When a funny little miracle appears in the house - a pug puppy, the question comes up on the agenda: “How to accustom a pug to a diaper and a litter tray?” It is reckless to believe that from the very first day a new family member will ask to go outside to do his business there. No! It will not happen! Puppies are unable to control their physiological needs. To accustom them to using the toilet outside will require time and patience from the owners. In addition, for the first 3-4 months, babies are not allowed to walk; they are subject to quarantine measures.
In what other cases may it be necessary to accustom a dog to a tray and a diaper? How to train a pug to go to the toilet at home and outside? What to do if the puppy does not want to do his business in the tray and on the diaper? You can find answers to all these questions in our material.
How to train a pug to go to the toilet in its place without punishing it
In fact, punishment is an ineffective measure. And there are two reasons for this: catching a pug right at the crime scene or during the process itself is a matter of luck. The second reason follows from this: when scolding a pet after a certain time has passed after what has been done, the owner does it in vain. Because the four-legged one will not understand why they raise their voices and scold him. Sometimes, due to such delayed notifications, pugs develop psychological disorders. Sometimes the baby simply withdraws into himself, becoming fearful and uncommunicative.
Therefore, you need to toilet train your puppy with patience and understanding. The owner’s main weapon is affection and reward with treats.
Basic Rules
There are three of them - love, patience and consistency, the most important of which is, perhaps, the second: your pet is still unreasonable, like a small child, and needs your boundless indulgence. The faster the puppy learns to trust you, the more productive the process of raising him will be .
At first, do not let your pet out of your sight, and don’t be lazy to check why he is leaving the room. This way you will have time not only to prevent accidental puddles, but also to save your shoes from his sharp teeth.
Do not jerk the puppy if he has already started defecating, and do not scold him if several hours have passed since the deed. In the latter case, the dog will not be able to correctly interpret the reason for your dissatisfaction, and, most likely, will associate the swearing with the presence of a pile/puddle (without any connection with the process of its own defecation).
This incorrect conclusion often leads to a serious deviation - coprophagia, which is cured with great difficulty. In order not to incur the owner's wrath, the baby will begin to eat his own excrement, and it will take a lot of your time and effort to rid him of this habit.
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How to train a pug puppy to go to the toilet?
If your baby has already been vaccinated and is in quarantine, you will inevitably need to teach him to go to a certain place in the house to run errands.
To tame a puppy and teach her to go to her place, use either a diaper or a tray/potty. It is placed in the place where the baby spends most of his time.
Experienced dog handlers recommend toilet training pugs no earlier than three to four months.
The main options for training a pug's cheek are further in the article.
For a diaper
With the help of a diaper, learning occurs like this:
- the floor in the room where the pug is most often located is covered with diapers (or newspapers). When leaving, you need to lock your pug in this room;
- the baby gradually gets used to diapers and chooses one specific location to relieve himself;
- as soon as it becomes clear which specific place the puppy prefers to go, you need to gradually remove the diaper from the remaining area and leave it only there;
- a little later there will be only one corner left where the puppies go to the remaining diaper.
To the tray
After diapering, it is recommended to use trays for older pugs. You need to buy a plastic tray with low sides and proportionate to the size of your pet. There is no need to put a grate in it. It is better to cover its bottom with newspapers or filler. The best place to start is to put the dirty part of the diaper there. It will be easier for pugs to navigate by their own urine smell.
Don’t forget to treat your pet with a treat and pet him after each proper trip to the litter box. Over time, you should gradually reduce the frequency of treats and then stop completely.
In the pot
Essentially, a potty is the same as a tray. The main requirements for it are stability, proportionality and low sides.
Potty training a puppy can be done in the same way as other options. As soon as the baby is consistently wearing a diaper, you need to replace it with a potty. Cover its bottom with newspaper or part of a diaper soaked in your pet’s urine.
Reasons why a puppy refuses to use the litter box
If you have tried all the methods, but the puppy continues to make puddles wherever he wants, then you should pay attention to a number of possible reasons . They can be both physical and psychological in nature. Physical illness refers to various diseases, for example:
- Cystitis.
- Vaginitis.
- Prostatitis.
- Kidney diseases.
- Other.
To determine the cause, you should contact your veterinarian and possibly undergo the necessary treatment. Only after the disease has been eliminated should you try to toilet train the dog again.
You should also pay attention to the tray or diaper itself. Perhaps the sides of the tray are uncomfortable for the pug (too high), or the filler is not suitable . Observe the dog's behavior at this moment.
But it may also be that all of the above reasons are absent, and puddles still appear, then there is a psychological factor . The following reasons may contribute to this:
- The dog is trying to get your attention so that you don't leave.
- The dog was offended because you yelled at it.
Try to analyze the likelihood of a particular cause.
How to potty train a pug at home?
Accustoming an adult pug to do “things” in the house if he was previously accustomed to doing these actions on the street is much more difficult. But there are little tricks that will make learning easier:
- You should try to buy artificial turf. It goes into the bottom of the tray and looks like real green grass. Such a lawn easily absorbs feces and will not allow the unpleasant odor to spread.
- Pugs, like other dogs, are excellent at remembering sounds. Therefore, you need to try to create an association in your pet of a certain sound with going to the toilet.
Why did the behavior change?
If a well-mannered dog suddenly begins to pee at home, it is recommended to inquire about the pet’s health. This behavior may indicate problems with the animal's health.
Severe frosts are considered the cause of severe diseases; this applies closely to representatives of decorative breeds, which even special clothing does not keep warm in cold weather.
