The Puggle is Top Dog

Dog breeds have always been a popular Internet search. A new breed, the Puggle, has recently become the breakout top dog. A ‘Puggle’ is the newest fad of designer dog breeds sweeping the nation. How popular are Puggles? The term Puggle is searched more than all other dog breeds combined.

Puggles are a hybrid breed between a pug and beagle. Hybrid breeds like Puggles are coined designer mutts, a trend that started with the Australian Labradoodle over ten years ago. Puggles account for over 50% of all mix breed dogs sales. Money Magazine listed it as the most popular and expensive dog in the U.S.

They are big business. A survey of online breeders reveal the average price is $600 to $2000 for a Puggle puppy, comperable to pure breed puppy prices. Pet stores report they can’t keep them on the shelves, so to speak.
Why the buzz?

For one, great name. Notice, Puggle rhymes with snuggle. Much more marketable then Beg or Beagug (pronounced big-ug).

Two, they are cute:

“They have curly tails like pugs, but a skinny body like beagles. They are so adorable!”, The World of Writer Girl

“If anyone loved me I’d have one of these cutie pies - they are truly perfect!”, Andrea Says

“if I ever, EVER get a dog, I’m getting a Puggle. It’s the cutest damn dog I’ve ever seen!”, Breifly Noted…

It helps Puggles are getting significant media exposure. They have recently been featured in the New York Post and NBC’s The Today Show.

They are also getting the celebrity buzz boost. Tough-guy James Gandolfini from the “Sopranos” has a Puggle. Jake Gyllenhgaal star of “Jughead” also has one. Maybe next Paris Hilton will upgrade her Chihuahua to a Puggle. Then there will be a gazillion pictures of Paris Hilton and her Puggle at all manner of celebrity events.
The Controversy

Anytime you take a living creature and commercialize it, there is controversy. Breeders now register about 500 litters of hybrid breeds a month compared with about 100 or so litters a month two years ago. I would argue that for every mutt that is designer created, there is another lovable yet less trendy mutt that gets destroyed at your local shelter.

No doubt, many Puggle puppies come from puppy mills. Novel dogs often mean novel temperaments and ailments which may lead to problem dogs that often get neglected, abused or abandoned. For a passionate plea against the Puggle fad, check out Lori’s post at pugsplace.com. Here is another good article presenting both sides of the hybrid dog breeds story.

My recommendation is to visit your local pet shelter before buying a commercialized designer puppy. There are sure to be plenty of lovable dogs for free - and who knows, you may be a tread setter by getting next years hip new dog breed before everybody else.