My dog is stubborn! Are you sure?

Key Topics

• Definition of stubborn
• It’s all a misunderstanding
• Why your dog doesn't listen to you
• Details and solutions

We’ve all had experience with a ‘stubborn’ dog.  A dog who won’t listen to us, ignores us especially when outside, and who refuses to do what we ask.  These behaviours are extremely frustrating because we see them as deliberate acts of disobedience. 

Once you have labelled your dog as ‘stubborn’, your story becomes a tragedy “my dog isn’t trainable, he’s stubborn”. 

It’s time to change the narrative and learn how to transform your dog’s ‘stubborn’ behaviour and take your relationship to a new level.

Definition of stubborn  1

Unreasonably or perversely unyielding.  Performed or carried on in an unyielding, or persistent manner.  Difficult to handle, manage, or treat.  Other adjectives:  obstinate, headstrong, willful, strong-willed, persistent, or uncooperative.

Have you found yourself applying any of these labels to your dog?  If yes, you are not alone!  We often use labels to get a point across to other people.  Labels can be helpful but often labelling our dogs restricts our options and may limit our search for a solution.

It's all a misunderstanding?

• What if we don’t understand a fundamental driver for how our dogs learn? 
• What if changing our understanding just a little will give us a different perspective on our canine companion?

At its most basic, dogs do what works for them (as we all do), and when they aren’t doing what we ask, they have a good reason.

I really like this quote:

“Stubbornness in dogs is often a manifestation of their intelligence, independence, or a deep-seated instinctual behavior. While this trait can present a challenge in training, it also reflects a dog’s strong personality and can be a sign of a highly intelligent animal who likes to think for itself. The most stubborn dog breeds often have a rich history of working closely with humans yet maintaining a certain level of autonomy in their tasks.”  2

Wow!  Did you ever think that the dog you are labelling as ‘stubborn’ may be intelligent, and able to think for themselves.

With that in mind, when you start to think ‘my dog is stubborn’, replace that statement with a question “Why is my dog doing the behaviour instead of listening to me”.

Why your dog doesn't listen to you   3

If you have been blessed with a ‘stubborn’ dog, it’s time to learn the key reasons your dog isn’t listening to you!

• Not enough clarity
• Overwhelm
• Not a good deal
• Over-aroused
• Pain or discomfort

Details and solutions

Not enough clarity.  Your dog might not understand what you or the situation are asking them to do.    

Solution:  Pretend dog doesn’t know it.  Teach it again.  Once your dog knows ‘SIT’ in the house, you may need to start from scratch when you go outside.  That’s normal for dogs.  Once you have retaught the behaviour in a few different environments, it will be easier for your dog to understand that ‘SIT’ means bottom on ground wherever you are! 

Overwhelm:  There are just too many distractions, and your dog is struggling to make the choice you want.  Your request may not even register in your dog’s brain.   

Solution:  Teach your dog disengagement skills. Learning that things going on around them are none of their business will reduce choice overload and make it easier for your dog to respond to you.

Is Piper stubborn or struggling to disengage from food on the ground?

Not a good deal.  Dogs know when an outcome is going to be a good or bad deal for them.  If they are constantly assessing whether listening to you is going to produce a good outcome or a bad outcome, you are going to have a dog who won’t respond or who may be slow to respond. 

Solution:  You want everything to do with you to be a good deal.  Make the consequences valuable with tasty treats, reward experiences, or fun outcomes.  Think about the previous 30 interactions you had with your dog.  How many interactions led to a good deal for your dog?

Over-aroused.  Is their emotional state preventing them from acting on what they know?  Your dog will struggle to respond if they are over-excited, frustrated, afraid, or overwhelmed.  Their skill level may not be advanced enough to respond to you when they are in a highly aroused emotional state. 

Solution:  Change their emotional state

Pain or discomfort. When your dog’s behaviour suddenly changes and they no longer respond the way they use to, they may be communicating to you that they are in pain.  Hips, knees, stomachache, soreness could all impact your dog’s ability to do what you are asking. 

Solution:  Give your dog the benefit of the doubt and schedule a vet visit for a checkup.

Conclusion:

If your dog is not listening to you, it’s time to look beyond the label and ask yourself how you can better communicate with your dog.  If you can provide a win/win situation you can change your dog’s attitude from ‘I have to do’ to ‘I get to do’. 

Can’t get much better than that! 

Check out our games-based classes for more on how to transform your 'stubborn' dog into a willing learner. 

• Becoming Adolescent for adolescent dog owners. 
• 90 Days to a Well-Behaved Dog for adult dogs.
• Reactive Dog Fundamentals for dogs who cower, or bark and lunge when out and about.

Check out our Upcoming Classes webpage for dates and times.

References:

1  Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary,  Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

2 The 15 Most Stubborn Dog Breeds On The Planet

3  Ep 32: Can Dogs Be Stubborn? Mindset, Labels, Emotions & A Summer Surprise

Additional Resources:

To learn from Dr. Mitchell, check out:

• Apple Podcast
• Spotify

The Stubborn Dog.  Are dogs stubborn? Here's what you need to  know about training a 'stubborn dog'  by Pat Miller CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA

Is Your Dog Stubborn? Probably Not!  by Stephanie Gibeault, MSc, CPDT

Do You Have A Stubborn Dog?5 Easy Steps to Training Any Dog! by McCann Dogs

Is Your Dog Actually Stubborn? Reasons Why Your Dog “Won’t Listen” by Abbey Johnson CPDT-KA, FDM