It is known that bitches are capable of peeing at home for up to two years. According to experts, the main reasons for unwanted behavior are the hormonal system that is not fully formed. The reason is poor or unhealthy nutrition, bad heredity. Disturbances associated with the hormonal system return to normal after the first pregnancy.
Regarding the bad predisposition to such a bad habit, it is permissible to inquire from the breeders who gave away the puppy. You will be able to determine the reason for the incorrect behavior. Based on the facts obtained, it will become easier to wean your dog from peeing at home.
How to toilet train outdoors?
The dog learns to relieve himself outside much faster. To do this, you need to follow your pet: when he runs to the tray or diaper, immediately grab the leash and carry the dog outside. At first, the pet will be confused and will endure until the last moment. Therefore, you need to wait for the climax, continuing your walk further.
Of course, not every dog succeeds the first time. And there is no need to scold her for this. The main thing is to systematically perform actions so that your pet develops a new association. A few tips to help make learning easier:
- You need to go out at the same time, in the morning - after waking up and the first feeding, in the evening - after the second feeding.
- At first, you need to walk along the same route.
- It is necessary to play with the baby. Active games stimulate intestinal motility.
- Before actual active games, you need to massage your pet’s tummy clockwise. This triggers intestinal peristalsis and causes the urge to defecate.
Breed-specific education
Chins, Pekingese, Lhasa Apso, and Pugs have common character traits - pride, stubbornness, self-esteem, independence. For them, these breeds are often compared to cats. Dominance, attempting to achieve obedience by force or intimidation will lead to loss of trust.
To teach a puppy to relieve himself in the right place, an emotional connection is needed. Without it, the pug will ignore any actions of the owner, whom he does not consider as such. Sometimes it seems that they remember the imperial past, deciding for themselves whether a person is worthy of their attention. The one who allows himself to:
- scream (perceived as squealing = weakness)
- beat, throw various objects at the offending His Majesty
- inconsistency (today you can, tomorrow you can’t, then you can again)
Such an owner will only achieve obedience from a dog that easily obeys. With a pug you need to work through affection and persistent repetition . Demonstration of displeasure or joy, that is, training through communication, rather than silent dominance, is much more effective with such self-sufficient breeds.
Reasons why a pug relieves itself at home
It happens that a dog suddenly and persistently refuses to go to the toilet outside and leaves “surprises” all over the house. And there is always a specific reason for this, either physiological or psychological.
Physiological reasons
Some pugs do not do “business” outside, but at home, because they are uncomfortable there. For example, it is too cold or damp. And if it is a male, then you need to be prepared for constant territory marking as soon as the boy reaches puberty.
However, often the cause may be the onset of various diseases, including:
- deviations in the gastrointestinal tract, namely an excess of feces and increased intestinal motility. This occurs with excessive consumption of fiber or bones;
- in females - weakness of the bladder sphincter;
- urination problems (you need to find the cause of the pathology, most often this is due to an incorrectly selected diet);
- incontinence;
- tumors or inflammation in the genitourinary system.
It is important not to ignore such signals from your pet and seek veterinary help as soon as possible.
Psychological reasons
Pugs are sensitive dogs that acutely perceive any negative event. Psychological problems manifest themselves at the physiological level, and most often this is expressed in relieving oneself in the wrong place. Factors that cause this behavior are:
- Lack of attention from the owner. If he does not play with his pet, does not caress him and often leaves him alone, this greatly affects the emotional well-being of the pug.
- Regular family conflicts, swearing and quarrels.
- Anger and aggression on the part of the owner towards the pug.
- Other reasons caused by external factors (for example, the pug got scared or the owner unexpectedly took him to a new place).
Principles of the learning process, controversial issues
There are various opinions, established over a long period of time, regarding how to quickly train a dog to relieve itself at home, in a designated place, or on the street.
There are adherents of the forceful method of punishment. It is believed that if a pet makes a puddle where it shouldn’t, it should be wetted with its face in this puddle and scared, punished, shouted or hit.
On the one hand, this method is considered to be proven over the years and effective. But on the other hand, such behavior can only aggravate the situation and lead to the following undesirable consequences:
The pug is a fairly small dog that completely trusts its owner. And if physical force is applied to it, the pet may become frightened and withdraw into itself.
The pug will understand that he is being punished for peeing. And he will write where it will be more difficult for the owner to notice the puddle, namely: on carpets, sofas and other upholstered furniture.
If the dog peed 2 hours ago, and is being poked into this puddle now, then it is unlikely that the dog will understand at the moment of punishment what they actually want from it.
Constantly following your pet with a cloth and endlessly wiping up puddles can irritate even the most loving owner, but you shouldn’t hit him.
Patience, praise and endurance will help you achieve results much faster.
Application of various means
Today in pet stores you can buy various products that can quickly wean a dog from bowel movements at home and stop a dog from barking at home. The correct result will be obtained by the integrated use of several means at the same time. It is convenient to use a litter tray treatment product whose smell attracts dogs. Its use will help the puppy quickly get used to the new toilet.
Among other means, repellent drugs are distinguished. They are supposed to treat problem areas; the smell instantly discourages the pet from marking an area of the territory. Table vinegar has a similar effect and is recommended for use in extremely small doses, for fear of depriving the dog of its sense of smell. It’s as easy as rinsing the floor with a solution of water and 4-5 drops of vinegar. The dog will begin to be suspicious of the previously chosen area and avoid leaving a mark there.
Pet stores offer dog owners special wipes impregnated with an attractive scent. It is recommended to place the devices at the bottom of the tray, trying to help the baby get used to the new toilet. The use of absorbent diapers will help when puddles appear in the rooms; they can be easily placed around the premises, and when the puppy has relieved himself, throw them away.
