The dog stopped obeying: the problem is with the owner
If you are patient and persistent, nothing should stop you - not the breed characteristics or the dog’s past life (if you bought it as an adult or adopted it from a shelter), nor gender, size or age.
To do this, you don’t have to be a professional dog handler (but you need to get one to help). The main thing is to take a responsible approach to raising and training your dog.
Many of us have probably at least once asked ourselves the question: how to make a dog obey, why do some owners have dogs that are gold, while others are real fiends of hell? As paradoxical as it sounds, if the dog stops obeying, the problem is with the owner.
The thing is that all owners are different, each has their own approach to education and training, and some have no approaches at all. Some know how and manage to react in a timely manner to the dog’s incorrect behavior and try to eliminate possible causes, analyze and correct their mistakes in the training process. Others are unwilling or unable to do this, leaving things to chance, which causes even bigger problems.
Unclear Signals: Perhaps you are confusing your dog?
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Dogs perform actions sequentially, and they are better at this than humans. So make sure you always use the same command. At the same time, make sure that other dog trainers do the same. If you force your dog to perform a command, and he just sits and looks at you, then think about whether you are using this command consistently and constantly.
You can often find a family in which the wife uses the word “come” to call the dog, the husband calls the dog by name, and the children simply say “here!” Never give a command in different ways and make sure your body language matches the verbal command.
Accompany the command with a specific gesture and do not change it, because dogs are very attentive and read body language faster than verbal signals. Also, try your best not to repeat commands over and over again. Otherwise, the dog will stop hearing you. She will learn not to follow the command after the first time, but will instead wait for you to finish the phrase!
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How to teach a dog to obey: rules for teaching order
Solving one specific problem, as a rule, will not improve the situation.
If the dog does not obey, it is necessary to change the entire system of relationships, only then can one hope for significant progress for the better.
Remember the following main rules for teaching order.
1. If necessary, punish the dog in a timely and correct manner (only at the time of committing the “crime” or immediately after it).
2. Your educational actions must be constant and decisive: if you prohibit something, then forever, and not from time to time.
3. Make the dog obey the first command given. If he doesn't respond, use reasonable punishment. This rule must be observed everywhere and always: at home, on a walk, in the process of training, education, etc.
4. Try to control the dog's behavior selectively when it is really necessary, without boring him with a huge number of commands.
5. If you give the dog a command, it must follow it. Once or twice, allow yourself to ignore the demand - and the first steps towards disobedience are guaranteed to you!
6. Do not prepare yourself for the fact that you will have to constantly jerk the dog, not allowing something and weaning it off something. Just from the very beginning, try to build relationships correctly according to the family hierarchy. Do not rely only on punishment: it is not always necessary, in most cases you can get by with other measures.
Low Reinforcement Level: Are you giving your dog little reward?
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In the early stages of training, or when there are a lot of distractions around, your dog may find sniffing grass, exploring, marking territory, or pulling on a leash more important than listening to your voice and following orders. Why is that? Probably because there are stimuli that she is very interested in and to which she pays more attention.
Perhaps the dog has received very little training in the past, spending most of its life in the wild without trainers or their requirements and left with little to no training. Increase your level of positive reinforcement in the present time by giving your dog more treats during training. This will help motivate her and teach her to pay more attention to you rather than to distracting environmental stimuli.
Low levels of reinforcement, where you give nothing or little reward, can cause your dog to become frustrated and give up trying. Remember that in the initial stages of training you need a constant rate of reinforcement (a reward for each success). Only after your dog shows signs of responding well can you move to a variable schedule (giving treats for his success only occasionally).
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How to make your dog obey: living by the rules
Don’t humanize the dog, don’t shower it with excessive affection, don’t surround it with excessive care, just create a life for it according to the rules, because everything is good in moderation. Excessive affection and guardianship can play a very bad joke on you: the dog will begin to exaggerate its importance - and then hold on.
If you are against physical punishment, that's not bad at all. But if the dog doesn't listen, in some cases a spank won't hurt.
Don’t blame your dog for your laziness or unwillingness to do everything regularly and systematically. Don't turn your life together into a nightmare. Just calmly and thoughtfully teach your dog how to live by the rules of your home. Physical punishment and yelling alone will not achieve anything.
Think about how clearly and correctly you understand the dog’s actions. She not only responds to commands, but is also able to sense your inner energy, feel emotions, and perceive intonations. Never yell at your dog or communicate with him in an excited state. And being offended by a dog is generally the height of human stupidity!
Do not keep your dog in a state of mental tension. So it’s not far from nervous breakdowns, as well as mental disorders. It is because of constant psychological oppression that a dog can pull on the leash, trying to run away, and not approach you on the command “Come to me!” Perhaps she feels bad with such an owner, she doesn’t want to see or hear you.
Exercises to improve recall
Sometimes, even following all the listed rules, the call is still not ideal. This is usually due to the fact that the dog is simply bored with monotonous training, and even a treat does not save the situation.
To make practicing the “Come” command more fun, diversify your lessons with fun exercises. They will not only break up boring workouts, but will also help develop automaticity.
