Pugs do not have any specific skills or talents which they excel in, unlike Border Collies who are great at herding, obedience, and agility.
But this does not make pugs dumb, just because they don’t have any instinctive intelligence as many other dogs have, does not make them any less intelligent.
Despite what people think, pugs have a great deal of working and obedience intelligence, meaning that they are very much trainable like other dog breeds that are considered ferior to them.
They are in fact one of the easiest dogs to train due to the combination of work rate and obedience as well as the fact that they are very much people-pleasers, which they will show through the tricks you teach them.
Things to love about Pugs Beyond Intelligence
Thanks to their obedience and working intelligence, pugs are one of the easiest dogs to train. On the flip side, pugs are one of the hardest breeds to potty train, so if you’re thinking about getting a puppy then you’ve been warned.
Though with some determination from the owner and the pug, they can be trained just like all dogs, it’s just going to take some more time…and some extra treats and head pats.
As we’ve mentioned, pugs don’t have the same instinctive intelligence that breeds like Border Collies do, though it’s not their fault, they have basically been bred to be small loveable dogs that will snuggle up against you all day long.
On top of being small loveable dogs, here are a couple of things that make pugs great, beyond their moderate intelligence.
- Your pug can learn tricks: As mentioned, pugs are as capable of learning tricks as any other dog you could.
- Pugs learn fast: No dog is perfect, and your pug is bound to make mistakes. But when your dog notices how you react to bad behavior, they will be very unwilling to act up again.
- A great family dog: A people lover and pleaser, pugs make for a great family dog.
- A snuggle buddy: Your pug will want to snuggle up to you all day, unlike some dogs that are constantly hyper and bounce around your home, pugs will just want to chill out and be with their favorite human.
So, just because pugs don’t have any instinctive intelligence that makes them stand out from the pack, they are certainly not dumb. And as listed above, they have many attractive characteristics that make them a pet that you’ll want to make a part of the family
Why are Pugs Known as Dumb Dogs?
It’s hard to measure a dog’s intelligence, so all dogs are unique and a dog being a certain breed certainly doesn’t make them more intelligent than another.
Although as we’ve mentioned, breeds generally come with some sort of instinctive intelligence which sets them apart from other dogs and allows them to show off their intelligence.
And since pugs don’t have any sort of instinctive intelligence, people consider them to be dumb dogs. Despite this, they are more than capable of being trained thanks to their work rate and general love towards humans which encourages them to learn and impress their owners.
The sad part of the whole ordeal is one of the defining factors as to why people consider pugs to be dumb is because of the way they look. Whether you love them or not, you have to admit that pugs look a little goofy, whether they are sat still or ?
running’ round, they just look so silly but they are still cute dogs. And this is where this unfortunate labeling has come from. Because generally as humans, we like to believe that if someone or something looks a little odd or goofy, we believe it to be unintelligent. And this is exactly the logic we apply to pugs too.
How Intelligent are Pugs?
If we were to make a list of all dogs breeds based on intelligence, the top of the list would be bred like Doberman Pinscher, chihuahuas, Border Collies, Rottweiler; all breeds who have some sort of desirable intelligence trait.
And because pugs don’t have any sort of desirable instinctive intelligence, they would never make the top of this list. But as we’ve already covered how great pugs are, we would believe that pugs would sit around the middle of the pack when it comes to general intelligence in dogs.
Meet John Patterson, an accomplished Dog Trainer and a dedicated advocate for building strong human-canine relationships.With years of experience as a Professional Dog Trainer, John firmly believes that well-trained dogs are a reflection of patient guidance and unwavering care. Beyond his training skills, he finds solace in grooming and playing with dogs, nurturing their physical and emotional well-being.