For Pug's Sake - Pug Training

Training

Pugs are very smart and stubborn dogs. They can be trained with a little persistence and patience. Pugs will do ANYTHING for food. Training with a treat or a toy and lots of praise seems to work the best for me. Start training right away. Instead of training in one long session that can get boring and frustrating to the dog, train in short 5-10 minute sessions throughout the day. This keeps training fun for your pug.

The following are the most important things for your pug to learn.

Praising

Praise your puppy whenever she does something right. Praise like crazy! Be a freak! Your puppy can tell when you are faking and half hearted. Being upbeat and excited to encourage your puppy to pay attention to you and not all the other distractions, it will also make training fun and exciting. Be positive, there are some times when you will need to say "NO!" but as soon as she stops the bad behavior praise her like a crazy person. You find you have to say no much less often.

Potty Training

I suggest using the crate method of training. Don't feel bad, dogs are den animals and it isn't torture to put them in a cage for short periods, in fact your pug will learn to love her crate and will get in it even when not told to. This has worked very well for me. Purchase a a crate or carrier that is not too big for your puppy. Puppies do not like to eliminate in their "den" and so if the crate is too big they may eliminate in one corner and sleep in the other corner. Place the crate in a high traffic area of your

house so your puppy can see you and still be a part of the action even when in the crate. Make it a good experience and not a punishment. What has worked very well for me is giving a treat for going in the crate. Say "crate" then put the treat in the crate. After about a week, all you will have to do is say "crate" and your puppy will run for her crate! Put your puppy in her crate whenever you cannot watch her. This is very important. Letting your dog have the run of the house right away will make potty training very difficult, as well as teach her that she CAN go in the house, just so long as you are not in the room. This is a mistake that is very hard to undo! When your pup is not in the crate, watch her like a hawk, and as soon as she starts sniffing, take her outside! When she does go outside praise her with abandon! "Good good good good puppy, good girl, what a good girl..." Go nuts, when you are excited so is your puppy. You can also give a treat for going outside (make her sit first) but make sure it is right away or they may not know what the treat is for. I suggest not cleaning up puppy's poops right away, as the smell will encourage them to want to go there, and you will soon see that your dog will choose their favorite potty spot in your yard.

Remember that just like a baby your puppy has very little control over their elimination. This is developed with time, so don't leave your puppy for extended periods of time and expect them to hold it, they can't. Puppy's do not fully develop bladder and bowel control until about 6 months. When the puppy does make a mistake in the house, if you are not watching him do it, do not yell at the puppy. He will have no idea what you are yelling about and just learn that you are a person to be avoided. If you do see him say a sharp "no", then pick him up and take him to the potty spot immediately then praise like crazy when he does it right. Make sure to clean the spot well, and use odor eliminators to get rid of the smell, if you don't that may become puppy's favorite potty spot! Potty training takes patience, but don't give up! If you are consistent your pug will learn where to go, in fact, your pug will not want to go anywhere else.

Sit/Stay

Sit is a very important thing you can teach your pug. I make Charlie sit for everything, including being petted, getting fed, getting leashed/unleashed, playing fetch. This teaches him not to jump when he wants something, and seems to be much more effective then screaming "NO JUMP" at him. To teach your dog to sit, hold a treat in your hand so he cannot get to it, but make sure he knows it is there, then hold your hand just slightly above his head and say sit, move your hand over his head toward his back and he will naturally just sit, when he does give him the treat and praise. Don't hold your hand to high above his head or he will try to jump for the food. Repeat this until he sits consistently, then try it without a treat, voila, your dog knows that the word "sit" and the hand motion you make means he should sit. Now start making him sit for everything, soon you will know when he wants something as he will sit right in front of you when he wants attention!

Stay is just an extension for sit. Once he is sitting, say stay, and then give him the treat after a few seconds. I say "release" when the stay is over, then give him the treat. Slowly increase the time before giving the treat. Also, add some distractions and movement before giving the "release" command. This one takes a little more patience and consistency. Do NOT give the treat or praise if he doesn't do what you ask. You are only training him that he gets a treat no matter what you say. I also find that training using his favorite toy as a lure also works, but not quite as good as food.

With this treat/praise method of training you will be amazed at what your dog will learn. Remember patience, repetition and consistency are the keys to successfully training your dog. Don't give up!

Come

It is very important to be consistent with the come command. You want your dog to come when you call him even if there is something really fun going on. Start with a treat and say "Puggy, COME!" be happy and excited, make it sound like what is happening where you are is much more exciting than chasing the cat or chewing that shoe! When the puppy even takes one step toward you start praising, if he stops, stop praising. DO NOT YELL AND SCOLD him when he stops. If you punish him when he stops you just made your pug think that coming to you is the last thing in the world he wants to do! When he does finally come, praise and give the treat. My husband and I play a game of hide and seek, we both get a treat and take turns saying come, then hide somewhere else in the house and do it again. This is fun for your pug, and so he learns that coming to you when you call is fun and exciting! Never EVER EVER punish your dog after he has come to you. This is a sure fire way to ensure that your pug will never come to you consistently.

Leash Training

If you live in the city like I do, leash training is a must. Pugs are very friendly, extremely friendly, so much so that they want to get to know every living creature within ear shot of them. If you do not have a securely fenced yard I would suggest keeping your pug on a leash at all times while outside.

To teach your pug to not pull on the leash this is what I have learned. If your pug starts to pull on the leash STOP and say "no pull". Do not move again until he stops pulling. He will eventually stop when he does praise him and take one step, when he starts to pull again stop, say "no pull" and wait for him to stop pulling. Eventually he will get the idea. My pug tends to forget this rule when something really exciting like a crowd or another dog is nearby. Do not use a choke collar. Pug necks are too sensitive for a choke collar and all you will accomplish will be injury to your dog. I use a harness, this is great when he tries to jump off of something too high, or needs to be scooped up quickly as this does not choke the dog. Be consistent, if you give in he will learn that if he pulls long enough eventually he will get what he wants. You will find with pugs that eventually they will tire out and go no further, and instead of him pulling you, you will be pulling him.
Socialization

I cannot stress enough the importance of early socialization. To keep your pug from being fearful, or aggressive, or overly excited when encountering other animals and people socialization is extremely important. Who wants to lock their dog up every time company comes over? Who wants a dog that barks every time another dog walks by on the sidewalk? How about a dog that cowers and whines every time there is a thunder storm, or a loud siren?

To avoid problems later, as soon as you get your pug, introduce him to everyone you know. Have a puppy party and invite friends and family to come play with him. Take your pug to crowded areas such as parks and sidewalks with many strange people and dogs! I find that a weekly trip to the local "dogs allowed" pet supply store is a great place to socialize! Enroll in puppy kindergarten to get him used to other dogs and people.

One thing that has worked very well has been taking him to an outdoor cafe where there is a lot of foot traffic. At first Charlie was trying to greet every thing that went by including cars, after 3 or 4 times he now just sits under my chair and watches, unless someone says "OOooohhh cute puppy!!!" then is he is right out greeting the interested person. He is learning who is interested and who isn't, and letting the puppy indifferent go by without being chased!

If you don't socialize your puppy, your adult dog will be 10 times as hard to socialize, and may develop life long behavioral problems.