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02-12-2009, 12:36 AM
I know that recently there has been a trend towards "designer" mixes of dogs.
Examples of these would be Labradoodles (labrador and poodle mix), Yorkie Poos (Yorkie and Miniature Poodle), Chorkies (Chihuahua and Yorkie), Cockapoos (cocker spaniel and poodle), and among many others, the Puggle (a mix of a Pug and Beagle)
Before you consider buying a Puggle from one of these supposed "breeders" please consider this:
Why would anyone want to take two such diverse breeds and combine them? Each with their own personalities, breed characteristics, functions, history and most disturbing - health problems.
The Pug is an ancient breed dating back to the Major Han dynasty (206 b.c. to a.d.200) in China. They were bred for the emperors and other high officials.
Today's Pug is simply a companion dog. They are not and have never been bred to perform any specific task other than to accompany their owners.
The Pug has several health issues including the more common of elongated soft palates, to Pug Dog Encephalitis, which is always fatal, Hemi-vertebrae, which causes rear leg paralysis and Epilepsy. They are also prone to all sorts of eye problems and obesity.
As for the Beagle, this breed is a hunting dog. He often works in packs. Is very active and not necessarily a lap dog. So why mix two very different breeds?
A Beagle web site lists 97 health problems with about 20 listed as those with a higher incidence within the breed. These also include common problems such as elongated soft palates to epilepsy to severe eye problems. Meaning a higher likelihood of these problems if the two breeds are combined.
There are very good medical reasons not to mix such health issues and one wonders if the purchasers of these "Puggles" are willing to not only pay the price of medical problems but also undergo the heartache when their fashionable breed experiences life threatening issues.
If you want a Pug buy a Pug. If you want a Beagle buy a Beagle. But don’t support the idiotic craze that the puggle is the best of both of worlds, because it isn’t.
Puppy mills, and backyard/neighborhood breeders don’t study pedigrees for health and structural faults and they certainly aren’t funding any genetic testing. They just breed to sell you what ever it is that you want to part with your bucks for at the moment.
The best traits of a Pug besides it’s small size and clownish personality is that it sheds non stop, it is hard to housebreak, has a faulty cooling system (they absolutely, positively cannot endure heat, humidity or cold), they have no homing instincts what so ever (they can’t find their way home from the neighbors) and they get fat looking at food. Some Pugs snort and snuffle and some rather than bark, have an awful “scream”, there is no other way to describe it.
So lets combine those traits with the best traits of a Beagle and what do we get? Beagles are small merry hounds that hunt by scent – meaning they put their little Beagle noses to the ground and they are gone. The reason God put that white tip on the end of that happy tail is so it can wave goodbye to it’s owner as the little Beagle disappears into the sunset chasing it’s quarry (real or imagined). Beagles have a melodious voice. Well, to a true Beagler it’s melodious. To your neighbor down the hall in 2A it’s not so melodious when he has to listen to it nonstop all day long. Beagles are supposed to give cry when hunting and guess what? They give cry when bored, when noting the arrival of a stranger, when demanding their food, etc., etc, etc. They too live to eat and fight the battle of the bulge without too many victories. Hounds are naturally hard to housebreak. They are aloof and not noted for their obedience brilliance either.
So why would anyone want to take two breeds steeped in history with characteristics unique to each breed and make genetic goulash? Money – honey.
Think they improved the dogs cooling system? Not likely when you shorten the Beagles nose on a dog that is supposed to hunt for hours on end. Think you’ve reduce the chance of eye injuries – not when you have a dog bred to follow it’s nose and you’ve just put those eyes closer to the end of shorten snout.
These puggle breeders aren’t in it for the health and well being of preserving or even creating a “new breed”. When puggles no longer sell don’t think for one moment these so called breeders won’t move on to the next thing you think you can’t live without. Why? For the money you are willing to fork over. Remember the cockapoo? So who wants one of those now? Ten years ago you just had to have it. Today it’s the goldendoodle, the labradoodle and I can’t even keep up with what they’re calling the Bichon crosses.
If you want a crossbreed – go to your local shelter or call an all breed rescue. They are chock full of dogs waiting for good homes. If you want a Pug, buy a Pug. If you want a Beagle, buy a Beagle.
Be an informed buyer. Don’t buy into the hybrid vigor hype. Both of these breeds have very similar health problems. Left to be randomly crossed by people with no concern for the true health of the dogs all you get in the end is genetic Russian roulette.
Lastly, I would like to say that I am not saying you shouldn't adopt a mixed breed or "mutt." But do NOT shell out your money for a "hybrid" without doing your research first and knowing what types of health issues could arise from that. One of the main reasons dogs end up in shelters is because their owners couldn't afford to keep them, feed them, pay for the vet bills, etc.
Examples of these would be Labradoodles (labrador and poodle mix), Yorkie Poos (Yorkie and Miniature Poodle), Chorkies (Chihuahua and Yorkie), Cockapoos (cocker spaniel and poodle), and among many others, the Puggle (a mix of a Pug and Beagle)
Before you consider buying a Puggle from one of these supposed "breeders" please consider this:
Why would anyone want to take two such diverse breeds and combine them? Each with their own personalities, breed characteristics, functions, history and most disturbing - health problems.
