Is it a Pug? Is it a Beagle?

No! It's a Puggle!


This exceedingly good-looking young gentleman is called Barney. As he approached from a distance, I thought he was a Boxer but his curly tail seemed odd if that was the case. Barney's unusual looks are those of a new hybrid breed called a Puggle, a mix of a Pug and a Beagle, so I was thrilled to meet him.

Barney is a stunning dog, with a lovely friendly personality. He is still quite young, at 6 months, he is full of enthusiasm and energy and his fur is still puppy-soft. He loves walks and running around the park. In fact, he loves it so much, that he often runs away, the naughty boy!

Barney's owners told me that he is being trained to be more obedient. I am sure they will succeed as he looks like a very clever dog to me. He immediately worked out that the box in my hand contained treats, and he gave me his paw without me even asking for it. He inherited the supreme sense of smell from his Beagle ancestors so he loves food and indulges in picking scraps of food off the pavement. Mind you, it must be that pesky dog trait, as my Dachshund, Kevin, does exactly the same thing!

It was a pleasure to meet Barney. He is not only very charming but also a beautiful example of his breed. Puggles are playful and energetic like Beagles but have the relaxed and home-loving characteristics of their Pug side, which makes them an ideal pet.

Art For Dog's Sake

I met Poppy (top) and Willy (bottom) in the Cross Street Gallery in Islington. As I opened the door, Poppy ran over immediately to say 'hello', whilst Willy looked on cautiously. Poppy, a 7-year-old West Highland Terrier, and Willy, a 13-year-old Border Terrier, are resident dogs at the gallery and come to work every day. It looks like Poppy does all the PR and Willy takes care of security!

Poppy is a friendly little lady and happily accepted my stroking her, going even as far as rolling over on her back! Willy, on the other hand, while not being unfriendly, kept his distance and let Poppy do all the talking. He stared at me with his beautiful brown eyes, shining in a his cute, teddy bear-like face.

However, once I took out the treat box, Willy lost all his cool and came rushing forward, nudging my hand. Poppy was so excited about the prospect of a couple of tasty treats that she gave me her paw without me even asking for it, which was incredibly cute.

When it came to posing, Willy stood there as pretty as a picture, while Poppy became camera shy and kept running away to hide underneath furniture. I finally manage to snap her taking refuge with her owner, looking up lovingly into his eyes.

Willy and Poppy love walks and spending the day in the gallery with their owner. And, as far as I am concerned, they are the best advertisement a gallery could have!

West Highland Terriers are an old Scottish breed, bred for hunting small game and catching vermin. Westies' (as they are affectionally known) trademark white coat made them easily distinguishable from the prey when hunting on Scottish moors, while their spirited and energetic temperament made them ideal for flushing prey for gun. Westies are a very popular and much loved breed in UK thanks to their wonderful vivacious, yet friendly and sweet, personality.

To find out more about Border Terriers see Thistle, another Border Terrier from Islington.

To find out more about Westies, visit West Highland Terrier Club of England

See other London terriers: Chloe, Kaiser, Jack, Dillon, Prudence and Miss Piggy