The Purpose
From Good Citizen to Therapy Dog
Preparing Your Pug for Competition
Useful Address, Web Sites, and Literature
1 Introduction
For decades, the Pug has been blessed with a wonderful reputation. Pugs make perfect companions for individuals of any age, families on the go, and have been a popular choice for movie stars, sports celebrities, and those of royal bloodlines. Pug lovers will tell you that there is no other breed like it!
Why Train Your Pug?
When the decision is made to add a dog to a household, very few people intentionally allow the dog to become out of control, destructive, or a bully. It is unfortunate that all too often people are poorly prepared to take the necessary steps to properly train and socialize their new canine addition. Animal shelters are full of dogs that were discarded by their owners for behavior problems and rescue groups from coast to coast have Pugs waiting to be re-homed.
While the Pug is small in size, one that is out-of-control can spell trouble and cause endless frustration. You should be willing to learn about your Pug’s behavior and be committed to making him a well-behaved canine citizen before problems arise. By dedicating the necessary time, energy, and effort to teaching your Pug what you want him to do, and preventing him from learning bad behaviors, you will find that a Pug can make a terrific companion. But in order to train your Pug you will need to learn about normal dog behaviors, understand how dogs communicate, and know how these relate to your Pug.
Normal Canine Behaviors
All domestic dogs share a distant common ancestor: the wolf. The behaviors of wolves have been thoroughly studied and documented, with many books and movies available to learn about their social hierarchy, behavior patterns, and communication skills. While early domestication and the subsequent selective breeding by man produced dogs that vary widely in size, shape, and appearance, many of the behaviors attributed to the dog’s wild origin remain apparent even today. Dogs have a complex way of interacting within their own social group. The behaviors that are associated with normal canine interaction allow dogs to communicate and live comfortably within the same household without repeated problems or conflicts in most cases. These normal dog behaviors can become problematic for owners who do not understand them. Families that are not prepared to train their Pug may be unable to tolerate or change normal dog behaviors such
