A puggle is a dog crossbred from a

Pug The Pug is a breed of dog with the physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. An ancient breed, with roots dating back to 400 B.C., they have a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most ...

and a

Beagle The Beagle is a small breed of scent hound, similar in appearance to the much larger foxhound. The beagle was developed primarily for hunting rabbit or hare, known as beagling. Possessing a great sense of smell and superior tracking inst ...

. The breed originated in the 1990s in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

History

The puggle originated from accidental matings. The first planned cross between a pug and a beagle took place in

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

in the 1990s. The

portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.

"puggle" started appearing in 2002. The puggle has subsequently become a popular designer dog crossbreed in the United States, where it has attracted a number of celebrity owners. The puggle was named the "Hottest Dog of 2005" and in 2006, puggle sales accounted for more than 50% of all crossbreed dog sales in that country.

Characteristics

Appearance

Puggles, being "designer dogs", can often vary in appearance, but usually have the wrinkled forehead, black mask, and curled tail of the Pug.

Behaviour

The puggle is less likely to inherit the energy, scent drive, and

howl Howl most often refers to: * Howling, an animal vocalization in many canine species * "Howl" (poem), a 1956 poem by Allen Ginsberg Howl or The Howl may also refer to: Film * '' The Howl'', a 1970 Italian film * ''Howl'' (2010 film), a 2010 Am ...

of the beagle, but because of the unpredictable nature of crossing two established breeds, puggles may still inherit the behaviour of either breed and health issues belonging to either breed.

Health

The puggle usually has a snout longer than the Pug which reduces breathing problems and other health issues. Issues common in puggles include eye diseases,

luxating patella A luxating patella, sometimes called a trick knee, is a condition in which the patella, or kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location. It can be associated with damage to the anterior cruciate ligament. Patellar luxation is a common ...

hip dysplasia Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint where the socket portion does not fully cover the ball portion, resulting in an increased risk for joint dislocation. Hip dysplasia may occur at birth or develop in early life. Regardless, it doe ...

, and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. Prolapsed nictitating membrane gland is also common in puggles despite not being prevalent in either Pugs or Beagles.

References