Daily Exercise & Grooming

[Snifter]

Judging by what you say, maybe you should consider adopting an older pug. Puppies do take up a lot of time. Maybe liaise with a local rescue and see if they have any pugs that have got good basic training but need a home for reasons such as their owner passing away (as opposed to a puppymill dog or abused dog which will require a lot of rehabilitation time).

[Pumper]

At least here, dogs are never allowed where food is being prepared or sold.

It sounds to me as if you don't really have much time to devote to a dog. I wonder if you might be underestimating the impact of bringing a puppy into a home. I was very well prepared when we got our first puppy, and I was still completely overwhelmed the first couple of months. I never dreamed it would be so much work. Puppies are exhausting. Before making a decision, please consider this for your own and the puppy's sake.
- Puppies need to be constantly monitored for their own safety. They try to eat and chew everything, including poisonous plants, rocks and power chords. This phase may not pass until the dog is 6 months or more.
- Housebreaking is not difficult, but it does take a prolonged and dedicated effort. If you don't devote time to it the first few months, it is likely to fail. Small puppies don't do their business on command, so you have take time and patiently wait for them to pee and poop. Usually, they like to go in the same spot and will be afraid to go where an another dog has been, so you can't expect the puppy to do it's business while you're doing errands.
-Small puppies can't be left alone, even for half an hour. It's unnatural for a dog to be alone so it needs to be taught, gradually. If this is not done properly, the dog may suffer permanent separation anxiety which is horrible for the dog and no fun for the owners as it is often connected with indoor peeing, barking and/or destructive behaviour.
- Small puppies don't know how to walk on a leash. This has to be taught and never forced. It is not feasible to bring a small puppy on errands, because he won't walk on the leash like a grown dog. The puppy will suddenly sit down and refuse to move. It will play with pinecones/leaves/pieces of paper etc that it finds. It will get tired. It will try to eat stuff off the ground.
- Obedience training is time consuming. If you aren't very experienced with puppies, you need to take a weekly obedience class when the puppy is about 4 months. The class is for socialising the puppy and for you to learn how to train him. The training takes place at home, daily. As with all learning, repetition is key.

Do these things fit into your life?

I've already answered your question about the walks. If you want a happy and contented adult dog, it will need more than what you're suggesting, at least a couple times a week. All dogs deserved to run on a beach or a forest floor once in a while.

From what you have mentioned, I do believe I will have time for this as I plan on hiring a professional trainer to help me out. As well, there is someone at home most of the time. However, what if we want to go out for dinner when someone isn't at home? How old does the puppy have to be until it is mature enough to be left alone for a couple hours?

[Hellas]

From what you have mentioned, I do believe I will have time for this as I plan on hiring a professional trainer to help me out. As well, there is someone at home most of the time. However, what if we want to go out for dinner when someone isn't at home? How old does the puppy have to be until it is mature enough to be left alone for a couple hours?

It's excellent that somebody will be home most of the time. Hiring a good professional trainer is often a good idea. Just remember that at the end of the day, it is you who will need to do most of the work. Training a dog is something that goes on all the time, so it's not something you can rely on a trainer to do. You and your family need to know how to communicate with the dog and that can only be achieved by working with the dog.

There is no 100 percent answer to how old a puppy has to be to be left alone for a couple of hours. It depends on the puppy and how succesful you have been getting it accustomed to being alone. Some dogs will always hate being left alone while others take it in stride.

I'm sorry if I sound overly negative. It's just that I know how often things go wrong because people underestimate the huge effort that goes into raising a happy and well behaved dog. And whenever somebody says they can only give the dog a 15 minute walk per day, alarm bells ring, because I know that a majority of dogs will simply not be content with that. The decision is yours of course. I can only speak from my own experience of owning two pugs.

[Wally 'n' Leto]

Hi, I have been following the thread but did not add because I would just have been repeating what had already been said.

Where in Canada are you located? Unless you are in a tiny town somewhere, it is very unlikely that you will be able to take the dog with you into most stores, and definitely not into the grocery or restaurants, even if you carry it. In Canada it is illegal for pets to go where food is being prepared and served. Most other businesses do not permit pets either. Even if shopping malls do permit dogs, the stores in them usually do not. North America is not particularly pet friendly in that respect.

Regarding the trainer, I would like to add to Hellas' comments, that if the trainer is training the dog without you, it will not do any good. The training relationship between dog and owner needs to be built, and training is based on respect for as well as the techniques of the individual handler. If the professional is taking your dog, training it and giving it back to you, neither of these are being achieved. With both our boys, basic obedience training was one hour class per week, plus half an hour minimum of structured homework every night, no excuses, for 8 weeks. Next course, working on longer stays as well as off leash and some distraction work (which is really an essential step to have the dog listen in parks etc) was the same time demand.

