Beagle vs Pug

As suggested by the name of this article, Beagle Vs Pug, we are going to be comparing two of the most popular and widely adored small-sized breeds that are available today. We’ll try to cover all the major similarities and differences between Beagles and Pugs and thereby, we’ll try to answer a very important question that every potential dog owner wants to know and that is, which dog is better? Is it Beagle or Pug?

So, to start things off, let’s first jump into some basic similarities that both these breeds share with each other. These are as follows:

1. Both these breeds have a similar size and stature.
2. Both are very popular and easily available in India.
3. Due to their short coats, both have fairly similar grooming requirements.
4. Both Beagles and Pugs cannot live alone or away from their owners for a long period of time and can become highly sad and restless.
5. Both are lousy guard dogs.
6. Both have subpar tolerance to cold climatic conditions.

Now, with all these similar characteristics out of the way, let’s begin this breed comparison by focusing on some major dissimilarities that make these two breeds unique and distinct and we’ll do so by diving into various important areas such as historical background, maintenance needs, health problems and many more.

HISTORY AND ORIGIN:

Pug is a very old breed and its origin at least dates back to 206 BC. This black-muzzled dog lived a highly luxurious life in China as it is believed that Pugs were the prized possession of the emperors that ruled during the Han Dynasty and they served as lapdogs for these Chinese rulers. Beagles, on the other hand, didn’t have the luxury that Pugs had and these dogs were primarily used by the English Hunters to hunt down various small animals and games in the 1500s.

There is also quite an interesting story of how these two breeds got their respective names. There is no hard evidence for the origin of the name of both these breeds and its all just speculations and conjecture. It is believed that Beagles get their name from a French word “begueule” that means “open or wide throat” or in the case of Beagle dogs, it represents the loudmouth behavior (excessive barking) of these pooches. It is also speculated that the term Beagle is inspired by a Celtic word ‘beag’ which means small. Coming to Pugs, their name origin is also shrouded in mystery. Some say it was inspired by a Latin word which means “clenched fist”, others believe these dogs get their name from Marmoset monkeys which were also called the Pug Monkeys and these monkeys’ faces were very similar to the Pug dogs that we all know and love.

Pugs began to move out of China to other places in the world in the 1860s when the Chinese palaces were invaded by the British. These dogs were brought back to the United Kingdom and they gradually became fairly popular in that region and they were even adored and bred by Queen Victoria herself. Beagles, as they originated in the UK itself, were already highly popular in the country by now and both these breeds were gradually climbing the ladder of popularity all around the world. They both were recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club) in the same year which was 1885.

Appearance:

Both Beagles and Pugs have a fairly similar size. Pugs have an average height and weight of around 10-14 inches and 6-9 Kilograms while Beagles stand tall at around 13-15 inches (some Beagles can also be below 13 inches) and generally weigh somewhere between 9-11.5 Kilograms. But, these two breeds are very different when it comes to facial features. Beagles have a slightly domed head with long ears and large brown (or hazel) eyes. They also possess a straight muzzle which is medium in length. Pugs, on the other hand, have a large round head with big eyes (that are dark in color) and small ears. These dogs have also got several wrinkles on their forehead. Pugs’ muzzle is also quite different than the Beagles. They have a black muzzle which is highly short and blunt making their face look a lot flatter than the Beagles.

Coming to their body, both these dogs have a short and smooth coat which is fairly easy to groom. But the various colors in which the coats of these breeds are found are quite different and unique. Beagles are mostly found in a combination of two or more colors. Most common and popular Beagle colors are Red, Lemon, Tan, Chocolate, Orange and they are all found in combination with White color. Pugs are mostly found in solid colors and their two most popular colors are Fawn and Black. But they can also be found in some other colors which are not as common. These colors are Silver Fawn and Apricot.

Maintenance Needs:

The maintenance needs of both these breeds are a lot similar to one another. Both Beagles and Pugs are very easy to groom and their cleaning and brushing requirements are not very high. But Pugs do shed their fur a little more than the Beagles. Also, both these breeds require a fair amount of attention from their loved ones and they both cannot be left alone in the house for long periods of time as they can easily become restless and stressed. Finally, they both even have similar feeding requirements.