You can find examples of exercises in the second part of the article - “7 exercises with the command “Come to me”: teaching the dog the ideal call .
Why does a dog not listen to its owner on the street?
What to do if the dog is mentally unbalanced, hyperactive, gets dirty in the house, constantly demands food from the table, does not listen, is afraid or, conversely, terrorizes everyone? What to do if at home the dog follows commands, but outside the dog does not comply? What to do if the dog “flies” on a leash, constantly climbs somewhere and rows something? Somehow follows commands at home, but not at all on the street? What to do if the dog does not obey the owner to such an extent that he can bare his teeth or even bite, and barks for hours when alone? These and many other questions constantly worry dog owners.
Try using a cage. Lock your dog in it when you leave home and at night when you are sleeping and cannot control its behavior. Prohibit sleeping on beds, armchairs and chairs. If possible, remove the dog from these places; when trying to occupy them, use the firm command “No!” If the dog is very obsessive, try to ignore it, then there is a chance that the dog will wait for you to pay attention to him. Set a timed feeding schedule, observing the system of holding before eating. Teach your dog to be clean and to move properly on a leash. The main thing is to understand yourself, your possible mistakes and shortcomings. Everything will definitely work out if you really try to understand the dog and really want to help him. Dogs, as a rule, are very smart creatures and are well aware of many tricks and ways to influence a person. Get ready for this!
Lack of training: Has your dog been trained before?
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If the person who trained in the past was inconsistent and did not monitor whether the dog followed orders, then the dog has probably learned to avoid certain behaviors and has become accustomed to ignoring the trainer. For dogs that have never been trained and have been allowed to do as they please for most of their lives, the initial stages of training are often difficult. Not surprising since this concept is completely new to them.
The trainer's job is to make the dog interesting and worthy of attention by emphasizing reward-based training methods. Read books or lectures on the subject, such as Adrienne Farricelli's Brain Training for Dogs course.
How to make a dog obey: understand the reasons
If the dog does not obey, be sure to understand the reasons why this is happening. Either she really doesn't want to comply, or she doesn't understand what you want from her. Try to use other teaching methods and techniques, try to approach the educational process not in a stereotyped way, but creatively. If the reason for disobedience is the dog's unwillingness to obey, analyze how you fit into the status of a leader by asking yourself the following questions.
Why do obedience problems arise? There are many reasons. For example, no one is involved in raising and training a dog, its life is left to chance, the dog learns everything on its own. You forgive and allow him everything, and when this becomes a problem, you think about the current situation.
As you can see, it's not that simple. The main thing is to understand the reasons for the dog’s disobedience and start working on raising both him and yourself. If you can gather your strength, everything will work out!
High level of distractions: is there too much going on around you?
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Dogs learn best when there are few or no distractions around you, so be sure to start training in a quiet room with little going on. Once your dog can behave correctly in a quiet place, take the next step and gradually begin to require the desired behavior from your dog in a noisier room. Then move to a courtyard, a busy street, a dog park, etc. If you start training right away on a busy street or at a dog park, your dog may not respond because you haven't yet laid the groundwork for the required behavior.
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Method #1 – Home Training for Puppies
Until the puppy has received basic vaccinations and has not adapted to walking outside, it can be taught the “Come to me” command at home.
It is important to follow a number of rules:
- Do not skimp on motivation, treats and praise - “Come to me”, this is the most important command from the entire complex of general training.
- Give the command only once - if the puppy gets used to you giving the command 3-4 times, in the future you will not get obedience from him.
- Give your puppy time to think – some breeds and phlegmatic dogs have a tendency to think for 10-30 seconds before following a command.
To conduct initial training, call the puppy within the same room. To motivate your pet, clap your hands, sit down, and beckon your baby with your hands. Praise your puppy generously for his obedience and willingness to learn.
Important! Do not combine teaching the “Come to me” command with eating! If necessary, teach your pet a separate “Eat” command.
Basic rules of education and training
If the pet refuses to obey, then it is useless to scold him; you will have to completely reconsider the system of relationships and change key points. A number of rules will help in this difficult matter:
- Punishments must be present during training and education, but it is recommended to use them correctly. The pet must receive a well-deserved punishment, but only during the “crime” or immediately as soon as he stumbled. If a certain amount of time has passed after the offense, then the dog will still not understand why this beating was given.
- Prohibitions must always be respected. For example, if a dog is not allowed to take food from someone else’s hands, then you should not deviate from the rule, even if everyone’s adored grandmother has arrived and wants to pamper this cute puppy.
- It is necessary to train your pet to perform tasks from the first command. If the dog pretends not to hear the command, punish immediately. Moreover, he must do this under any conditions: both at home and while walking.
- It is not recommended to overtire your pet and overload it with various commands - everything should be in moderation.
- The dog is obliged to follow the command - if the owner allows his four-legged friend to shirk at least a couple of times, then disobedience is guaranteed later! If the dog is tired, you should wait until he finishes the exercise and provide him with a well-deserved rest.
