Chug Dog… Everything That You Need to Know at a Glance!

Now you’ll be excused for thinking that the name “Chug” sounds like some type of onomatopoeia -but it is actually a new dog breed!

A new dog “breed”…

That was created because humans have simply “over bred” some of our poor pups for hundreds of generations, causing certain dog breeds to develop some fairly serious genetic and inherited health conditions!

And two breeds…

That have really suffered from this “over breeding” are the poor little Pug and the feisty Chihuahua.  And since humans caused the initial problem, it’s only fitting that responsible dog breeders worldwide try to do something to fix it!

And now…

They think they have found a way.  A way that is both “amenable” to most animal rights activists and established dog breed enthusiasts alike.  Their solution:  Hybrid or Designer dogs.

Hybrid (or Designer) dogs…

Are all the rage right now. The idea is that you take one breed with a poor quality of life, and cross it with another breed that is similar in size. Since both parents belong to breeds recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale, what you are left with (in this case) is a litter of ‘Chug’ puppies that are highly desirable as a breed in their own right.

More importantly…

This new line of breeding means that new genetic material is introduced, thereby theoretically eliminating most of the health conditions that we caused in the first place.

Now since…

The Chug dog breed (and other hybrid breeds like it) is reasonably new, it is difficult to say whether or not this has been a success. While we wait for time to reveal the answers to us, the least we can say is that we have realized the error of our ways and are finally trying to rectify our mistakes.

Where did my Chihuahua-Pug (CHUG) come from?

To answer this question it’s best to look at the “parent-breed” of the Chug, since the actual “breed” itself is so new and not officially recognized by the American Kennel Society (AKC).  So in this case, to get an idea of “where” the Chug came from, we’ll want to take a look at bout the Chihuahua and the Pug.

Chihuahuas.

Archeological evidence proving the existence of the Chihuahua or Toy Chihuahua dog breed have been found in Mexico dating back as far 2000 years – so we know that these little guys have been nipping at our ankles since at least 100 AD!

Developed as a…

A companion breed that can also act as a “watch dog” that is sure to alert his or her owner of any approaching danger.  Alert and curious, this little guy has a reputation (traditionally speaking) of being quite angry (at least towards any strangers).

It is believed…

That they were initially bred by the Aztecs to transfer illness into, in a spiritual practice wherein the dog was placed beside the sick person in order to transfer the evil spirit out of the body and into the dog! The Aztecs also bred them for food (that’s no fun)!

Luckily this…

Poor little breed found its way into the heart of just about anyone who ever saw one, which is why they quickly made their way to the four corners of the Earth, where they now thrive.

The American Kennel Club (AKC)…

Did not recognize the Chihuahua until 1904, but now officially separates the long coated and the short coated varieties as two separate breeds – so bear this in mind when buying your Chug.

The Pug.

The Pug’s existence can be traced back to sometime in ancient China, but beyond that it is uncertain where they hailed from. The first time they appear in the records is as lap dogs for the Chinese rulers.

They were…

Pretty “exclusive” dogs at first and could only be given as gifts by the royals, until some traders managed to smuggle a few specimens out of China sometime in the 16th century. Once again they became the companion breed to royalty, and since then they have flourished the world over!

And what will my Chug dog look like?

That is a good question. Because he is of mixed breeds he might look like either parent, but since both parents are toy breeds it fair to say that they are going to be pretty small regardless of which “breed” is dominant in your Chug.  So, let’s just take a moment and see what our options might look like.

Now Pugs are…

Going to have a short coat and comes in fawn and black (according to the Kennel Club). It may have long legs and a little barrel body, or it may have short legs and a slightly less barrel-like body, but either way it will be pudgy and cute.

The Chihuahua…

Comes in both long and short coat varieties, and can also have either a deer or an apple shaped head – making four variations in total.

So…

Your guess is as good as ours as to:

“What your Chug will look like”.

Now neither breed stands very tall and, because of the vast weight differences between the breeds, it’s hard to tell how wide he or she will be.

Whatever he looks…

Like he will be a double bred companion/toy breed, and will love you unconditionally…probably with giant eyes.

Chug temperament

Again, he may have the fun loving, mischievous nature of the Pug, or he may have the serious, attentive nature of a Chihuahua.

If you can get to know his parents then that should give you an idea of how he will be when he is older.

Be aware…

That Chihuahuas generally aren’t all that great with other dogs, and Pugs are often scared of other dogs. That said, if you socialize your Chug early and often and treat him to daily walks, all should be fine.

But what about the legendary bad health of Pugs?

This cross-breed Chihuahua mix sometimes suffers from:

• Patellar Luxation (or a floating kneecap)
• and can be subject to Hip Dysplasia, which is a condition inherent to both parents.

Your Chug puppy might be subject to all sorts of:

• Eye problems –
  • dry eye and Entropion to name but two

Or they might be perfectly healthy… when you buy a Pug mix, you just don’t know what genes you have bought into.

That’s why wherever you buy your Chug dog…

…Be aware of puppy farming…

This global problem sees dogs bred to death in miserable conditions. Both pet stores and dog breeders that

• Present dirty or malnourished animals,
• Cannot produce paperwork
• Or cannot introduce you to your puppy’s parents may be selling pups from farms.

If you suspect this to be the case, leave immediately and report what you have seen…

Which bring us…

To the last topic we want to discuss when it comes to purchasing or adoption any new pet which is taking a look at possibly purchasing a pet insurance policy for your animal as well.

You see…

Despite how careful you may be in selecting your new pet, illnesses and accidents can occur.  And having a quality pet insurance policy in place can go a long way in ensuring that the costs associated with treating your animal doesn’t not get out of control.

Now will a pet insurance policy be right for everyone?

Probably not, but without know what a quality pet insurance policy will cost, how will you know if getting one isn’t the “right” choice for you?

For more information on who we feel is currently offering some of the best policies out there we would encourage you to check out our article: Best Pet Insurance Companies.