Are Pugs Good With Babies Introducing Your New Pet

Are Pugs good with babies? This is the question that most new first-time or expectant mothers want to know before getting any type of dog. Today, we’re going to look at the demeanor of a Pug and how to introduce them to your children.

Mindy my black Pug got along with everyone and wouldn’t hurt a fly. Trained and socialized Pugs will do well with babies and anyone else. If you have an untrained dog, you’ll want to make sure they are properly trained before introducing them to a newborn baby.

Pug Traits

Positive

Pugs generally have a fun, loving, and loyal demeanor which makes it easy for them to get along with other dogs, cats, children, babies and anyone else, read this article to find out about this breed’s traits. As I mentioned in this article, this breed has some unique quirks only Pug owners can love.

These dogs love crave attention and love being around people. If you socialized and trained them properly while they were young, you won’t have any issues introducing them to new members of the family.

They will be happy to see you when you get home after being left alone, but they will be content once you say hello and leave them alone.

Negatives

This breed is known to have behavioral problems which can make it challenging to properly train them. They are easier to train before they reach their adolescent years.

It may be challenging to teach them NOT to jump. When Mindy was younger, she used to get so excited whenever people came to the house, she would jump on them.

You’ll definitely want to introduce your dog slowly to your newborn to make sure they don’t jump on them. You’ll also want to make sure that your dog doesn’t feel neglected because of the baby.

Tips On How to Introduce A Pug to Your New Baby?

Do It Slowly: It’s easy to think that your dog is already well-trained and should do well when being introduced. Regardless of what type of breed your have, you won’t know how your dog will react around new babies or people.

While I never had a newborn around Mindy, she was exposed to being around children. However, we always made sure that we were around while introducing her.

If your dog is not used to having a new baby around, make sure that you prepare properly. You’ll also want to make sure that they listen to commands and understand their boundaries before the introduction.

Teach them the command “go away” or “not now” before the introduction. This will teach them to stay away from the baby, without you have to yell at them and using negative reinforcements.

Introduce Baby Items: Your dog has probably never seen baby strollers, baby walkers, car seat, or other of those potentially scary items.

Start introducing those items slowly before the baby arrives. This will help your Pug become comfortable around those items once the baby arrives. If your Pug is anything like Mindy, they are nosy and want to sniff everything that’s new in the house.

Set Boundaries Early: If your furbaby is free to roam any room in the house, it’s time to take the nursery off limits. Make it a point that they are not allowed in that room without permission.

If you set the boundaries before the baby comes home, they won’t think it has anything to do with the baby. Setting the boundaries when the baby arrives can cause your pet to develop negative feelings towards the newborn.

Don’t Neglect Your Pup: It’s easy to overlook giving your dog the same amount of attention they got before the baby. Ignoring your pet will lead to negative association with the child.

Give your dog attention while the baby is awake, this way the dog understands they are still important. If you only give them attention while the baby is sleeping, your dog will learn they only receive attention while the baby is sleeping.

Get Your Dog Used to The New Scent: Many dog trainers will tell you to bring the baby blanket home before you bring the baby. However, there are more things that you can dot make it easier for you and Fido.

Greet your dog first before bringing the new baby into the house. You can have someone go into the house and greet the pup while the mother stays outside with the baby.

Once the Pug has been greeted and given attention, you can bring the baby in and make the careful introduction. Make sure that your Pug has received the proper exercise for the day so they are not overly excited.

Keep Them On A Leash: If you’re not sure how your pet will react to the introduction, make sure you use a leash. This will give you more control over the dog, just in case something happens.

Pay Attention to Their Body Language: Understanding the body language of your dog will help you stop potential problems before they escalate.

Teaching Your Kids to Respect Your Pug

As parents we want our dogs to be great around our children. However, it’s just as important to teach your kids how to behave and respect your family pet. Your baby will eventually grow up to be a toddler and it’s important to teach them how to respect your furbaby.

If both dog and kids get along, it will lead to a better living environment for everyone. Here are some things to teach your kids so they behave correctly around Rover, and no one gets hurt.

Respect the Dog’s Body: Your dog is NOT a jungle gym and should never be used as a toy. Pugs are lovable dogs, but every breed has its limit.

Just as young kids need to learn how to respect other people, they need to learn to respect the dog. This means no pulling ears, yanking on the tails, kicking the dog, no poking eyes, and etc.

Teach your child how to pet the dog and scratch behind the ears if the pup likes it. Once they get old enough, you can even teach them how to walk them on the leash, as long as they don’t drag the dog.

Teach Them Affection: Your kids will show your dog the same affection they receive. If they are shown affection through kisses, hugs, and tickles, they will display this towards your dog.

Not all breeds will love an overly amount of display of affection, Pugs shouldn’t be a problem. If your dog protests or tries to pull away from the child, you’ll want to get your child to stop.

Respect the dog’s wishes and teach your child that some affection is okay, but not to overdo it.

Respect Your Dog’s Safe Place: Your canine friend needs a spot in your home where they can be alone. This can be their crate, a spot with their dog bed, or a certain room in the house.

Teach your kid not to disturb Fido when they are in their spot. Never let your child play around or in your dog’s crate. Everyone should treat your dog’s safe place as their sacred place and respect it immensely.

How to Play Together: Children and dogs can be great playmates, but it’s important to teach them how to interact with each other. The best games for both are retrieving games.

Avoid playing with toys where the child holds the toy and may possibly get bitten from an excited dog. Pugs generally don’t bite but can get overly excited during play time.

Teach your child not to wrestle with the dog, tease them with toys, or play tug a war. These games can get your Pug overly excited and can get your child hurt.

Avoid playing games where your child runs from your dog. Mindy used to get so excited and would jump all over you when she caught up with you. This can cause your child to fall down and get hurt.

Why Pugs Make Great Pets

Pugs are loyal and compassionate dogs, which make them the perfect pets. Having a family pet will keep you and your children healthy and active.

While Pugs don’t require a lot of exercise, you still want to make sure that you are taking them for short daily walks and spend time playing with them.

If you train your Pug properly, you’ll be rewarded with a best friend who will greet when you come home from work.

They Are Fun to Have Around

This breed is known as the “clowns of the animal kingdom.” They love attention and they love playing games with you. You won’t have any trouble getting them excited, before you know it they’ll be racing and jumping around the house.

They don’t mind being dressed up and parading around the house. While I personally never really dressed Mindy up, we did have a jacket for her when she went outside in the cold.

Pugs are very curious, we called Mindy “Nozilla” because she was always exploring and sniffing everything. This breed can also be a couch potato and spend hours sleeping on the couch.

Basically, they will do whatever you want them to do, this makes them a great family pet.