You cannot use only punishment, constantly pulling your pet back, thereby heating up the situation. Dogs are much smarter than they might seem; they immediately pick up intonations and draw conclusions. Naturally, having received a portion of praise and treats, the dog will decide how best to behave.
It will be interesting:
- we teach the dog to fetch a stick;
- raising a puppy;
- we accustom the puppy to a leash.
Or maybe it’s not the dog who’s to blame?
If the owner intends, no matter what, to raise and train his dog, then he should be patient and persistent. Without these qualities, it will not be possible to instill obedience even in a puppy, which belongs to breeds that are easy to train. What can we say about adult dogs from a shelter who do not know the correct behavior at all, or puppies of wayward breeds, for example, Afghan hounds, Basenjis or chow-chows.
If you find the right approach, you can teach your dog obedience on your own, but when you have the opportunity, you should not refuse the help of professionals. This will help you avoid common mistakes that beginners make when training their pet.
Often, wondering why a neighbor’s dog walks peacefully next to the owner, while mine runs away as soon as the leash is let go, the owners attribute the reasons to the character of their careless dog. Of course, this also leaves an imprint on the dog’s behavior, but most often it is the person who cannot find the right approach, who is not able to become a real leader for the dog.
For the owner of a four-legged companion, it is important not to retreat, to look for and correct mistakes in a timely manner, and in no case to leave everything to chance.
Increasing frustration: Do you get frustrated by failures?
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Dogs understand body language and can easily recognize your despondency. When they see frustration building over learning failures, often instead of becoming more compliant, they simply shut down and stop responding altogether. If this happens, it can be helpful to ask the dog to perform an action that he knows well (for example, sit). With a mandatory follow-up reward to end the workout on a positive note. You can repeat the unsuccessful exercise a little later. It may be worth breaking it down into smaller steps if it was too difficult for your dog.
Also keep in mind that if you begin to raise your voice, especially by leaning directly towards the dog's face, then you are intimidating him. The dog will feel the need to send you signals of appeasement instead of following your commands, looking tenderly into the eyes and wagging its tail, trying to appease its owner.
Breed characteristics of training
There is an unspoken division between dogs that are easy and difficult to train. This division is not entirely correct, since absolutely all four-legged animals are capable of learning, subject to the correct approach and motivation.
Difficulties may arise during training due to the following factors:
- Active temperament - if the dog is in an excited state, it cannot concentrate. Choleric dogs are recommended to be actively walked before each lesson.
- High degree of independence - usually, independent dogs are phlegmatic and think for a long time before executing a command. A striking example is Caucasian Shepherd Dogs, Central Asian Shepherd Dogs, Great Danes, Mastiffs, etc. With representatives of independent breeds, you need to show more patience during training, in addition, the set of commands that the dog learns is greatly reduced. The dog is not taught commands that are not required to ensure safety.
If you are planning to get your first dog, it is better to choose a breed that is designed for quick training. There are a lot of breeds that are human-oriented, the most popular of them are: German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever.
Note! It is important to understand that representatives of the breed, which are easy to train, will not make progress in training if there is insufficient walking and physical activity, poor quality care and feeding.
Dog's personal territory
Each pet in the house should have its own home, so before you bring a puppy into your apartment, carefully study it and think about where it would be best to place it. He should have his own place to sleep.
If you do not purchase it initially, the dog will get used to sleeping in the same bed with you, which is of course pleasant at first, but can cause serious discomfort in the future. If the dog is a small breed, then a small bed will do, and if the dog is a larger breed, then you should choose a larger sleeping place, but not too much, otherwise he will be uncomfortable in it.
It is better to place such a place in your bedroom closer to you, or at least in the living room. When choosing a space, you should avoid cold areas of the apartment, drafts, noisy places near the TV and places where there are wires, sockets and any electrical appliances. Also, do not forget to buy your pet toys that can and should be stored next to his sleeping place. In this case, he will quickly get used to it and understand that this is his personal territory.
Results about disobedience
One of the most important reasons for disobedience is fear of the leader. If you are too impudent, cold and aggressive, then the dog is simply afraid of you. Even if you are in a bad mood and somewhere took out your anger on the dog, it will constantly think that it is she who is the cause of your dissatisfaction and irritation.
Even when she approaches you, she will be scared, with her head down and her eyes drooping. Try playing together, hugging and petting the animal. Maybe you should give her a treat, just not for the team. Praise her for coming to you. Create situations where the animal will feel loved and needed. This will bring much more positive emotions to the relationship than from swearing and aggression. And always remember that the more anger you show, the greater the chance that one day the pet will break loose and attack you with a retaliatory blow. Evil begets evil, and good begets good, remember this.
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Release excess energy
If you've had experience with a hyperactive child, you know that unnecessary energy is a huge distraction from the process. The same thing happens with dogs. If your puppy intends to run, his only goal is to release all the irrepressible energy sitting inside, so it will be very problematic for him to hear you.
Therefore, remember that first you need to develop physical fitness through exercise, then discipline, and then develop affection in the dog. Daily walks that truly exhaust your dog will serve you well.
