If you’re considering getting a Pug as a family pet, you’ve probably wondered “are pugs aggressive?” One of the first things you need to take into account when considering a new pet is which breed fits your interests, lifestyle, and personality.
Are Pugs Aggressive
Each dog breed has its own special characteristics that make up their overall temperament, maintenance requirements, and overall health issues. While Pugs are NOT generally an aggressive dog breed, it depends on whether or NOT they are socialized properly at a young age.
I’ve only seen one aggressive pug in my life. I remember walking up to the fence of the house, the pug was barking, lunging and growling. That is a totally unusual behavior for a pug.

While I’ve only had one Pug in my life, I can only share my personal experiences of how calm Mindy was.
Regardless of what type of dog you have, it’s important to socialize them properly at an early age. Especially, if you want a family pet that is calm and not overly protective.
We’re going to take a look at the temperament and behavior of a pug, but first, let’s take a look at what causes aggression in dogs.
Why Do Dogs Show Aggression?
As I mentioned pugs are not bred to be aggressive, however, knowing why your dog is acting aggressively can help you find the best methods for stopping the unwanted behavior. The main reasons that dogs show aggression are:
- Illness
- Possessiveness
- Frustration
- Dominance
- Fear
Pug Dominance Behavior
While I can’t speak for all pugs, I can say that Mindy my black pug dog NEVER showed any signs of dominance. We had her for 16 years and had two other dogs at the same time.
We had a yellow lab and a chihuahua and NEVER had any issues with dominance from any of the dogs. The chihuahua showed more dominance behavior issues than our pug.
While pugs can be resistant to commands, it has nothing to do with dominance issues. It’s more likely due to them being stubborn.
Pug Behavior Problems
One of the biggest issues you’ll have with a pug is their stubborn temperament. These dogs are strong-willed and if they don’t feel like listening they won’t. Check out this article to get an in-depth to get an understanding of the pug behavioral problems.
You’ll notice that the main thing you’ll need when training a pug is patience. They can act like an unruly teenager that doesn’t want to listen to their parents.
Signs of Aggression In A Pug
As I mentioned above any dog regardless of breed can become aggressive if they are not properly trained or socialized from a young age. Which can make it hard for them to get along and play with other dogs.
If you get a pug puppy, you have full control over whether they will become an aggressive pug. However, if you’re adopting a pug, here are some signs that you should be aware of when looking for aggression in a dog.
Are Pugs Food Aggressive
Pugs love eating and it’s easy to think that they will bite you when you try to pet them or pull their food away. However, most won’t (at least Mindy never did). Here’s how to train a Pug to stop biting.
Dogs tend to show aggression towards food when they feel like they need to fight or steal it. They tend to become territorial over their food.
As long as you’re feeding your pug the proper amount of food on a daily basis. There’s less of a chance of them developing food aggression.
Male Pug Aggression
It’s easy to think that male pugs or black pugs would be more aggressive because that’s usually how it is in most dog breeds. However, males are actually more laid back than females once they get out of their young teenage years.
Read this if you want to find out the differences between male vs female pugs. You’ll be surprised, there isn’t much of a difference between both genders.
Are Pugs Aggressive to Other Dogs?
If you currently have a pet, I totally understand wanting to know if pugs get along with other dogs. These dogs are not only loyal companions to their humans. They get along with anyone.
You’ll be happy to know that they get along very well with kids, other dogs, and cats. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that you make the introduction slowly to give the dogs time to get used to each other.
What Causes Aggression In Pugs?
I’ve said it once but I’ll say it again. In general, pugs are lovable dogs that are easy to get along with. However, the temperament of a pug will vary greatly from dog to dog depending on the genetics, training, environment, and proper training.
If a pug is brought into a hostile environment without any training, there’s a good chance that they will grow up to show signs of aggression. If other dogs around them are showing aggressive behavior, there’s a good chance that they will mimic that behavior.
Another cause of aggression in pugs is lack of proper training and socialization. Having a pet is a huge commitment that lasts for several years. The owner has to be willing to dedicate the time and resources necessary to teach their dog how to behave properly.
Finally, if a pug is exposed to high-stress, traumatic situations they may develop unwanted aggressive behaviors. I’m talking about being in a negative developmental environment that leaves a negative impression on your pup.
An example would be if someone brings a pug puppy into their home and their other pet continues to but them or hurt them in some way. The pup gets used to the rough treatment and starts to think this is normal.
Eventually, they start to either develop aggression towards other dogs. Or they may even develop the fear response, which makes it very hard to socialize them and get them ready for the world.
Bottom Line
Regardless of what type of dog you decide to get, it’s important to start training them as soon as possible. Without training and socializing, you’ll just end up with an overexcited dog that doesn’t listen.
Or worse, an aggressive dog that bites members of your family or picks fights with other dogs. Pugs are great dogs and after spending 16 years with one, I would highly recommend this breed to anyone looking for a new member of their family.
Related Articles for Getting A Pug As A Pet
References and Further Reading
The Spruce Pets – How to Solve Aggression In Dogs
Sit Means Sit – How to Tell If A Dog Is Being Aggressive
Have a black pug, previously 2 silver/fawn…all great pets w family, children, other pets. All females. Love to eat, all 3 trained easily never went in house unless got ill, but can b very stubborn at times, and are comical. Love them❤️❤️