My dog is not listening: why it happens and what to do

If your pet makes a mess at home every time you leave him alone, pulls on his leash when you go out, making walking a torment, he fights with other dogs in the park, and doesn't seem to listen to your commands at all, you need to take action. to correct this situation.

There are many possible reasons why a dog behaves this way, and the good news is that we have the power to change everything.

Why is my dog not paying attention to me?

In most cases, "bad behavior" has fairly easy to understand causes and usually stems from a lack of proper communication.

It's normal that at some point your dog doesn't pay attention to you, like if you have an unneutered male chasing a bitch in heat, it's very likely that at some point he won't pay attention to you, if you order her to stay where she is. It is a pure instinct that is very difficult to resist.

It may also happen that the animal simply did not understand a certain command. "The dog is not paying attention to me" should mean that your dog is constantly ignoring you.

If this happens, there are several possible reasons. The most common of these are related to communication problems and improper training. Your dog may not listen to you because you are giving conflicting commands or using too complex language that he simply does not understand.

It is also possible that his training was based on punishment rather than reward, which is in fact inefficient and inadequate. The dog's obedience to its master must be based on the existence of bonds in which affection prevails, as well as mutual respect.

If you can't get your dog to listen to you, putting a few tips into practice can improve the situation, and with a little patience, you should be able to fix the problem.

Strengthens emotional connection

The closer the dog's relationship with the owner, the easier it will be to force him to obey. If possible, try to spend more time with your dog by setting (and following) specific daily routines. A walk every morning, a specific time and place for meals, time for play and exercise, petting before bed - all these will bring you closer, and your dog will look forward to walking, eating or playing with you every day. This will strengthen your relationship and make it easier to understand the moment you give your pet a command.

Positive reinforcement training

Training a puppy is easier, but an adult dog can learn new rules. If your pet does not pay attention to you, it is wrong to punish or scold him by screaming. Be patient and start training him, which includes very simple exercises, which, in addition, have their own advantages.

For example, try teaching him to stand still when you order him. Use one specific word "stop!", "stop", "wait"... when she does, give a treat or a pet. Even if the dog does not succeed at first, in the end, he will understand what you want from him, and this small achievement can be the first and important step.

Practice commands with your dog that he does not accept.

Sometimes a dog that is normally obedient has something in particular that it doesn't do. A very common example is when a dog pulls on a leash while walking.

Another common example is that she is generally obedient, but not obedient when it comes to sharing a toy, etc.

If this happens to you, try to find out the reason and focus your training work on this moment. Through repetition and encouragement of specific exercises, you will be able to correct this behavior.

Never give conflicting commands

Sometimes the dog does not obey simply because he does not understand what we are asking him to do. Give your dog very clear and always consistent commands. In addition, it is important that there is consistency between all family members. For example, a dog will not understand whether it is good or bad to climb onto a sofa if one family member constantly invites him to do this, and the other does not let him on the sofa, and yells at the dog for misconduct and punishes him.

Watch not only what you say in words, but also your facial expressions and body language, because this is a very important part of communicating with your dog. The verbal command should match your gestures, your posture, your tone of voice, and even your gaze. If something does not fit, the dog may not pay attention to it, because he does not understand what you are asking him to do.