A Jack Russell Pug Mix or Jug is an amazing Pug Mix breed with Jack Russell terriers, the fox hunter dog from England. This mix was engineered to have some of the best traits of the two breeds, resulting in a quick, playful, and energetic dog with a good amount of Pugness.
We absolutely love it, as it is among the “good ones” regarding pug mixes. If you’re looking for more information about them or are interested in getting one, this post has you covered.
Let’s get started!
What’s a Jug or Jack Russell Pug Mix?
A Jug is Pug with English bloodlines due to the cross with a Jack Russell Terrier, one of a kind working breed type of dog. A Jack Russell Pug Mix has interesting qualities that come from his JRT half and you can expect it to have at least three or more of these qualities:
- They are sturdy, small, but muscular dogs that excel both in agility and speed courses.
- In size, they’re similar to pugs, but with less broad shoulders. They weigh up to 18 pounds according to standard, and they’re 15 inches tall at the shoulders when fully grown.
- They can have two different types of hair; smooth and rough, though there is a third one that’s a combination of those two.
- They are highly energetic, alert, and smart to outwit foxes, but they’re more balanced than other highly energetic breeds. They are not aggressive.
- They have a better bone structure and skull than pugs. They are also elongated and slim as they grow.
Those are some pretty good qualities of a balanced dog with proneness to being active; exactly what the pug counterpart needs to improve the breed.
AVMA – American Veterinary Medical Association
Description of Jugs or Jack Russell Pug Mix
Since both breeds share similar sizes, they remain within the same range. However, since JRTs’ are slimmer and have a slightly less broad chest, they can appear to be smaller than pugs.
They’re also slimmer due to the medium-to-high energy levels. Most of the time they will inherit the color and type of coat from Pugs, so expect them to showcase Fawn, Gray-fawn, Apricot, and Black colors.
There’s also a chance of them getting the different hair types and colors from JRTs’, but this doesn’t happen often. Sometimes they have brachycephaly and sometimes they don’t, this depends on which type of skull they inherit. The ears and tails of a Jack Russell Pug Mix can also vary a lot, with some of them having floppy ears (undesired), longer curvy tails.
Reasons why you should consider getting a Jug
Jugs are an eye-catching Pug mix with some serious advantages to consider.
- They are really, really active: Due to the energy levels of JRTs’ and the playfulness of pugs, this mix can be a top-notch playmate for your kids. They are small but sturdy, so they can withstand rough play, especially if they have the longer snout and better mouth to tug like champs.
- Jugs love to cuddle: This mix breed has a lot of Pugness inside, so they will love to cuddle, to play, they will be friendly, and very loyal to you. They could easily earn Pug’s nickname shadow, just that this specific shadow is super fast running around you.
- They are healthy: Even tough pugs are rather sickly Jugs inherit JRTs’ health. They don’t suffer from many diseases and remain slimmer than pug throughout their lives. There’s no risk of them getting obese unless you’re a permissive owner (shame on you!).
Reasons why you should avoid getting a Jug
There are few drawbacks with Jugs, and most of them come from the Pug part of the family.
- They can suffer from Brachycephaly: If they have strong Pug genes, they can still suffer from this condition which will limit their energy and resistance to exercise/playtime.
- They can inherit other conditions from Pugs: Hip dysplasia, allergies, and proneness to eye injury are some of the main concerns you must pay attention to before getting one of them. This only happens with Jugs that are more Pugs than JRTs’.
- They can also suffer from separation anxiety: Another trait inherited from Pugs is that they love being with you. If you don’t train them to be slightly more independent, they will suffer from this condition. That, paired with their high energy levels, will cause mayhem if left alone!
Are You Looking For A Pug Mix? Check Our Ultimate Guide Out!
How to get a Jug
If you’re trying to buy a Jug, the best place to start is online markets. There you’ll find a wide selection of Pug Mixes, and since the Jug is one of the best, it will be present. Still, you’ll need to follow our tips to buy a Pug puppy (with some tweaks here and there on how to identify desirable traits). That narrows down the risk of getting a faulty puppy.
So, are you ready to get your Jug?