Think You’ve Got a Stubborn Dog? How to Train a Dog Who Won’t Listen?

Dogs are man’s biggest companion. They are the non-human element that makes our home a fun place to be.

But, on the downside, these animals can be tough to communicate with. You give instruction and they’ll refuse to take it. You issue a command – even though it’s for their good – yet they ignore it.

One of the most annoying things in every pet owner’s life is having their dog ignore them.

Has it happened to you? Do you think your dog is very stubborn or does not listen to you?

Having a dog who doesn’t listen to you can be very frustrating and even dangerous. Communication with dogs is essential. If you can’t get messages across and train them, your little furry friends could get into big trouble.

But it is not always easy to do so. Whether you have decided to own a petite Goldendoodle – a very popular breed in recent years – or any other dog, you must understand that making pets obey certain specific actions is not an easy task.

The good news, however, is that smaller dogs are easier to train than their larger counterparts, which is one of the reasons people choose small dog breeds over big ones.

Do you want to know how to train dogs of any size? Are you looking for a solution to train a dog that does not listen? Find all the answers to your questions here!

Step-by-step guide for training a stubborn dog.

As mentioned, there are specific actions you can take to train your dog, even if it is stubborn or does not listen. We will explain them below:

Step 1: Be patient!

All dog owners agree on one thing: the most stubborn dogs are the new or the old ones.

You must understand that dogs need training. As with humans, dogs do not come into the world understanding all the rules.

Be patient and understand that dogs need time to learn everything they are supposed to.

Step 2: Be clear and use commands.

To make your dog listen and understand you, you must have good and clear communication skills.

If your dog usually jumps on people or chews on shoes, for example, commands will be your best ally to reach behavior modification.

Ask your dog to do what you want, such as sit or be quiet, and reward that action when your pet completes it. In no time, your doggy will start doing that action.

Your pet will understand that obeying you will bring rewards, linking the action with a positive experience. This way, you can also make your doggy stop jumping on people.

Avoid mixed messages. If you work so that your dog does not jump on people but then enjoy it jumping on you when you get home, you will be creating a confusing and conflicting message.

The same happens if you teach your pet something, but the rest of the family performs different actions. You will create a mental disaster!

We advise you to agree on the rules with family members before bringing the dog home and work together to reinforce the desired behavior.

Step 3: Repeat.

The key to helping your pet learn a new behavior is repetition. As mentioned, training a dog requires patience and perseverance.

If you start teaching your doggy commands, you should repeat them patiently until they learn them completely.

Another crucial aspect is the environment. You must train your dog to learn new skills while they are at home.

Quiet and private spaces provide safety for pets. Besides, calm areas allow dog owners to monitor what is happening in their environment.

Imagine that you are in a class trying to learn something new, and all your classmates start yelling and making a lot of noise. It will be difficult to concentrate, right? That is what dogs feel.

Successful training sessions run in quiet environments. Even a petite Goldendoodle, which is known for being an intelligent breed of dog, needs to be in quiet spaces in order to learn something new.

So, once your dog has mastered what you want at home, you can try taking training sessions outside.

Step 4: All dogs are different.

More than a step, this is a tip that all pet owners should understand: some things are more complicated than others for dogs, and each of them is different.

Dogs do what works for them. Therefore, you must make sure that the desired behavior that you want to teach also works for your pet.

Pay attention to your doggo and identify what their strengths are. Many dog ​​owners think that it is not very pleasant to have their dogs sniffing everything. However, this can be a great advantage when training them.

Instead of fighting those skills, use them to your advantage and work with them. Allow your doggy to use its nose to detect when you are about to reward, use commands, and help your pet associate the olfactory experience with something positive.

That’s the best way to teach them to do or stop doing something!

Frequently asked questions about stubborn dogs.

In addition to the steps to train your stubborn dog, we also bring a special section on the questions that pet owners often ask in this regard. Find them below!

Is my dog ​​ignoring me?

As we explained at the beginning of this post, dogs are not born knowing all the humans’ rules. So, we can’t say that they are ignoring us because the “problem” is adaptation.

Suppose that you learn a new language. Even with your language skills, you would need time to adjust. Dogs need it too!

And this does not mean that you cannot teach your dog something new but that you must be patient and give the time your pet requires to learn it.

What is the key to properly training a dog?

Creating a good recall is the best way to make a dog learn something, even if it is stubborn.

Every time dogs do something well, their owners should praise and reward them.

What should I do if my dog ​​does not listen to me?

After trying to get their dog to understand something and getting no results for a long time, pet owners often get frustrated. And this is normal! But you must verify that you are doing things right.

Remember what we said about the reruns? Well, some dogs need hundreds or more repetitions to learn a new skill.

If you’ve already tried it many times, go back to basics! Maybe your dog didn’t fully understand the command, and that’s why your method doesn’t work!

Final thoughts.

All dogs are unique. The health issues of a Goldendoodle puppy will not be the same as those of a German shepherd. In the same vein, if you have chosen a petite Goldendoodle to be your partner in crime during your fun afternoons, you must understand that it will not behave the same as your neighbor’s Great Dane.

And this happens with all the breeds of dogs that exist. Be patient, get to know your pet, and put the advice in this post into practice to successfully train even the most stubborn of all dogs!