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Pushon Hybrid Description

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Hybrid Description

The Pushon is not a purebred dog. It is a cross between the Pug and the Bichon Frise. The best way to determine the temperment of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross. It is possible you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. Not all of these designer hybrid dogs being bred are 50% purebred to 50% purebred. It is very common for breeders to breed multi-generational crosses. Please review individual breeds for potential health issues.

Pug Breed Description - Cross #1

The pug is a toy dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face and curled tail. The breed has a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, although often black or fawn, and a compact square body with well-developed muscles. Known in ancient China as lo-sze, pugs as breeding animals may have contributed to the English Bulldog, the modern Bichon Frise and the King Charles Spaniel. Pugs were brought from China to Europe in the seventeenth century and were popularized in Western Europe. Pugs remain popular into the twenty-first century, with some famous celebrity owners. A pug was judged Best in Show at the World Dog Show in 2004.

Pugs have two distinct shapes for their ears, "rose" and "button". "Rose" ears are smaller than the standard style of "button" ears, and are folded with the front edge against the side of the head. Breeding preference goes to "button" style ears.

Pugs' legs are strong, straight, of moderate length and are set well under. Their shoulders are moderately laid back. Their ankles are strong, their feet are small, their toes are well split-up, and their nails are black. The lower teeth normally protrude further than their upper, resulting in an under-bite.

Behavior

Affectionate, intelligent, and gentle, this little lap dog is a good-natured pet but can be exclusive and touchy. The rambunctious Pug puppy becomes a calm, poised adult. He seldom barks and is not a watchdog, despite being reserved toward strangers. He needs firm, very early training.

This breed is often described by the Latin phrase multum in parvo, or "much in little" or "a lot of dog in a small space", alluding to the pug's remarkable and charming personality, despite its small size. Pugs are strong willed but rarely aggressive, and are suitable for families with children. The majority of the breed is very fond of children and sturdy enough to properly play with them. Depending on their owner's mood, they can be quiet and docile but also vivacious and teasing. Pugs tend to be intuitive and sensitive to the moods of their owners and are usually eager to please them. Pugs are playful and thrive on human companionship. They also tend to have a snoozy nature and spend a lot of time napping. Pugs are often called "shadows" because they follow their owners around and like to stay close to the action, craving attention and affection from their owners.

He is perfectly suited to apartment life. Not being very athletic, short walks suffice. He hates being left alone or separated from his owner. He should be kept out of intense heat since, like all brachycephalic dogs, he is susceptible to respiratory blockage. His eyes are sensitive to dust and need regular checking, as do the wrinkles on his face. He must be brushed twice or three times a week.

Health

Pugs are prone to brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome (BAOS) which causes respiratory distress in short-snouted breeds. Pugs have elongated palates. When excited, they are prone to "reverse sneezing" which causes them to quickly (and seemingly laboriously) gasp and snort. The veterinary name for this is pharyngeal gag reflex and it is caused by fluid or debris getting caught under the palate and irritating the throat or limiting breathing. Reverse sneezing episodes are usually not harmful, and massaging the dog's throat or covering its nose in order to make it breathe through its mouth can often shorten a sneezing fit.

Some pugs are also born with stenotic nares (pinched nostrils) which can inhibit their breathing. In serious cases, it makes breathing even more difficult and puts added pressure on the larynx. In some cases, the dog could pass out from blocked airways. If this happens, one should inquire with their veterinarian whether or not surgery is needed to open the nostrils.

Protruding eyes and eye prolapse is a common problem among pugs and other brachycephalic breeds and can be caused by a trauma to the head or neck. While the eye can usually be pushed back into its socket by the owner or by a vet, veterinary attention is usually advisable. If the prolapse happens on a regular basis, the pug might require surgery.

Pugs have many wrinkles in their faces, so owners will often clean inside the creases to avoid irritation and infection. If this is not done, the dog may develop a condition known as skin fold dermatitis.

An abnormal formation of the hip socket, known as hip dysplasia, affected nearly 64% of pugs in a 2010 survey performed by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals; the breed was ranked the second worst-affected by this condition out of 157 breeds tested.

Pugs are one of several breeds that are more susceptible than other dogs to demodectic mange, also known as "demodex". This condition is caused when parasitic mites, that are often present in a dog's skin without causing symptoms, are allowed to do damage because their host has a weakened immune system. It is a problem for many young pugs, although not usually a major one, and is easily treatable, but some are especially susceptible and present with a systemic form of the condition. This vulnerability is thought to be genetic and breeders will avoid producing puppies from adults who have this condition.

In 2008, an investigative documentary carried out by the BBC found significant inbreeding between pedigree dogs, with a study by Imperial College, London, showing that the 10,000 pugs in the UK were so inbred that their gene pool was the equivalent of only 50 individuals.

