Are Pugs Hard To Potty Train?

Pugs were originally bred in China as companion dogs. They are small to medium-sized snub-nosed dogs. Pugs are ancient and popular dog breed because of their cuteness and awesome companionship. They are very affectionate lap dogs who love to stay around people. But are pugs hard to potty train? or easy? Let’s discuss. I will also give a few great tips to make your pug’s potty training easier.

Before adopting a new pug, people consider their trainability a lot. Because of being so loyal to their parents (human parents) and according to akc, pugs are highly trainable. But their performance in potty training is a bit different.

Are pugs hard to potty train? Pugs are typically hard to potty train because of their tendency to become stubborn sometimes. The small body size, tendency to suffer from separation anxiety and low weather tolerance are also the causes. However, they love to please their owners and constant repetition of good potty habits will make them easy to potty train.

Why pugs are hard to potty train?

Pugs are typically hard to potty train because of the following reasons:

1- Small size:

Dog breeds that are smaller in size are relatively harder to potty train because they need more bathroom trips.

The possibility of having a potty accident is typically higher which can really mess up with potty training.

Someone always needs to be there to take them to the potty spot on time.

2- Can be stubborn:

Pugs are usually very affectionate and obedient but they can become stubborn at times. Pugs are not very energetic, maybe this is a reason that sometimes they don’t get up to follow the instructions.

Confusion and distraction can also be the reasons.

3- Bit more serious:

Pugs are lap dogs with a kind of serious behavior. Their energy levels are usually not very high so the play session rewards may not work for your pug.

They are more food-centered and they love snuggling.

This dog breed behaves differently with the rewards of potty training.

4- Sensitive to harsh behavior:

Pugs are very sensitive dogs and they can take your mood very seriously.

Potty training requires a lot of patience but with pugs, this is another level of patience.

A little shouting or yelling can put your pug in fear and he may start “submissive urination”.

5- Distracted:

Just like many other dogs, pugs are distracted easily.

Petcarerx states that “Pugs have a reputation for being harder to train than other breeds, but this may be because they often are easily distracted.’’

6- Average intelligence:

Pugs rank 108 in the list of intelligent dog breeds, which makes them very “average intelligent”. (source)

Pugs were not bred to hunt or herd, their main personality trait is that they are good human friends.

So, it depends upon the owner how he grooms his pug’s intelligence.

7- Not outdoor dogs:

Pugs are not very tolerant of extreme weather, whether it is cold or hot. They are good indoor dogs so when trying to potty train them to go outside, pugs may prove to be very hard to potty train.

8- Prone to separation anxiety:

Pugs are great companion dogs, but it has negative side-effect too. They are very much prone to separation anxiety.

And separation anxiety can be a great hurdle in a puppy’s potty training.

Dogs pee out of emotions so when left alone they may act destructive and urinate in the house.

If you are planning to adopt a pug, then make sure you have at least one family member at home all the time.

6 helpful tips to potty train your pug easily

Here are a few tips that will help you to potty train your pug easily.

1- Take advantage of their loyalty:

Pugs are very loyal to their owners as they were bred as companion dogs. The owner can take advantage of the loyalty and with a pinch of obedience training, they will really listen to the trainer (who must be the owner to whom the pug is loyal).

2- Take advantage of the pug’s observant traits:

Pugs are known to be observant. This is because they act as a shadow of their owners. They are good observers and AKC states that they are very adaptable.

The trainer can use this quality of them. Have another dog who is potty trained and be with him. Your pug will follow you and will observe the other dog.

3- Repetitions are key:

Pugs’ intelligence level is average. It means that they need more repetitions of a task to learn it as compared to an intelligent dog breed.

The trainer needs to be there for him to take him to the potty spot every time. Constant work will get you the results.

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4- Use positive reinforcement:

Pugs are sensitive to harsh behavior and at the same time, they respond really well to positive reinforcement.

Use more treats and praises while training them. Every time your pug does the deed in the right place, give him a pat and a treat.

We recommend these milkbone crunchy dog treats, as these are filled with nutrition and work best when you are training your dog.

5- Use pee pads to train:

Pugs are not outdoor dogs. They cannot bear the harshness of the weather. They make great indoor dogs and due to the small size of their bladder, they need a nearby potty spot to reach the place right in time.

Using puppy pads is a good idea when you have a pug at home.

Find out how to potty train a puppy on pads here.

You can also choose real grass pee pads. The company will deliver a fresh grass patch at your door step.

Subscribe for porch potty real grass pads here.

6- Properly sized crate:

With proper crate training, pugs can become relatively easier to potty train.

But make sure to choose the right size of the crate as the dog should not have an extra space in the crate to soil it. (dogs naturally dont’ soil the place where they go to sleep).

Midwest iCrate 24-inch kit is best for pugs.

Do pugs take longer to potty train?

Do pugs take longer to potty train? Pugs are small dogs and they need more time to develop enough bladder strength to hold the urine for longer. Moreover, pugs need more repetitions of a task to learn it. So they may take longer to be fully potty trained.

What to do if your older pug is still not potty trained?

If your pug is grown up and still not potty trained, it’s totally fine. You can potty train him now.

Read our guide about how to potty train an older dog, who was not trained before.

In this article, we have explained that what problems you will face while potty training older dogs and what are the advantages. In addition, you will find out how to potty train him now.

Are pugs harder to potty train? – Conclusion:

Pugs are typically hard to potty train because of their tendency to become stubborn sometimes. The small body size, tendency to suffer from separation anxiety and low weather tolerance are also the causes. However, they love to please their owners and constant repetition of good potty habits will make them easy to potty train.

Are Pugs Hard To Potty Train? – (8 Reasons & Solution)