Potty Training Adult Pugs

by Michelle E. Arthur

Did you know that training an adult Pug is actually a shared effort between you, your family and the Pug? You might think that a full grown Pug who may have even been potty trained in the past can just as easily adjust to being in your home. This is not the case. It takes time and commitment for a Pug to get used to the way your home is run and to learn your home’s elimination schedule.

Let’s be realistic here. Your Pug needs some time to adjust to the new environment of your home. He also needs to know that you do not appreciate him peeing on the floor – especially if his prior owner did not seem to care.

You can not just automatically assume that your Pug will instinctively know what to do. You have to treat him as if he were a puppy and get him acquainted with your own pet potty schedule.

A good place to start is by crate training or restricting the Pug to going in the bathroom only. Then you can make up a schedule for potty time. Once a Pug is grown it is very picky about where it uses the potty. Typically, they prefer not to use it where they eat, sleep or play.

When walking your Pug, be sure to help him find a spot in your yard and make sure to always go back to the same spot each subsequent time. Take careful watch of your Pug’s elimination patterns for a few weeks to determine what’s best for him.

It is also important to set a schedule for feedings in the morning and in the evening. Your Pug may have never been on such a set schedule before so this will take some time for adjusting. You may have heard the common saying, “you can’t teach an old Pug new tricks”. In truth, age does not matter, it is consistency that counts.

If your Pug came from an abusive home, even if is was just filled with shouting and hitting with paper for any accidents, then your training efforts may take longer. First you have to win the Pug’s confidence and understand that he needs time to get comfortable in his new home.

Be prepared to clean up a lot of accidents at first. Training an adult Pug is no easier than training a puppy. Both Pugs require a lot of adjustment before they can really get a grasp on how things are supposed to work. Being consistent and training with love will boost the Pug’s confidence so that good behavior becomes habit.

An older male Pug may be accustomed to marking his territory by urinating on it. This is an instinctive behavior for male Pugs – you aren’t going to break him of it without breaking his spirit or having him neutered.

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