Have you ever found yourself repeatedly asking your dog to do something, only to have them ignore you? It can be frustrating and embarrassing! What can you do with a dog who doesn’t listen to you?
Why They Don’t Listen
It can feel easy to label your dog as “stubborn”, “dominant”, “lazy”, or any number of things when they don’t listen to you. But these labels don’t do much to explain the many reasons a dog might not respond to a cue. Labels aren’t helpful in solving the problem either! Here are 4 common reasons dogs don’t listen.
Lack of Understanding
Have you really, fully taught your dog what you want from them? A very common reason dogs don’t respond is because they don’t understand what we want.
Ask yourself: “Has my dog ever done this behavior, in this way, in this environment?”
Dogs are very detail-oriented; a change in the environment or subtle differences in how you ask for the behavior can drastically affect their understanding.
Assume lack of understanding if you’re working on a new skill, in a new location, or with a young dog or a dog that is new in your life.
Competing Motivations
Maybe your dog understands what you are asking of them, but they’ve decided they’d rather do their own thing. Please understand that this isn’t some horrible character flaw! All living creatures, yourself included, think about what behavior is going to work best to get what they want. When presented with choices, we think about the effort required and the payoff for that effort.
Ask yourself: “What does my dog want right now? Is it what I’m offering? Do they even know what I’m offering?”
Considering motivation goes back to the “understanding” element. If your dog doesn’t have a strong understanding of why they should do a certain behavior (to get a special treat, for example), it is less likely they will choose that behavior.
If there’s something better (in their mind) available, dogs will choose the behavior that gets them that.
Dogs may also avoid a behavior if they’ve learned it leads to an outcome they don’t want. Even if it would mean getting an extra-tasty treat, it may not be worth coming when called if it also means leaving the park.
Physical Discomfort
Dogs may not listen if they know (or are concerned) that the behavior you are asking them to do will be physically uncomfortable. This could include everything from jumping on/off things and moving fast to simply getting up from a resting place or changing positions.
Dogs rarely tell us when they hurt. We have to observe their behavior.
Ask yourself: “Has my dog’s willingness to do this behavior changed? Are they quick to respond to some cues but slow on others?”
A big red flag for physical discomfort is if your dog previously listened and responded quickly but now is appearing “stubborn” or “lazy.” But this can be a root cause for any dog.
Emotional Discomfort
Fear and stress play a huge role in behavior. A dog that is concerned that a behavior will be scary or put them in an uncomfortable situation is a dog that may not “listen”.
Ask yourself: “Has my dog ever been startled or scared while doing this behavior? Does my dog have fears related to the people, other dogs, environment, or objects present?”
When stress is involved, it isn’t an obedience problem.
Why Some Dogs Are Better “Listeners”
Some dogs are quicker and more consistent about responding to cues or information from their humans. This isn’t because they are “smarter” or somehow better than other dogs but could be related to a few factors.
Breed Tendency
Humans have been selecting for certain characteristics in dogs for thousands of years. In some breeds, this includes working cooperatively with humans (aka “listening” to humans). But in other breeds, independence is prized. Still other breeds may not have had any particular selection around how they work with humans, maybe because we just cared how they looked.
Breed isn’t fate and doesn’t determine everything about a dog’s behavior. However, knowing the history of your dog’s breed(s) may help you understand a piece of the puzzle. Perhaps they aren’t “stubborn,” but descended from dogs who were prized for their ability to work on their own.
Learning History
Regardless of breed, what your dog has learned from previous experiences will play a major role in their decision to “listen” or not. Has this behavior paid off for them in the past? Was it ever scary, uncomfortable, or just not as fun as the alternative?
Learning takes time and repetition. Even if your dog has successfully responded to a cue a few times, they likely need many more experiences being reinforced before they will be consistent. And they need to trust that the behavior you are asking them to do will be worth it.
Individual Differences
Regardless of other factors, some dogs are more strongly motivated by things other than their human’s requests. This is often the case for dogs who have multiple elements leading to not “listening.” Imagine a shy dog who also has a sore back. They have two reasons to evaluate the situation and, potentially, decide not to respond to a cue: it could be scary and/or it could hurt.
Personality can play a role, too. Regardless of breed, some dogs are more independent. They need more opportunities to learn that humans can be a source of good things, if everyone works together.
What to Do About a Dog that Doesn’t Listen
From reading everything above, you may have figured this out already but here’s a summary:
- Address physical needs (make sure what you’re asking doesn’t hurt)
- Respect emotional needs (don’t ask them to do something scary, until they are ready)
- Motivate appropriately (notice what they want)
- Teach them (while working at their level so they can succeed and learn completely)
Recruit a team of people if you need help. A behavior-savvy veterinarian and a certified trainer or behavior consultant can be hugely helpful in determining what you and your dog need to meet your goals.
Note: Punishment isn’t necessary to address any of the reasons a dog doesn’t “listen.” It can backfire too, especially if you haven’t worked through steps 1 and 2 completely. On top of that, some dogs can learn to push through punishment to continue to do what they want, if that’s more motivating to them or if they haven’t been taught an alternative.
Dogs all have their own reasons for behaving, or not. Labeling them as “stubborn,” “stupid,” or anything else doesn’t solve the problem. Pay attention to your dog’s unique needs and wants, take your time to teach them, and you can be a great team!
If your dog has a behavior problem that you need help solving, consider scheduling a private behavior consultation.