Husky Pug Mix: Everything You Need To Know About The Hug

The Husky Pug Mix, Pugsky, or the Hug is a cross breed between the energetic Siberian Husky and the ever-laidback Pug. This designer breed is becoming more popular among dog lovers because of its unique looks and easy going character.  A Husky Pug Mix is an ideal family dog that is cheerful, affectionate and loyal to his owners. He is great with children and can coexist with other pets too if socialized from an early age. 

Husky Pug Mix Breed Origin

The Husky Pug Mix was originally bred in he United States of America to serve as a family dog. The best way to understand the Pug Husky Mix is to take a look at his parents.

Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky hails from Northeast Asia. The Chukchi (an indigenous tribe in Asia) were the first people to breed the Husky.

Huskies were developed to be sled dogs that transport people and goods across icy lands. While they were mainly bred to be working dogs, they also served as companions to their human families. 

The Siberian Husky is intelligent and has lots of energy. He has endless stamina and a mind that is always alert. If the Husky isn’t busy hauling cargo, he is spending most of his time playing and causing mischief.

Pug

Pugs also hail from Asia. Unlike the working Husky, Pugs lived sedentary lifestyles among Chinese royalty. They were constantly pampered as pets and regarded as royalty like their owners. 

Pugs reciprocate the pampering they get with affection and loyalty. A Pug does not mind spending the entire day on his owner’s lap receiving loving pats and doggy treats.

Pugs are not active dogs. They like to lie down all day and do short walks with their owners. A Pug’s small body and pressed nose impedes its ability to indulge in high-intensity exercises.

Kennel Club Recognition

Like all designer breeds, the Pug Husky Mix is not officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. The Dog Registry of America (formerly known as the U.S. Kennel Club) is the only official body that recognized the Hug.

Nonetheless, the mix breed’s parents, the Siberian Husky and Pug, are both recognized by the AKC.

The American Kennel Club recognized the Husky in 1930. The United Kennel Club recognized the same dog breed in 1938 under the name Arctic Husky. By 1991, the name had changed to the Siberian Husky.

Pugs received their recognition before setting foot in North America. The American Kennel Club registered the Pug breed as early as 1885. By the early 19th century, Pugs were introduced to America. As a result, the Pug Dog Club of America was formed in 1931 and steered the popularity of Pugs. In 1981, the Pug became the first breed of its kind to win at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show competition.

Husky Pug Mix Puppies

In a Husky Pug cross litter you can expect the newborns to turn out with different physical and personality traits from each other.

One puppy could have the body of a Pug and the face of a Husky. Another puppy could have the body of a Pug but the energy of a Husky. The opposite of these two scenarios is true as well.

Coat color and appearance can vary within a litter too. Some Husky Pug Mix puppies have a short coat like the Pug or a long fluffy one like the Husky. Some puppies may inherit wrinkles from the Pug or the coveted blue eyes from the Husky. So on and so forth.

Hug puppies start to develop their unique looks and personalities when they are about 8 to 9 weeks of age. But there is no telling how a Husky crossed with Pug will completely look like until they are a bit grown.

Husky Pug Mix Price

Expect to spend between $1200 and $2000 if you are buying a Husky mixed with Pug puppy from a trusted breeder. The price may also change depending on factors such as: the breeder’s reputation, the dog’s age and size, and the unique traits he may inherit.

If you decide to buy a Pugsky avoid puppy mills and unregistered breeders at all costs. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Buy from a trusted breeder who is willing to show you health records of both the puppies and their parents
• The breeder should allow you to interact with the parent breeds. Watching the parent breeds interact with the litter helps you understand what temperament they may grow to have
• A good breeder will interview you before letting you take the puppy home. They will want to know your experience with dogs, your lifestyle and personal preferences, and what kind of home setting you have
• If you are buying your Pugsky puppy online, first check the credibility of the website. Find out if the online breeders are registered with trusted authorities like the America Kennel Club. Be wary of breeders that use stock images to advertise their litter
• Before you take the puppy home, ensure he is screened for any potential health issues. Unfortunately, Pugs are susceptible to many life threatening disorders that could be passed on to their offspring, so this step is crucial when considering this breed.  A good breeder will give you a full medical report of the puppy.

If you are looking to adopt a Husky Pug Mix from a shelter you might have to wait for some time. This mix breed is becoming more popular and getting one will require some looking around.

