Training Your Pug. Brenda Belmonte

your voice to a low, growling tone you may be able to stop your Pug’s bad behaviors, immediately receiving a more subordinate signal from the puppy. This will allow you to redirect him into a more positive behavior while strengthening your role as a leader.

      Barking is a normal form of communication for Pugs.

You and Your Pug

      Having a Pug as your companion can be a constant source of joy, bringing a smile to your face each time he greets you at the door. But when a Pug is improperly socialized, poorly trained, or living as an independent entity within a family, the relationship changes and living with him can be a challenge. Establishing the ability to effectively communicate with your Pug should be one goal every member of the family tries to achieve from the very moment the Pug joins the family.

      Pugs were bred to be companions. They are most comfortable when they have a consistent role within a family and can count on endless hours of physical interaction with family members. A Pug’s ability to fit in with his human family can be dependent on a variety of factors, including

      ∎ social skills that a Pug has learned by interacting with littermates and adult dogs;

      ∎ the ability of the human family to communicate using body language and vocal patterns that the Pug already understands;

      ∎ the ability of the human family to recognize behaviors that are good;

      ∎ properly timed rewards given to the Pug for good behaviors;

      ∎ and proper managment of the Pug’s environment to limit his ability to learn bad behaviors.

       Bonding

      The relationship between a Pug and his owner is often referred to as the “bond” between them. Pugs develop a strong bond with their owners. In return, most Pug owners are sensitive to their Pug’s every need. This bonding occurs during the first few weeks of the new relationship, especially when the Pug is an impressionable puppy.

      While humans are capable of expressing a wide range of emotions, dogs are quite limited in how they can express their feelings. Bonding can mean different actions or behaviors to different people. To a Pug, however, the bond becomes strongest if all of the human family members display body language and verbal signals that are easily read by the Pug, consistently delivered and appropriate for the context of the interaction. Inconsistencies in how an owner responds to a given situation, variations in training techniques by an individual, or harsh punishments can leave a Pug confused, anxious, and uncertain about his role within the family.

      Pugs are a girl’s best friend.

       Leadership

      Most Pugs are not born to be leaders. In fact, the majority would prefer to assume a subordinate role in life and are quite content with following their humans from the couch to the refrigerator, and then off to bed. Conflicts occur when owners fail to consistently behave in the role of a leader, or when a Pug is given regular opportunities to assert himself over family members or situations.

      Leaders are confident and calm. Leaders do not raise their voices unnecessarily. Leaders have a clear idea of what their expectations of behavior are and they are able to communicate their wishes clearly and consistently, with sounds and actions that are delivered in a manner that a Pug can correctly understand.

       Expectations From Your Trained Pug

      When the comments are good. Pug owners love to have the dog everyone in the neighborhood talks about. No one wants to be the owner of the Pug the neighbors avoid because of bad behavior. Knowing how you want your Pug to behave is the first step to making your Pug the neighborhood darling.

      Picture your Pug as you see him in the future. What behaviors do you want him to learn? What behaviors do you want him to avoid? You and your Pug will have a better relationship, and ultimately be much happier, if you teach him what you want him to do right from the beginning. Don’t wait for him to display a bad behavior, getting irritated or angry when it occurs, and then expect him to behave in some other way. Being a leader means being proactive and committed to training your Pug!

Pug Myths

      Many people erroneously believe that all toy breeds are difficult to live with, cannot be trained like larger dogs, or require Pugs are always amusing! special treatment. As one of the largest members of the toy group the Pug is often owned by individuals who never thought that they would consider owning a small dog. The Pug has a reputation for stealing the hearts of his owners, almost turning the tables on the relationship of who is in charge. The Pug has an uncanny ability to be amusing and it is his comical nature that often leads an owner to believe that Pugs are somehow different, unwilling, or unable to follow direction.

       Myth One: Pugs Are Stubborn

      By nature. Pugs are a very social breed. Each Pug has its own personality, one that is determined by a unique combination of genetic characteristics and the lessons learned from early socialization and experiences. Pugs as a whole are no more obstinate or stubborn than many other breeds. While it is true that some other breeds are more enthusiastic when it comes to learning, the Pug actually enjoys the interaction of participating in any activity with its owner. Historically the Pug’s purpose as a lapdog predisposes him to be somewhat lazy when it comes to matters that do not involve food or affection.

      The Pug may be mistakenly labeled as stubborn when in reality the owner simply is unable to communicate clearly in a manner that the Pug understands. The owner may be inconsistent in delivering commands or may not have a clear image of the behavior that is being taught. Pugs are intelligent and willing to learn, as long as the message is clear and there is a reward for performing the desired behavior.

      Occasionally an underlying medical condition can cause a Pug to be reluctant to perform certain tasks or seem unmanageable. Orthopedic problems can cause pain when performing simple tasks such as sitting or lying down. Eye injuries can be extremely painful, can cause visual deficits, and may permanently affect a Pug’s ability to perform. Ear infections may limit a Pug’s hearing and his lack of eagerness to listen to his owner may be due to deafness, not stubbornness.

      Pugs are always amusing!

       Myth Two: Pugs Are Not Obedient

      A dog’s desire to be obedient is not only determined by his breed, but also his owner’s leadership skills. A dog’s compliance can be directly influenced by two factors: focus and motivation. Dogs that are focused on their owners seem more eager to learn and appear to be more obedient.

      A Pug that has learned to focus on his owner can be less challenging to work with, and therefore seemingly taught more easily. Pugs are not dumb. They are, however, very inquisitive, and that curiosity can lead to a temporary loss of focus.

      If a Pug seems less than willing to obey his owner, the problem may not be outright disobedience. The defiance may be due to a lack of motivation. Motivating a Pug can be as easy as using a favorite food treat or providing a pleasant ear rub at the right time.

       Home Schooling

      The watch command helps to teach Pugsley how to focus on you.

      1. Begin with Pugsley standing directly in front of you in a quiet location.

      2. Touch Pugsley’ s nose and give the command “Pugsley Watch.” Move your hand slowly from Pugsley’ s nose toward your nose.

      3. As Pugsley follows your hand and looks up at your face, verbally reward