How to Sell Chug Puppies (Chihuahua x Pug) in the United States

What US rules apply when you sell Chug puppies?

• USDA license: generally needed under the Animal Welfare Act by a breeder with more than four breeding females who sells puppies sight unseen. Breeders who meet every buyer in person are generally exempt.
• Minimum sale age: about 28 states and Washington, DC set one, usually eight weeks; Pennsylvania, for example, bans transferring a younger dog.
• Lemon laws: about 22 states have them. California's, for example, makes a breeder who sold three or more litters or 20 or more dogs in the past year offer a remedy for an illness certified within 15 days or a hereditary condition within one year. Breathing and eye problems may count, so disclose them.
• Local permits: some cities require a breeding permit; Los Angeles, for example, issues breeder's permits.

How do you choose a Pug and a Chihuahua to breed?

A 2015 PLOS ONE study by Packer and colleagues found that the risk of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome rises sharply as the muzzle shortens, and a Pug x Chihuahua was among the affected crosses. Puppies inherit the parents' faces, so the Pug you choose matters most.

• Leave out a Pug graded II or III, which means moderate or severe signs, or one that has needed airway surgery.
• Leave out any dog with slipping kneecaps; the American College of Veterinary Surgeons says affected dogs should not be bred.
• Leave out a dog with repeated eye ulcers or a heart murmur, and keep both parents lean, since the same study found obesity raised airway risk.
• Talk to your vet before mating about the size gap (a Pug standard is 14 to 18 pounds, a Chihuahua no more than 6) and which dog should be the mother.

How do you prepare Chug puppies for new homes?

1. Keep the whelping room and puppy area cool; Chewy says Chugs are sensitive to overheating.
2. Feed small, frequent meals; Chewy says a fast metabolism puts young Chugs at risk of low blood sugar.
3. Book a vet exam for each puppy, with vaccinations, deworming, and a look at the nostrils, eyes, heart and knees.
4. Microchip each puppy and note the number in your records.
5. Start socializing early. Chewy says Chugs bark at unfamiliar sights, sounds and people, and early socialization helps.
6. Get puppies used to a harness; PetMD advises a harness rather than a collar for short-nosed dogs.

Send each puppy with its vet record, microchip details, a feeding plan, a few days of food and a short sheet on heat safety and eye care.

How should you price and advertise Chug puppies?

Chewy says Chug puppies could cost $500 to $1,000 or more, and you can compare current Chug puppies for sale near you. A price far below the local range draws resellers and scammers who copy your photos.

• What they are: a Chihuahua and Pug cross. Say plainly that the AKC does not register it.
• Parents: which dog is the mother, each parent's weight, the Pug's breathing grade if it has one, and both parents' test results with registered names.
• Each puppy: sex, color, coat, and an honest note on its muzzle and nostrils, with a short video of it breathing at rest.
• Size: an estimate from the parents; Chewy puts adults at 18 pounds or less.
• Terms: price, what it includes, deposit rules and that buyers collect in person.

You can post your Chug puppy ad for free and reply to buyers through the listing's messages. Keep your phone number and address out of the ad text until you have spoken to a buyer.

How do you screen buyers for a Chug puppy?

• Does the home have air conditioning, and how hot do summers get?
• Will they walk the dog in the cool of the day and on a harness?
• Can they keep a dog that loves food at a healthy weight?
• Who lives at home? Chewy says Chugs suit children who know how to behave with dogs, with play supervised.
• Do they have savings or insurance for eye, knee or airway care, and who is their vet?

Many buyers follow how to buy a Chug puppy and will ask for the parents' results. Someone who has posted a wanted ad deserves the same checks: see how to respond to a Chug wanted ad.

How do you take payment and hand over a Chug safely?

• Hand over in person, with another adult present. United Airlines listed the Pug among short-nosed breeds it stopped accepting as cargo in 2018, so ask buyers to drive.
• Take cash or a payment you can confirm before the puppy leaves; the FTC warns about fake checks written for more than the price.
• Sign a contract with both names, the microchip number, the price, a health guarantee, spay or neuter terms and a take-back promise.
• Remind buyers to register the microchip; the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup shows which registry holds it.

If a dog from an earlier litter comes back to you, how to rehome your Chug responsibly covers placing an adult.