Pug Training: Train Your Pug To Wait

This Pug training advice could literally save your Pugs life!

Training your Pug to “wait” is an invaluable training command that will not only improve his behavior and make him easier to live with, but can also literally save his life.

One of the most common problems that many Pug owners have is preventing their dogs from darting through the door at any given chance they get. As you can probably guess, this behavior can cause your Pug to run from the house and face injury or even death from oncoming traffic. Therefore, “wait” is one of the most useful and important commands you can teach your Pug, and it’s especially important when dealing with an open door.

How To Train Your Pug To “Wait” At The Door

Here is how to train your Pug to not run through a door in five easy steps:

Step 1: Have your Pug sit by your side as you face the door on the inside of the house.  Be sure that the door opens away from you. The idea here is to show your Pug that an open door does NOT mean it is okay for him to leave.

Step 2: Now give him the “wait” command as you reach for the door. If your dog does not move, say “Good Boy” and give him a ‘click’ (using a clicker or a mouth click) and a food treat. However, if he starts to move towards the door, give a cheerful “No”, and get him to sit again by your side. Do not scold him or yell, instead keep it positive.

Step 3: Repeat the process, and next time reach a little bit farther towards the door. If your Pug remains sitting, then continue by rewarding your dog with a ‘click’ and treat, and then do it again by going even further towards the door. Your Pug should be sitting until you actually touch the handle and jiggle it. Again, reward him with a ‘click’ and a treat for sitting still and being a good Pug.

Step 4: Next, reach for the door and slowly open it just an inch or two. Reward your Pug with a ‘click’ and a food treat if he sits still. And again, if he starts to move towards the door then say “No” cheerfully and sit him back down again. Repeat the process while you continue to open the door more and more each time.

Step 5: By this point, your Pug should be doing quite well! You know you’re doing well when you are able to open the door all the way while your Pug remains sitting. The next step is to walk through it, turn around and face him. Wait about ten seconds or so, and then walk back to the Pug and give him a ‘click’ and a food treat...this is a major accomplishment! As you continue to work on this, mix in a few times where you walk through the door and call your dog to come to you as you stand outside -- when he does, give him the “sit” command along with a ‘click’ and a food treat.

Repeat these 5 steps over the next few days to reinforce the training. Make sure that you stay positive and reinforce your Pugs’ desired behaviors.

Pretty soon, you’ll have a perfectly trained Pug that will not run through a door as soon as it is opened…and what a relief that is!