a trick for pugs dawdling in the morning...

[Cookie]

I can tell you right now that it doesn't work with MY senior!! Mandy's routine is get up, go out, come in, eat. If we are later than usual, like on the weekends, she goes out just for show. We have a fenced yard, so I just let her out while I make up her dish. Many times she walks over to the grass, looks at it, then comes back to the door. After she eats she'll run to the door and give me the hairy eyeball til I let her back out for business.

In fact, I think Mandy is convinced that going outside is what causes the food to come into her dish. Every time she goes outside, as soon as she comes in she goes over to check the dish to see if food has magically appeared there!

[Bella's folks]

Food does not work with Bella. The difficulty is getting her off the bed in the first place and even food does not tempt her!! I am first up and normally she is lying at the foot of the bed. By the time I get out of the shower and dressed she is snuggled right into daddy at the top of the bed - often along his head. It is like she thinks that the tighter she snuggles in the less likely I am to see her So, I have to physically lift her off the bed and often out the door. Once I get her outside to prove a point she will often just sit for a few minutes smelling the air pondering as to what kind of day it is going to be. No amount of treats tempt her. However on the weekend when we can all have a lie in, now that is a different story - up and raring to go

[Rosco34]

Since last Thursday, Rosco has been stubborn with going pee pee.....he won't go for me at the 6pm walk.....one night i left him and he was fine till 10:30pm, but I would rather he go and I know he is doing it on purpose. I promised myself I would never give treats for going potty, the other night we have dinner reservations at this hard to get in pizza place 1 hour away and could not be late...so after being outside for 40 minutes, I came in with him got a treat and went back out....told him to go pee pee and he went withing 5-7 minutes. Unbelievable!!

[Bella's folks]

Since last Thursday, Rosco has been stubborn with going pee pee.....he won't go for me at the 6pm walk.....one night i left him and he was fine till 10:30pm, but I would rather he go and I know he is doing it on purpose. I promised myself I would never give treats for going potty, the other night we have dinner reservations at this hard to get in pizza place 1 hour away and could not be late...so after being outside for 40 minutes, I came in with him got a treat and went back out....told him to go pee pee and he went withing 5-7 minutes. Unbelievable!!

They talk about stubborn as a mule, but I do not think that there is anything on this planet as stubborn as a pug

[Lemon]

I promised myself I would never give treats for going potty, the other night we have dinner reservations at this hard to get in pizza place 1 hour away and could not be late...so after being outside for 40 minutes, I came in with him got a treat and went back out....told him to go pee pee and he went withing 5-7 minutes. Unbelievable!!

Stephanie, it's funny, I don't know if you saw my post about the training book I'm reading. The author talks about the treats for potty thing. She said if you start giving your dogs treats after they do their business every time, you'll be amazed at how much more quickly they'll get it done. She started doing it when she got tired of waiting around in the winter.

Anyway, I just giggled when I read it because I'd just discovered how well Lemon's food bowl works as enticement.

[lashwish]

We started giving Oscar treats for going to the bathroom outside during his accident prone stage around 6 months. I figured a reward for going in the right place would help & it did!

In the 2 training classes we had they gave treats for everything. Everyone was weary of doing this, but now I just cut back on Oscar's regular dinner depending on how many treats he gets during the day. I have no problem with it & he performs better :)

[Rosco34]

Kathleen, oh my gosh, thank you so very much for sharing this idea with us....as i said above, Rosco had been so stubborn in the pee pee department for a week now, keeping me outside for 40+ minutes. So today there was stormy weather, downpours and thunder and lighting....i was stressed all day that he wouldn't go outside and bart is working nights....so I got home after being stuck in traffic at 6:35 pm....i opened his crate, put his harness on, prepared his dinner and grabbed his leash and said lets go outside and do pee pee and mess. I have never seen him walk so fast! As soon as he hit the grass he did mess, then not 2 minutes later he did pee pee....amazing...then as soon as he finished, he ran home so fast I could barely keep up with him, his little butt was tucked under and running ..... came in side and was jumping up for his dinner. I kept it on the counter, and then put it down when we got in. I know it's only once it worked, but it was great! and another plus, we wen't out inbetween the downpours.

[Lemon]

Yay, I'm so glad it's working for you! I'm thrilled to have stumbled onto the idea. It's working like gangbusters for us. Before now, I'd tried saying, "Are you hungry? Then go now!" I kept forgetting that pugs can't make that kind of connection. She would hear "Are you hungry" and race back to the door without doing any of the important stuff.

At least it's easier in winter. Lemon never pees and poops so fast as when her paws are freezing.