Pug Behaviors Archives - Page 2 of 6

Pug Biting & How To Stop It

July 25, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

Are Pugs Bad About Biting?

Most pugs aren’t prone to biting. Pugs are a docile breed. It is common for puppies to nip while playing, though. They need to be trained from a young age that nipping people isn’t okay, or they’ll continue the behavior as they get older.

When Do Pug Puppies Stop Nipping?

You have to train your pug to stop nipping. Often nipping is related to teething, and most pugs stop teething by around 8 months of age. They’ll stop mouthing items they should’t around that age, typically. Still, if you don’t train them to stop nipping, or if you have accidentally encouraged their nipping by making it into a form of play, it will likely continue until you train them differently.

Is it Biting or Nipping or Mouthing?

People often refer to nipping as biting, but they are different. There is also mouthing which is different yet!

Biting is when a dog bites down hard on something. This will usually break the skin, and is usually done out of fear or protection. True biting is a much more serious problem than nipping, but it’s quite rare in pugs. A pug that is truly biting likely feels unsafe or mistreated.

Nipping is a quick shut of the jaw, without locking down on something. This will hurt, but it won’t break the skin. This is commonly done as a form of play in puppies. While the intent isn’t “bad”, it’s painful and may cause mild injuries to young children so it’s best to train out.

Mouthing is when a dog puts their mouth on something but doesn’t bite down at all. You may feel their teeth but there won’t be pressure and no pain at all. This behavior is similar to human babies who put toys in their mouth. It’s a way of exploring an object. For most dogs this behavior will stop when they are done teething.

How to stop your pug from biting

Dog trainers often recommend a bite inhibition method. This basically means squeel when they bite you. Puppies like to play-bite other dogs, and when the other dog squeels in response to a bite, that’s how the dog learns it went too far. If left with other puppies, dogs will learn bite inhibition by about 18 weeks old. However, in many cases today puppies are rehomed by about 8 weeks. This leaves them without enough experience in learning bite inhibition from their litermates and their humans need to take over this training.

You can mimic the experience that puppies would get from their littermates squealing when your dog nips you. This can teach your dog that they went too far, even if the nip wasn’t painful. The goal is to squeel anytime they nip at all, to teach them that nipping people is not acceptable.

Try to get everyone in your household to squeel if your pug nips them, and to be consistent with it. This will increase the odds that your pug will learn to stop biting sooner.

Alternatively, you can firmly say ‘no’ or ‘stop’ each time they nip. If your puppy seeks reassurance or pets afterwards, it’s best to ignore them. This can feel mean, but this is how you make it clear to them that their behavior was unacceptable. This is really effective for pugs because pugs love attention from their owners. They were bred to be companions, so they are often really hurt by being ignored. While it won’t feel good for you or them, it will effectively teach them.

Don’t hit your dog for biting. Dogs don’t understand physical punishment, and it may even make them so fearful that they will bite more in response.

Don’t play with them if they nip. This can be hard because pug puppies are trying to play when they nip you. When we understand that they’re playing, it can make us want to play back. However, this can encourage the behavior. Keep in mind that as your pug gets older their teeth will get bigger and their small bits will become more painful. For this reason, it’s best to discourage their small biting before they get bigger.

Direct them to chewing toys. It’s natural for dogs to want to bite, but it’s important that they learn what is fair-game for biting and what isn’t. You don’t want them to learn that your hands or any other part of your body can be bitten. Offer them chew toys instead.

Give your pug time around other dogs. Dogs like to rough plan with other dogs and this can help them get out their desire to bite in a safe way.

Keep them entertained. Sometimes nipping will happen because they are bored and seeking attention. Keeping your puppy entertained can reduce the frequency of their nipping.

Understanding Pug Body Language

July 19, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

Pug Body Language Explained

Tail wagging is usually happiness, but not always! Tail wagging shows heightened emotions in a dog, and most dogs will have high emotions when they’re excited to see you, or excited to go for a walk or things like that. However, if you see your dog wagging it’s tail extremely quickly and in short motons this is a sign of VERY heightened emotions and may be a sign of major distress or aggression. The angle of their tail can give you a clue on how happy they are, or not. Happy tail wags are done with their tail really high.

Tail tucking (meaning they have lowered their tail really far down or even between their legs) is fear. If you have a pug who has started to consistently leave their tail down, this can be a sign of pain or pug myelopathy.

Showing their belly is trust…usually. Sometimes it’s a fear response where they are trying to show submission.

Showing their front teeth in a growl/snarl is a warning. They may feel unsafe or protective over their space or belongings. However, this is very different from when a pug’s lip gets stuck and this causes them to show teeth. Most pugs have underbies so it’s easy for their lower teeth to show by accident. When this happens, it is a neutral expression.

Here’s an example of when Frank’s teeth were showing just due to his lip getting stuck – there was no aggression here!

Lots of face-licking. If your dog keeps licking its own face, it can be a sign of nervousness. It could also just be itchy or trying to clean itself. Pug wrinkles require special care, and if not kept up with their faces can get itchy or even infected. Check out my pug wrinkles blog post to learn more. But if there is no physical cause, it’s usually anxiety.

