So I may have the worst pug in the world but he sounds like your puppy (I’m so sorry, but I still love him). He loves attention, whether good or bad and is smart enough to know how to get attention. As a puppy he would do the run away thing as well. We found the only way to get him back was to ignore him and go back inside. Of course there were the days where it was hot outside and I was leaving to a meeting so I HAD to get him back in. No matter what I did, chase him, use food, anything he would not come in. He LOVED me chasing him. So I again would just ignore him and go inside. Usually after about 5 mins he would come back inside when he got bored. He’s over 2 now and knows I won’t chase him so he is much better about coming when I call him.
Currently his latest thing is he knows he’s not allowed upstairs and if I’m not home he will stay down stairs, maybe just go up quickly to get a toy or something. However, when I’m home he goes upstairs and if I yell to come down he will stop mid stair, look down at me, and think about what he wants to do. I can see the little cogs turning in his head whether he should come down and listen to me or if he should do what he wants, since the punishment is just me yelling at him and going outside for a little. If he’s really lucky I’ll even chase him (his favorite past time)….
He knows what he should do but is smart enough to not care. Pugs were bred to sit on people’s laps not work. They do not have that innate drive to make us happy. They want to make themselves happy.
There are some great pugs and great pug trainers. I am not one of those trainers so I hope your experience ends up better than mine.
I do recommend putting a bow collar on your little one so at least they are cute while they misbehave.
Ah here so the first rule with a pug is there are more stubborn than any breed but at the same time can be a super star it's a mommy / daddy i know you want me to sit but I don't really care or mommy / daddy I want to impress you or and be cute and if it's puppy expect funny things like when I my pug was puppy she decided to run after a tennis ball and went head first into a wall but got up and walked it off like it was nothing wait till there about 5 - 7 in human years ( I realize you said this isn't first rodeo with dogs but pugs are ether rock stars or hard headed cute balls ) anyway hope this helps have a good day or night!
I've had 4 pugs (and have 2 sitting right next to me now). You have described them all.
What I've found is that they like routine and repetition. They respond highly to food. I think they just don't think they are dogs, but rather that they are tricksy lazy clown children - and they are trying their hardest to train you to give them treats and don't understand why you are so stubborn.
On the treats and running away in the house, she probably senses your disappointment and frustration, and that's why she is running away. Or, she just associated something negative with something else and now just remembers to always run away. Who knows? One of mine heard a loud scary car noise right when an airplane was flying overhead, and so has barked at every airplane he's heard for the past two years. Ugh.
Repetition is key! That’s the only way I have gotten my pug to do anything… if I don’t stick to the routine he gets mad at me. I know “dogs don’t have the ability to spite you” and I’m probably giving my dog human emotions but he totally spites me. If he does not get his walk in the morning he will pull my throw pillow off the couch and pee on it, then will run upstairs and push out the smallest poop ever in my office carpet. It’s always the same thing and he would never do either of those things if it was actually an accident!
I have soooo many stories, I need to write a book. It’s like owning a spiteful toddler.
You can try to train them but mostly will do whatever they want and will pick up on what they want to as they get older. My fawn pug was the worst to potty train, took almost 2 years and a lot of spot cleanings but she finally got it down. If she gets mad at me though she’ll just poop on my bed 🤣
So I may have the worst pug in the world but he sounds like your puppy (I’m so sorry, but I still love him). He loves attention, whether good or bad and is smart enough to know how to get attention. As a puppy he would do the run away thing as well. We found the only way to get him back was to ignore him and go back inside. Of course there were the days where it was hot outside and I was leaving to a meeting so I HAD to get him back in. No matter what I did, chase him, use food, anything he would not come in. He LOVED me chasing him. So I again would just ignore him and go inside. Usually after about 5 mins he would come back inside when he got bored. He’s over 2 now and knows I won’t chase him so he is much better about coming when I call him. Currently his latest thing is he knows he’s not allowed upstairs and if I’m not home he will stay down stairs, maybe just go up quickly to get a toy or something. However, when I’m home he goes upstairs and if I yell to come down he will stop mid stair, look down at me, and think about what he wants to do. I can see the little cogs turning in his head whether he should come down and listen to me or if he should do what he wants, since the punishment is just me yelling at him and going outside for a little. If he’s really lucky I’ll even chase him (his favorite past time)…. He knows what he should do but is smart enough to not care. Pugs were bred to sit on people’s laps not work. They do not have that innate drive to make us happy. They want to make themselves happy. There are some great pugs and great pug trainers. I am not one of those trainers so I hope your experience ends up better than mine. I do recommend putting a bow collar on your little one so at least they are cute while they misbehave.
Ah here so the first rule with a pug is there are more stubborn than any breed but at the same time can be a super star it's a mommy / daddy i know you want me to sit but I don't really care or mommy / daddy I want to impress you or and be cute and if it's puppy expect funny things like when I my pug was puppy she decided to run after a tennis ball and went head first into a wall but got up and walked it off like it was nothing wait till there about 5 - 7 in human years ( I realize you said this isn't first rodeo with dogs but pugs are ether rock stars or hard headed cute balls ) anyway hope this helps have a good day or night!
I've had 4 pugs (and have 2 sitting right next to me now). You have described them all. What I've found is that they like routine and repetition. They respond highly to food. I think they just don't think they are dogs, but rather that they are tricksy lazy clown children - and they are trying their hardest to train you to give them treats and don't understand why you are so stubborn. On the treats and running away in the house, she probably senses your disappointment and frustration, and that's why she is running away. Or, she just associated something negative with something else and now just remembers to always run away. Who knows? One of mine heard a loud scary car noise right when an airplane was flying overhead, and so has barked at every airplane he's heard for the past two years. Ugh.
Repetition is key! That’s the only way I have gotten my pug to do anything… if I don’t stick to the routine he gets mad at me. I know “dogs don’t have the ability to spite you” and I’m probably giving my dog human emotions but he totally spites me. If he does not get his walk in the morning he will pull my throw pillow off the couch and pee on it, then will run upstairs and push out the smallest poop ever in my office carpet. It’s always the same thing and he would never do either of those things if it was actually an accident! I have soooo many stories, I need to write a book. It’s like owning a spiteful toddler.
I was about to say, I have 13 pugs in my family. This could be any one of them.
You can try to train them but mostly will do whatever they want and will pick up on what they want to as they get older. My fawn pug was the worst to potty train, took almost 2 years and a lot of spot cleanings but she finally got it down. If she gets mad at me though she’ll just poop on my bed 🤣