Best dog food for a Puggle
A Puggle brings together two breeds that both have a reputation for enjoying food a great deal more than they need to burn it off — the Beagle's scenting, food-driven nature and the Pug's lower exercise tolerance. The result is a dog that often does very well on food and, just as often, needs its portions watched more carefully than the packaging alone would suggest.
Feeding a Puggle
A small breed
An adult Puggle typically weighs 7–14 kg, so a healthy Puggle eats a modest amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A small breed is usually done growing at 10–12 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 10–15 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
Small mouths, crowded teeth
Smaller breeds get dental disease more often than big ones, largely because the same number of teeth are packed into a shorter jaw. Kibble size is worth checking, and a dental chew counts towards the daily 10% of calories from treats.
A shallow, wide bowl suits a flat face
A flat-faced dog cannot reach into a deep bowl without pressing its nose into the sides, which is uncomfortable and makes it gulp air. A shallow bowl, and food that does not have to be chased around it, is the easier arrangement.
How much should a Puggle weigh?
Adult 7–14 kgfully grown at 10–12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 1.2–2.3 kg | 17% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 1.9–3.8 kg | 27% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 3.8–7.6 kg | 54% |
| 10–12 months | Fully grown | 7–14 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a small breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Puggle
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Puggle's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Pedigree Can in Jelly Puppy 6 Pack
Complete Pedigree puppy food in jelly with chicken, lamb and poultry recipes
£10.15
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
Why portion control matters more than the recipe itself
Puggles are frequently food-motivated in the Beagle tradition, which makes them easy to train with treats but also means they will rarely turn food down even once they have had enough. Combined with the Pug side's more moderate natural exercise needs, that is a genuine recipe for gradual weight gain if feeding is left on autopilot.
A complete food appropriate to your dog's age and size is the starting point, but weighing out portions properly and resisting the urge to top up because your Puggle is asking again matters at least as much as which specific food you choose.
What to look for in the food itself
A moderate-calorie complete diet, rather than the most energy-dense option on the shelf, suits a breed that tends to run on the lower-activity side. Reading the feeding guide against your dog's actual weight, rather than an ideal weight you are aiming for, avoids compounding a weight problem that may already exist.
Some Puggles also eat quickly, a trait that can come from either parent breed, so a slow feeder bowl or puzzle-style feeder is worth considering alongside the food itself if mealtimes look more like a race than a meal.
Puppy feeding and treats
A Puggle puppy does well on a standard small-to-medium breed puppy formula, with portions measured out rather than free-fed, given how readily the breed will eat past the point of being full. Establishing sensible portion habits early tends to be easier than correcting them later in an adult dog.
Treats are worth keeping genuinely occasional and low-calorie given how motivated most Puggles are by food generally — a handful of small training treats goes a long way with this breed, so there is rarely a need for large or frequent ones.
Common questions
- Are Puggles prone to obesity?
- They can be, given the combination of a strong food drive from the Beagle side and lower natural exercise tolerance from the Pug side. Careful portion control and regular exercise matter more for this breed than for many others of a similar size.
- Should a Puggle eat slowly?
- Many benefit from eating more slowly, since fast eating can lead to gulping air alongside food. A slow feeder bowl or a puzzle-style feeder is a simple way to help a dog who tends to eat too quickly.
- What treats are best for a food-motivated Puggle?
- Small, low-calorie training treats work well and let you reward good behaviour often without adding significant calories on top of a complete diet. Given how motivated the breed usually is by food, there is rarely a need for large treats to get their attention.
- How do I know if my Puggle is overweight?
- You should be able to feel, though not necessarily see, your dog's ribs without pressing hard, and there should be a visible waist when viewed from above. If you are unsure, your vet can assess body condition properly and advise on adjusting portions.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.