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Everywhere we go, we get a lot of comments about how cute Kolchak is and what an awesome personality he has.
They’re totally right. Look at him. #awesome
On one hand, we love being a representative of puggles everywhere. Koly is very handsome and quite well behaved (these days), so we definitely showcase puggles as an ideal, fun loving smaller dog. I often joke that Kol is as sturdy as a big dog, with all the snuggle of a small dog.
However, casual meetings when we’re out on the town really don’t sum up what life is like with a puggle.
As much as we’re really happy to share the joy that is owning a puggle and to promote puggle rescue in the process, we also feel like, to be fair, we have to share all the joys of being puggle people. These dogs are so much more than a sum of the breeds.
From the beagle side, they get a nose that rules their head, a high prey drive, a high actively level and a love of food. From the pug side, they get a clowny, affectionate attitude, a need to be close to their people and a bit of a jealous streak, if ignored. From both breeds, they get their playful nature, happy-go-lucky vibe and willful nature, which can make training a fun challenge.
I only have one puggle though and I only know a handful more. Am I really ready to be a representative of the entire hybrid/mixed breed? I turned to an awesome group of puggle lovers that I met on Facebook to help me determine what totally puggle traits I needed to share.
15 Signs You Might Have a Puggle
- If your dog sheds enough hair to make another dog, you might have a puggle. – Tommy H.
- If your dog weighs less than 30lbs and manages to take up a whole queen sized bed, you might have a puggle. – Ginny M.
- If your dog has ruined all the cushions on the top of the couch from sleeping all day, you might have a puggle. – Debra LB
- If your dog can’t hear you calling or remember it’s name while it has nose to ground sniffing something, you might have a puggle. – Jodi F.
- If your dog snores louder than you do, you might have a Puggle. – Valerie G.
- If your dog will eat darn near anything and acts starved ALL the time, you might have a puggle. – Scarlett
- If your dog does the adorable head tilt so that you just can’t refuse him anything, you might have a puggle. – Belinda ATF
- If your dog is too smart for his own good, you might have a puggle. – the Mama
- If your dog screams like she is being murdered when you get home from work everyday just because they missed you so much, you might have a puggle. – Jennifer H (Mama’s Note: SO MUCH THIS. Really Koly? Is that necessary??)
- If your dog gives you the “stink eye” when you do something she doesn’t like or fail to do something she does, you might have a puggle. – Margaret H.
- If you have whole conversations in which you have to spell out more than half the words so your dog doesn’t know what you’re talking about, you might have a Puggle. – Ginny M.
- If your dog is more stubborn than a 2 yr. old, you might have a Puggle. – Barbara T.
- If your dog yawns like a drama queen, you might have a puggle. – Andrea H.
- If your dog thinks that 30 lbs qualifies as “lap dog”, you might have a puggle. – Renee W.
- If your dog sleeps under the covers, with their head on a pillow, you might have a puggle. – Catie F.
Puggles really are awesome dogs.
Despite all of their adorable and less adorable quirks and perks, at the end of the day, they really are sweet, sturdy little dogs and given the right amount of training, direction and stimulation, great family dogs. I wouldn’t trade mine for anything in the whole world. He never fails to make me laugh with his clowny antics, melt my heart with his snuggly lovebug ways and impress me with his incredible smarts. He’s the perfect match for our energetic, active life, plus, he’s cute as woof.
So You Think You Want a Puggle…
Despite all our joking above, in the 6 years I’ve had a puggle, I’ve fallen more in love with him almost every day. I’m a huge fan of these funny, endearing little dogs and I really do think everyone needs a puggle to snuggle. So, now that you know you want a puggle, where do you get one.
Be suspect of “puggle breeders”.
I have no problem with people who chose to purchase dogs from quality, responsible breeders, but those are incredibly hard to find in a “designer” hybrid breed dog. Most are puppy mills, backyard breeders and well intentioned people who have no business breeding dogs. To me, the reason people pay for breeder dogs is the assurance that the parents were health and temperament tested. People pay to know that they come from a line of dogs with good hips, good eyes and overall health. If I’m not getting that assurance…why pay so much? Puggles can sell for as much as a purebred. You also need to be leary of adopting off Craigslist. Dog flipping has become a huge problem and if you chose to adopt this way, you should always take your newly adopted puggle to the vet to be checked for a microchip or a tattoo.
So the question is, where can you find a puggle?
- Petfinder – There are a TON of adorable, adoptable puggles on Petfinder, you just have to know how to find them. Petfinder doesn’t list hybrid breeds as an option, so you have to get a little creative. I find that you get the best results by searching for PUGS in your area. It takes a bit of scrolling, but I always find at least 4 or 5 incredibly sweet looking puggles.
- Rescues – To date, I’ve only found one dedicated puggle rescue, Puggles & Pitties in San Diego, CA, but all over North America, pug and beagle breed rescues are taking puggles under their wings to find them great homes. Try contacting your local breed rescue to find out if they have puggles in their care.
