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Jug

61 replies

EezerGoode · 11/05/2017 13:57

Anyone got a jug?.. anything to be aware of?.. be glad of advice please

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CornflakeHomunculus · 11/05/2017 14:43

I'm presuming you mean JRT x Pug?

If so you need to be very careful to find a breeder who knows their stuff when it comes to conformation. Whilst crossing a Pug to a less brachycephalic breed is very likely to result in a better head, JRTs aren't always the best choice as some can have pretty iffy foreleg conformation. Shorter JRTs, which can be prone to having bowed legs, are not as appropriate a cross for a Pug as longer legged ones. Pugs have enough skeletal abnormalities without risking introducing new ones!! Underbites can be an issue in Pug crosses so this is also something the breeder needs to be aware of and be trying to avoid as much as possible.

Both breeds can be affected by Primary Lens Luxation so both parents should have either been DNA tested for it (with at least one testing clear) or be clear by parentage (with paperwork provided to prove this). Although there's no official scheme for it both should have had their knees thoroughly checked as both breeds can be prone to Luxating Patella. The Pug parent should also have been DNA tested clear (or be clear by parentage) of May-Hegglin Anomaly. The JRT parent should have a current eye test done via the BVA Eye Scheme. The Pug should have been screened for Hemivertebrae as if their vertebrae are extremely deformed then a first cross may not necessarily result in pups with normal spines.

That's the absolute minimum I'd be looking for. Ideally they should be doing all available DNA tests for both breeds so they know exactly what, if anything, the pups they're producing might be carriers for. You can see the lists of currently available tests here: Pug and JRT. It's those conditions with the specific breeds listed which are the ones a conscientious breeder would be utilising.

A Pug x JRT is potentially going to be a much more active and game little dog than a pure Pug. You may also have to contend with higher prey drive and possible lower tolerance of other dogs (the latter doesn't mean aggression, this is a good explanation of dog tolerance levels which is applicable to many terrier breeds). If you're not comfortable with having what is essentially a terrier then a cross where you could potentially be getting just that probably isn't a great idea.

Pug x terrier can be a really nice little cross and some breeders in Germany have used a terrier outcross to reduce exaggeration in Pugs with great success but it does need to be done carefully, with proper consideration given to health, temperament and conformation.

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CMOTDibbler · 11/05/2017 14:49

As always, you'd be wanting to ask the breeder exactly why they were doing that cross, why they had chosen the parents to mate (and because they were handy/belonged to a friend doesn't count), and be prepared that what you might get is pure JRT characteristics or vice versa.

Someone selling hybrids is going to be much more likely to be puppy farming, so you need to be really, really vigilant

Why are you considering this combination?

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Hoppinggreen · 11/05/2017 14:51

I have quite a few jugs but I'm assuming you actually mean an over priced crossbreed rather than something you might find in a kitchen cupboard?

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Wolfiefan · 11/05/2017 15:19

Fantastic advice Cornflake! OP hope that answers any questions.

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EezerGoode · 11/05/2017 16:13

Thanks so much for the replies...So how do you find a good breeder ...I've visited 3 homes for different small dogs ,none of which I've been impressed with..and we are still pup less...a family near us have one jug left...so have been reading on the just jugs web site...was hoping to hear from someone who's has a jug to tell me a bit about life with one...

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DannyOD · 11/05/2017 16:40

www.dog-breeds-expert.com/Mojo-the-jug.html Don't know if this is any help.

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EezerGoode · 11/05/2017 16:51

Cheers danny.lush doggie..cute ,nice article thanks

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SwimmingInTheDeepBlueSea · 11/05/2017 17:35

You could end up with a pup that is very Jack Russell or one that is very Pug, or the worst of both pug and jack Russell or the best of both pug and jack Russell or a real mix of the two breeds characteristics. So look up both breeds and think would you be happy whatever mix of those two breeds you end up with?


Tbh 'designer breed' name like jug usually means puppy farm or byb who doesn't have a clue about genetics and just thought their bitch and their mates dog would make cute puppies, without understanding the implications of what they are breeding.

Puppy farms are actually very hard to spot. They often use dealers to sell the pups for them, as though they were home bred, from the family's bitch. They will even have a chilled out "stunt bitch" - a bitch that is never bred from but there as a healthy pretend mom to the puppies.

See if pups look truly chilled out in the home environment, are they happy to be taken into another room with you for a few minutes (basic part of early socialisation - so they should be fine with this if they have been raised correctly in a home environment).

There was a fantastic documentary on puppy farms and their dealers this time last year - I think it was a panorama one, if it's still available to watch - definitely worth it.

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WeAllHaveWings · 11/05/2017 17:37

Ds's friend has this cross, ugly wee thing with a head that looks too small for its body and looks like an effort to waddle about. Maybe cute as a pup, but now nothing endearing about it at all (apart from it being a poor wee dog cross bred by back street breeders/puppy farm as an attempt to make a cute mix for fashion, with little guarantee of the outcome).

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CornflakeHomunculus · 11/05/2017 17:39

There was a fantastic documentary on puppy farms and their dealers this time last year - I think it was a panorama one, if it's still available to watch - definitely worth it.

Totally agree, it was excellent if rather harrowing. I'd recommend watching it to anyone planning on buying a puppy.

I've just checked and it is still available (it's here on iPlayer) but only for a week or so. It's really, really worth watching.

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monkeyfacegrace · 11/05/2017 17:40

Umm.

You don't find a good breeder for a jug. They don't exist. It's a fucking untested mongrel.

Crossing a short nosed breed that can't exercise and is prone to breathing issues with a terrier? 😂

Don't be utterly ridiculous.