Pugs can suffer from necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME), also known as pug dog encephalitis (PDE), an inflammation of the brain and meninges. NME also occurs in other small dogs, such as the Bichon Frise, Maltese, and Chihuahua. There is no known cure for NME, which is believed to be an inherited disease. Dogs usually die or have to be put to sleep within a few months of onset, which, in those susceptible to this condition, is mostly between six months and three years of age.

This breed, along with other brachycephalic dogs (e.g., boxers, bulldogs), are also prone to hemivertebrae. The curled tail of a British bulldog is an example of a hemivertebrae, but when it occurs not in the coccygeal vertebrae but in other areas of the spine, it can cause paralysis. The condition occurs when two parts of a spinal vertebra do not fuse properly while a young pug is still growing, resulting in an irregularly shaped spinal cavity which can put pressure on the spinal cord.



Bichon Frise Breed Description - Cross #2

Most dogs have a soft white coat but non-pure breds may show apricot, buff, or cream shadings commonly around their ears and fading after the first years of life and no graying of the muzzle when they are old. These dogs have curly and silky hair, usually between 3 to 4 inches long and very loose that helps with fashionable trims. Their head is proportional to their body, although with a fairly flat skull with rounded, dark eyes, flat cheeks, black nose, and thin lips. Another eye characteristic are the dark edges of eyelids and their pendulous, drop ears covered with fine, long curled hair, which are carried forward when the dog is alert. Bichon’s tail is raised without curling onto the back and curving gracefully. The Bichon Frise has a muscular, broad body, which is slightly elongated, with a long neck and a well-developed chest and rounded croup. Muscular tone in Bichon Frise dogs have overall exceptional quality, but mainly in their thighs and buttocks region.

Behavior

The American Kennel Club refers to the Bichon Frise as "merry" and "curious," and the breed standard calls for a dog that is "gentle mannered, sensitive, playful and affectionate." The dogs are generally very sociable and do well with an owner who takes them along on outings, and are affectionate and intelligent. If affiliated with a particular territory and encouraged by owners, they can become very territorial. Developed as a companion-dog breed, the Bichon Frise tends to get along well with both children and other animals. Bichon Frises are very obedient if training is started early and continued constantly.

Though not considered a retriever or a water dog by modern standards, the Bichon type, due to their ancestry as sailors' dogs, have an affinity for water and enjoy retrieving. On the boats, however, the animals' role was that of companion dog.

Bichon Frises have coats that require a diligent grooming schedule. Grooming helps remove loose hair, and the curl in the coat helps prevent dead hair and dander from escaping into the environment, as with the poodle's coat. The coat is combed to remove loose hair, mats, and tangles. Bichon Frises may need grooming approximately every four to eight weeks. This breed tends to have hair growing within the ear canals, that if not plucked regularly, can trap moisture, bacteria, and yeast, creating an unbalanced microbiome in the ear. This may lead to excessive head shaking, causing an ear hematoma. As Bichon Frises are white dogs, frequent bathing is required to maintain the color.

Bichon Frises are considered to be hypoallergenic as they do not readily shed (moult) and are thus generally suitable for people with allergies. It is important to note that human sensitivity to dog fur, dander, and saliva varies considerably. Although hair, dander, and saliva can be minimised, they are still present and can stick to "clothes and the carpets and furnishings in your home." Inhaling the allergens, or being licked by the dog, can trigger a reaction in a sensitive person.

Health

Bichon Frises are prone to scratching and chewing on themselves in the summer because of the warm and moist air, which commonly results in serious skin conditions. They are comparatively hypoallergenic, but they themselves suffer from allergies to fleas, ticks, chemicals, pollen, dust, etc. Loose knee joints, ear infections, cataracts, diabetes, and heart disease are also common.

Bichons are also prone to liver shunts. These often go undetected until later in life, leading to complications that cannot be addressed, and therefore liver failure. Bichons who are underweight, runts of the litter, or have negative reactions to foods high in protein are more likely to be suffering from a shunt. When detected early, shunt often can be corrected through surgery. However, the later in life the shunt is detected, the lower the likelihood of surgery being successful. Shunts can be kept under control through special low-protein diets and through medications to support liver function, help flush toxins that build up in the kidneys and liver, and control seizures that often occur as a symptom of the shunt. Without surgery, Bichons with shunts on average live to be 4–6 years old. Other symptoms include dark urine, lethargy, loss of appetite, and increased thirst. Seizures come in all forms; episodes of seizures can begin early in life but may go undetected. Early seizures can appear as a hypnotic state or an episode of vertigo.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA, also called immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, or IMHA) and immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) are responsible for many premature Bichon Frise deaths. These diseases can strike with little or no warning and kill very quickly. In AIHA, the dog's immune system attacks its own red blood cells, leading to severe, life-threatening anemia. Symptoms include weakness, loss of energy, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, dark urine, and pale or yellow gums.

ITP often accompanies AIHA. In ITP, blood platelets (which cause blood clotting) are destroyed. The most common clinical signs are haemorrhages of the skin and mucus membranes. Mortality rates of 20% to 80% are reported.


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