9 Essential Facts About the Pugapoo Breed

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Pugapoo is one of those breeds you maybe didn’t know existed but becomes immediately fascinating the moment you hear about it. What exactly does a cross between a Pug and a Poodle look like? What’s its coat like? Does it have a flat nose? How big is it? Is it pudgy or athletic? Such questions will naturally flood everyone’s brain as we try to imagine just what a Pugapoo is? So, what are the 9 most important things to know about the Pugapoo?

Everything to know about the Pugapoo

The Pugapoo is a pretty special crossbreed. Not only is it the offspring of two fan-favorite purebred dogs but said breeds are quite different from each other too. This means that the Pugapoo’s exact appearance and other characteristics can vary quite a bit and there isn’t a set-in-stone standard for this dog. That’s why the Pugapoo will likely always be “just” a designer crossbreed and not a purebred dog. However, none of this means that the Pugapoo isn’t or can’t be a great pet for you and your family.

1. A Pugapoo is sure to be very playful and overactive

As the offspring of a toy breed and a mini gun dog breed, the Pugapoo is guaranteed to be awfully energetic and playful. Of course, the exact extent of its energy levels is restricted by the Pugapoo’s small size. So, you don’t need to worry about needing a large fenced yard or having to spend 2+ hours in the dog park every day.

Instead, a 40 to 60-minute walk a day, divided into two trips outside should be enough for a Pugapoo. However, this dog’s playful nature will still express itself in lots of running, jumping, and playing indoors so you’d need a spacious living room and lots of dog toys.

2. These dogs ought to be very affectionate when taken proper care of

Once the playtime is over, you can absolutely expect your Pugatoo to start looking for a human lap to cuddle into. While dubbing this cross a “lapdog” may not be necessarily accurate, Pugapoos are awfully cuddly and affectionate. They can thrive in both single-person households and large families as they have love to spare for all humans living under the Pugapoo’s roof.

This affectionate nature will extend to kids of all ages too as the Pugapoo is a very good child companion dog. That being said, some supervision early on is still important to make sure that the kid is interacting properly with the dog (no tail pulling, ear poking, and so on).

3. The Pugapoo is quite intelligent and should be pretty trainable too

Poodles are an excellent gun dog hunting companion and that makes them and their crossbreeds quite intelligent and easily trainable. The Pug, on the other hand, has lots of “street smarts” but isn’t as trainable as it’s more of a toy dog breed. Still, the crossbreed of the two should be plenty smart and be relatively easy to train too, especially after the initial obedience training early in the dog’s life.

4. These dogs are easy to socialize but you shouldn’t skip that step either

The Pugapoo will usually be a pretty outgoing and social dog. As with all other breeds, however, this will largely be contingent on how much socialization the dog has gotten in its early puppy months. After all, Poodles may be naturally social and friendly but Pugs are one of those small breeds that can develop Napoleon Complex if not raised properly.

This “complex” is what people often call “Small dog syndrome” – the tendancy of small dog breeds to forget how small they are and to get aggressive and jumpy toward other larger dogs and people.

While this isn’t too dangerous given the Pugapoo’s small size, it can be annoying. So, the solution is to simply socialize and train your dog well and it will be perfectly well-behaved.

5. Pugapoos don’t have that many barking problems but they do like being heard

Unlike some of the especially loud breeds like Beagles and Huskies, neither Pugs nor Poodles have that significant barking issues. This is great news for your neighbors and it means that you likely won’t need to bother with no-bark training. Still, Pugapoos aren’t speechless either – these dogs can be quite opinionated and will want their opinions heard. So, the occasional bark is to be expected. Lack of socialization can also mean barking at guests and strangers outside so it’s best to make sure you socialize your pup as we said above.

6. While it isn’t 100% certain, Pugapoos will very often be Brachycephalic and they might have some other health issues too

Poodles have long and narrow muzzles but Pugs are one of the most flat-faced breeds out there. While that’s a big part of the Pug’s appeal, this Brachycephalic Syndrome or “short-faced dog syndrome” is also related to lots of breathing difficulties, respiratory health problems, exhaustion issues, as well as low tolerance for hot weather.

For a Pugapoo, this means that the crossbreed will also often be Brachycephalic. Some Pugapoos won’t be if they inherit the Poodle’s longer nose. Others will have a shorter but not that flat nose. A flat nose isn’t an unmanageable problem, of course, but it is something to keep in mind.

Other potential health issues that may befall a Pugapoo include:

Avoiding most of these should be relatively easy if you’ve got a healthy pup from the get-go. The way to ensure that is to go to a reputable breeder and ask for a health certificate for the dog as well as for its parents. When adopting, remember to ask for detailed health information. After that, it’s all a matter of good care – excellent food, plenty of exercise, grooming, as well as routine vet visits. Do that and your Pugapoo should have a long, healthy, and happy life with you.

7. The Pugapoo is always small but its exact body type can vary a bit

Pugs are pretty small but Poodles can vary in size a lot. So, the exact size of your Pugapoo will depend a bit on luck and a bit on what type of Poodle the Pug parent was crossed with – Toy, Miniature, or Medium Poodle (it’s unlikely that someone crossed a Pug with a Standard Poodle).

Based on the exact size of the Poodle parent, your Pugapoo will likely range between 8 and 15 inches in height at the shoulder (20 and 38 cm) and 10 and 30 pounds of weight (4.5 and 13.5 kg). So, this dog will pretty much always be smart but its body weight will be largely determined by whether it’s “thicker” like a Pug or more athletic like a Poodle. And that’s very much a matter of luck.

8. The Pugapoo’s social, smart, and affectionate nature means they don’t tolerate being left home alone

One important note about social and affectionate breeds like the Pugapoo that deserved a separate mention is just how much of a factor Separation anxiety is for them. This means that Pugapoos really don’t tolerate being left home alone. If you have to work away from home you’ll either have someone keep your dog company in the meantime or the Pugapoo may be the wrong breed for you. A dog with separation anxiety easily gets distraught, disobedient, and even depressed and destructive when left alone for too long.

9. The Pugapoo’s hair can be either short or medium-length and curly but it’s always cute

Pugs and Poodles have two very different coats. For your Pugapoo this essentially means a coin toss between having:

The Poodle’s short or medium-length curly coat without an undercoat and with strong hypoallergenic properties
The Pug’s short but dense double-layered coat that sheds quite a bit and year-round

Or, to put it another way – Pugs and Poodles fall on the two opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to their coats and the Pugapoo can go either way too. Fortunately, the type of coat your dog is going to have is easy to tell apart as early as 8-weeks in so you can pick the right pup for you.

Whatever the coat you choose, however, it’s important to care for it well with daily brushing and adequate grooming. Even if a Pugapoo doesn’t shed much, this grooming is crucial for preventing matting and maintaining good skin health.

Overall, Pugapoos are a very rewarding but also a bit demanding pet breed. They do have a tenancy for certain health problems you’ll need to watch out for but they are rarely unmanageable. However, if you are willing to – or would even enjoy – taking extra good care of your little pet’s health, you’ll be rewarded with a lot of fun playtime and more cuddles than you might have expected.