What You Need to Know About Training A Pug Puppy

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So you just got a new member of the family and now you want to know how to go about training a Pug puppy? Well, I am going to share what worked for me and how I was able to raise a well-behaved pup that matured into a loyal companionship.

Pug Dog Training Tips

The best piece of advice I can give you if you’re trying to raise a well-trained dog is to start crate training from day one. The day that we brought Mindy home, we stopped by Petsmart and picked up her kennel.

Since she was the first dog I had ever owned, it felt a little weird putting her in a crate. But I quickly learned that it not only made my training easier, but I now think it’s the fastest and easiest ways to train puppies.

training a pug puppy

Whether you decide to crate train them or not, the most important thing to remember is that you’re dog needs to be taught obedience. The sooner you start, the easier it will be to instill the right behaviors.

4 Tips to Training A Pug Puppy

Start Early

I know that I’ve said this before, but I want to reiterate it again. I’ve seen people wait to start training their pups because they are “too cute.” All they want to do is hold their pet on their lap and let them do whatever they want.

That’s a huge mistake and will only lead to a disobedient dog that wants to run your household. Regardless of how cute your puppy is, they will be a grown adult before you know it.

Pugs are known to be stubborn and can have tons of behavioral problems if you let them. I’ve found it so much easier to get Mindy to do something she really didn’t want to when she was a puppy.

Keep Calm

Fido is going to test your patience while you’re trying to get them to do something they don’t want to do. Pups have tons of energy and it can get frustrating when you’re trying to get them to do something and they just don’t want to.

You need to remember they are puppies and full of energy. It’s going to take more than one time to get them to do something. They may do something the first time and the next time you ask them, they’ll forget the command.

Use The Right Equipment

Before you start training, make sure that you have all the proper equipment. If you’re going to start crate training them, start from day one.

I also suggest that you invest in the right harness. It will make it easier to teach your pup different commands without causing them any harm that a collar could cause.

Do A Little At A Time

It’s so easy to want to jump into training your pup and expect fast results. The truth is that it takes time to properly train your Pug dog. Start with some training and once they start mastering that particular training, it’s time to move on to the next phase of training.

The truth is that as a pet owner, you will constantly be teaching your Pug new things. Yes, there are things that you will teach your furbaby and you will only train them once.

But as you and your loyal companionship become friends, I have no doubt there will be new life experiences you will want to teach them.

Different Types of Training

There are literally several different types of training you will need to face as a pet owner. It really depends on the age of your pet which ones you instill first. Personally, I recommend starting with potty training your Pug.

No one wants their puppy to use the toilet in their home. Plus, this is the easiest thing to teach your puppy and it will give you confidence that you can teach them pretty much anything.

We’ll cover some of the basic things you can train your pet and some things that you shouldn’t do.

Pug Toilet Training

When your puppy comes into your home there’s a good chance they won’t be potty trained. At least, Mindy wasn’t. If your puppy has a hard time holding their bladder, you may want to check out some of the best litter boxes for Pugs to help keep your home clean.

As a pet owner, you’ll need to teach them proper toilet habits so they know where to use the potty. There’s not a lot of difference whether you’re potty training a female or male Pug, but it will take time. You’ll want to be patient because it can take them 5 or 6 months before they truly grasp the idea of house training.

Depending on how small they are, there’s a good chance that they may have accidents when they are playing with other dogs or children.

The best thing to do is to set a regular routine for them, so they can understand when they are supposed to go potty. I’ve discussed a great potty schedule in this article.

Training Your Pug to Walk

The first time I put Mindy on a leash, she just sat down and refused to walk. If your pup does this, you never want to pull on the leash. You can injure them and Pugs are brachycephalic breeds and this can lead them to have respiratory issues.

Instead, get a harness that wraps around their bodies and provides them with more support. They may try pulling back on the leash, but over time they will get accustomed to walking beside you.

If you’re patient and don’t give up, you’ll be able to take them on walks every day. I used to take Mindy for 2-mile walks every day when she was younger.

She loved it, so be patient and just make sure that you’re using a well-fitting harness that doesn’t cause them problems.

Teach your four-legged little friend to walk right beside you and not to pull. At first, you may have to use treats or toys to reward your dog for taking a few steps beside you.

Obedience and Manners

No one wants a dog that is unruly and does whatever they want. Just like any other breed, Pugs have the ability to leave chaos in their wake.

As a pet owner, it is up to you to teach your friend good doggie manners. You need to start setting consistent boundaries that will eventually lead to good behavior.

There are several boundaries you can set for your dog, some of the ones we set for Mindy were:

  • She wasn’t allowed in the kitchen when we were cooking.
  • We taught her not to bark excessively.
  • Mindy was taught to wait for us when we were walking. (I once got her to wait outside the store while I went in and got some movies from the Redbox). I was only inside the door so I could see her the entire time, but she did so well.
  • The sit command is a must for every dog owner. Read this article to teach your dog to sit.

There are literally tons of boundaries you can teach your pooch, here’s some you may want to teach them.

It’s up to you to teach your dog some manners.

Negative Reinforcement

Avoid using any type of negative reinforcement when training, this includes, scolding or physical punishment, muzzle collars, collars that choke, choke chains. This type of training will do more harm than good and your pup will just become scared of you.

Not only that, but they will confuse your pup and they will relate that training to the negative behavior.

If you were trying to get them to sit on command and were using negative reinforcement, anytime you tried to get them to listen to that command, it would be impossible. They would be scared to follow your commands, because the last time they did, they were punished.

Positive Reinforcements

Your puppy wants to please you, they just don’t understand what you want yet. The best way to instill long obedience training is by instilling positive reinforcements.

It is the easiest way to develop proper habits while building that powerful bond with your new pup. When you give your puppy a treat or snack after doing something you want them to do, they are more likely to do it over and over.

They learn that whenever they do what you ask of them, they will get another reward. Just make sure that you find the right treats that your pup will love.

You can also mix up the treats with toys too, this will help prevent them from gaining excess weight.

Conclusion

Getting a Pug is supposed to be an exciting time in your life. Whether you have children and are just trying to get them to understand responsibilities. Or if you’re a single person who is looking for the best companion for your life.

Read this article Everything You Need to Know About A Male and Female Pug to help you decide which gender is right for you.

It’s up to you as the pack leader to start instilling the proper boundaries and training for your pet. Don’t wait until it is too late and they get out of control.

If you take the time to train them properly, you will realize that your Pug puppy can grow into a healthy senior Pug dog.

The best part is that you’ll enjoy taking them places with you while you travel or to dog parks because they actually listen to you.

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References and Further Reading

American Kennel Club – Basic Training

Positively – Why Should I Train My Dog?

Black Pug Site