Do Pugs Bark A Lot? Train Your Pug To Decrease Barking
Are you thinking of getting a dog? You may be concerned about excessive barking bothering others. But a Pug can make a difference.
Do Pugs bark a lot? Find out here.
It’s super annoying to have a neighbor dog that barks endlessly or wakes you up in the middle of the night due to barking. And it’s worse to have that kind of noise right inside your home.
So, having a Pug may be the answer for those who don’t want to hear all that much barking.
Of course, not all Pugs are the same. Some bark more than others. But I would say that generally speaking, Pugs bark less than other breeds.
If your Pug does bark often, what are the reasons? And can you train Pugs to decrease excessive barking?
You will find all the answers right here.
Do Pugs Bark A Lot?
Pugs are dogs. So, yes, they bark.
However, they are not loud barkers compared to other breeds.
Due to the construction of a flat snout, Pugs can’t make loud noises. So when your Pug barks, the sound does not project as far as other breeds.
Basically, it’s not as loud.
In fact, when a Pug barks, he pretty much wants to convey a message.
It is not just random barking; however, it may be a mystery to figure out what he’s barking at.
When you look at a Pug, you can see that he will not be a high-pitched yelper by his sturdy build. So, if you hear a Pug bark, it’s more like a medium pitch sound. It’s not as loud as a German Shepherd or as sharp as a Terrier breed.
Pugs are not noisy canines. Their barking should make a point or indicating aggression toward something.
Like most territorial dogs, Pugs bark at strangers. However, they show less aggression if people are harmless. Most of the time, these friendly fellows tend to look for petting more than hurting people.
Besides those, there are more reasons why Pugs bark.
Communication
Social dogs like Pugs love to be around people and socialize.
Many times, Pugs bark to remind you of filling the bowl. That may come with a single bark just around dinner time.
Of course, they are quick learners when it comes to food. Your Pugs may train you to fill their bowl with a single bark. If so, the barking becomes more intense, at least until the dinner is served!
When a friend shows up, Pugs say hello with a series of barks followed by a wagging tail.
Also, in some cases, the barking is an alert that someone is at the door. When my Pugs hear the UPS or FEDEX truck pull up, they break out into non-stop barking.
Maybe they’re hoping it’s their delivery from Farmer’s Dog. (Put link here).
Pugs also bark to communicate with other dogs. It can be a little roar when they play together or an exciting yowl at the dog park.
Aggression
It’s common for a dog to bark at strangers, intruders, and thieves.
Like other dogs, Pugs’ ears are sensitive to sounds we can’t hear. So, they can sense somebody strange is roaming the backyard.
Aggressive Pug barking usually comes with snorting.
Loud noises also trigger aggression in Pugs. A vacuum clean
Excitement
Mealtime can trigger pugs to bark, so can playtime. Pugs can bark by the bowl or the ball to urge you to the act.
My Pugs bark around 2:00 in the afternoon. This is the time they get their walk, and they’re not going to let me forget it! If I don’t get moving right away, their barking and staring at me intensifies until I get up. Pugs don’t need tons of exercise (put link here), but they do need some.
TV Howling
The television has a lot for Pugs to react to. For example, if you’re watching a dog barking show, it will trigger your pup to join. My Pugs bark often when horses are on TV.
There are some shows that I want to watch but can’t. There’s just too much barking!
Pugs bark and watch youtube videos also. A big component of “screen time” is hearing other dogs bark and whimper.
Also, a show with high-pitch noise like the sirens may lead to howling. You may occasionally see your Pugs howl. It’s the funniest thing. Not exactly like a wolf, but they try.
Solitude
As companion dogs, Pugs don’t like to be left alone. Like a child’s cry, Pugs bark when there are no people around them. Some Pugs bark when you leave home to say “don’t go” or “take me with you.”
My Pugs usually greet me at the door when I come home. There’s lots of barking, and my little Lulu has a cry that makes me never want to leave her alone again!
Disciplinary Failure
Pugs can be intrusive if you don’t train them at the beginning. Pugs may be demanding as babies, and how they ask for food or play can is by barking.
If you encourage this reaction, the pooch will understand it as barking makes you agree. So, this will do any good in the long run.
Yes, I have failed my Pugs in discipline in this aspect. My Pugs bark when they want something. They may want their dinner, play fetch, go for a walk, or be let outside. What’s a Pug Mom to do?
Reasons Why Pugs Bark More than Usual
Barking is not an enjoyable activity for Pugs. If they do it more than usual, you should know that it’s not normal.
Commonly, fearful dogs bark to defend themselves. You can tell when a Pug is scared by looking at its ears and tail. They may hold their ears back and hold their tails low.
Bored Pugs also bark out of frustration. When a playful dog has nowhere to spend its energy, he likely barks to release himself.
As I mentioned, territorial pugs will bark at strangers and newcomers. They may consider these people as threats.
If it’s playtime, it’s not unusual to see your Pug jumping and giving some barks to show off his excitement. That means the dog is ready for a good time.
Of all the reasons, sickness can be a problem for over-barking. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, or deafness, can be the cause because the dog can’t hear himself.
Canines are pack-mental. Many dogs will form a group, and there will be an Alpha. When this one barks, the others will follow, creating a chain of loud noise. I’m sure you’ve seen one of your Pugs bark, and then the others are also barking.
The others don’t know what they’re barking at, but they’re happy to join in.
As more dogs are joining the barking, more will come.
Odd Reasons Pugs Bark
In my opinion, Pugs bark at the funniest things and the weirdest times.
Here are some examples:
- Looking out the window and barking at the clouds or trees blowing in the wind.
- Looking out the window at night and barking at the moon or a light in the sky.
- Barking at a bug.
- Barking at a pair of socks left on a chair.
