If you want to share your home with a small dog, you may already have considered a Pug or Chihuahua. Both breeds have big personalities despite their small stature and are popular choices. With the increasing fashion for designer dogs, there are many mixed breed dogs from which to choose.
The Chihuahua-Pug mix or Chug dog breed offers a lot of dog in a small package and is playful, loyal, and affectionate. Although designer dogs are often thought of as providing the best characteristics of both parent breeds, genetics are rarely that simple. So before you make up your mind about a particular breed of dog, do your research first.
Will your chosen breed of dog fit in with your lifestyle? How will you handle it if your chosen dog inherits some of the less desirable traits of its breed? Being prepared and well informed about the type of dog you bring into your home will help you both in the long run and help prevent any significant surprises in the future.
Breed history
Never underestimate the importance of breed history when choosing a dog. Alongside temperament, breed history is perhaps the single most important factor in determining whether a particular type of dog will fit into your lifestyle. Understanding what a dog was originally bred for can provide valuable clues about energy levels, guarding instincts, sociability, and whether a dog is suitable for a family environment.
As most designer dogs have yet to establish a breed history in their own right, the simplest way to get an idea of what you may be letting yourself in for is to look at the history of both parent breeds. So if you want to know how to keep your Chihuahua-Pug mix happy, read on.
Chihuahua
As with many dog breeds, the origins of the Chihuahua are uncertain. Two common theories may help uncover the starting point of these tiny dogs. The first theory is that Chihuahuas are descendants of a small, mute dog called the Techichi. Techichi were kept as companion animals by the Toltec people of Mexico as early as the ninth century. The second theory is that Spanish traders bought small, hairless dogs from China into Mexico and then bred them with native dogs to create the Chihuahua.
Despite its uncertain beginnings, however, the modern Chihuahua can be traced back to the 1850s and the Mexican state of Chihuahua. The Chihuahua has been bred as a companion dog. However, don’t let this fool you into thinking that this toy dog is an easy-going lapdog. Chihuahuas are easily provoked to attack, loyal, and often fiercely protective of one particular person.
Pug
The Pugs’ history begins in China. Pugs were companion animals and were highly valued, favored by Chinese Emperors and later by Buddhist monks.
Dutch traders brought the first Pugs from China and into Holland and then to England, where they thrived with the involvement of Queen Victoria. With an established history as a companion dog, Pugs are affectionate and devoted to their owners. However, if you want a canine athlete to accompany you on long walks or compete in dog sports like agility, the sedentary Pug is not for you.
Pug chihuahua mix appearance
As with all mixed-breed dogs, appearance can vary widely. Since both parent breeds come in a range of colors, it can be difficult to predict the coat color of the offspring. Also, the Chihuahua comes in both long-haired and short-haired varieties, which adds another factor when determining the Chug’s final appearance.
Having said that, some aspects of how they will appear can be estimated. Since both parents are small breeds, your Chug will be a compact dog. They are likely to range anywhere from 6 to 14 inches tall and weigh between 10 and 20 pounds. A Chug will be more sturdy and muscular than their Chihuahua parent, making them more robust for family life than their diminutive mum or dad.
Chihuahua Pug mix temperament
The Chihuahua parent has a big personality in a tiny body. Despite their history as companion dogs, they are feisty, bold, and can be snappy. What’s more, they tend to be loyal to one family member and can be over-protective, which makes them generally unsuitable for families with small children. But if you want a pint-size bodyguard, then the Chihuahua is a good choice. They make excellent watchdogs.
Despite this, Chihuahua’s are also outgoing, confident, and fun-loving. They are smart and fast learners making them easy to train with the right motivation. In contrast, the Pug parent breed are the clowns of the dog world. Neither guard dog, hunter, or a retriever, Pugs are the ideal companion dog. A warm lap and a gentle stroll suit the Pug entirely.
Although the Pug is less athletic than the chihuahua, they are playful, charming, and rarely aggressive to people or other animals. They make great family pets as they are gentle and robust enough to survive small children. Often described as strong-willed and lazy, Pugs nether the less want to please their owners and make excellent companions.
So what does this mean for your Chug? Well, despite your Chug being the result of two small breed parents, the parent breeds don’t know this! Your Chug is more than capable of looking after itself but may over-estimate both its size and its physical power.
If your Chug has more Chihuahua traits than Pug ones, you are likely to get a dog that is wary of strangers and less liable to accept other animals. Whereas if the Pug parent traits are more dominant in your Chug, it’s more likely that you will get a dog that’s welcoming to all.
Whatever their attitude toward others is, a Chug characteristic is their affection and loyalty to their owner.
Chihuahua Pug exercise
Even a small dog that has a propensity to laziness needs a daily walk. However, your Chug will not need much exercise. A minimum of 30 minutes a day, in addition to regular playtime, is enough to keep Chug puppies happy.
Although if your Chug has inherited more of their Chihuahua parentage, you may need to increase this. An under-exercised or bored dog can lead to problems with destructive behavior. Keep this in mind depending on the energy of your dog. Pug parents tend to be greedy eaters, so keeping your dog to a healthy weight is essential for its long-term health.
Chihuahua Pug grooming
Despite their small size and short coats, your Chug will molt heavily. Pugs are very heavy shedders, and Chihuahua’s are no slouches when it comes to shedding fur. So daily brushing is needed to keep your dog looking its best and minimize the loose hair.
Also, if your Chug has facial wrinkles, they will need to be kept clean and dry. Depending on your dog, this may have to be a daily or weekly routine. Finally, as small dogs are more prone to periodontal disease, daily teeth brushing is essential. Always use dog-specific toothpaste and choose a brush suitable for the size of your dog’s mouth.
Chihuahua and Pug health
Even though crossing two breeds of dogs may lower the chances that their puppies will develop the inherent health issues of their parents, it is not necessarily true. All mixed-breeds are susceptible to the same conditions that affect their parents. Regarding what may affect your Chug, it is the Pug parent that has the most challenging concerns.
If you are getting a Chug puppy from a reputable breeder, they should tell you about the parents’ health. However, here are some possible health problems;
- Breathing and respiratory difficulties
- Joint problems including hip dysplasia
- Eye problems
- Hypoglycemia
- Dental problems
Despite these possible issues, Chugs are robust dogs, and you can expect your pet to be with you for between 10 to 13 years.
Chihuahua-Pug mix highlights
At their best, Chug’s are friendly, comical, and sweet. Only requiring moderate exercise and happy to hang out with their humans. At their worse, the Chug is a feisty, bold, and yappy bodyguard that is over-protective of its owner.
Although it’s difficult to predict the personality of a cross-breed dog, it’s not true that you will get the best or the worst of both breeds. Genetics are never that clear-cut, so it’s much more likely that you will get a little bit of everything. What is probable, though, is that you get a lot of dog for their size.
As both parent breeds have a long history as companion dogs, they make excellent family pets with early socialization and are loyal and amusing companions. If you want a dog that is confident, playful, and affectionate, then the Chug could be just the dog you’ve been looking for.