Yawning is often a sign of stress. If your dog is yawning around other dogs or people, make sure they have space to hide or get away from the interaction as they may want to get away.

A relaxed body position (such as laying around) is a sign of a content to happy pug.

A stiff body suggests anxiety, upset or aggression.

Licking your face is a sign of affection.

Raised hackles is a sign of high emotions. Hackles are the strip of hair that run down your dogs spine. If your dog’s fur on that strip are raised, this tells you that they are having heightened emotions, but it could be positive or negative.

Following you around means you are their person! Pugs are bred to be lap dogs so if a pug is following you around 24/7 this means they’ve decided you are their primary person and their job is to sit on your lap and make you happy.

Whining or whimpering. This can be a sign of fear, but is often a way that pugs communicate longing. My pug Frank would whine while sitting next to his food dish when he wanted food. He’d whine when sitting near the exterior door to let us know that he wanted to go outside. He’d look at us and whine if we were sitting on the couch or a chair and he wanted in our laps. If you have a lot of crying happening with your pug, you might want to read my post titled pug crying.

Bottoms up. If your pug puts their front legs down and sticks their rear-end in the air, this is a sign that they want to play.

Prancing or walking quickly in a small area, such as doing little laps is a sign of excitement or happiness. My pugs both would prance around in a circle when they were excited to see someone.

Exaggerated sneeze. Pugs can sort of fake-sneeze when they are irritated or annoyed. Frank would do an exaggerated sneeze if we were ignoring him while he wanted in our laps. It was sort of his way of saying “heck you!”

Partially closed eyes or slightly squinting eyes is happiness or calmness.

Frank is awake but his eyes are so squinted they’re almost closed because he was really enjoying this cuddle and being pet.

Staring. When dogs stare with wide-eyes for a long time this is a sign of aggression.

Ears back is a sign of anxiety or submission.

Beans ears were up and slightly back, here. She did this more as she got older and blind, when she heard or smelled something. She didn’t seem truly afraid, but she would be on guard or cautious more often after losing her sight.

Ears pushed far forward is aggressive.

Ears up is curiosity or interest.

Beans and this puppy both had their ears up as they were checking each other out – both were curious and occasionally cautious, but friendly.

Wiggling ears is often a sign of curiosity or interest. My pugs would wiggle their ears a bit when sniffing something new.

Tilting their head may be a sign that your dog is listening closely! (Source: SmithsonianMag.com)

How pug body language is different from other dogs

Forehead wrinkles are said to be a sign of aggression in most dogs, but pugs have forehead wrinkles all the time.

A tail that is ‘up’ is said to be excitement or aggression, but pugs have upturned tails so their tails’ default or neutral position is up.

Source: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/advice/how-to-read-dog-body-language/

Can pugs be protective? Can pugs be guard dogs?

July 11, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

Are Pugs Protective?

Pugs can be somewhat protective. Pugs really live to love their owners. While they are primarily lap dogs, they are very loyal and committed to their people. If they feel that their owner is in danger, they are likely to act protective. That might mean barking at someone who they think is trying to hurt their person, or even biting if they feel it’s necessary.

Can Pugs Be Guard Dogs?

Guards dogs not only warn of danger, but also defend people or property by attacking when needed. Pugs are not good guard dogs.

Frank would make this wrinkled-nose face whe we were playing with him. It was sort of his response to knowing we were going to “get” him. I always thought it was funny how it was clearly playful if you saw it in person – but in a picture it looks like a growl!

Why Pugs Aren’t Good Guard Dogs

Guard dogs need to be able to attack if warranted. Pugs have exceptionally small mouths because of their flat faces. Most pugs can’t even get a regular-sized tennis ball in their mouth. A pug would struggle to get their mouth around the average adult person’s arm or ankle, because their mouths are just pretty small. If they could get their mouth around your arm or leg, they would have their mouth really wide open which wouldn’t give them much leverage to bite down hard.

They’re small, and easy for people to defend themselves against. I hate to say it, but if pug were attacking a “bad guy” who was willing to harm the pug, they could easily “win” the fight.

Pugs don’t have a lot of stamina, so most pugs couldn’t chase a “bad guy” very far.

Pugs aren’t usually naturally possessive. Most guard dogs are very conscious of ‘their space’ and are aware of outsiders coming into their home and so on. Pugs aren’t usually bothered by visitors coming into their home as they just aren’t naturally possessive of their space.

Many pugs are very social. Some are so social that they’ll excitedly run-up to the mailman to say hello rather than barking.

My two pugs would only bark when people visited or pulled in our driveway if the person surprised them. If they were sleeping and suddenly heard a loud knock a the door, they’d bark. If they were awake and someone pulled in the driveway, they wouldn’t bark and may or may not even get up to go investigate!

Can Pugs Be Watch Dogs?

Watch dogs just alert people to danger, they don’t have to defend or attack. With that in mind, some pugs can be guard dogs.

