Pug aggression should not be tolerated and when you observe any signs you must take appropriate action in order to prevent it from becoming permanent trouble and to adjust solutions that aim at correcting this behavior.
In general, pugs are known for being calm and don’t cause too much trouble or manifest an aggressive attitude towards others. As this is not always the case and your pug suddenly changes his behavior and becomes aggressive, you should know that this can be due to several factors.
Aggression is a concerning behavioral problem most dog owners face, which can be largely prevented if the owner understands the growing periods and factors that influence the development of aggressive behavior.
What Triggers Aggression in Pugs
Aggressive behavior can be triggered by factors such as dominance needs, improper training, a violent environment, and lack of socialization. Puppies display a critical need for socialization from the age of three weeks when they are able to see and hear, until the age of 14 weeks and this is why they should be best brought to their new home between seven and eight weeks in order to accustom them to proper socialization.
Preventing aggression means early socialization, therefore puppies should be handled with care, especially between three and four months of age. It is best to avoid engaging them in a tough, aggressive, or fighting game or activity.
Another important thing during their training is that they should not be physically punished even when they have aggressive behavior, instead, they should be denied rewards when acting aggressively. The environment in which they grow up is also extremely important because their moods can be affected by the general state of mind in the house. If they live in a violent environment and are often ignored when going through certain issues, they will respond in much the same way.
Frequent Signs of Pug Aggression
There are several types of aggression that pugs can manifest which include territoriality, fear, protection of food and toys, sense of dominance, but certain types of normal socialization may seem aggressive manifestations if occurring excessively, such as growling, biting, jumping, barking, and more.
If you find that your pug shows signs of aggression, it is better to not test this in a place where he does not know the other dogs and their owners. If he turns out to be aggressive, you can put yourself at risk, but also the ones around you.
Signs of dominant behavior include the tendency to block either the path of people around you or dogs, to constantly seek attention, to walk out the door in front of you, to protect your sleeping space, and to stop eating when someone approaches him, jumping on people or other dogs.
Probably you’ll regard these manifestations as insignificant, but they need to be monitored and discouraged through training. However, you should know that there are many cases in which dogs do not give any hint before biting. Remember that there is a good chance that a dominant dog will aggressively attack.
How to stop and correct pug aggression
Even if it is not very common for a pug to be a really aggressive dog, this cannot be completely ignored and ruled out. When it happens, the first step you can do is to pay a visit to the veterinarian and exclude any physical illness. Your pug’s aggression could be a bigger problem and biting and growling could send the message that he simply wants to be left alone to face the pain. Another thing you need to do is to avoid harsh punishment during training or when your pug expresses aggression.
Punishing your dog for aggressive behavior usually has repercussions and can escalate aggression. If you respond to a dog growling or barking with screams, punches, or other violent methods, the dog may feel the need to defend itself by biting you. Consider socialization as part of proper training. You may encourage your pug to socialize as a puppy, by getting him used to other puppies so that they can play together.
Always treat your dog kindly and respectfully, especially when training him. Physical correction, intimidation, and isolation encourage aggression by increasing anxiety. If you see that all your efforts are to no avail, consult a canine behavior specialist who can adjust a correction plan and monitor its progress. Even though pugs are small dogs and could not mean too much harm, aggressive behavior should be stopped, particularly in puppies.
