MyDogBreeds
Both Chug and Chipoo are originated from United States. Chug may grow 13 cm / 5 inches shorter than Chipoo. Both Chug and Chipoo are of same weight. Both Chug and Chipoo has almost same life span. Chug may have more litter size than Chipoo. Chug requires Moderate maintenance. But Chipoo requires Low maintenance
The Chug is a crossbreed with the Pug and the Chihuahua. It is a hybrid not a purebred. Over the past ten to fifteen years people have been developing the Chug, mostly in the United States. People were looking for a lapdog with the characteristics of both the Chihuahua and the Pug. The hybrid dog has characteristics of both breeds, both physical and behavioral. Of course, the Chug is not recognized by the AKC, but it is recognized by hybrid and designer dog clubs such as The American Canine Hybrid Club, Designer Breed Kennel and the International Designer Canine Registry.
The Chipoo is not a purebred dog but rather a cross between the Toy Poodle and the Chihuahua. In the 1970’s the two breeds were crossed and the Chipoo was born. Chihuahuas have their origin in Mexico while the poodle is believed to come from Germany. This hybrid dog, because he comes form two purebred dogs is considered to be a designer dog. The Chipoo is not of course a purebred dog and is not recognized by the American kennel Club (AKC), but it is recognized by the designer groups and hybrid groups. These organizations include the International Designer Canine Registry, the American Canine Hybrid Club, the Designer Breed Registry, and the Designer Dogs Kennel Club.
The Chug can vary greatly in looks and build from one dog to another. For the most part however, Chugs are small compact dogs, sturdy and muscular. They have a very expressive and lovable face with folding ears, almond shape eyes and short muzzles. Their faces are similar in looks to that of a miniature boxer. .
The Chipoo varies greatly in looks depending upon which breed it got most of its characteristics from. It is a toy dog, but it can have a curly coat or a straight one. It can be fluffy or wiry. It can be just about any color. All of them have Chihuahua tails but again depending on the mix, they can look like poodles or they can look like chihuahuas. They can vary in size from a very small toy to a larger sized small dog. You can have two Chipoos from the same litter and they will not be recognizable as littermates. However, they will all be adorable.
Because they are a hybrid, chugs can have a very wide range of different characteristics depending upon whether they have more from the Pug or more from the Chihuahua. But either way they are very lovable little dogs with big personalities. Regardless of whether your dog favors the clown Pug or the stately Chihuahua, your puppy will be a lovable ball of fur. He will be affectionate, friendly and aggressive to bigger dogs.
Some of the health issues that Chugs face include the respiratory issues that both the Chug and Chihuahua have to deal with. They also can have patellar luxation leading to lameness and arthritis.Hypoglycemia
Low blood sugar can result in fainting or coma, confusion or seizures.
Hybrid dogs often do better health wise than the original parents, but this is not true of 2nd and third generation crosses. However, this is not generally true of the Chipoo, as they are no longer bred poodle to chihuahua but rather Chipoo to Chipoo. They are basically healthy but face some issues such as:
This is what causes the tear stains on most small light-colored dogs. This is called Epiphora and is not an irritation in the eye, just overly active glands.
This is low blood sugar and can cause all kinds of problems for your Chipoo. This can be fatal if not cared for. It has many causes if the dog is not diabetic including Xylitol (sugar free gum and other) parasites, stress, diarrhea or bacteria.
This loose knee cap condition is found in many small breeds and can lead to arthritis and lameness.
Pugs have great appetites and love to eat and Chihuahuas wont turn down a meal so be careful not to overfeed your Chug. It is important to feed a small breed formula whether you use dry or wet food.
Some additional issues that Chugs deal with in respect to health include:
Both elbow and knee inflammations can lead to arthritis and lameness
Chugs can have runny eyes or cherry eye. If they have cherry eye you will want to treat it immediately or there could be secondary issues with inflammation and infection.
Chugs may be little, but they still need a moderate amount of exercise every day. A regular walk will do or indoor or outdoor playtime every day. They like obedience, rally and some can do small dog agility, but they would have to be on the larger size for Chugs. Chugs also make great therapy dogs.
Because they are prone to hypoglycemia, make sure you feed a high quality dry food and break it up into three or four small meals a day in order to maintain the blood sugar and avoid the drops and spikes that can cause them serious health issues.
This is common in the Chipoo and it makes it hard for the dog to absorb things through the skin such as topical ointments for ticks and flea prevention.
If the outside temperature is less than 50’, then your Chipoo needs to wear a sweater as they get cold very easily.
The Chipoo is an energetic little dog and he loves to go on walks, play in the yard and be with the family. Both the Chihuahua and the Poodle are very intelligent dogs and so this cross gets bored and destructive if not stimulated enough. He’ll be great at agility and obedience. Like the poodle you can teach him a lot of tricks.
