It’s frustrating when your dog doesn’t pay attention. The folly of humans is assuming a dog would somehow understand what they mean when they first say “sit” or “stop”. Our words mean nothing to dogs until we help them associate it with something.
It even creates another problem called latent inhibition. When we repeatedly present a command or neutral stimulus without an unconditioned stimulus, such as a reward or treat, it might affect your dog’s ability to learn basic skills.
Constant practice is the key in making your dog respond quickly to verbal cues. Remember that your words are not the only reason why they obey a command, but rather the meaning they associate with your words. When a dog is misbehaving and you scold him, your dog will process your words in different ways.
But if you reward a good behavior, and leave him empty handed for misbehaving, he’ll quickly learn that a NO followed by “no treat” doesn’t give him what he wants. Therefore, he must stop doing the act to get rewards.
Do you want your dog to be calm and listen to you all the time? CLICK HERE to watch this FREE Step-by-Step Video from Doggy Dan’s Program!
Obedience training will promote better communication between you and your dog. Start training your dog at a young age, so that the next time you call them, they’ll respond the first time.
1. Make sure you always have a treat ready when you start training.
This can be done throughout the day with intervals. Ask the dog to SIT one time.
- If he doesn’t obey after a count of five, get the treat and let him see it.
Hold it above his head, and then move it towards his tail, without repeating the command. When his bottom touches the floor, affirm it by saying “yes”, “good boy” or whatever verbal cues you want to use. You may guide him by gently pushing his hips down.
- Repeat the steps for up to ten times a day if you can.
- It won’t be long until he learns to sit without even getting to a count of five.
Reward him for every successful execution of command.
2. For the next sessions, try to ask him to sit without a treat in hand. But keep the reward in a bowl nearby. Immediately give him the treat as soon as he sits.
3. You can keep your treats farther away for the next sessions. Say, YES (every time he obeys) before giving him the treat.
Good timing is important for your training to be effective. As a dog owner, you should master finding the right timing and insight in training your dog. Repeating words to give emphasis doesn’t help dogs learn until you associate it with a negative or positive behavior, such as saying NO when the dog is uncooperative and YES when it obeys.
Do not just hand out treats on non-training days because your dog will only become less responsive. If the steps above fail to get your dog’s attention or if the training is being more difficult than it normally should, your dog is probably not listening because of other reasons.
Consult a veterinarian to assess your dog’s overall health, and a professional dog trainer to improve your training methods.
Do you want your dog to be calm and listen to you all the time? CLICK HERE to watch this FREE Step-by-Step Video from Doggy Dan’s Program!
Please leave a comment below or let me know any questions you have. I’d love to hear what you think!
My dog Jo is almost 3. We have had her almost 2 years. We took her to puppy obedience and she did well. She is very smart. We take her to a nearby park which is basically a field to run, play fetch, and play in water. Many other dogs use it as well. Jo used to wait to approach other dogs, but lately rushes when she sees them despite my trying to call her back. It is frustrating and embarrassing. I worry she will run into an aggressive dog at some point. I want her to have the freedom to run off her energy, but I am losing my patience with her simply ignoring me. Any advice?