3 months old pug seems sad and scared all time

[Niel90]

My friend had bought a pug but month ago my friend met with accident and passed and sad part no one was there to look after him...so I took his responsibility he is just around 3 months old pug but day I bought him home he is like very scared and first while entering house he was not ready to enter inside.....was sitting outside looking around and if tried him to get him inside he start crying very loud. Now some days passed he is still scared. He is just sitting at one place in room and doesn't move from room and even doesn't eat food properly neither heoops interested in playing seems very quite and sad.....It really feels bad to see him on such sad state......even if I take him out for walk after 5 minutes he starts winning and wants to go inside......I am really scared about his behaviour

Can anyone advise me something for the pug ????

We have a Frenchie that didn't enjoy walks as a puppy, so worked with a dog behaviourist and that really helped.

Will the pooch cuddle with you? Can you put one of his beds in centre of room?

Not eating could be a bigger issue, and could require a vet visit.

If you haven't tried it yet, you add some chicken or cheese to food bowl to kick start appetite.

Hope you and the little fellow can be at ease soon!

This is normal. He's just lost his owner and is 3 months old. How would you expect a human child to react if their parent died and they had to go into the care of said parent's friend?
There's nothing you can do, really, other than give him love and care but don't be tempted to overindulge him, and give it time.

Can anyone tell what should I do so that the puppy stays happy.....I want him to be crazy and fun loving like others and enjoy his every moment in life.....so can anyone suggest me somexplain advises

I am no expert here but a few ideas with the aim of him starting to bond with you.

How about you keep sitting on the floor in the same room as him and see if he feels comfortable coming to you. Don't force the issue but perhaps play gently with a ball which might get his attention.

Let him eat some of his food (assuming it's dry) or snacks from your hand, again so he starts to build up trust in you.

He's lonely and grieving and he won't act like a normal puppy until he has got over this stage, with your help. The best thing you can do is spend a LOT of time sitting next to him (at the same level, as Bitey suggests above) and talking to him a lot (any old drivel - I comment on the television programme I am watching to my animals, etc!) in a conversational low tone. Gentle stroking/cuddles when he will accept them. He will then see you as a source of comfort. Outside is probably pretty scary for him because (presumably) it is nowhere he has been before, so all round he is having a very frightening time. Your job is to be his protector, rock and all round comforter.

Has he had all his vaccinations to be out? He needs to see the outside from a safe place, just watching.

What everyone else has said, plus keep a routine with him as that will help him start to feel secure.

First if all, well done for taking responsibility for the pup.

How long had your friend had the pup before passing away? If the pup is three months old now and you've had him a month the pup must have been pretty young. Pups go through what's known as a fear stage between 8-12 weeks of age; scary things that happen to them then can have much more impact than they would in an older or younger dog.

I would therefore think that the pup is not exactly sad, but fearful, and this will take time and patience to overcome. He's not just going to 'cheer up' overnight.

Do you know where the pup come from? Does he have pedigree papers? If so you could try contacting his breeder for advice. If you don't know or are unable to find out, ask your vet to recommend a good local behaviourist - not just a trainer - who can help.

Then, please get him physically checked by a vet to make sure he is in good health and not suffering any pain or discomfort. Are there any documents recording his vaccination status? If not, please ask what the vet recommends regarding this as they may be able to test to see if he has been vaccinated or not before acting accordingly.

There are some good resources here: fearful dogs.com (sorry, am using phone so can't get a clickable link). Also look for the websites of those organisations which rehabilitate street and feral dogs as they have tried and tested methods of helping dogs overcome their fears.

If you can, please give him a space in your home - a crate or indoor kennel - so he can make a 'den' to where he can retreat if the outside world gets too much, and where he can relax and eat.

You won't be able to force him to be 'crazy and fun loving' until you've helped him to come to terms with life and form a bond with you and trust you. At first this will involve waiting for him to take the initiative, and time, lots of time.

