Chihuahua Pug Mix – Full Dog Breed Information

The Chihuahua Pug mix is a hybrid mixed- breed dog, it is the cross between a Pug and a Chihuahua. It is fondly called a Chug, the Chug has the best traits of both parents. Loving, small, loyal, and playful.

They are sometimes thought of as designer dogs. They go by several other names like Pughuahua and Pugwawa. It is easy to fall in love with puppies but the chug holds the advantage due to their irritable face and tiny size. They are ideal companions and a perfect addition to the family.

History of the Chihuahua Pug Mix

The Chug breed came into existence naturally over the years, but in the United States, designer breeders started to intentionally mix the sassy Chihuahuas with the goofy, lovable Pugs in the early 2000s to create an affectionate, lovable, friendly, compact breed. Although no breeder has been specifically associated with the creation of the Chug, it is believed that the Chug like other crossbreeds was crossed with hopes of getting the positive characteristics and personalities of their parent breed.

The Pug was originally designed to be a royal companion for the rulers of Tibet in 206 B.C and were named after the Pugyal Kingdom, pugs have been raised by monks in monasteries and later spread across Europe in the 16th Century thanks to Dutch merchants. The Chihuahuas on the other hand originated around 300 B.C in Mexico and unlike the Pugs, they were not treated like royalty but were domesticated and believed to possess healing powers.

The AKC doesn’t permit the registry of hybrids, however, you can register your chug through the following clubs ;
International Designer Canine Registry
Designer Dogs Kernel Club
Designer Breed Registry
American Canine Hybrid Club

Appearance and size

The face of a Chug is dominated by the Pug’s dork-able features, the chug looks exactly like the mini Boxer breed and is often mistaken for a Boxer. Generally, the chug is a muscular, petite, sturdy dog with a rounded face and large brown eyes which are shaped like almonds, their nose is short, round, and dark.
Chugs are mostly brachycephalic — they are short shouted dogs.

They have short coats. The color of their coats are a mix between their Pug and Chihuahua parents, the main colors include gold, brindle, tan, brown, fawn, black, white, and cream, their coats can also be a mix of colors.

Sometimes their coats are short and coarse like the short-hair Chi and Pug or it could be soft and long like the long-haired Chis. They have wrinkled cheeks, squished muzzle, and small droopy ears; in some cases, the Chihuahua’s gene is more prominent and the Chug’s ears become slightly more erect.

As a relatively new breed, they can be expected to be on the small size as they are a mix between the Pug and the Chihuahua. Chugs grow to be about 6-14 inches tall ( 22cm – 35cm), it is larger than the Chihuahua but smaller than the Pug and it weighs 10-20 pounds.

Grooming

The main concern with Chugs is maintaining their oral health, brush their teeth daily as small breeds, especially the Pug and Chihuahua are prone to dental issues.

Your vet could show you how to brush their teeth properly to prevent gum disease and decay, they are flat-faced dogs and do not have a lot of space for their teeth to grow— crooked and overlapped teeth are common which leads to tartar buildup and eventually gum disease. Feeding them hard kibble in place of soft kibble will help prevent tartar buildup on their teeth.

Check their ears for debris and pests like fleas and ticks daily, especially those with folder ears. Be sure their ear is clean and free from moisture to reduce the risk of infection.

Trim their nails before they get too long, you could do this once-twice every month. Regular or weekly brushing of your Chugs coat can aid in keeping shedding to a minimum. You could brush them once a week to remove dead fur and keep their fur shiny, smooth and tangle-free. However a long-haired Chug would need to be brushed more often especially during its shedding season, you might need to bathe them more often when they are shedding.

Their wrinkled cheeks may become dirty as well you could use a baby wipe or clean their cheeks with a damp cloth, this will prevent skinfold dermatitis, bacteria buildup, irritation, and odor. If the cheeks are moist, gently pat with a soft towel and dry with a fresh clean rag.

Temperament

In spite of their small stature, they have big personalities and are high-spirited, they are extremely confident. They believe they are large dogs and act accordingly. Chugs are an energetic lot, crave love, and require tons of attention, most owners say the Chugs can have goofy personalities and love to act silly.

Chis are known to be feisty, petite but extremely loyal, the Pug is known to be goofy and run around so the Chug is a mix of these personalities. Chugs are also extra cuddly and playful, they can also be territorial and have a Napoleon Complex—this is an inferiority complex attributed to small people or in this case, small dogs. They tend to want to overcompensate for their small size by acting tough and like a thug.

Both the Pug and the Chihuahua yap a lot so you can expect your Chug to do the same, if you’re looking for a dog to be alert when there is someone at the door or when there are strange noises, the Chug is the best dog for you.