You can start by looking at Pug and Husky specific rescue organizations:

• Compassionate Pug Rescue
• DFW Pugs Rescue Club
• Free Spirit Siberian Rescue
• Pacific Pug Rescue
• Raven’s Husky Haven and Rescue

Husky Pug Mix Appearance

How a Pug Husky Mix dog ends up looking depends on the genetic traits received by the parent breeds. If the puppy leans toward the Husky side, it will grow taller and weigh more. Its coat will have long fluffy hair too. If the puppy inherits the appearance of the Pug, it is likely to have a short body with a Husky’s face. 

The length of the muzzle will vary too. Some may inherit the flat face of the Pug, while others in the litter can develop a longer muzzle like the Husky, or somewhere in between.

The pup can also inherit the wrinkles and folds of a Pug, and possibly a curled tail too.

Height

A Siberian Husky grows between 12 to 23 inches. The Pug is shorter and grows to at most 11 inches. A Pugsky height will average the two, growing to at least 16 inches and at most 22 inches. This mix is considered to be small to medium sized. 

Weight

In a Pug Husky Mix litter, expect the pups to weigh between as little as 15 pounds, up to 60 pounds when mature. The Pugsky usually inherits the muscular body of a Husky so is usually larger than the standard Pug. Both Huskies and Pugs are prone to becoming overweight, and that’s a trait passed onto the Hug.

Color and Coat

 A Pugsky with Husky dominant traits will have a coat that is:

• White
• Grey
• Red
• Black and white
• Brown and white
• Black, white, and brown

If the Pugsky inherits more of the Pug traits, the coat can be:

• Black
• Fawn
• Apricot
• Brindle
• Silver Fawn

Coat texture will also vary among litter. Some puppies will have a short smooth coat like a Pug (light shedding). Other puppies will have the thick double coat of the Husky (heavier shedding). The topcoat will have straight guard hairs while the undercoat is dense with short hairs.

Some of the most common appearance traits include: pointy or floppy ears, smooth and short hair, straight tail and a dark mask.

Husky Pug Mix Temperament

The Husky Pug Mix is cheerful, loving and devoted to his family. He loves to spend time with his owners and tends to follow them around everywhere they go. He will do his best to keep his family entertained with his silly clownish antics.

The Hug is usually friendly with strangers and is eager to please anyone that gives him attention. He demands to be the center of attention and might even lash out if he feels he’s not getting any. 

The Hug might inherit the laziness of his Pug parent. Some Hugs are known to be couch potatoes that sleep all day. This is problematic because the lack of activity can put them at risk of obesity.

A Husky Pug Mix dog can also be full of energy, a trait passed on from the Husky side. That energy can turn a little destructive if he does not have a productive way of releasing it. 

The Hug might not be comfortable with living in confined spaces, especially if he’s of larger size.

As a descendant from the Husky, the Hug is an intelligent breed but that doesn’t mean training him is easy. Even though he is eager to please, he has the independent nature of a Husky, and the entitlement of a Pug. 

The Husky Pug cross is also alert and aware of his surroundings, which makes him a good watchdog.

Compatibility With Families and Pets

Pug Husky Mix dogs make great family pets. They are gentle with children and make good play buddies, but only as long as they are socialized adequately from an early age.

The Pug Husky Mix can be domineering in the presence of pets and other children. They are natural attention seekers and do not want another pet or child to take attention away from them.

A Pugsky will be loving to the entire family, but will grow fond of the person who he spends the most time with. This bond grows when that person invests time into feeding, grooming, playing and training him.

Husky Pug Mix Training

A Husky Pug Mix is not the easiest dog to train. In fact, some experts don’t recommend him to inexperienced owners because house breaking and teaching him basic commands can be challenging. This is because although he inherits his intelligence from the Husky, he may also inherit the laziness of a Pug or the stubbornness of a Husky. 

The best time to train a Hug is when he’s a puppy. You should use positive reinforcement and keep training sessions fun and short as this mix breed tends to get bored easily. 

If your Pugsky inherits the laziness trait from his Pug parent, you need to make an effort to keep him physically and mentally stimulated. This can be achieved by teaching him new tricks, or by playing low intensity fun games like hide and seek.

A Pugsky is alert and will not hesitate to bark at other people or animals if he feels threatened.  For this reason, it is important to socialize him from an early age and introduce him to as many people and a new environments as possible. 

Husky Pug Mix Exercise

Husky-Pug Mix dogs can be naturally energetic. Frequent exercising helps improve their mental, physical, and emotional well-being. How much exercise your Pugsky needs depends on which parent he takes after the most.