- Like the Puggle! Rescue Page on Facebook – Completely focused on Puggles that need homes, the Puggle! Rescue page lists puggles from all over and how to make them a part of your family.
Click on the LIKE button below to become a fan of the Puggle! Rescue page!
Are you puggle people? What did we leave off our list?
Susan spronz
Wednesday 29th of April 2020
I adopted my Puggle , Penelope 5 years ago and she lights up my world. She is so sweet and comical. She is white with brown spot but the ear spots just kill me! Everything listed is true! My husband at first didn’t want her(I adopted her when he was at work) but now he claims that she is his girl! Puggles are the best. I dread the day she is no longer here. Until people have a puggle they don’t know what they’re missing!
Felix
Sunday 24th of May 2020
Isn't that always the way?! When we first brought Kolchak home, his Nana was like "why would anyone want a puppy?" These days, she's his biggest fan and she might be his favourite person.
Jim
Wednesday 13th of March 2019
HI kim
I lost my 8 year old PUG to leukemia. she WAS THE L.OVE OF MY LIFE! She was so sweet so fun soooooo amazing. God I hurt so much. She was my buddy my pal my BEST friend. GOD am so cryng right now. I soooo know how you feel!
Tabitha
Sunday 26th of May 2019
Hi everybody. I just came across this post as I was looking for ways to ease my own grief from losing my 13 year old puggle, TJ, three days ago from kidney failure.
A little less than a year ago, TJ was diagnosed with Diabetes. TJ would appear fine a few months at a time, until he'd wake up one morning out of the blue, anxious and bouncing off wall after wall in a state of confusion.
After following the doctor's advice for a day or so, TJ would revert back to his lovable, happy self for another few months, until the same old grizzly bout of diabetic nuisance would show it's ugly face again.
We lost TJ three days ago; he was 13.
I, too, am extremely lost without TJ; so much that's it's difficult to walk in the door of my house knowing he's not there to greet me after being gone all day. The entire house seems cold and empty without him. I've lost animals I loved, before, but for some reason, this little puggle was something different. We were very close.
It doesn't help the pain that any of us are going through, however, hearing others' similar stories of loss, brings a sense of awareness that as we all go through it together, we'll also all heal together. That's a funny thing about life. Total strangers have so much in common and don't even know it. And that's the wonder of animals......, they bring comfort to those they love, even in the face of agony. It'll be rough for a while, but as we continue to feel their love...., we'll be able to once again, give that love.
.
Kim
Saturday 6th of May 2017
We lost our Puggle Kenzie Feb 19 and I honestly feel like I lost my best friend. She was diagnosed Jan 2 with Pancreatic cancer that spread to her liver. We tried Chemo but more tumor grew. We did a blood tranfusion and it only lasted a few days. If it weren't for the chancer we would have done a tranfusion every week. She was my life and I am lost without her. I have never felt such a sense of loss. She was my girl, was with me 24/7 and I am lost without her. She was only 8. We have a 9 year old Pug that's "just" a dog....that's not how Kenzie was. She slept curled up next to me and when I came home she would literally hug me for 5 minutes. She had separation anxiety but never was destructive she would just cry and was heartbroken alone. I keep asking myself why we didn't see signs...there were small ones..she would throw her food up every few weeks but we have 2 small grandkids and we blamed it on stress.. i thank God everyday that once we found out i was able to be with her and love on her, hold her all of the time...she knew she was loved... her last day we were prepared to go to church and at the last minute i told me husband i was going to stay home with her... I am so thankful i did....during the time my husband was gone things changed... alll of her limbs failed. She couldn't stand up and was struggling breathing. I am so thankful she wasn't alone. When my husband got home he couldn't believe the decline... we were able to make her comfortable and keep her at home for a couple of hours before we took her to her oncology office... unfortunately it was a Sunday afternoon and we had to go through their ER dept. People told us we would know when it was time and I thought they were crazy but they weren't. We knew it was time. We could have done another transfusion and we would have but it wasn't fair to her. My husband is 20 years older than me and i honestly thought it was going to be Kenzie and i after he was gone....i think that's what has been the hardest thinking about being alone if something happens to my husband . I'm sorry this is so long...I'm still really grieving her loss.
Felix
Saturday 6th of May 2017
Please don't apologize Kim. I am so very sorry got your loss. I really love all you did to make Kenzie comfortable and how much you loved her. Special dogs have such a wonderful way of leaving pawprints on our hearts and I know Kenzie has left her mark on yours. Sending you love and light as your grieve your special girl. <3
Ferdinand
Tuesday 21st of June 2016
Do they really shed hair that much?
Felix
Tuesday 21st of June 2016
Actually, they shed MORE than that much. I can easily brush a shopping bag full of loose hair off mu=y puggle every week and I vaccuum every second day :/
Koy-The-Puggle-Lover
Friday 25th of March 2016
I love my puggle Waffles. She has made my life better ever since. She just came to our doorstep and my mom and I adopted her. She's the rainbow every after storms. She completes me.