# Thinking of a Puggle



## hensleyrob (Nov 11, 2007)

Hi, I've never owned a dog before and was considering finally getting one now that I live by myself. I know a few people who have puggles and I really like them. My biggest concern right now is my job. I currently work an 8am - 5pm job so I'll of course be away from home for awhile during the day. For awhile I'll be able to come home at lunch and check on the dog, let him out, or whatever he needs. But I can't do this on a long term basis. So, my question to all of you knowledgeable people out there, what age puggle would you suggest for me? Or is there anything else you guys think I should know/consider before making my decision?

Thanks,

Rob


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## TheChinClique (Jul 6, 2007)

hensleyrob said:


> Hi, I've never owned a dog before and was considering finally getting one now that I live by myself. I know a few people who have puggles and I really like them. My biggest concern right now is my job. I currently work an 8am - 5pm job so I'll of course be away from home for awhile during the day. For awhile I'll be able to come home at lunch and check on the dog, let him out, or whatever he needs. But I can't do this on a long term basis. So, my question to all of you knowledgeable people out there, what age puggle would you suggest for me? Or is there anything else you guys think I should know/consider before making my decision?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Rob


Hi Rob- Welcome to DogForums.com! Are you planning on adopting a Puggle? There are a lot of Puggles in rescue right now. I would suggest calling your local rescue and seeing what they have...even if they don't have a Puggle, maybe you can visit the dogs they do have. An adult dog would probably work best for your situation...being away for a long time during the day would make it hard to train a puppy. 

Good luck!


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## hensleyrob (Nov 11, 2007)

Thanks for the quick reply!

Adoption is something I'm definitely going to look into when I make my decision to get one or not. At what age is a dog really considered an adult?

Thanks,

Rob


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Since you're going to be gone for a lot of the day, I'd suggest a dog that's at least a couple years old. One of the best options imo would be to go to the local shelters and rescues and see what's available. I'd look for an easy going, calm adult dog. 

What age a dog is considered mature varies depending on breed. Smaller breeds mature faster than larer breeds. But in your situation, I'd look for a dog over 2. There are a lot of benefits to getting a dog that's already an adult. My latest addition was almost 2 when we got her and the transition has been wonderful.


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

Great idea about looking at shelters/rescues. I work at a shelter and we get in a lot of puggles for some reason.


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

Welcome to the forum! Congrats on the idea of adoption. I agree with the above posts that a dog about 2 or so years would be the best option in your situation. I think a great place to start would be at your local shelter speaking with an adoptions councilor. Tell them what you want in a dog and what you can offer a dog. Wait for the right dog to come in if they do not have what you are looking for immediately. Dogs in shelters change daily. Some shelters offer a Breed watch. or Dog type watch. They will call you if a dog that meets your needs comes in. Some just don't have the man power to do that and ask you to stop back often. Take some of the available dogs out for a little walk. It is quite possible that the dog breed you think you want is not the right breed or one you never thought you would want turns out to be perfect for you. Approach it with an open mind about breed and a good idea of what you want in temperament, grooming needs and exercise requirements. Good Luck to you Can't wait to see what you chose.


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## PuggleMommy (Nov 12, 2007)

Hi, I'm new to the board (this my first post). As you can see from my "name" I own a puggle. We got him at 10 months old and he's now 3 (will be 4 in march) and he's STILL hyper!!!!!!!!! From everything I've heard (after buying Scrappy) puggles are 3 year puppies. He did calm down a lot after he turned 3, but he still has his moments. On the other hand, he also is ok about staying at home for times by himself, although if it's too much time he gets jealous. If you get one, I'd suggest making sure you have the time to walk the dog daily as well as play with him/her a lot too. Scrappy has moments of thinking he's a lap dog, but most of the time the Beagle side comes out and he wants to play.
Things also to know ahead of time that we didn't:
>Since Puggles are part Beagle they tend to bark a lot and are territorial of their houses (we've lived in apartments or trailer park since getting him and he barks everytime someone walks past, shuts their car door, ect...)
>Since Puggles are part Pug they have some of the breathing problems. 
>Puggles are prone to "cherry eye" where the 3rd eye lid sticks out and looks disgusting. I've heard medication can work for it, we had to shell out $200 to get surgery for Scrappy on one eye and are biding time before we have to do the other eye (is still going in and out)

I think that's about all the things I wish I had known before I got Scrappy. I didn't even know what a Puggle WAS when we went to look at him.

Hope this helps!


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## titaniummd (Sep 29, 2007)

hensleyrob said:


> Thanks for the quick reply!
> 
> Adoption is something I'm definitely going to look into when I make my decision to get one or not. At what age is a dog really considered an adult?
> 
> ...


Adult age varies by breed (generally 18 months to 3 years).

The general rule of thumb for them to hold their bladder is 1 month = 1 hour of ability to hold bladder contents. Thus, I was looking for a 11 month to 24 month old rescue. I lucked out and found a 1 year old dog.


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## rwbmke (Jul 26, 2007)

I would definitely look at a shelter for a dog a bit older. I got a puggle at four months old and she is now 10 months. She has a LOT of energy, so you'd have to be willing to put a lot of time into playing, walking, running, training, whatever it takes to tire them out!! I know I got into a lot more than I originally thought. With that being said, I absolutely love my dog and she is so stinkin' adorable! She's got her issues, though, but I think they're mostly a result of boredom because she seems to need constant stimulation (whether mentally or physically) so I do the best I can to keep her occupied. Puppies are a huge responsibility and a ton of work (and puggle puppies seem to be at the high end of that scale). If I got another dog, I would most definitely adopt an older dog. Also, you don't want to support a puppy mill (where dogs live in horrible conditions) or a backyard breeder that adds to the dog over population problem. Good luck!!


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