Pom-a-pug Dog Breed

The Pom-A-Pug is sure to be a classic companion dog. Although its purebred parents rank high in the obedience and agility categories for American Kennel Club-related dog shows, this hybrid is not formally recognized. This is a great dog for people who live and work at home, don't have young children and have a modest abode with a well-fenced yard of most any size or just an apartment. They may be a bit challenging depending on which parent breed is stronger, but they are suited well enough for first-time families.

PROS

• Small
• Too cute!
• Loves to nap
• Extremely playful
• Highly intelligent
• Tends to not bark much
• Is usually pretty calm
• Relatively easy to train
• Decent watchdog potential
• Remarkable desire to please you
• Can exercise a fair amount on his own
• Loves agility play and to learn new tricks
• Has a very short list of possible ailments it may inherit

CONS

• Sheds a lot
• Is not hypoallergenic
• May be very demanding
• May over-eat if allowed
• Needs a lot of grooming
• Might not tolerate young children
• Could be prone to constant barking
• Can quickly develop separation anxiety
• Does not like extreme weather or climates
• Chance of being genetically predisposed to having seizures

This small, somewhat hyper (in attitude) and nevertheless relatively active hybrid dog is squeezably cute. Pom-A-Pugs can be decent watch dogs as they are alert and only tend to bark when approached by strangers. They will entertain themselves by exploring constantly. These dogs will want to keep you nearby, however, and if you are frequently gone they will most likely develop separation anxiety.

Pom-A-Pugs are very intelligent dogs, and they are independent — to a degree (they will ultimately want to please you). They will try to get you to feed them all the time and have a propensity for becoming obese, so be careful with treat based training. If your Pom-A-Pug has a preponderance of Pomeranian over Pug, he may be on the cocky side with his clever ways.

This cute mixed breed is sure to be loyal, and depending on which parent breed is the dominant one, he may bark very little or perhaps whenever he wants something and you're not "on the spot" enough! Regardless, he'll want to be at your side most the day — except when he doesn't, at which time he will most likely be off exploring nearby. If he has a Pom dominant personality, however, he may not be very patient with young children.

The Pug is a rather sturdy dog that can handle a bit of rougher play than you might think, and if your Pug-A-Pom has more Pug than Pom, he may be the same. While he may rest in your presence and lead you to believe he's a bit lazy, it's when you're not watching that this hybrid tends to be more active.

Some hybrid dogs have purebred parents that are paired so as to eliminate the possibility of inherited diseases. The Pug-A-Pom's primary purpose is as a cute companion, however, and such things as health seem to be of little concern. You should be prepared to shell out the cash to keep one of these dogs in as good a shape as you can. These mixes tend to have significant skin problems as well as serious respiratory ailments caused by both their intentionally bred pushed-in faces and ever-smaller bodies.

Things to watch out for include:

• obesity
• seizures
• over-eating
• eye infections
• joint dysplasia
• reverse sneezing
• bad-smelling ears
• abnormal weight gain
• off-balance movement or bumping into things

With the proper amount of exercise, careful handling and a well-managed diet, your Pom-A-Pug should reach his expected life span of anywhere from 8 to 12 years.