- Barking at a package on the table that is not usually there.
- Barking at a box on the floor and sneaking up to it like it’s bomb!
- Barking for entirely unknown reasons.
If you have something funny that your Pugs bark at, leave it in the comments below.
How to Train your Pug to Reduce His Barking
Though barking is an instinct, training can shape this behavior in a better manner.
So, how do you get your Pug to bark less?
The “Silence” Cue
Commonly, dogs take commands quite well as it’s easy for them to get the clue.
A firm “quiet” cue when the dog barks for no reason will catch his attention and make him stop barking.
As they stop, consolidate with praise to say that no barking is good. If you can, give the pup a treat to reinforce the training.
No yelling. As you scold, your Pug will think you are joining the barking, thus making them bark more and louder. For example, if a delivery truck pulls up, my Pugs bark like crazy! If I start yelling at them to be quiet, I get the feeling that they think I’m joining in and bark even more. Of course, it always pays off for them. The truck will leave. Maybe they believe they’ve scared the person and truck away.
Speaking – Not Barking
The point of teaching a Pug to speak is to let your Pug know that he can bark when he’s allowed. Teaching speaking will bring better communication between owners and the dogs.
Usually, the training doesn’t take too long. You can take time to improve the overall training.
And in a training class, the treat is your currency. Or, you can use a toy that your Pug loves.
The key is the dog has to love what he is learning. So, here are the steps:
1. Give Treats
Sometimes, rewards for nothing are not meaningless. But in this case, you will keep the treat right out of the pup’s reach. Refrain from saying, “Speak, speak, speak.”
What you are doing is hanging out with your Pugs with treats in your hands, however not giving them to him.
When your Pug barks, give the treat to him. He will understand that’s what he has to do to get the food.
Remember that barking, in this case, is not the barking you hear when your dog meets a stranger. It should be just a small bark.
It may take time to train this. So, be patient and don’t give the treat too early. Once your Pug catches on, add the word “speak.” Soon he will learn when you say the phrase “speak,” it’s time to bark.
Also, don’t forget to use a sweet voice to let your Pug know they are doing a great job.
2. Distraction
Toys are super helpful in distracting Pugs from barking. When you give your Pug dog a toy, they’ll have something else to do.
It would be best if you can provide them a toy that you stuff treats in it. However, this is not a long-lasting solution.
You can reinforce the distraction with command training. Make sure you reward your Pug when he stops barking after the cue.
3. Use a Bark Collar for Pugs
Many people do not like using bark collars on dogs. However, the ones I recommend are not shock collars.
Vibrating collars are the alternatives that are improved, so they don’t hurt dogs. When your Pug barks, the collar will vibrate slightly, giving your Pug a clue that he should not bark. Vibrating collars are similar to adding a distraction.
These devices have intensity settings. So be sure to set the level only as high as it needs to be to interrupt your dog’s barking. Be aware that your dog may learn to associate the collar with the vibration. He may only stay quiet when the collar is on.
Vibrating collars are very different than shock collars. We are not trying to make our Pugs fearful. Many of these collars have intensity settings.
Be sure to use a level only as high as it needs to stop your Pugs barking.
Once your Pug learns to stop barking excessively, take the collar off.
He may learn to associate the collar with the vibration. This, he might only stay quiet when the collar is on.
At this point, you may try some higher-level training. You may want to pair the word “quiet” with the vibration. Do not yell or say the word “quiet” loudly. You want to use this word when the collar is not on and not add to the noise in the home.
Pugs Barking Too Much Because of Health Problems
It’s possible that your Pug is barking because he has dementia or deafness.
The first thing to do is to observe. Make sure your Pug can hear you. If you’re not sure if your Pug is barking due to health problems, you should contact a vet to do a check-up.
How to Deal with Multiple Pugs Barking
Having more than one Pug barking in the house can be a nightmare.
If the Pugs are not friends at first, you will need to introduce them to each other. Then, you may need to train them individually, not to bark
Train Pugs to Not Bark at Each Other
If you happen to have a new puppy to join your Pug, it’s essential to take time to introduce them. New Pugs may need to get to know each other. They may often bark in the beginning if they think the other is a threat. That is why you need to make them get along.
The process may not be magical. It may go slow, but you will let the benefits in the long run.
Is It a Fight or Play Fighting
When you get the two Pugs together, they may fight. If they are play fighting, don’t be nervous.
When you get a new Pug, pay attention at the beginning that they are just playing. Separate them if it is more than play.
You can figure out if it is playing if they are both going back and forth with each other. If one is always chasing the other and the second Pug is always hiding, it is a fight. It’s time to separate them and work on training.
Of course, Pugs barking usually accompanies play fighting.
Identify the Alpha Pug
In a group of dogs, there is an Alpha dog, which has the leading role. When this Alpha barks, the rest will follow.
If you can train the Alpha to stop barking unreasonably, it’s easier to teach the rest of the group.
Increase Exercise
Walks will help to burn up some of that Pug energy. Excess Pug energy often results in your Pug barking or other bad behavior.
I’ve noticed that when it is too hot or too cold (link here maybe) to take my Pugs for their routine walks, their energy level increases. We spend more time playing inside, specifically running down the hallway after toys. I often put their collars on in the house. We do some training, and this usually satisfies the need for their walks.
Playing together also builds bonds between dogs. You also want to make them share space, toys, and treats so that they know that this one is a fellow, not a nemesis.
Do Pugs Bark A Lot?
Indeed, they don’t. But if they do, you should be able to find the reasons now.
Telling a Pug not to bark doesn’t make sense, but it’s viable to train them to bark more reasonably.
And when you do the training, please add your patience and love. DON’T force your Pugs in any manner, or they will obey out of fear, not learning the lesson.
I hope you find this article helpful.
Thanks for reading.