German Shepherd/Pug Mixes (Shug): Pictures, Cost to Buy, and More!
Shugs, German shepherd and pug mixes, are adorable and people love them, but a lot of people want to know how much they cost, general info, and how adorable they are. So I did the research and we found some pictures and made a list of everything you need to know about Shugs.
So, what do I need to know about Shugs (including price)?
Shugs take on the looks of their parents. They are medium-sized dogs that tend to be stocky, have a tail that curls onto their backs, and short snouts. They are very friendly and like to cuddle (like pugs) but are still loyal (like German Shepherds). They normally cost anywhere from $500-$2000.
So now that we know a little bit about the shug, lets dive in deeper and learn all of the little quirks that make these little half-breeds as amazing and as popular as they are. Below is all the information you could want to know about shugs and why everyone wants one.
What Makes Shugs so Special and Why Do They Cost What They Do?
The love for shug puppies runs deep, even if they haven’t been around for a long time. German shepherds have been mixed with a lot of different breeds to see what personalities and looks came out.
People instantly fell in love with the shug and found that its cuddly intelligence brought something special and happy into their home. Now we are able to pinpoint and write about all of the great qualities that make a shug a shug.
To understand shugs properly it is nice to understand their parentage so that you can understand why they behave the way they do and why they are so loved by dog owners all over the United States.
Pug History
Pugs were originally raised and bred in China for the purpose of being lap dogs. As such, they love and need human attention to survive happy and healthy.
This is a quality that most shugs inherit. They also tend to inherit a sense of stubbornness and funniness that are known qualities of the pug. Since they became members of the American Kennel Club, pugs have been known for being clowns.
Fun Fact: Anciently Pugs were treated like royalty as they sat upon the Emperor’s laps. It wasn’t uncommon for these lapdogs to have their own mini and lavish palaces that came equipped with their own guards.
They love to play and be goofy, and they thrive off of the laughs of their owners. These little cuddle balls are definitely the dog to go to when down or upset, and these are qualities that they have shared with their descendants the shug.
German shepherds, on the other hand, have very different histories and very different personalities because of it. Not that German shepherds can’t be funny and cuddle, but they have a lot more prominent personality traits.
German Shepherd History
German Shepherds were originally bred in Germany and have been dated back to 1899 the first ever German shepherd was brought to a breeding show and was purchased immediately.
After that, their popularity grew and grew until they were a very prominent part of German culture and history. German Shepherds were originally bred to be working dogs, and they were good at it.
Herding, ranching, hunting, you name it and the German shepherd could answer the call. Not long after their heightened popularity people started noticing how smart they were.
So, these people started training their dogs in new ways. During both world wars, the German shepherds braved the perilous dangers of war to securely bring rations and other materials to the front lines of battle.
Fun Fact: German Shepherds are the third smartest dog breed! Third place hasn’t been a hindrance for them though, as they are the second most popular dog in the United States.
They were soon brought to America and have made terrific police, military, and family dogs. Because of their intelligence and sense of smell they can help the police and military more than anyone could have hoped for.
Because of their protectiveness and energy, they have made great guard dogs and family dogs for years and years. Sometimes they get a bad rap for being aggressive, but they are only aggressive when trained to be.
German shepherds have passed a lot of their traits onto the younger generations of shugs. Shugs’ are fiercely loyal like German Shepherd, they are intelligent, and while they have a lot of energy still shugs don’t have nearly as much energy as German shepherds do.
In What Ways are German Shepherds and Pugs Different but Also Similar?
We know that both German Shepherds and pugs have a lot of great qualities that they pass down to the new generation of shugs, but what exactly are those traits and how do they differ?
And if they are so different, in the first place, how do humans get these two dogs to breed in the first place? There are a lot of questions when it comes to the unique breeding of two different animals, so let’s look together at how it all happens.
German shepherds blend together with pugs to create a new breed that has some of the strengths and flaws of both breeds. Because of this, it is important to understand both the strengths and the weaknesses and the similarities and differences of both of these unique breeds.
| German Shepherds | Pugs | |
| Height | 77-95 pounds | 14-18 Pounds |
| Weight | 24-73 inches | 10-12 inches |
| Hair | Short, Brown and Black, Sheds | Short medium brown hair that can be course. They shed a lot, although it is short hairs. |
| Temperament | Very intelligent, loyal, and high energy | Very funny, Lazy around on humans laps, sweet |
| Personality | These dogs will help anyone and everyone but when standing guard they can be the most terrifying part of someone’s day. | These dogs are the funny dogs in town. They love to hang out with humans and actually need time to be a lap dog (its kind of like their job) They love humans and kids and are very light-hearted although, they can be very stubborn. |
| Needs | They need to have plenty of exercise and they need to be walked with a weighted vest. They need high-quality balanced food and they absolutely need to be challenged mentally every day. | Then need to have short brisk walks every dog to keep them healthy and strong. They also can’t be walked for too long or they can develop breathing issues because of their short snouts. |
| Similarities | *Shepherds love humans *Shepherds need walks and playtime *Shepherds are good family pets. | *Pugs love Humans *Pugs need daily walks *Pugs are great family pets |
| Differences | *German shepherds need human interaction but not as much as pugs *German shepherds are always smart and not always funny *German shepherds have a lot of special needs *German shepherds are easy to train because of their intelligence | *Pugs need human time to survive *pugs are funny not always smart *Pugs don’t have a lot of special needs *Pugs can be hard to train because of their stubbornness |
Because these dogs are so different it can be hard to understand why owners and breeders would want to combine these two very contrasting breeds.
