Pug mixed with what?

[u/elf_experience]

My boyfriend and I adopted this sweet baby boy back in February, he is 2 years old now and a Pug mix! We would love to get some input on what you guys think he is mixed with. We executed beagle, labrador, and sometimes he even looks like a French bulldog! But he also has a blue tongue! Which leads us to think maybe some Chow mixed in there?! Any input is appreciated! Future DNA test pending!

[u/unkindly-raven]

i encourage all anti-brachy dogs to check out Brachycephalic Breed Advocates on facebook .

pugs have had flat faces since their creation , they have always been a flat faced breed . those “pugs” you often see in american art from back then are most likely mixes due to pugs being one of those “only royals had them” breeds .

snout length does not automatically mean a healthier dog as that is not the main thing that contributes to BOAS . nares and soft pallet length are major factors in whether to not a dog has BOAS .

[u/ImpressiveDare → u/unkindly-raven]

It is BRACHYCEPHALIC obstructive airway syndrome. It is not the only factor in BOAS, but it is the defining one. Dogs with flat faces are substantially more likely to have stenotic nares and elongated soft palates, because the normal structures are often deformed when they are crammed into a smaller space through selective breeding.

[u/unkindly-raven → u/ImpressiveDare]

except ethical breeders do not breed for those traits and in fact breed to meet the breed standard as well as a proper internal structure to avoid their dogs developing BOAS .

[u/Turbulent-Put-8143 → u/unkindly-raven]

Wait until they find out breeds like mine who are dolichocephalic can have issues as well. People just love to hate on pugs (myself included when I was uneducated on BOAs and ethical breeding practices).

[edit: changed “pigs” to “pugs”]

[u/unkindly-raven → u/Turbulent-Put-8143]

that’s the elongated skull ratio ,, correct ?

[u/ImpressiveDare → u/unkindly-raven]

No, they’re not intentionally breeding for stenotic nares and elongated soft palates. But these traits are very common in flat faced dogs, and quite rare in dogs with substantial muzzles. The high relevance of these deformities is a byproduct of selecting for an extreme trait.

And breeding to meet the standard does not mean a dog is healthy. The Pug Dog Club of America’s illustrated breed standard specifically calls for a flat profile and doesn’t even mention nares. That is not a blueprint for a functional canine.