Whether you’ve obtained your adult Pug from a shelter, rescue, or breeder, you’ve just added a wonderful pet to your family … congratulations!
This surprises many people, but bringing an adult Pug into your home takes as much effort and consistency from you and the family with house training as a puppy does. It is a mistake to think that just because the Pug is an adult and may have been potty trained in a home, he will also immediately adjust to his home elimination schedule.
Let’s get real here. Your Pug needs some time to adjust to the new environment of your home. You also need to know that you don’t like it when you pee on the floor, especially if your previous owner didn’t seem to mind.
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that being an adult Pug will simply “know” what to do. Start with him as a puppy and gradually teach him the routine of your pet’s potty time.
Starting with a box or closing the Pug to just use the potty in the bathroom can go a long way. After it’s established, you can start creating an outdoor potty schedule. Most adult Pugs are picky about where they use the bathroom. Many do not want to go where they sleep, eat or play.
Help him find that spot in his garden or outside when he walks and put him back there to go to the bathroom again. You have to monitor toilet breaks for several weeks to learn about your Pug’s shedding patterns.
You should also set feeding times in the morning and at night. You may not have had such an organized life schedule, so this could take time to adjust. Don’t believe the old saying, “you can’t teach an old Pug new tricks.” It is not the age of the Pug that matters, it is the consistency of the owner.
Your Pug can also come from an abusive home. Even things like yelling or hitting the Pug with a newspaper could have caused your pet a lot of fear. That is why you need to be patient and develop the Pug’s confidence so that he understands your intentions and can make adjustments without fear.
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 tweaking before they can really understand how things are supposed to work. Being consistent and training your Pug with love will increase the Pug’s confidence so that good behavior becomes a habit.
Good luck with your adorable pet Pug!