MyDogBreeds
South Russian Ovcharka is originated from Russia but Muggin is originated from United States. South Russian Ovcharka may grow 52 cm / 21 inches higher than Muggin. South Russian Ovcharka may weigh 30 kg / 67 pounds more than Muggin. South Russian Ovcharka may live 4 years less than Muggin. South Russian Ovcharka may have less litter size than Muggin. South Russian Ovcharka requires Moderate maintenance. But Muggin requires High maintenance
Known also as the South Russian Sheepdog or the Ukranian Shepherd Dog, the South Russian Ovcharka’s history isn’t well established, and there are different stories to its history.
Whatever their history, this large dog is closely related to the wolf and has also been crossed with sight hound dogs. Their numbers have been under threat when their role as herding dog was no longer needed for rural life.
It was in the 1920s however that the breed’s numbers were restored and the UKC officially recognised the South Russian Ovcharka in 1996.
The Muggin is not a purebred dog but rather a cross breed. The hybrid dog population has exploding in the United States in the past ten to fifteen years. A lot of the success of crossbreeding can be attributed to the marketing of these dogs as “Designer Breeds”.
Designer breeds are developed because someone wants some of the characteristics of Breed X and some of the characteristics of Breed Y. Therefore, Designer breed XY is developed. In order to understand this hybrid dog, you need to understand the two purebred breeds they come from. The Muggin is the result of crossing the purebred Pug and the purebred Miniature Pinscher or Min Pin. So, we need to look at the origins of these two purebred breeds.
They are also referred to as Pin Pugs, Min Pin Pug, Pug Pin, Pugscher and were originally the Carlin Pinscher. However, these days there are other breeds besides the Pug and Min Pin making up the gene pool for the Carlin Pinscher. Because of this the Muggin has been separated from the Carlin Pinscher. The American Canine Hybrid Club has accepted the Muggin name for the Pug Min Pin cross.
Pugs are originally a Chinese breed and they were companions rather than working dogs of any kind. During the Han Dynasty they were the dogs of royalty. At the same time there were dogs very much like the pug in Japan and Tibet. The Pugs came to Europe by way of trades with the Dutch who then brought them to Europe. They were named the Mopshond and they caught the eye of the royalty in Europe as well.
Pugs were imported to the United States after the U.S. Civil War and in 1885 they were recognized by the American Kennel Club and called Pugs.
The Min Pin traces its origins to Germany a few hundred years ago. They were “ratters”, guarding the house and stables from all types of vermin. Most dog people believe that the Min Pin is much older than this, perhaps by thousands of years. Yet there is no detailed history to support that. Most believe the breed comes from the German Pinscher line. There might also be some Daschund and Greyhound in that line.
They were once called the Reh Pinscher. This was their name when they came to North America in 1919 and then the breed was renamed in 1972. The Miniature Pinscher Club of America was started in the early 1900’s while the AKC recognized the Min Pin in 1929. Today the Miniature Pinscher is a family dog, a companion.
The Muggin is a loving and loyal dog. All they want is for you to be happy and to share that happiness with them. They can also easily become a one person dog and bond intensely with that one person. They are not a hybrid that you can leave home alone while you go to work for 8 to 10 hours a day. No, the Muggin needs attention and lots of it. Despite this they are great with both kids and other dogs.
Because they are a cross breed, they are not recognized by the American Kennel Club. However, some hybrid registries do recognize the Muggin. These include the Designer Breed Registry, the International Designer Canine Registry, The Designer Dogs Kennel Club, the American Canine Hybrid Club, and the Dog Registry of America.
A large, big boned, well muscled herding dog, the South Russian Ovcharka stands at between 62 and 66cm in height and weighs between 46 and 52kg.
The dog has a thick, fairly coarse, weather-proof coat that can become long and this coat has always protected them from the harsh Russian winters.
He has small, floppy ears and the tail is medium length and also covered in thick fur.
These dogs need a lot of exercise and if you keep one as a pet he will need a lot of space to run and play. He guards his property too and makes a good watchdog.
He isn’t suited to living in small spaces in the city. He is a dominant, independent and strong willed dog so training and socialization will be important if you don’t want him to be unruly.
With the right kind of training, the South Russian Ovcharka can get along with pets and children in the home. He isn’t aggressive but he has strong guardian characteristics.
The first time dog owner would need to be firm, strong, confident, consistent and kind to handle this strong willed dog.