Thank you for your valuable advise I have followed them but there is a little change in him as he has started moving few baby steps in my room only but seems very stubborn when it comes to feeding him food as I try hand feeding him still he eats very less most times runs away from me do I try to approach him with love and sit with him on floor and even try to sleep near him but he tries to move away and I tried talking him for walk and tried to take him to dog park to meet other small puppies who are friendly with him but as they approach him with love to play he goes in serious panic mode and now he has started avoiding the walk and even going out

I even tried crating him I made it like den environment but he does like to be in crate gets lots depressed

I even got him checked from vet but everything seems fine and he has been given vaccinations

If there are any suggestions than feel free to tell

Thanks for all the guidance but he is started slight improvement

Wishing u guys and your little cute pets merry Christmas and Happy newyear

You really need to give him time; you can't force things.

A friend of mine took in a fearful ex-street dog; it took the dog nearly three months to leave the one room she felt safe in, and another month after that before she would come out from under the table in the new room she ventured into.

You need to let the dog learn to trust you and the environment he is in, at his own pace. It's really, really NOT going to happen in a few days or even weeks.

If you try and force things, you'll be doing what's called 'flooding' which means there is so much the dog can't cope with that it mentally shuts down. This might appear to help at first but will set up problems for the future. Do you really want your dog in 'serious panic mode' for the rest of his life?

Please get some professional help with this.

I think it's just too much all at once. I echo the advice on getting a behaviourist or trainer in to help formulate a plan so you have something to follow.

It's going to be baby steps. The little fellow had been through a lot and is now scared of his new home and scared of the outside world. It's going to take time for him to form a bond with you and trust you but once he has then he will take comfort from you.

He's 3 months old and is already in his 3rd home. Give him a chance. Is he vaccinated? I wouldn't force him into anything like walks etc yet. Do you have a secure garden for him?

Good luck, I have nothing to add, you have had some good advice.

One of mine was terrified to go out when he was a puppy. We had to take it slowly, but he grew up to be a wonderful confident dog.

I would like thank you guys for suggestion I followed and there is drastic change in my pugs behaviour and is still improving he is calm cool he goes roaming in house slow n steady but his attention is very short and is very stubborn when comes to feeding and I got him new toys but he seems doesn't like them just doest not go near them and one thing he hates is going for walks.....many people say start crating him.....friends is it correct to put a small puppy in crate won't feel alone ????

Have you got in touch with a pug breed club? The Pug Welfare Association will probably be able to give you pug-specific advice and support, since you're dealing with a puppy you didn't initially intend to have!

It is still very early days for him so slow and steady at his pace. What to you seems fun can frighten him and make him miserable. You need someone with more experience/training 're crating etc so do seek out some help, your vet may have suggestions of local training etc.

I would like to thank all of you for giving me guidance the puppy has gone through superlative change in adjusting in new home with new people and is learning very fast pace as days pass by and from shy scared puppy he is a crazy naughty adventures puppy and has become fully friendly and very expressive happy and playful. I always heard pugs r very stubborn and take lot of time in training but this puppy is rare one as he listen all things and he is not all that stubborn and he has finis he'd his general training like sit come go eat and also familiar with family names and likes to play with us and go out with us specially on beach and likes to run like hell and also started potty training so far all going good and started walks also present duration is small so that he does not panic and slowly I will increase it but only one thing he gets uncomfortable is when u try put him in crate , cab anyone tell me is crating puppy important or shall I wait for him to get 1 year old and than start crating him , if any suggestion for his crate fear or crating him please feel free to tell

He is a sweet heart always making laugh by his actions.

I love with this cute breed

OP some people never crate a puppy so don't worry if you don't want to.

The benefits of a crate can be to give them a safe space, to help toilet training, to keep them safe, so they are used to it if you need to stay at vets etc.

However, if you find your puppy now he is older still doesn't like the crate then it is entirely up to you whether you continue to get him used to it or not to bother. My puppy was crate trained but at the age of 1 we stopped using the crate anyway as he started to not want to sleep in it and was old enough to be safe outside of a crate etc.

I've never tried to crate a dog so, of course, I think it is unnecessary. I don't like the idea at all and my dogs have been fine.
Delighted to read your update - you are obviously been a caring and sensible dog owner and your pup sounds very happy (he is lucky you adopted him).

I'm so happy that its worked out for you! You must have worked really hard and done all the right things and it sounds like he is going to have a great life with you.