The Pug is an ancient breed dating back to the Major Han dynasty (206 b.c. to a.d.200) in China. They were bred for the emperors and other high officials.
Today's Pug is simply a companion dog. They are not and have never been bred to perform any specific task other than to accompany their owners.
The Pug has several health issues including the more common of elongated soft palates, to Pug Dog Encephalitis, which is always fatal, Hemi-vertebrae, which causes rear leg paralysis and Epilepsy. They are also prone to all sorts of eye problems and obesity.
As for the Beagle, this breed is a hunting dog. He often works in packs. Is very active and not necessarily a lap dog. So why mix two very different breeds?
A Beagle web site lists 97 health problems with about 20 listed as those with a higher incidence within the breed. These also include common problems such as elongated soft palates to epilepsy to severe eye problems. Meaning a higher likelihood of these problems if the two breeds are combined.
There are very good medical reasons not to mix such health issues and one wonders if the purchasers of these "Puggles" are willing to not only pay the price of medical problems but also undergo the heartache when their fashionable breed experiences life threatening issues.
If you want a Pug buy a Pug. If you want a Beagle buy a Beagle. But don’t support the idiotic craze that the puggle is the best of both of worlds, because it isn’t.
Puppy mills, and backyard/neighborhood breeders don’t study pedigrees for health and structural faults and they certainly aren’t funding any genetic testing. They just breed to sell you what ever it is that you want to part with your bucks for at the moment.
The best traits of a Pug besides it’s small size and clownish personality is that it sheds non stop, it is hard to housebreak, has a faulty cooling system (they absolutely, positively cannot endure heat, humidity or cold), they have no homing instincts what so ever (they can’t find their way home from the neighbors) and they get fat looking at food. Some Pugs snort and snuffle and some rather than bark, have an awful “scream”, there is no other way to describe it.
So lets combine those traits with the best traits of a Beagle and what do we get? Beagles are small merry hounds that hunt by scent – meaning they put their little Beagle noses to the ground and they are gone. The reason God put that white tip on the end of that happy tail is so it can wave goodbye to it’s owner as the little Beagle disappears into the sunset chasing it’s quarry (real or imagined). Beagles have a melodious voice. Well, to a true Beagler it’s melodious. To your neighbor down the hall in 2A it’s not so melodious when he has to listen to it nonstop all day long. Beagles are supposed to give cry when hunting and guess what? They give cry when bored, when noting the arrival of a stranger, when demanding their food, etc., etc, etc. They too live to eat and fight the battle of the bulge without too many victories. Hounds are naturally hard to housebreak. They are aloof and not noted for their obedience brilliance either.
So why would anyone want to take two breeds steeped in history with characteristics unique to each breed and make genetic goulash? Money – honey.
Think they improved the dogs cooling system? Not likely when you shorten the Beagles nose on a dog that is supposed to hunt for hours on end. Think you’ve reduce the chance of eye injuries – not when you have a dog bred to follow it’s nose and you’ve just put those eyes closer to the end of shorten snout.
These puggle breeders aren’t in it for the health and well being of preserving or even creating a “new breed”. When puggles no longer sell don’t think for one moment these so called breeders won’t move on to the next thing you think you can’t live without. Why? For the money you are willing to fork over. Remember the cockapoo? So who wants one of those now? Ten years ago you just had to have it. Today it’s the goldendoodle, the labradoodle and I can’t even keep up with what they’re calling the Bichon crosses.
If you want a crossbreed – go to your local shelter or call an all breed rescue. They are chock full of dogs waiting for good homes. If you want a Pug, buy a Pug. If you want a Beagle, buy a Beagle.
Be an informed buyer. Don’t buy into the hybrid vigor hype. Both of these breeds have very similar health problems. Left to be randomly crossed by people with no concern for the true health of the dogs all you get in the end is genetic Russian roulette.
Lastly, I would like to say that I am not saying you shouldn't adopt a mixed breed or "mutt." But do NOT shell out your money for a "hybrid" without doing your research first and knowing what types of health issues could arise from that. One of the main reasons dogs end up in shelters is because their owners couldn't afford to keep them, feed them, pay for the vet bills, etc.
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02-12-2009, 02:11 AM
Excellent post!
02-12-2009, 02:22 AM
I do not like it when they cross dogs like this either, especially the Labordoodles. Labs are great dogs, don't mix them with those ugly @@@ poodles. But i can live with people having them, it's their choice.
02-16-2009, 11:58 AM
I hate that this mix breeding is becoming popular. There is no difference in these dogs and dogs at the shelters. But yet people pat huge amounts of money for these. A pure breed dog is the best because like the original post commens on there are breed specific traits and that is why people choose a breed. And even in those breeds there are better bloodlines that can be tracked and when you start mixing breed there is a huge unknown factor.
02-16-2009, 06:30 PM
Never heard of this breed, thanks for the info though.
02-16-2009, 09:41 PM
Stardust Wrote:Great information. I had never heard of the breed before.
Me Either. Thanks!
02-17-2009, 05:15 PM
BFritz Wrote:My brother's wife's dog's a puggle and my neighbor's have a Labradoodle.
I hope they knew what they were getting into.
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