How Big Do Puggles Get? [Measuring Tips Included]


How Big Do Puggles Get

Puggles are full of personality, whether they’re charging around in the dog park or napping on the couch with their owner. If you’re considering adding a puggle to your family, you may be concerned about how big they can grow to be. After all, crossbreeds can be unpredictable. But there’s no need to worry – we have all the answers you might be looking for on all things puggle, including their size.

How Big do Puggles Get? An adult puggle will measure between 10 and 15 inches from floor to shoulder, with most reaching 13 inches. In terms of weight, a healthy puggle could weigh anywhere between 18 and 30 pounds. Naturally, a taller puggle will weigh more; a shorter one will weigh less.

At What Age is a Puggle Fully Grown?

Like all puppies, puggles grow fast. They are considered fully grown at a year old. However, they will have already reached their adult height at 6 to 8 months old. It is their muscle and weight development that takes a full year to mature completely.

Puppies often go through growth spurts, so you may find that the transition from their young stature to a more adult shape happens in the blink of an eye. These growth spurts use up a lot of energy, though, so your puppy will likely spend a lot of time napping while its body does the work.

Don’t worry – this is entirely normal and healthy.

When you take your puggle puppy for their first round of health check-ups, the vet will be able to let you know if their growth is on the right track. They can also provide you with personalized advice and guidance on keeping your puppy healthy as they grow.

You can learn more about how your puggle puppy’s habits might change on their journey to adulthood with one of our previous posts: Are Puggles Lazy?

How Much Space Does my Puggle Need?

One of the most favorable things about puggles is their adaptability. You don’t need to have a big house or spacious backyard for a puggle to live comfortably – in fact, they even make great apartment dogs.

We dedicated a whole blog post to this subject: Are Puggles Good Apartment Dogs?

In short, a puggle does not need much space.

If you’re living in a smaller home, though, you may want to think about where you want to designate your ‘dog spaces.’ This means deciding where to put their bed, food, water, crate, etc. Utility rooms can often be a popular spot for these things, provided they’re quiet and a comfortable temperature.

Otherwise, owners will make room around their home for their dog’s needs – such as placing their food bowl in the kitchen and tucking their bed into a cozy corner of the living room. It’s really up to you.

A garden or yard would be good, but an absence of either can be made up for with regular visits to dog parks and fun, stimulating walks.

No matter where you live, it’s essential to make sure your puggle has entertainment, such as toys.

As social creatures, they will also prefer to be in your company, though they can be trained to become used to being home alone for a few hours at a time. They won’t mind at all if your home is on the smaller side, but they will become bored if they have nothing to do all day.

This is not only a problem for them but will also be stressful for you, as boredom often manifests itself in barking and bad behavior.

What Size Crate Does my Puggle Need?

A Puggle in a crate

Your puggle’s crate should give them enough room to relax in various positions without it being a squeeze. This includes standing, sitting, laying down, stretching, and turning around. You’ll want to measure your puggle’s length and height to find a crate size that’s right for them.

For length, measure from their snout to the bottom of their tail while they’re standing.

For height, measure from the floor to the top of their head while they’re sitting. You’ll then want to add about three inches to each of these measurements – that’s the minimum size of the crate you’ll need.

Manufacturers may also recommend crate sizes based on a dog’s weight. For a puggle, you will likely need a small crate of around 24”.

However, like a crossbreed, their weights and heights can vary a little as adults. You may want to take this into account when crate-shopping, especially if you are buying before they’re fully grown.

In the case that you’re looking to buy a crate for a puppy, you have a couple of choices.

The first is that you can start with a smaller crate for your puppy, which you then replace with a bigger one as they grow. Though, as we’ve seen, puppies grow very quickly and sometimes unpredictably, so this may be a little difficult to keep up with.

Alternatively, there are crates on the market that are designed to be used throughout the growing process.

These work by being big enough for an adult dog but have internal dividers that section off part of the crate, making a smaller area for your puppy.

As they grow, you can increase the section size.

Understandably, these can be a little more expensive, but they will save you from having to buy a whole other crate for your puggle when they get too big for their current one.

Is my Puggle Overweight?

The way to check if your puggle is overweight is generally the same for all dogs.

As a rule of thumb, if you place your hands on your puggle’s sides on their upper body, you should be able to feel their ribs.

They should only have a minor layer of fat between these bones and their skin.

However, with most breeds (including puggles), you should not be able to see their ribs.

If you can, this could be a sign that they’re underweight.

If you’re still unsure about whether your puggle is a healthy weight, try taking a look at the shape of their torso.

When looking at your puggle from the side, their underside should follow a slightly curved shape. Their chest and ribs should be a little closer to the ground in a fit and healthy dog, whereas their lower stomach will be higher up, closer to their spine.

Your puggle may also store extra fat on their legs or hips.

Diagrams are abundant online for all sorts of breeds if you’re uncertain where your puggle falls on the weight chart.

Remember that a healthy shape will not look the same on all breeds – some may look skinnier or larger than others but could still be in perfect health.

As with all things health-related, if you’re unsure, you can always ask your vet for their expert opinion next time you visit them for a check-up. They will be able to give you a sure answer, having taken your puggle’s height, weight, and shape into account.

If there’s any cause for concern, they’ll be able to recommend the correct steps to take.

If your puggle is overweight, diet and exercise are the core elements that will need to be adjusted. In terms of diet, you will either need to reduce the amount your dog eats, have them eat more healthily, or both.

Dogs have a knack for getting extra treats out of their humans, but too much can cause their health to decline.

Exercise is also vital to a dog’s wellbeing. This will usually come in daily walks and be taken care of through active playtimes and activities, such as agility or a classic game of fetch.

Your unique approach to your puggle’s weight loss will depend on where you’re starting from. If they’re already active and healthy but need to drop a few extra pounds, then only minor changes will need to be made to your existing routine to get them back in peak health.

On the other hand, if your puggle is more severely overweight and under-exercised, your approach should be more gradual.

Start with short walks and smaller portions, slowly but surely working your way towards a healthy routine.

Losing weight too fast can be dangerous on its own, and significant disruption to your dog’s routine can cause stress. Getting your dog healthy and keeping them that way is not an instant fix – it takes time.

Providing the effort and patience in helping your puggle lead the healthiest life it can is the mark of a loving owner.

Final Thoughts

Puggles are classed as small dogs, with minor variations in size. Generally speaking, an adult puggle will measure 10 to 15 inches from floor to shoulders and weigh from 18 to 30 pounds. Given their size, puggles can suit a range of living environments and will be happy in smaller spaces, such as an apartment. A puggle puppy will grow fast, reaching their adult height and build by their first birthday. Diet and exercise are vital to keeping your puggle at a healthy weight – if you’re concerned about either of these, you can consult your vet for tailored guidance and advice.

More info on Puggles

Sources

https://akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-is-fat

https://apdt.com/resource-center/choosing-right-crate-size

https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/puggle

https://preventivevet.com/dogs/how-to-measure-and-choose-a-dog-crate

https://rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/environment/crates

https://thehappypuppysite.com/puggle

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