A friendly, comical cross between a Boston Terrier and a Pug, tuxedo manners and clownish devotion in one compact dog.
Designer crosssmall breedBoston Terrier and PugParent profiles checked
About this profile: the Buggs is a cross, also known as the Bugg or Boston Pug mix, not a recognized breed with a standard. Size, lifespan and care figures here are estimates drawn from our full profiles of the two parent breeds, the Boston Terrier and the Pug, and individual dogs vary more than purebreds do. That variation is normal for a cross and is stated plainly rather than hidden.
The Buggs is not recognized by the AKC and has no breed standard, no registry and no guarantee of traits. The AKC recognizes the parent breeds, the Boston Terrier and the Pug, but not their cross. Coat, size, temperament and health vary more in crosses than in purebreds, and two puppies from one litter can grow into noticeably different dogs. Any breeder who promises an exact adult size, a non shedding coat or a fixed temperament for a Buggs is promising something no one can deliver. Judge litters by the actual parents: their health testing, their temperaments and how they are raised.
The Buggs, often spelled Bugg, crosses two of the most people focused small breeds in the dog world. The Boston Terrier brings a tuxedo coat, bright energy and slightly more muzzle and leg. The Pug brings clownish devotion, patience and a sturdy, square body. Most Buggs are friendly, funny, affectionate companions that live for company and games. Both parents are flat faced breeds, so the cross softens some extremes in some puppies but keeps the brachycephalic care rules in full.
Buggs have been bred deliberately in the United States for decades, originally in part by owners hoping for a Pug style companion with a little more breathing room and athleticism. Claims in adverts about guaranteed breathing improvements are marketing, not measurement: litters vary in muzzle length, build and hardiness, and there is no registry or standard. Judge the actual parents breathing and build above every promise, exactly as with the Frenchton.
Playful, affectionate and amusing, with the Boston livelier spark layered over Pug devotion. Buggs are typically friendly with people and other dogs, keen on games and company, and quieter than most small crosses once exercised. They remain companion dogs at heart who want to be where the people are, and they can be boisterous in play, which children usually love and toddlers need supervising around.
Energy (4/5)
Trainability (4/5)
Grooming needs (2/5)
Shedding (3/5)
Barking (2/5)
Good with children: Good with children
With other dogs: Good with dogs
With strangers: Friendly with strangers
Apartment life: Well suited
Coat: Short, smooth and fine, like both parents. Grooming is among the lightest of any cross in this set.
Colors: Brindle, seal, black and fawn, usually with white markings in the Boston tuxedo pattern or the Pug mask showing through.
Wipe any face folds clean and dry, brush weekly and keep nails short. The lifelong care duties are weight control, because extra pounds load flat faced airways and joints, and heat discipline: exercise in cool hours, never leave the dog in a warm car, and learn the signs of overheating early.
Thirty to sixty minutes a day in sessions matched to the individual dog breathing, always in the cool of the day in warm weather. A fit Buggs enjoys more activity than many Pugs, but enthusiasm is not a safety gauge: stop at noisy, labored breathing.
Minimal: a weekly brush, fold cleaning where folds exist, ear checks and dental care. The effort saved on the coat belongs in the budget for vet care instead, because both parent breeds carry above average health costs.
Buggs are bright and eager, usually more biddable than a pure Pug and steadier than a young Boston. Reward based training, early socialization and a solid recall make them easy companions. House training and polite greetings are the standard projects; keep sessions playful and short.
A strong city and family dog for owners who love flat faced character and accept flat faced care rules without exception. Buggs suit flats, travel well and are happiest in homes where someone is around for much of the day, with cool air in summer treated as a necessity, not a luxury.
About $15 per month for a typical 18 lb adult eating roughly 1.1 cups a day of a standard quality food ($1.60 per lb). Full breakdown in our food expense calculator.
Plan 30 to 60 minutes a day of walks, play and training. Under exercised dogs of most breeds invent their own projects, and they rarely pick good ones.
Estimated US range $65 to $108 per month for accident and illness cover, estimated from the parent breeds' published ranges on this site; see the insurance estimator and the insurance guide.
On the monthly figures above, a typical adult year runs to about $180 for food and $780 to $1296 for insurance, before routine vet care, grooming and gear. Year one costs more: vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, a crate, bedding and training all land at once.
How weight typically builds with age for this cross, estimated from the parent breeds sizes.
| Stage | Age | Typical weight |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy | 8 weeks | about 2 to 4 lb |
| Puppy | 4 months | about 5 to 9 lb |
| Puppy | 6 months | about 7 to 14 lb |
| Young | 9 months | about 9 to 19 lb |
| Young | 12 months | about 11 to 22 lb |
| Adult | Full grown | 12 to 24 lb (typical range) |
| Senior | From about 10 years | Healthy weight stays in the adult range; watch for slow gain or loss |
Growth figures are estimates interpolated from the adult weight ranges of the two parent breeds, following the size class growth pattern used across this site. Cross puppies vary more than purebred puppies; steady growth matters more than hitting any single number, and your vet's growth checks come first.
Puppies are boisterous and need careful heat management, gentle socialization and early fold and handling habits. Adults are playful, settled companions when kept lean and fit. Seniors need weight discipline, breathing aware exercise and prompt attention to eye and skin changes.
Breathing comes first, as with both parents: ask whether the Pug parent was breathing graded, and about eye, patella and spine screening on the Boston Terrier side.
Health notes summarize the conditions the two parent breeds profiles and breed guidance most often flag. They are general information for choosing and caring, not a diagnosis or a substitute for your vet. Parent profiles: Boston Terrier and Pug.
There is no standalone cost guide for the Buggs: as a cross, its adult size, coat and health risks land between its two parents, so the honest figures live in the parent guides. See the Boston Terrier cost guide and the Pug cost guide, and run your own mix in the cost calculator.
A typical lifespan is 11 to 14 years. That range is an estimate drawn from the two parent breeds, and weight control, dental care and buying from health tested parents give a dog the best chance of reaching the top of it.
Food for a typical adult runs about $15 a month at a standard quality tier, and accident and illness insurance is estimated between $65 and $108 a month in the US, based on the parent breeds' ranges. Try the full cost calculator for a complete year one and yearly picture.
Good with children. As with every breed and cross, supervise dogs and children together and teach children to respect the dog's space and rest.
Plan on 30 to 60 minutes a day, split between walks, play and training games. Puppies and seniors need gentler, shorter sessions.
Often somewhat, in breathing and energy, because the Boston Terrier brings a slightly longer muzzle and a lighter build. But both parents are flat faced breeds with overlapping risks, so a Buggs is a step in a healthier direction, not a guarantee. Parent screening still decides most of it.
The Boston Terrier profile The Pug profile All breeds Compare breeds
This page is general information drawn from the published guidance of the organizations listed under Sources below. It is not veterinary advice, and it does not replace your own veterinarian, who knows your dog. If your dog is unwell or has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661 straight away. A consultation fee may apply on the helplines.
Last updated: November 2026. Cross figures on this page are estimates drawn from the two parent breed profiles and are labeled as estimates wherever they appear. How we work: our methodology.