Jug Dog Temperament.

The Jug is a cross between the Pug and the Jack Russell Terrier. They are a Loving and playful family pet with a keen spirited, outgoing  personality. The Jug can also be alert, curious and loyal.

The Pug and the Jack Russell Terrier are very similar in size but different when it comes to temperament. The Pug was bred to be a companion dog therefore they need to be around people and part of a family unit. This is very much the same as what the Jug is bred for today.

The Jack Russell on the other hand was bred to hunt and they like to be active and feel they have a sense of purpose. Jack Russells have been used as family pets for many years now but they still have that hunting instinct guiding their behavior.

You may think combining these two pure-breeds is not a marriage made in heaven, but it can work quite well for lovers of the Jug offspring due to the fact the two breeds are bred for very different reasons. The Jug is a loyal family companion dog like the Pug but can also have that independent free spiritedness of the Terrier which is very popular with a lot of dog owners.

What is a dogs temperament

Temperament has been defined by the American Kennel Club as an animal’s personality, makeup, disposition, or nature. A dog's temperament are those personality traits which come naturally to a dog without having to be learned. Some of these traits such as fearlessness and alertness were present in the dogs' ancient ancestor, the wolf, but some may have been enhanced by selective breeding  over many generations such as affection and playfulness. 

When most people ask about a dog's breed temperament, what they are really asking is, “is the dog aggressive or not?”. This is a bit unfair because aggression was there before selective breeding. It is a common temperament between the wolf and the modern family pet. 

Selective breeding has reduced aggression in many dog breeds to the point it is almost an unnoticeable part of their personality, but it is in every dogs genetic code, but usually only becomes a problem when they are not trained, socialized or treated properly by humans.

Are Jug Dogs Aggressive? 

In the category of small companion dogs the Jug would be classed a bit aggressive, mostly towards other dogs and strangers.  The aggressiveness can be controlled by proper training and socialization. They are part Terrier and the Terrier does not like to be pushed around.

The Jug will be loyal to the person who looks after them and will seek to protect them if they feel there is a threatening situation. The Jack Russell Terrier is a fearless, competitive and tenacious dog who will not back down from anything. They can become aggressive even within  their own household. Pugs tend to be less aggressive but can be cranky at times as well.

The Jug is only a small dog so the aggression is usually more annoying than dangerous but  if there are small children within the home it could be a potentially much more serious problem.  For the reasons above a Jug may not be suitable for families with young children.

Lots of adults living on their own have Jack Russells as pets because of their fearless nature and alertness, so the Jug could also be suitable for these types of dog owners. The red y may not however be suitable for people living who are less active and unable to provide enough exercise for the Jug. Male Jugs which have not been neutered will usually be more aggressive than females or neutered males.

Are Jugs more attached to one person?

The Jug is a very loving and affectionate dog, but will they spread the love around or will they get more attached to one member of the household in particular to the exclusion of everyone else? The answer is, probably yes. Your Jug will get more attached to the person who will give them the most attention, is with them the most, and importantly, the person who feeds them. 

Jugs are companion dogs, bred from a Pug purebred parent breed. The Pug is well known for being very protective towards their owners and very clingy. They do not like to be left alone for too long, which is the same for many small companion dogs. If the Jug takes after the Pug or even the Jack Russell they could become very jealous towards anybody who they perceive as a rival for the attention of their favorite human in the world.

Do Jugs have a big personality?

Jugs have a big personality with lots of character. They are fearless and will always display a big attitude for a small dog. They are protective of their family and will be out in front to make sure they are ready to confront any threat that may be lurking up ahead.

They are outgoing, not usually the shy and retiring types. This is the tradeoff  you get with the fact they tend to be a little aggressive and this along with their alertness is why they can act as good guard dogs.

Are Jugs stubborn dogs?

Jugs can be stubborn at times due to their active nature they may be more interested in what they want to do than what you have in mind. They also have a strong personality which means they may try to dominate what is going on and lead rather than follow. This again is a positive personality trait of the Jug which can have negative side effects from time to time.

To conclude

Jugs are a friendly loving playful and loyal companion dog with loads of personality and character which make great guard dogs because of their fearless nature.they can be a bit aggressive so not for everyone but overall highly recommended as long as you understand they will need lots of attention, a decent amount of exercise and strict training to keep them in check.

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.