Thanks to their Chihuahua parent, the chug can get attached to a particular human and maybe territorial around this person and guard this person especially if they are feeling threatened. Unfortunately, their need for attachment and attention from its owner may lead to behavior problems like separation anxiety. They also have a big heart.

They are not so aggressive but can be cautious around strangers with time they will ultimately warm up to them, they are not known to have many destructive behaviors.

Health

They are prone to weight gain if fed improperly so stick to an appropriate diet and feeding schedule, avoid leaving food out during the day and limit their amounts of treats.

Their dietary needs will change as they grow from puppyhood to adulthood and will continue to change even into their senior years, your vet can guide you and make recommendations through this as there are far too many variations among dogs — including health, weather, and energy.
They are small dogs but they love to eat but be careful not to overfeed them, they require 1 cup of dry kibble a day but you could split their meal into breakfast and dinner.

Dry kibble was made targeting the needs of small or toy dogs, they provide them with enough energy and protein requirements to keep them fit and healthy.

Chugs can live for 10-13 years. Regardless of the type of coats, Chugs do not fare well in extreme temperatures, in heat, they are prone to heatstroke especially if they have a short snout. Due to their short coat, they need extra coats, sweaters, or jackets when going outside in the cold.

The Chug is vulnerable to some of the same medical illnesses as the Chihuahua and the Pug, while generally healthy it is important to maintain good care, a balanced diet, and regular checkups at the Vet to prevent health issues for your Chug. Some health issues that the Chug suffers from includes;

Heat Stroke

Respiratory issues, due to their short snout, their shortened facial structure also means that the breathing passage is short, chugs should not be over exerted or do too many strenuous tasks as it could lead to difficulty breathing.

Eyes issues; issues like Cataracts and Cherry eye. They also suffer from progressive retinal atrophy— this is a degenerative eye disease, it is more common in older Chugs but it wouldn’t hurt to have your pup’s vision checked out from time to time because if left untreated it could lead to blindness.

Hypoglycemia
Allergies
Collapsed Trachea
Joint problems
They are not a hypoallergenic breed

Training and exercise

Chugs are territorial and resource- guarding, they tend to snap from time to time if playing or games get too intense, fortunately, with some training you can keep them from exhibiting these qualities.

They are small and delicate and should be handled with care especially when playing with small children. Chugs tend to be yappy and bark at the slightest sounds, while this makes them the perfect watchdogs, it can also be annoying sometimes. With early training, you can reduce unwanted barking.

Chugs can get along well with dogs and other animals if they are introduced to socialization slowly, calmly, and early, but they might also not get along well with other pets as they prefer being the sole animals of the house. Still, training and socialization play a vital role in this dog’s life. Avoid unnecessary confrontations with big dogs until the chug has been properly trained. They are not the easiest breed to train.

Chugs are known to be scavengers and eat whatever they can find, try not to feed them table scraps or too often as this would encourage this behavior.
They can very easily gain weight and they also have high energy levels, but luckily this can be burned off easily.

It’s best that they get a good 30 minutes – 1 hour walk every day with good and active sessions mixed with short walks and games. Do not forget to put them on a leash during their walks, they have a short attention span and can easily get distracted then wander off. They can participate in dog sports like obedience and rally but they would need approval from the vet first.

Please note that a toy dog should not be exercised or walked for too long until they have reached full maturity age. They should only walk for a maximum of 5 minutes per month. A 4-month-old pup should not exercise for more than 20 minutes per day.

Why you should get a Chihuahua Pug Mix

Chugs are a great family pet and make for lovely companionship, they adapt well to apartment living and are perfect for novice dog owners. They are affectionate with family, friendly with kids, dogs, and other pets.

They always find ways to make you smile, they are suitable for singles, couples, family and seniors. They are easy to care for and love getting hugs.

A well-behaved Chug can be a therapy dog for visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers.

Where to get a Chihuahua Pug Mix and price

There is plenty of Chug mix available for adoption, even though they originally started as a designer dog breed, many have ended up in the care of rescue groups and in shelters. You could check local shelters around you, the ASPCA, or look up Chug Rescues online as they sometimes accommodate mixed breed dogs and find suitable homes for them. You can also check out sites like adoptapet or petfinder.

You can also try Dogtime’s adoption page, it lets you search for adoptable dogs by breed. The cost between $350-$800, please note that the cost of the chug depends greatly on the pedigree of its parents. Chugs are available all over the United States especially if you’re in Texas, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, Ohio, and Indiana.

You would need to have a reputable and legitimate breeder and you should insist on seeing the parents of the pup you’re adopting, the parent breed should have undergone proper health tests with its results being registered ag the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC).

Never do business with a breeder who promises you that he or she can provide you with a pup that has specific traits as it is practically impossible to predict the kind of traits that a mixed breed dog will have.