How do you housebreak a pug puppy?

QUESTION: How do you housebreak a pug puppy? I was wondering how you housebreak a pug puppy. Do you make it sleep in its cage all night? I am confused and need help immediately!

ANSWER: First off – pugs are NOTORIOUSLY stubborn when it comes to housebreaking. I have two pugs and I feel your pain!First off do NOT spank the puppy when you see his mess.  Dogs live moment to moment and unless you get his attention WHEN he is ‘doing the deed’ he won’t understand WHY he is getting spanked. It will just make him afraid of you. As much as pugs act like kids you can’t treat them like one. There are a few things that you need to do. First – clean EVERYTHING that he has marked with an enzyme cleaner. I personally recommend Nature’s Miracle. If he can smell even a LITTLE bit of where he has ‘gone’ before he WILL go there again. You need to clean the rugs furniture etc. Basically you need to wipe the slate clean of scents.The key to getting him trained RIGHT is to pay CLOSE attention to him and give him LOTS and LOTS of praise when he DOES go outside.You will basically have to confine him to a certain area when you can keep a direct eye on him at all times. Let him drink and then take him RIGHT outside to the place where you want him to ‘go’. Say ‘Time to go pee’ when you are taking him outside. Do NOT play with him while you are outside. Wait for him to go ‘pee’ and if he DOES ‘go’ outside give him LOTS of REALLY tasty treats. Sing praises. Make a fool out of yourself. Remember dogs act on a strictly ‘cost/benefit’ analysis. ‘What does doing this behavior gain me?’ If ‘going’ outside gets him treats and praise he will WANT to start doing this. If he doesn’t go outside on the first trip bring him back inside and put him back in his crate for about a half hour. Don’t give him any more water. Wait about a half hour and take him out again. Remember DON’T play with him on these trips and to say ‘Time to go pee’. Keep making the half hour trips until he goes and THEN take him for a walk play a game with him. Make it WORTH HIS WHILE to go outside. Make that ‘cost/benefit’ analysis mentality WORK for you!Dogs ALWAYS give a sign when they are getting ready to ‘go’. They may circle start sniffing etc. That’s why it is SO important to keep your dog in a place where you can DIRECTLY keep an eye on him. They also generally will not ‘go’ in the house if you are watching them. They will ‘stealth pee’ go into another room or wait until you leave. When my stepson was helping housebreak one of our pugs he kept her leashed to him when she wasn’t in her crate. Within two days she was ‘going’ outside.The last thing I suggest is to get a belly band. Dogs don’t like to be wet and the belly band basically acts like training pants for kids. The dog pees feels the wetness and thinks ‘This does NOT benefit me!’ You just have to pay attention in order to see when he DOES go so you don’t keep urine close to his skin.I truly hope these tips help! A GREAT site for pug people is pugvillage.com. It’s free and populated by a bunch of pug owners vets etc. You can ask ANY question there and you will ALWAYS get a friendly prompt response!