I tend to agree with Snifter that it sounds like you would do well to consider getting an older dog from a rescue. I've said before, we have a closer relationship in many regards with Leto (who we rescued at 16 months) than Wally (who we have had since 6 weeks). Many rescues have dogs that are very lovely, between 6 months and a couple of years old, who are still almost puppies, but whose personalities are known and how they will fit into your life is more predictable.

[Snifter]

You can leave a puppy alone for an hour or two pretty much as soon as it comes home so long as it is somewhere safe where it cannot get into trouble and you can deal with any potty accidents easily. In fact it is a good idea to leave the puppy alone for short periods on a fairly regular basis. Many people make the mistake of being with a new puppy 24/7 when it comes into the house which is great if you can keep that up. However most people then have to go back to work and it is quite a shock to the pup if it has got used to someone constantly being there. In my view you need to start your routine as you mean to go on. I would not leave a pup longer than a couple of hours, though, and even as adults if I think I am likely to be out for more than 4 hours I will get a walker in.

As for the trainer, that is a great idea, but remember that the trainer is teaching you as much as, if not more than, the dog. In other words the trainer is teaching you how to train the dog so you can keep it up at home.

[Hellas]

You can leave a puppy alone for an hour or two pretty much as soon as it comes home so long as it is somewhere safe where it cannot get into trouble and you can deal with any potty accidents easily. In fact it is a good idea to leave the puppy alone for short periods on a fairly regular basis. Many people make the mistake of being with a new puppy 24/7 when it comes into the house which is great if you can keep that up. However most people then have to go back to work and it is quite a shock to the pup if it has got used to someone constantly being there. In my view you need to start your routine as you mean to go on. I would not leave a pup longer than a couple of hours, though, and even as adults if I think I am likely to be out for more than 4 hours I will get a walker in.

For once, I partially disagree with you. I think that a puppy should be taught how to be alone very gradually. I would not leave a puppy alone at all for the first week or so, considering that it's just left it's mother and siblings. After that, I'd start by leaving it alone in a room for a few minutes, several times a day and then gradually making that time longer and longer, making the process as undramatic as possible. I would work up to an hour gradually.

[Snifter]

For once, I partially disagree with you. I think that a puppy should be taught how to be alone very gradually. I would not leave a puppy alone at all for the first week or so, considering that it's just left it's mother and siblings. After that, I'd start by leaving it alone in a room for a few minutes, several times a day and then gradually making that time longer and longer, making the process as undramatic as possible. I would work up to an hour gradually.

Of course there are pros and cons to both approaches. I think you have to start by doing what you feel most comfortable with, and of course tailor your habits according to how the puppy is reacting. My approach worked well for both of mine but it may not suit every pup.

[Hellas]

Of course there are pros and cons to both approaches. I think you have to start by doing what you feel most comfortable with, and of course tailor your habits according to how the puppy is reacting. My approach worked well for both of mine but it may not suit every pup.

Indeed. For me, the gradual approach just seems the least dramatic for the pup.

[Pumper]

The main reason I want the trainer is to train me how to train the Pug, because quite frankly, I'm nervous I'll screw up. I will see which methods are best for the pup. Also, we have a large fenced backyard, where the pup can run around and burn off some energy if needed. The good news is, I have a close friend with 3 Pugs, so I have a good and nearby Pug database if I have any questions. Thanks everyone for your comments, it's greatly appreciated!

[Hellas]

The main reason I want the trainer is to train me how to train the Pug, because quite frankly, I'm nervous I'll screw up. I will see which methods are best for the pup. Also, we have a large fenced backyard, where the pup can run around and burn off some energy if needed. The good news is, I have a close friend with 3 Pugs, so I have a good and nearby Pug database if I have any questions. Thanks everyone for your comments, it's greatly appreciated!

Good luck! It's great that your pug will have access to some puggy friends. That's not always easy to find and pugs so enjoy each others company.

It sounds as if you have the right idea about a trainer. Having somebody show you what to do is great, just as long you are prepared to do your homework between lessons. If I may offer one final piece of advice, it is that you should choose a trainer carefully. There are some out there who still use outdated methods based on the dominance theory. Please avoid them, if you want to have a happy and successful experience training your pug. Reward based training is by far the most effective and also the most humane. I always recommend clicker training because it works magic on my dogs and many others I know.