogs.t.html?pagewanted=print/. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ Calbert, Andre; Calbert, Chelle (2007). Puggles: Everything about Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Behavior, and Training. Hauppauge, NY : Barron's. ISBN 0-7641-3662-3
- ^ a b "Designer Dogs: Meet the Puggle". FOXNews. 2005-11-04. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,174475,00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
- ^ "Popularity at a Price". Chicago Tribune. 2006-01-24. http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/112567. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "The mutts-have designer dog". http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20051127/ai_n15874838.
- ^ Frankenpup, New York Observer
