Pug Behaviors Archives - Page 2 of 6

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!

Pugs & Other Animals | What Pets Pugs Get Along With

June 29, 2022 by emilyreviews 1 Comment

Are Pugs Good With Other Animals?

As a general rule of thumb, pugs are good with other animals. They love attention from their people so they might get jealous if they see a lot of attention being given to another pet. They might whine or try to push themselves between a person and the pet who is getting more attention or something like that. Generally, though, they will either become buddies or at least be very tolerable of other pets in the house.

Are Pugs Good With Cats?

Whether pugs will befriend cats will have a lot to do with whether or not they are socialized with cats while they are a puppy. Pugs who are around cats from a young age will often befriend them. Pugs who don’t have experience with cats until they’re older may be less likely to cuddle up to a cat, but they aren’t likely to fight with them or try to hunt them, either.

Younger pugs can be high energy, so it’s important to keep ‘safe places’ for your cat that your pug can’t access. Your cat should be able to get away from your pug and take a break if they want.

Pugs are very food-focused, so your pug will likely try to eat your cat’s food. Be sure to feed your cat in a place where your pug can’t reach their food dish.

With my two pugs, one would sometimes whine/cry when it saw cats, but would just ignore the cats other than that. My other pug would sometimes chase cats if the cats ran, but when the pug caught up with the cat, it would just stop. The pug wouldn’t try to harm the cat or even play with it once the cat stopped…she just wanted to chase it down. Still, the cat didn’t like being chased so we tried to keep her from being able to chase the cat. That same pug loved to chase other dogs who would run, so it was definitely just a “let’s play!” type of behavior not aggression.

Are Pugs Good With Kittens?

Generally the dog breeds that you need to be wary of having around kittens are dogs that have a high prey drive. Pugs don’t have a high prey drive so they aren’t likely to try to ‘go after’ or hunt a kitten. If a pug is introduced to kittens or cats while they are still a puppy, they should do well. Pugs shouldn’t b left alone with small kittens because they do have a size difference and could injure a kitten, accidentally or otherwise.

Are Pugs Good With Other Pugs?

Yes, pugs usually do well with other pugs. In fact, it’s often joked that nobody has just one pug! Of course, this isn’t strictly true, some people do have just one pug. It is very common for people to have two or three pugs in the same household though and they usually get along well. My two were very bonded!

Are Pugs Good With Hamsters?

As a general rule, dogs should be kept separate from hamsters because dogs (even as small as pugs) can easily injur a hamster.

Are Pugs Good With Mice?

Most likely, a pug would just ignore a mouse. However, there are stories out there about pugs hunting mice so if you have a pet mouse it’s best to keep them separate.

Are Pugs Good With Hedgehogs?

I used to have a pet hedgehog! My pugs were curious about the hedgehog and would try to sniff it, but if the hedgehog put his quills up, they’d back far away. We only let the pugs around the hedgehog while supervised, but overall the dogs and the hedgehog didn’t care about each other.

Are Pugs Good With Birds?

Pugs aren’t likely to try to hunt down a bird, but they may chase them. To be safe, keep them separate.

Are Pugs Good With Other Dogs?

Pugs are generally good with other dogs. My two pugs never tried to ‘go after’ any other dogs. However, one of my dogs would whine/cry in the presence of some dogs. A couple times over the years we encountered dogs that would try to attack my pug in response to his whining. I think his crying made some other dogs see him as prey.

In other cases, the same dog would eagerly play with other dogs. Anyway, we were always cautious around other dogs just in case…but my pugs never had any aggression towards other dogs.

Are Pugs Good With Big Dogs?

Pugs are generally good with larger dogs. We had a high energy neighbor dog that was bigger than my pugs, and my little female pug would play pretty rough with the bigger dog, even!

Are Pugs Good With Chickens?

Like other birds, pugs may chase chickens but won’t usually try to harm them. Pugs don’t stand much taller than most chickens so they may be intimidated by chickens and choose to keep their distance. Your pug isn’t likely to harm your chickens but supervise any interactions to be safe.

Are Pugs Good With Rabbits?

Pugs have a calm temperament so they’ll usually do well with smaller or mid-sized critters like rabbits. If a rabbit is too fast, pugs may chase them but aren’t likely to want to hurt them. Still, it’s always best ot be really cautious and observe closely if you’re going to allow your pug around a rabbit.

Are Pugs Good With Horses?

Pugs may bark at large animals like horses, or be intimidated by them and prefer to keep their distance. They aren’t likely to befriend a horse or try to attack them, though.

Are Pugs Good With Sheep?

Pugs may bark at sheep, or they might ignore them, or they might be scared and try to keep their distance. A pug shouldn’t cause problems for a sheep though.

How to introduce a pug to another animal

Give them something with the other animals’ scent on it in advance sot hey can check out the smell.

2. If the other animal is a dog or an animal that is safe to be let outside, have your pug mee the animal outside. Some animals can be territorial of their homes, so if you can safely introduce animals in a neutral space that can be best. Keep the dog leashed while the introduction happens to ensure the safety of all animals.

3. Give the dog treats if they are behaving well while seeing the cat or other animal. The goal is to make it an extra-positive experience for your pug so they create a positive association with the other animal.

4. If either pet shows signs of stress or anxiety, pause the introduction and try again another day. It may require several mini introductions before the two animals can comfortably spend time around each other. It’s best not to go slowly and let both animals warm up to each other rather than forcing them to coexist.

5. Cats or other animals that sometimes like to hide should be given free access to spaces to hide from the dog if they wish.

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