The Jug is a crossbreed dog between the Jack Russell Terrier and the Pug. What is the Jug Dog Life Expectancy? Most consensus is between 12 to 15 years. New research from the Royal Veterinary College may suggest a different story.
According to an in-depth study Run by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in The UK and based on the records of 20 million animals, the Jack Russell Terrier lives 12.72 years on average and the Pug 7.65 years; this puts the Jug at 10.185 years on average.
The study seems to suggest that the life expectancy for the Pug is a lot less than what is widely acknowledged up to now of between 12-15 years. This figure may be closer to the average age at death for adult Pugs, which may not include dogs that die very young, and also, there are differences in dog life expectancy from one country to another. The study only deals with the UK.
The Jack Russell Terrier, at 12.72 years on average, was the highest life expectancy of any dog in the study. The Pug at 7.65 years did not fare as well on the list, in fact, 17th out of 19 results were given. The study was carried out on 18 purebred companion breeds and one category for crossbreds which was for all dogs that didn't have a defined breed.
There is obviously a big difference between the two parent breeds of the Jug, and which parent your Jug takes after will have a significant bearing on your Jugs Life expectancy.
In this article, I will discuss which are the genetic predispositions to certain medical conditions that may cause the difference in longevity between the Pug and Jack Russell breeds.
I will also examine the tools you can use to determine if your young Pug puppy is predisposed to any of the conditions passed on from the Pug parent that may cause them to have an unhealthy, uncomfortable life or a life cut short.
Some of these tools can be a bit expensive, and some relatively inexpensive, and there will also be people who do not want to know this information because they have their adorable little Jug, and whatever will be will be, just like the song said, and that’s fine.
Life expectancy for the jug puppy after infancy
If you get a Jug puppy at 2-12 months, will the life expectancy still be 10.185 years on average? The answer is no, the average life expectancy will have gone up because your puppy has passed the high mortality risk period, which is shortly after birth. You can expect them to live typically closer to 12-15 years of age after that. Neonatal mortality distorts the length of life expectancy but is very relevant information for some people, so it is very helpful.
If you are a breeder or you have a pregnant Jack Russell or Pug that will give birth to Jug puppies, then the average life expectancy of the pups after they are born is 10.185 years, and this information is essential for those people to know.
Factors that may explain the shorter lifespan of the Pug.
The Pug does suffer from some medical problems such as joint pain in the hips, which can lead to arthritis, dental disease, and problems with their eye sockets but the health problem that might be the most responsible for a shorter lifespan is respiratory problems caused by the restricted airways as a result of their skull shape and shorter muzzle.
The narrow airway can make it harder for the Pug to breathe, which puts pressure on their heart, they can overheat again and put pressure on the dog, and they can become obese, which also puts pressure on.
The good news for Jug owners is the Jack Russell terrier is an active long, living, reasonably healthy dog, and they have a relatively long snout; all these traits should act to counterbalance the breathing problems of the Pug and produce a more healthy and longer living Jug.
Crossbreeds, in general, are usually healthier than their purebred forebears, but the extent to which they are healthier depends a lot on the knowledge, experience, and attention to detail provided by the people who breed them. The breeder has to study and make educated choices about the health problems of their breeding pair, which should include the use of DNA testing in order to produce the best outcome for the crossbreed offspring. This is why a reputable breeder is a must.
According to the study, the average life expectancy of the Pug is 7.65 years. Does this mean your Pug will die at this age? Not necessarily again, there is neonatal mortality to take into account, which most dog owners will know nothing about because their little Pug has made it so far otherwise, they wouldn’t have them.
Having said that, there must be some explanation why the average lifespan of the Pug is so much shorter than the Jack Russell Terrier, 5.07 years shorter, in fact, after all, some Jack Russell pups die young as well. Let's look at the possible genetic health problems driving this discrepancy. The Pug can suffer from quite a few health problems, but not all would account for a substantial reduction in life expectancy except for the breathing problems associated with the shape of the Pug's skull.
Breathing problems are associated with the short muzzle, which in turn puts pressure on the Pugs hearth, making it work harder. All this can lead to a shorter life. I said above that the lifespan of the Jug, on average, was halfway between that of the Jack Russell and the Pug, but that was based on a very simple mathematical equation interpreted unscientifically from the study.
In reality, a very minor movement away from the flat-faced skull structure of the Pug towards the longer snout of the Jack Russel could have a disproportionately high impact on the length and quality of the life of the Jug. A small change could relieve a lot of pressure on the little dog's heart.
More research is needed to provide data on specific cross breeds to see if this is the case. Having said that, It would not be a streach to suggest that the Jug dog life expectancy would be closer to that of Jack Russell rather than the Pug because their snouts tend to be that little bit longer than that of the Pug..
How Diet affects the Jug Dog Life Expectancy?
A healthy diet for a Jug dog includes plenty of protein, as well as moderate amounts of fat and carbohydrates. It's essential to avoid processed foods and to make sure your dog is getting all the nutrients he or she needs. Diet will have a pretty significant effect on your Jug Dog Life Expectancy.
Jug dogs are prone to obesity, so it's important to control their food intake and make sure they get plenty of exercise. A healthy weight can help extend your Jug dog's lifespan.
Feeding your Jug dog a nutritious diet and keeping him or her at a healthy weight are just two of the ways you can help your pet live a long and happy life..
Can Exercise Affect Your Jugs Life Expectancy?
It's no secret that exercise is good for you. It can help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your cardiovascular health, and even help reduce your risk for certain chronic diseases. But did you know that exercise can also affect your Jug's life expectancy? The Jug being part Jack Russell Terrier needs a lot of exercise and is an active dog with hunting instincts.
Therefore, it is in their nature to be running about and always on the go. Pugs tend to be more laid back, but whichever parent your Jug takes after, there can be no doubt that exercise is an important part of keeping them healthy and living longer. Exercise can not only prolong your Jug dog life Expectancy but can give them a much better quality of life as well.
Life expectancy of cross breeds..
Crossbred dogs came in relatively high on the life expectancy chart in 5th place at 11.82 years. This category is for dogs of no known breed. It would be fair to say that this will cover a vast mix of dog breeds and would seem to indicate that multi-breed dogs or mutts have a good life expectancy, but it would also be fair to think that there is a large range of different life expectancies within this group, but overall it’s good news for people who have mutts for pets..
To Conclude
A study from the UK of 18 purebred breeds of dogs suggests that the life expectancy of the Jug is 10 .185 years. This study put the life expectancy of the Pug parent of the Jug as considerably lower than currently acknowledged of 12 to 15 years.
There may be reasons for this, such as life expectancies for puppies varies from country to country or that perhaps the latter does not take into account puppies that die very young. Whatever the reason, the study does beg the question of whether the respiratory health problems associated with the pug could be a factor in the shorter lifespan.
If these breathing problems are a significant factor in the shortening lifespan of the Pug, hopefully, the jug will be less inclined to have these problems and, therefore, more likely to be closer to the lifespan of the Jack Russell Terrier.
The Jug as a cross breed dog is not eligible for registration with American Kennel Club but you can register with the International Designer Canine Registry and they are recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club, The Designer Breed Registry and The Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America.