Pugs have a deeper bark than you might expect for such a small dog. They don’t have a yappy sound. If someone were to try to break into your house and heard your pug barking but couldn’t see them, they probably won’t mistake them for a really big dog, but they might think they were more of a mid-sized dog…which may be enough to make them hesitate.

Some pugs are really observant and will bark to alert owners if anyone shows up. There’s even a famous story about a pug watch dog! The Spanish attempted to assassinate the first prince William of Orange. William’s pug named Pompey saved him by barking at the attempted assassins. The pug was named the official dog of house orange in honor of Pompey! (Source: AKC.com. )

Other pugs are just super friendly and don’t see anyone/anything as a threat! So it really depends on the pug.

It can also depend on training. If you want your pug to be a guard dog, you can use training to teach them to bark when people come to your home.

Do Pugs Swim? Do They Like Water?

July 6, 2022 by emilyreviews Leave a Comment

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Can Pugs Swim?

Most pugs can swim enough to keep their head above water if they need to. Most pugs are not very good at swimming though, and cannot swim for very long before getting worn out. Some pugs can’t swim at all and will just sink if you try to place them in deep water.

If your pug can swim, still say with them the whole time and don’t expect them to swim very long. They’ll likely tire quickly.

Generally, dogs that swim well are ones with longer legs. Pugs are short-statured compared to their back/body length which puts them at a disadvantage.

Plus, pugs were bred to be lap dogs so they just aren’t very athletic or active in general.

There are some pugs who love swimming though. Even these pugs likely won’t have the stamina to swim very long.

How To Introduce Your Pug To Swimming

Start slow and shallow, and be ready to catch your pug if they sink like a rock. Some pugs will fail to swim the first few attempts but will eventually learn. If you want your pug to swim, keep introducing them to water slowly to see if they can pick up the skill over time. If your pug has a favorite toy or treat, you may try bringing it into the water to help entice them.

If you plan to get a pug puppy, introducing them to swimming as a puppy may increase the odds of them enjoying swimming or being a bit better at swimming when compared to a pug who is introduced to it at an older age.

For about five years we lived in a house that had a pond in the side yard. Neither of my pugs ever tried to get into the lake, they’d walk around the edge and avoid the water. One day Frank accidentally fell in, though. He lifted a leg to pee while standing near the edge of the water and lost his balance, so he fell in the water. I was right next to him but he stayed above water until I could step down in and get him out.

Why pugs struggle with swimming

Pugs have a very short snout means they will inhale water very easily. Pugs will tilt their head back when trying to swim, to keep their nasal passageway more open for their nose but this isn’t an ideal angle to have your head at while swimming.

Pugs also struggle with swimming due to their body portions. Compared to many other dog breeds, pugs have short legs and thick bodies. Many pugs have broad shoulders or a “barrel chest” with a smaller back end. This can result in their head and front shoulders being a lot heavier than their back end. This imbalance in how their weight is distributed makes swimming more challenging than it is for dogs who have a more evenly distributed body weight.

Do Pugs Like Water?

This is pretty mixed! Some pugs love water, some hate it, and some are more neutral. Neither of my pugs were excited about water, and both didn’t enjoy bath time but they didn’t kick up a huge fuss about it, either.

If you aren’t sure if your pug will like swimming, see how they react to shallow water. Seeing how your pug responds to water in a hard plastic kiddie pool may be some indication of whether or not they’d enjoy exploring a lake or a pool.

Pug swimming safety tips

Use a life jacket. Even if your pug loves to swim, having a life vest on them is really smart. It will keep them protected if they get too tired to keep swimming.

Be mindful of sensitive skin and pool chemicals. While many dogs can swim in pools without reactions, pugs often have allergies or skin sensitivities. If you introduce your pug to the pool for the first time, check for signs of irritation or allergy while they’re in the water and in the day or so after their swim.

Rinse your dog off with clear water and clean your pug’s wrinkle folds after swimming to ensure any pool chemicals don’t stay trapped against their body.

Only let your pug swim if the air is hot and the water is relatively warm. If it’s not warm enough pugs can get hypothermia.

Don’t let them swim too long. Take them out of the water before you see signs of tiredness. Dogs who get excited to swim or younger pugs with a lot of energy may try to keep swimming longer than they should. For this reason, you don’t necessarily want to trust them to get out of the water when they are getting tired.

If you have a pool at home, keep your pug blocked out of it with a fence or other barrier ot ensure they don’t go swimming alone.

Should you take your pug to the beach?

Pugs don’t tolerate hot weather very well. Most people like to go to the beach when it’s quite hot outside. If you’re planning a trip to the beach on a really hot day, it’s probably best to leave your pug at home. If you take trips to the beach on days that aren’t as hot, your pug may enjoy tagging along.

I have a whole blog post sharing tips & tricks for taking your pug to the beach.

Life Vests For Pugs

There are a variety of dog life jackets out there that will fit pugs. The one I’ve seen discussed most in pug groups is the Outward Hound Dog Life Jacket (link goes to the life vest on amazon). Most pug owners order a size medium for pugs.

Does your pug like to swim? Share stories in the comments!

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