A Pugsky with a Pug’s traits only needs half an hour of exercising. Brisk walks in the morning and evening are enough to satisfy his needs. Brief indoor games are also fine, but make sure you make time for a short walk. 

If he has the flat face of a Pug, he should be limited to low intensity exercise sessions. Pressed noses can cause breathing issues and could lead to overheating which can be fatal. Therefore, exercise sessions or walks should be reserved to when the temperature is moderate, early in the morning or at night.

This becomes problematic when you have a Husky Pug Mix with the face of a Pug and the energy of a Husky. It will be difficult to control a pups urge to go for a sprint. For this reason, you should incorporate lots of mentally stimulating activities to prevent boredom and destructive behaviour.

A Husky-Pug Mix with Husky traits will need an hour of exercise at least. A light jog can be just fine. 

Husky Pug Mix Feeding Requirements

You should monitor how much you feed a Husky Pug Mix, he is known to have a big appetite and the ability to eat himself into obesity. Extra precaution should be taken if he has the small build of a Pug, or the inability to tolerate exercise. 

Treats should be given rarely (10% of his daily diet) because of their caloric content. For small dog breeds a mere 1 pound increase in weight can be detrimental.

Two and a half cups of high quality kibble a day are enough to keep the dog going. Make sure to take the feeding bowl away when he’s done to prevent overeating.

Pug Husky Hybrid Health

There are a few diseases that the Husky-Pug cross inherits from either parent breed, but mainly from the Pug. Here are some of the common health issues:

Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS)

This is a respiratory disorder that affects flat-faced breeds like the Pug. It causes breathing difficulties because the nose is compressed and can’t take in sufficient amounts of oxygen. This condition also prevents Pugs and Pug Mix breeds from indulging in intense activities or exercises. 

Dermatitis

This is a skin condition that affects the skin folds and spiralling tail of a Pug. It causes skin irritation and hair loss due to excessive scratching. 

Vision Problems

Huskies are vulnerable to cataracts which develops at around 6 to 12 months. They are also prone to eye disorders such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy which can lead to blindness.

Also, brachycephalic breeds such as the Pug have protruding eyes making them more prone to injury or eye infections. 

Spinal issues

The curly tail of the Pug can twist the vertebrae in the spine leading to paralysis in extreme cases.

Hip dysplasia

Both Pugs and Huskies can suffer from hip dysplasia. It is a condition where the thigh bone fails to fit into the hip bone. Hip dysplasia is hereditary and causes mobility problems when a dog ages.

Parvo

Parvo is a viral infection that causes gastrointestinal illness in dogs. Husky Pug Mix puppies are more predisposed to the infection because of their weak immune system.

Obesity

Both Pugs and Huskies are prone to obesity. Adding too much weight can put strain on the joints and spark digestive disorders. Old Pugsky dogs develop back pain and heart disease due to obesity.

Depression

Since Pugs were bred to keep people company all the time, they can develop extreme separation anxiety and even depression when not accompanied by their owners.

Both the Husky and Pug have a similar lifespan. So expect your Hug pup to live up to 12 or 15 years. Some Hug puppies can live longer if they are well taken care of. Give the puppy a good diet and plenty of exercise and it just might add a few more years of companionship. 

Husky Pug Mix Grooming

The grooming needs of a Pugsky depend on the coat and appearance he inherits from his parents.

The ones that inherit the long dense coats of Huskies tend to shed a lot. They need their coats brushed at least twice a week to get rid of dead hair and prevent matting.

Pugsky dogs with a Pug’s coat are moderate shedders. They will need their coats groomed at least once a week to keep it neat and shiny.

This breed can inherit a Pug’s wrinkles. While grooming the coat, you need to clean the folds of skin to prevent skin infections.

The droopy ears of a Pug also need regular cleaning to prevent the accumulation of bacteria.

Teeth brushing is also important to prevent gum disease, bad breath and tartar build up around the teeth.

Pugsky Pros and Cons

Pros

• Affectionate and devoted to their owners
• Friendly with children, pets and strangers as long as they’re socialized from an early age
• Alert and loyal, which makes them good watchdogs
• The pups that inherit the Pug’s coat shed minimally

Cons

• Stubborn and strong willed which makes training them challenging
• Prone to a number of health issues that are mostly passed on from the Pug parent
• If they inherit the long thick coat of a Husky there will be shedding
• Food intake must be monitored carefully because they are prone to obesity
• Some can’t engage in intense physical activity, nor can they be exposed to the heat for long periods of time to prevent fatal breathing issues