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EezerGoode · 11/05/2017 17:50

Ok...so I've not gone for a pug ,as They have so many health problems...I assumed mixing the pug with another dog would be good as it would lesson the negative traits of the pug with the more healthy traits of a terrier...isn't that how all dog breeds came about?????

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monkeyfacegrace · 11/05/2017 17:54

No.

A pug from a proper show breeder is a much better bet. At least they will be tested for PDE which is a massive killer.

Even better, get a rescue terrier. They are everywhere.

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CornflakeHomunculus · 11/05/2017 17:58

The problem is most breeders of such crosses aren't doing it with the intention of producing a healthier, less exaggerated Pug. At best breeders are just naïve and buy into the myth that crosses are guaranteed to be healthier (so don't bother with health testing, conformation evaluation, etc.) and at worst they're churning out pups with no consideration given to anything but the money they can make.

If you want something that is essentially a Pug but healthier than you need to be looking for a breeder who has a proper, multi-generation breeding programme. Someone who is carefully choosing the dogs they're using to maximise the likelihood of the resulting pups being less exaggerated and free from inherited/conformation related health issues. Sadly very few breeders (either of pedigree Pugs or Pug crosses) fall into this category.

Outcrossing can be an excellent tool for eradicating health issues, reducing exaggeration and improving genetic diversity but it's not a magic bullet and still needs to be done with great amount of care.

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picklemepopcorn · 11/05/2017 17:58

Get a rescue! You'll know pretty much exactly what it is.

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EezerGoode · 11/05/2017 20:57

I've a 7 yr old..it's difficult finding a dog that Rspca say is suitable for families with young children...all the ones I applied for ,small cross types, we didn't get a look in...I found one ,applied and we waited thinking we were top of the list ,only to find out 3 weeks earlier he had been found a home...so it's not that easy to get a rescue..we have a small house small garden ,my daughter wants a grayhound,but not in this house...so we need small dog suitable with small children...been to 3 breeders and wasn't happy so didn't buy,and applied for 4 rescues that we didn't get...sigh.

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CornflakeHomunculus · 11/05/2017 21:10

Have you looked for any smaller, independent rescues there may be near you? These are often more flexible with their rehoming requirements and many are fosterer rather than kennel based so they have a much better idea of how an individual dog will behave in a family home.

Generally decent breeders will have a waiting list (which they start filling before the pups are born or sometimes even before the mating has taken place), it won't be a case of turning up and buying a puppy there and then. This is where breed clubs really come into their own as they will often know of future breeding plans of their members.

This is an excellent guide to buying a puppy (their list of questions to ask a breeder is well worth a look too) and I really do agree with the last section very much. Rather than looking for a puppy to buy now, look for a breeder who is aiming to produce exactly what you're looking for and who will be there to offer support and advice throughout the life of your future dog. A great breeder, who cares deeply about the puppies they breed and who wants the best for them as well as their new owners is absolutely worth their weight in gold.

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10Betty10 · 11/05/2017 21:19

You could have a look at pug x shi tzu mix? We have one and she's a brilliant dog. No health issues, very friendly and cheerful little thing.

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EezerGoode · 11/05/2017 21:21

Have only looked at many tears rescue,dogs trust,blue cross and Rspca..nothing else comes up in my area..but thanks for all the replies

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Bubble2bubble · 11/05/2017 21:33

Well done on walking away from dodgy breeders. If more people did this there would be a much smaller market for puppy farmers.

There are rescues which will rehome to families with children, but it may take some time to find a suitable dog for you. One of the last puppies I fostered went to a home with three kids, the youngest age 2, but I knew the pup was incredibly gentle, the kids had always been around dogs and the parents had plenty of dog experience. Every situation is different, and too many dogs are given up or handed back to rescue because they knocked over a child, did too much play biting etc - for this reason many rescues are very cautious about homing dogs with small children.

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SwimmingInTheDeepBlueSea · 11/05/2017 22:09

corn thank you for finding that documentary. It was harrowing but well worth watching (it was aired at the time I was looking for a puppy, but desperately trying to avoid ending up with one from a puppy farm). Made me and my mum cry but definitely opened our eyes as to just how cunning the con-men selling puppy farmed pups were.

I wish they'd make it permanently available. Every body should watch it before picking a breeder or puppy.

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InterruptingGiraffe · 11/05/2017 22:25

Don't give up on rescues. I signed up to DogsBlog updates and every day trawled through, then contacted rescues directly. It took a while but eventually we found a dog. We had to go a long way to meet her as she wasn't local, but it was worth it.

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CornflakeHomunculus · 12/05/2017 00:52

I wish they'd make it permanently available. Every body should watch it before picking a breeder or puppy.

I agree totally and I've contacted the BBC asking them to consider making it permanently available.

Someone has put it on YouTube () but I've no idea how long it's likely to stay up.

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EezerGoode · 12/05/2017 08:04

I can't watch it...the film I mean.....the first puppy I went to visit..had cats in cages.tiny kitties she was breeding..we walked out...the second..the breeder was trying to hard ..nothing felt right,the pup wouldn't go near her ,and the dog she claimed was the dad didn't look big enough to do the deed.all weird.plus she had put 2 chips in its neck as she did it wrong first time..so we scarpered from that one as well....the third,all looked good dogs were feisty and I feel in love instantly with one pup....till I looked round and realised the house was spotless,there was no bed,bowel,toys for the 5 dogs they had..so they were clearly not allowed in the family home..so not raised within a family as advertised...so still pup less...

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EezerGoode · 12/05/2017 08:07

Rescue's I know are run by volunteers,but we've applied for a few small dogs and heard nothing back from 2 from Rspca.and a email from blue cross saying sorry ,and blue cross where we found a tiny and thought we were getting it ,and waited chatting to staff about it,to find he'd gone 3 weeks before..sigh..you get yr hopes up ,then nothing

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