Lack of Proper Training If you've ruled out a medical reason for your dog ignoring you, your dog may need proper training. Early training and how you train your dog will determine the likelihood of command-based obedience and go a long way in making sure your dog doesn't ignore you.
The more likely explanation for your dog's disobedience is that they're overwhelmed by the environment and simply can't focus. There are too many interesting things to explore, and dogs need to sniff them all. It's often not deliberate defiance.
Start by making sure your dog can follow a command with no distractions. Then, work on the command with people in the environment talking, eating, engaging with each other. Then, work on the command out in the yard and start with minimal distractions and work up to more significant distractions.
The reasons for this are numerous, ranging from just an age related phase, not adequate training, fear, or just simple distraction issues. The first step a frustrated owner should take is to try to assess WHY their dog is not taking a command, as the solution differs for each reason.
Dogs need to be taught how to focus on their owners and respond to commands in every situation as part of their socialization and training. Other reasons for dogs ignoring their owners are fear and anxiety, not bonding with owners, distractions, pain, and a negative experience.
Another reason why your dog won't listen outside is simply due to the lack of proper exposure. How often do you take your pup out? If you don't take the time to take your dog outside often you'll realize that your pup is probably fascinated by the outside, all the sights, sounds and let's not forget the smells!
When your pup snuggles beside you or wants to sleep in your room, it's a sign that they trust you and feel safe. They give you puppy eyes. Holding eye contact is a big move for dogs, and it's reserved for someone they love and trust. In the wild, dead-on eye contact is an aggressive move.
Teach your dog to walk without pulling
Remain still and quiet when your dog is ignoring you, but the split second he pays attention to you, praise him and give him a treat. Once you have your dog's attention, you can move off - use your voice and treats to encourage your dog to stay close to you when walking.
Other Possible Reasons Why Your Dog Doesn't Want To Walk
Your pooch is fatigued or tired. It's too hot or cold outside for your dog. Your dog's walking gear (leash, collar) is uncomfortable for them. They want to keep walking more.
You need an incentive to encourage your dog to come back - a really tasty treat or a fun game with a toy. Show your dog the toy or food. Run away a couple of paces then call your dog's name and say "come" in a friendly, exciting tone - getting down low can also encourage them to come back.
Some reasons dogs don't come when called include distraction, confusion, or fear. Gradual training and positivity are ways to help build a reliable recall so your dog will come when called.
Science of Dogs Being Able to Sense Good and Bad People
Well, dogs are extremely sensitive when it comes to the way in which humans act and sound. This is what enables them to determine whether a person is good or bad and whether a person likes dogs or dislikes them.
Why Ignoring Your Dog Can Be Bad For Their Health! There's a common myth that when a dog tries to interact with you as you get home, you should ignore him. This is often applied to dogs that suffer from separation anxiety, but the effects of ignoring your dog can be devastating.
Science proves that dogs understand the emotional aspect associated with the insult based on tone, and body language, not necessarily the insult itself.
Even a well-trained dog can be tempted by a cat or squirrel or startled by a loud noise. Be consistent. You or other members of your family may unintentionally be asking for the same behavior in different ways or rewarding different behaviors. As a result, your dog may seem stubborn when he's really just confused.
Methods such as alpha rolls and physical corrections (via the leash and a choke chain or by smacking the dog on the nose or by shaking their scruffs) were often recommended as a way for humans to establish dominance over their dogs.
You can teach your dog to respect and listen to you by showing them you are the leader. Simple techniques such as not rewarding demanding behavior, walking through the door first, and creating structure and rules, will all help your dog to be respectful.
In many cases, the issue is that the dog has not learned what you want him to do instead (see Greeting Behavior – Jumping Up, Enrichment, Predictability, and Scheduling, and Training Basics). Attempting to reprimand all the misbehavior will be ineffective.