DOGSTER WARNING: If you are in the market for a Jug, please be forewarned that this is not an established breed, and the chances that you will encounter backyard breeders or puppy millers trying to capitalize on this fancy mutt’s popularity are pretty high. As with any breed, please DO YOUR HOMEWORK and resist the urge to impulse buy. If you see “buy it now” PayPal buttons on websites hawking these dogs, this is a huge red flag and we implore you to run screaming in the opposite direction.

We are also huge fans of adoption here at Dogster, and urge you to look at local shelters and rescues for lovable pups that might just — gasp — be the offspring of a Jack Russell Terrier and a Pug. It’s really not too far-fetched. But anyway, onto the profile ….

When you think of a hybrid dog breed (if you think about hybrid dog breeds at all, such as when you’re eating lunch at a café and see an unidentifiable dog walk by, or you’re sitting on the subway next to a woman with a purse that has a fluffy dog head sticking out of it), you probably think of “poo” and “oodle.” Most hybrid dog breeds are Poodle crosses (either Miniature or Toy). But this unusual cross is “oodle-less.”

The Jug proudly reigns as the fastest growing of the Jack Russell Terrier cross breeds. The Pug (which is seen in many other hybrid dog breeds, including the Puggle, Pugapoo, and Muggin) makes up his other half. As his simple name suggests, the Jug is more of a down-home, down-to-earth sort of dog than some of those fancy Poodle crosses. The Jug also has a lot of character, with the go-with-the-flow trait of the Pug and the lust for life of the Jack Russell.

What Jugs Are Like to Live With

Jugs love to be loved. They also love to love. In other words, this is a very affectionate dog, and you’d better be prepared to fit the role of leader and lover and not get frustrated with a lot of Jug attention. Jugs will happily go anywhere (except that unmentionable place that starts with a “V”) and like to be active most of the day.

Jugs love to be in the thick of things, whether it’s the kids’ ballgame or a squirrel fight. The Pug in the Jug tends to mellow the Terrier character a bit, though, so people looking for a lap dog with lots of energy at times can also consider the Jug. This cheerful hybrid dog breed is intelligent and easily trainable, and is an excellent companion as long as he gets enough exercise and playtime.

Things You Should Know About the Jug

This is a great hybrid dog breed for those who work from home. It is not a good hybrid breed for folks who spend all day in an office without their dog, unless dog walking or doggie daycare is provided.

Jugs must be obedience trained so the owner can control his dog’s almost boundless energy. If you don’t want to be the center of a dog’s life, then the Jug is not for you.

As far as is known, this is a healthy breed, but a few disorders are sometimes present, such as vision problems and epilepsy.

Jug History: Fast Facts

• The Pug, a parent of the Jug, is a very old breed developed centuries ago to be a companion to royalty.
• The Jack Russell Terrier is a working dog bred first in Britain in the 1800s.
• Some aficionados claim the Jug has been around since the 1960s.
• The Jug probably really appeared in the U.S. around 2003.

The Look of the Jug

As with all hybrid dog breeds, you don’t really know what your Jug puppy will look like when grown. Many Jugs take on more of the Pug’s physical traits than the Jack Russell’s, but you can have a Jug with Terrier fur, ears, and snout. In general, the Jug is both sturdy and sinewy. They are agile and tough creatures. The coat is short, but if a rough-coated Jack Russell is used in breeding, it may be wiry and longer. The Jug comes in several different colors, including tan (the most common), multicolor, and black. Often, the eyes protrude slightly, as they do in the Pug. They weigh between 10 and 18 pounds.

10 Cool Things You Might Not Know About the Jug

• Jugs are known for their ability to dig a hole under the fence in minutes.
• The preferred color for many Jug aficionados is pure black.
• The Jug is also known by his more casual name, Jug Dog.
• It would take about twelve Jugs with very long legs to make a Great Dane.
• Like his parent the Jack Russell Terrier, most Jugs are very fast runners — which means if they get that hole dug in the fence, they’re gone.
• Jugs are very agile dogs, despite their sturdy makeup.
• A Jug is known to have lived 20 years, but the average lifespan is around 14 years.
• Many Jugs inherit the Jack Russell’s gameness, which means your Jug may be prone to chasing your cat (or your children).
• The Jug is not overly popular but has a devoted following and is gaining popularity rapidly.
• Jugs are super easy to groom — just wipe them with a dog grooming glove to get off dander and hair.