But, what breeders have found is that because these dogs have a lot in common and a lot that is not similar, these dog’s genes work together to make a very fun, personable, and intelligent dog.
What is the Shug Really Like?
So if German shepherds are intelligent and task-oriented dogs and pugs are more relaxed lay around at home type dogs, what type of dog is the shug? Is it relaxed or task oriented?
Well, the
The shug is very intelligent but loves to goof off and have fun. So while you may think you are playing a brain game, your shug will switch the rules and have you laughing before you know it.
Fun Fact: Shugs can have two different eye colors and four different hair colors. Their eyes can be either hazel or brown, while their hair can come in shades of Black, Brindle, Cream, and Caramel.
Mixing the sizes of pugs and German shepherds, the shug is a medium-sized dog that is normally around 11 to 15 inches tall and about 45 to 50 pounds. Shugs are the perfect blend between their parent’s size differences.
As for color, the shug is normally colored more like a pug, although, they can sometimes have similar markings to a German shepherd. They get their tails and their faces from their pug ancestors with short snouts and curly tails that lay on their backs.
Their ears will differ between each puppy. Some will have floppy ears that are more like pugs ears, or they can have pointed upright ears that come from the German shepherd’s side of the family.
How do German Shepherds and Pugs Make Shugs?
Because German shepherds are so much bigger than pugs it can be hard to imagine how these two very different breeds can mix together to create offspring.
Fun Fact: Shugs love to be outside playing and going on short walks. That being said they need lots of water while they are exercising, so you may have to carry water and a bowl with you on walks and at the park.
But it is possible, as we have seen. If someone chooses to breed these two dogs it has to be a female German shepherd and a male pug. Otherwise, the size of the puppies would kill a female pug.
Using a male pug and a female German shepherd, breeders can help these two species get together and procreate. It is not a process that can go without the assistance of the breeder, but afterwords beautiful puppies are created.
Can Shugs Reproduce?
All dogs are part of the family Canis Lupus Familiaris no matter the specific breed of dog. Because of that, any dog can reproduce with any dog (depending on size, sex, and other influences).
That means that dog mixes like the shug, or the puggle, or the porgi can reproduce not only with their own breed mix but with any breed of dog that they meet.
Fun Fact: Shugs require very little maintenance because their coats are very short and they don’t shed very much. All they really need is a light brushing every few weeks.
So, if you don’t want to deal with dog puppies then you might want to consider getting your dog neutered. If you do want to breed your shug, then you know that you can start breeding more cute German shepherd and pug mixes without owning either dog.
How to Get a Shug and How Much They Cost
Now that you know all of the special things about shugs and why they are becoming so popular, it is important to find out how you even purchase a shug and why they cost what they do.
So first things first, how in the world do you locate and buy a shug? Well, looking for shug puppies for sale could take hours and can become very time-consuming.
They are not typically sold on the normal dog websites, although they have been gaining popularity for over a few years now. So, searching for them in traditional ways probably won’t help.
Fun Fact: If you are having problems finding a Shug dog breeder, contact your local and national breed clubs to find the names and websites of Shug breeders around you.
P.S. If you are still having trouble try attending dog shows. They are a great place to look.
What you need to do is find a dog breeder near you and contact them directly. This means that you will work with them on price and the time when they should be picked up and paid for from the breeder.
Because each breeder decides and sets their own prices the rang of expense for a shug puppy can land anywhere from 500 dollars to 2000 dollars. Although, the chances of your shug being 2000 dollars is small.
Because these dogs are mixes most owners will stay around the 500 dollars mark with you. This may be a reason to start breeding yourself though. If the demand is high in your area it might be nice to become a breeder and help bring more adorable shug puppies into the world.
Related Questions:
What other breeds do German shepherds mix with?
There are actually quite a few breeds of dogs that breeders have found mix well with German shepherds. They breed them with golden retrievers, pit bulls, rottweilers, Chinese wolves, Akita, Siberian Huskies, Labradors, collies, Welsh corgis, poodles, and chows.
What is Shug short for?
Shug is a name that is used to describe a dog that is the result of breeding German shepherds and pugs together. The name is a mixture of the two dogs names. The s and h come from the word shepherd and the u and g come from the word pug. Mixed together it called a shug.
Can you breed a pug and a husky together?
As crazy as it sounds, the dog breed hug comes from a husky mom and a pug dad. Huskies and pugs are completely different dogs and come in extremely different sizes, but somehow breeders have found a way to help these dogs mate.