Cutest Dogs in the World: Chihuahua Vs. Pug

How can we possibly choose which dogs are the cutest, especially with adorable contenders like the Chihuahua and the pug? Maybe you think a quality like “cuteness” is purely subjective. However, it’s all absolutely pure science decided by infallible experts. And we’re going to unleash our perfect scientific research to tell you definitively which breed is cuter. Join us, as we delve into this Chihuahua vs. pug cuteness battle.

3 Laws of Cuteness

For the purposes of this very scientific article, we consulted the world’s foremost experts on cuteness. Think about it? Who on earth spends more time thinking about, talking about, and contemplating cuteness than . . . teenage girls? They are the undisputed world experts on the topic. So we interviewed 14-year-old Mia to find out just how she and her esteemed colleagues determine what is cute and what is not. It turns out they have condensed their results into Three Laws of Cuteness:

1. Cute dogs are kinda awkward. Maybe they’re uncoordinated, tripping over their own feet.
2. Cute pups get into a little bit of trouble; nothing really bad, just slight troublemakers.
3. When you see a cute dog, you feel an urge to boop it on the nose!

So, according to our expert, the three laws of cuteness are awkwardness, trouble, and “boopability.” Experts have spoken, so there is no arguing with it. But how do these laws apply to the chihuahua and the pug?

Round 1: “Well That Was Awkward!”

How Awkward is the Chihuahua?

Chihuahuas are tiny dogs – in fact, they are the smallest registered breeds for some kennel clubs. Usually, they weigh only two to six pounds and stand just 6-9 inches tall. With their short legs, they take a half-dozen steps for each one of yours. They also tend to get cold easily, so they shiver and demand to be picked up and cuddled. And they have ginormous protruding goldfish-like eyes. These physical characteristics make them super awkward looking, in an adorable way.

How Awkward is the Pug?

Pugs range from 10-14 inches and weigh anywhere from 14-18 pounds. So, they can be roughly twice as big as a Chihuahua. They have big round heads, sparkly black eyes, and forehead wrinkles reminiscent of baby Yoda. With their short stubby noses, they also make all kinds of quirky sounds like snorts and snores. And they are notorious for farting. For us, those farts were just enough to tip the awkwardness scale in their favor. In the Chihuahua vs. pug battle, round one goes to the pug for being an awkward little stinker!

Round 2: “Here Comes Trouble”

So remember our world experts on cuteness told us that cute dogs get into trouble. Not “CALL THE DOGCATCHER” trouble, but “Oh, what have you gotten yourself into now?” trouble. How do the Chihuahua and pug score in this part of our contest?

Are Chihuahuas Trouble?

Chihuahuas are not high-maintenance dogs. Their size makes them preferred pets for people living in apartments. But what you gain in an easy-to-maintain coat and low food costs, you lose when it comes to troublemaking! A comedian once joked that “a Chihuahua is a wolf in a hamster’s body.” You’ll find that’s true, as they do their best to give off big-dog vibes with little to back it up. They’ll bark their heads off and challenge much bigger dogs indiscriminately, then run back to you for protection. They’re also social little pups with a real desire for the protection of the pack. If you leave them alone too long and they get bored and lonely, they’ll find destructive ways to entertain themselves, like undecorating your house or de-furbishing your shoes.

Troublesome Pugs, Can You Top That?

The Chihuahua set the bar for mischievousness pretty high, but the pug gives this breed a run for its money. Like chihuahuas, pugs don’t seem to understand dog size differences and will readily challenge canines 10 times their size. Clearly, they would never survive in the wild! When they are properly trained and socialized from puppyhood, they are generally cooperative with their owners. If not, they can be very stubborn when it comes to training. These little dogs are also highly emotional and will get their feelings hurt if you scold them. So, what they lack in physical maintenance needs, they make up for by being emotionally high maintenance!

Remember the cuteness criteria says dogs should be just enough trouble to be adorable, but not so much that they drive you crazy. And everyone knows nothing is as crazy-making as someone who is emotionally high-maintenance! So, this round goes to the Chihuahua for being troublesome but not too much so.

Round 3: “Don’t You Just Want to BOOP it?”

Our final round will be the tiebreaker. Does the chihuahua or the pug score higher in “boopability?” In other words, when you see a pug or chihuahua, are you overwhelmed with the urge to touch its nose with your finger and say “boop!”? Do you want to kiss it all over its face even if that’s kind of germy and gross? Do you want to pick it up and squeeze its little tubby midsection like a stress-relieving squish ball?

How “Boopable” is a Chihuahua?

Chihuahuas are tiny, which is super cute. Even full-grown they can still look like puppies. You just want to scoop them up and cuddle. Because chihuahuas tend to not retain much body heat, they don’t object to wearing sweaters. They’ll also gladly ride around in a purse or bookbag when they get tired of walking – which happens even on short walks.

Unfortunately, Chihuahuas have attitude. While they generally don’t subject their owners to the worst of their aggressive tendencies, they can be downright devilish when they want to be. So, when you reach out that finger to boop a nose, they might just bite it! Don’t believe us? Check out the video proof below!

Booping a Pug

Pugs are super “boopable.” That flat nose in the middle of a face full of wrinkles is begging to be touched. And that fat little belly needs to be squeezed! A pug often lets its tongue loll out, even when sleeping. To top it all off, their funny facial expressions and snuffly noises make us laugh. The lovability factor is off the charts! Yes, they do have that “big dog, little body” attitude, but they’re much less aggressive than Chihuahuas. So, the pug wins this round of Chihuahua vs. pug!

And the Winner Is . . .

Congratulations pug! You win the epic Chihuahua vs. pug faceoff! Pugs are the perfect combination of awkward and loveable. While their sensitive nature means you have to be careful not to hurt their feelings, it also means they express a lot of positive emotions as well.

Chihuahuas: Yes, you are cute as all get out, too, but you can also be a little scary. While you may not win this cuteness contest, you definitely get tons of points for coolness.

The photo featured at the top of this post is ©