The only major difference between both these breeds in this area is their exercise and work needs. Beagles being a highly active and athletic breed require a lot more exercise and movement than the lazy and not-so energetic Pugs. Without proper exercise, Beagles can become very bored, restless and even destructive in nature, but that’s not the case with Pugs and they are happy to rest and relax beside their loved ones for most of the time.

Temperament:

On the temperamental level as well, these two breeds are quite similar, but there are certain differences between both of them that make them stand out. Pugs are more docile, loyal and relaxed in nature and are immensely affectionate and kind with almost everyone. Beagles, on the other hand, are highly energetic and lively dogs that have a playful personality and these pooches can be a little independent on some occasions. Also, Beagles are generally a bit more intelligent and smarter than Pugs. Below are some general characteristics that we have decided to conduct our Beagle and Pug comparison on:

Overall Friendliness:

Both Pugs and Beagles are immensely friendly in nature. They are great with their own family members and kids, affectionate with other people and strangers (when properly trained), known to get along just fine with other dogs and are fairly friendly with cats as well. But proper socialization and guidance are very important for the Beagles so as to become a bit more gregarious with the felines. Pugs do not face such problem and do mix fairly well with the house cats. Also, both these breeds are considered to be great family dogs.

Guarding Potential:

Although both Beagles and Pugs are pretty bad guard dogs, Pugs are known to make fairly efficient watchdogs. These pooches are good at looking after their home and property and they can alert their owners in case of any external threat or danger. Beagles, on the other hand, are not only pretty poor guard dogs but are fairly inadequate watchdogs as well.

Barking Potential:

Pugs are only known to use their voice on an occasional basis. Most of the time, these dogs just like to remain fairly calm and quiet. But that’s not the case with Beagles as they are pretty talkative in nature. They barking potential is really high and they like to vocalize whenever they want to express their feelings or whenever they require the attention of their loved ones.

Trainability:

Both these breeds are not exceptionally easy to train, but Pugs being more compliant in nature are definitely considered to a bit more easy to train than the Beagles. Pugs are required to be treated carefully and sensitively during the training sessions but they do learn all the things which are taught to them fairly quickly. And although Beagles are fairly smarter than the Pugs, they can be a bit difficult during the training sessions due to their independent personality. If their owners can control them and make them a bit more obedient in nature, then Beagles can also become very easy to train.

Health Problems:

The average lifespan of both Beagles and Pugs are pretty similar and they both generally live for about 12-15 years (when given proper care and attention). But, because Beagles are highly sturdy and healthy dogs, they are not required to be taken to a vet’s clinic for health check-ups on a frequent basis, unlike Pugs who are much more sensitive than the Beagles. Pugs should be regularly checked by a skilled vet for any signs of diseases or health issues.

Now there are quite a few health problems that are common with both these breeds. These can be Distichiasis, Hip Dysplasia, Patellar Luxation, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, and Epilepsy. But there are several diseases which are a bit more common in one breed than they are in the other. Beagles are more prone to Glaucoma, Hypothyroidism, Intervertebral Disk Disease, and Chinese Beagle Syndrome. Health Issues which are more commonly found in Pugs are Breathing problems, Corneal Ulcers, Dry Eye, Entropion, and Pug Dog Encephalitis.

Good for Indians?

Now, after comparing these two breeds on so many different levels, the answer to the question, which dog is better or which breed is good for Indians is still not very clear. Both these breeds have a lot of positives (and a few negatives) of their own and saying one breed is better than the other is not fair to both of them. But we’ll still try to find which dog is more suitable for the Indian dog lovers.

First of all, both Beagles and Pugs are very easily available in India, hence it should not be hard to find to these dogs in most parts of this country. Secondly, they both are not immensely expensive or pricey and should be affordable for most Indians. But Beagles are a bit more costly than the Pugs as the average price of a Beagle is around ₹24,000 to ₹30,000 and a Pug can cost somewhere between ₹15,000 to ₹25,000.

Also, there are a lot of other factors that one should consider before opting for any of these breeds. Pugs are more apartment friendly than the Beagles, but Beagles have a greater tolerance to heat and high temperatures. Also, Pugs have a lot less exercise needs than the Beagles but Beagles are immensely sturdy and robust breed and they are much healthier than the Pugs. In the end, both these breeds are amazing and awesome and a potential dog owner will not go wrong choosing any of these two outstanding canines.