As previously mentioned, the Muggin is a cross between the Pug and the Miniature Pinscher. They are small, shave sturdy legs, floppy ears, and a wrinkled forehead for the most part. Like all hybrids however, all first generation dogs do not look the same. Some might resemble the Min Pin more and others the Pug. Some might have the stockier body of the Pug and the short tail of the Min Pin. Or one could have the Pug’s curly tail and the athletic body of the Min Pin. The snout can be short or long, the ears heavy and floppy or small and thin.
Their coats will usually be fine and short, and colors can vary a lot. They might be black and tan like a Min Pin, or more like a Pug with a solid color of cream, brown, black, white or golden. They also tend to shed quite a bit no matter which parent they take after the most. They will either have brown noses and black eyes or brown eyes and black noses or any combination of black and brown.
If Muggins are only bred to Muggins the second and third generations will resemble each other more than the first generations will. However, at this point many breeders will try to strengthen the breed by occasionally adding in to the gene pool other dog breeds.
The South Russian Ovcharka may well be independent and strong headed but there is nothing that a little bit of training and socialization can’t do.
He is intelligent and will pick up some obedience commands easily. He is is dog that will like a strong, firm, consistent owner - someone who likes to include him in all the family activities.
He can get on with children but is better suited to life on a larger property as opposed to living in a small city place. Treat him with firmness and fairness and you’ll get yourself an excellent pet and companion.
They are good with children but should be supervised.
Energetic and loving little dogs.
Very adaptable if taken for walks or has space in a yard. Can live anywhere under those circumstances.
Very intelligent but strong willed dog. Needs strong leadership from their person.
This large breed has a lifespan of 9 to 11 years. Some of the health conditions to which this big dog can succumb are -
This is something that affects many dogs, but particularly large dogs. When the hips haven’t formed properly, it can lead to pain, disability and arthritis.Lifestyle changes can help, like making sure your dog doesn’t pick up too much weight. For pain management you will need to get your pet to the vet.
Also known as Gastric Dilatation. The dog’s stomach fills with gas and can twist, and this in itself can be fatal. As soon as you see your pet pacing restlessly and he has a swollen stomach, he will need to get to the vet just as soon as possible.
The first generation of Muggins may face all the health issues of either or both their parents, while second and third generations tend to have less health issues, They types of issues the first generation of Muggins might face include:
Nerve Degeneration – Degenerative Myelopathy or Dm – causes paralysis and eventually fatal.
The long coat is certainly going to need a good brush at least twice a week as it can so easily become matted.
Because he has floppy ears, you will need to check inside the ears that they aren’t showing signs of redness, indicating the possibility of a ear infection. Check at the same time for ticks and fleas.
This dog is going to need a good deal of exercise to keep him content. He will love a long walk out and about. Robust games will also need to be provided. It’s why he isn’t looked upon as a dog suited to the city. He needs a lot of space and can become frustrated and destructive if his exercise needs aren’t met.
A dog is part of the family and he therefore deserves a good meal too. Good food is beneficial as it means your dog is less likely to get sick.
Like many dog owners, you’ll no doubt appreciate the convenience of commercially manufactured dog foods. You’ll need to choose the best one though because the inferior ones are made up of bad ingredients – fillers that have no goodness whatsoever.
To provide your South Russian Ovcharka with a tasty treat, try and give him some home-made food. Boiled chicken, rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach are simple and tasty and won’t trouble your dog’s stomach.
Chop some of it up and add a small portion of this into his dry kibble twice a week. Your dog’s wagging tail will tell you how much he loves it.
To avoid skin infections, try to include some raw meat into his diet too when you can. Make sure your dog has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.
This crossbreed has a definite propensity to overeat and become obese from puppyhood. Feed the puppy a small dog dry food 3-4 times a day a total of ¾ of a cup to 1 cup.
Again don’t over feed the adult Muggin or he will become obese easily. Feed at least twice a day one to one and half cups total.
High Energy
With the athleticism of the Min Pin taking precedence over the less active Pug, the Muggin is a fairly active dog. The Muggin is also not effective by the Pug’s difficulty with heat and cold. They love to go on long walks and need exercise to keep from being bored and destructive. However, remember there is a Pug in your Muggin and if she is not into exercise don’t try to get her to do more than she can.
You do want your Muggin to get enough exercise to fend off any tendency to be overweight. They are good at agility, jogging, obedience and watchdog activities.