Puginese are affectionate dogs with cheerful, playful personalities that bond closely with their families and love spending time with them. They tend to have a sweet disposition. As long as they have been properly socialized, they tend to get along well with children, other dogs, and other pets.

They also tend to open up quickly to strangers and are happy to receive attention from them once they have been introduced. Although they tend to be social and friendly dogs, Puginese are alert watchdogs and are prone to barking. It’s recommended to start to train your dog to stop barking early on to prevent it from becoming a nuisance behavior.

Puginese tend to be highly adaptable dogs that do well in just about any living situation. They thrive in homes with yards and adapt well to apartment living. As a snub-nosed breed, they are particularly sensitive to heat and will need some winter dog products to stay warm when temperatures drop. Because they bond so closely with their families, they do not tend to do well with long periods of time alone.

Potential health conditions to be aware of in the Puginese include skin issues, heart issues, epilepsy, luxating patella, hip dysplasia, and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable health issues to puppies. So, make sure you are asking about the health and genetic of both of the parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done.

As a brachycephalic dog breed, Puginese are also prone to allergies and developing respiratory problems. Because they are a small dog breed, they are also more prone to developing gum disease and other dental diseases, which makes practicing good dental care for dogs throughout their life even more important.

The Puginese is a moderately trainable dog breed. Although they do tend to respond well to consistent training focused on positive reward and praise, they are also known for being stubborn.

This can be a challenge for first-time dog owners to handle alone. So, puppy training classes are recommended. These classes tend to be a good idea even if you don’t necessarily need them. Not only do they strengthen the bond you have with your puppy and help reinforce training, but they also tend to offer opportunities to socialize a puppy.

A Puginese could have a shorter coat like their Pug parent, a longer coat like their Pekingese parent, or something in between. They will shed moderately year-round and require brushing at least a few times a week. Bathing is on an as-needed basis, but you may need to visit the groomer every 4-6 weeks to maintain your preferred clip on Puginese with longer coats.

In addition to coat care, you will also need to care for your Puginese’s nails, ears, and teeth. Cutting your dog’s nails once or twice monthly helps to keep them growing too long and causing issues. Weekly ear checks with careful cleanings as needed can help prevent ear infections.

If you’re visiting the groomer regularly, they can help out with some of it, but you will still need to take care of things at home between appointments. Brushing teeth daily or using an enzyme toothpaste every day in addition to cleanings at the vet when needed are recommended to help prevent painful dental diseases later in life.

Puginese usually fall into a low to moderate activity range. They will often have short bouts of higher energy while they are playing, but they tend to get tired quickly. Daily walks plus some playtime or another activity are usually enough for this small dog.

Your Puginese will likely be up for more if you are and will usually just be happy to be spending more time with you. There are plenty of safe ways to exercise flat-faced dogs. So, don’t be afraid to do more with them; just make sure they are not overexerting themselves trying to keep up with you.

A fully-grown Puginese usually stands 6-14 inches tall and weighs 7-18 pounds.

Puginese generally live for 12-14 years on average.

Although this designer mixed breed is often referred to as a Puginese, they are also sometimes called a Pekeapug, Peke-A-Pug, Pugapeke, Pug-A-Peke, or, simply, a Pug Pekingese Mix.