Most cases however, are simply overly energetic dogs that may not be getting sufficient exercise and routine to their day, or who are being accidentally rewarded when they act excitedly (see Play and Exercise and Using Enrichment, Predictability, and Scheduling to Train Your Dog).
The most common reasons for canine disobedience
One of the most common reasons why dogs don't carry out their owner's commands is simply that they don't understand – not because they're acting slightly stupid or feigning deafness, but because they don't perceive them as requests.
Your dog misbehaving is not necessarily a health issue. A lapse in house training may be cause for concern and an examination by your veterinarian may be needed. Otherwise, misbehavior is generally caused by your dog's inability to properly express themselves about their uncertainties, boredom, or anxieties..
Undesirable behaviours such as barking, chewing, counter surfing, house-soiling and jumping up commonly begin to occur at around 3-6 months of age. Your puppy will not grow out of these behaviours. On the contrary, it is more likely that these behaviours will worsen if not addressed early on.
This is well-intended but incomplete advice – if you only ignore the behavior, your dog will probably never learn to stop barking, jumping, or pulling. Just ignoring unwanted dog behaviors misses an important piece of teaching your dog what TO do instead. Dogs learn by association.
There comes a time in pretty much every dog's life that he will not take a given command. The reasons for this are numerous, ranging from just an age related phase, not adequate training, fear, or just simple distraction issues.
Hitting or beating is thought to discourage bad behaviors when applied with the proper force, timing, and redirection. However, pain-based aversive techniques are risky. Studies show that they significantly increase stress, lower a dog's quality of life, and may even increase dog aggression.
To reinforce wanted behavior, engage your dog in short training sessions throughout the day. This can be as simple as asking your dog for a specific desired behavior, such as a sit or down, and rewarding his success with treats, play, petting or walks.
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 your dog may not be listening might be medical in nature, but most often, if your dog will not come to you or ignores you completely, it is because of a training or a behavioral issue. Once you feel you have ruled out potential illness, training and conditioning your dog will improve his recall ability.
Punishment should not be used to correct undesirable behavior. Some pets may see it as a form of reinforcement, while others will become increasingly more fearful or aggressive. Punishment focuses on stopping the undesirable but does not teach what is desirable.
Research suggests that dogs with a guilty look do not show evidence that they are aware of having engaged in misbehavior. One would not experience guilt if one were unaware that a crime had been committed.
Growling, snapping, biting, stiffening, cowering, lunging, prolonged alarm barking, prolonged raising of hackles in response to people or animals. Seek behavioral help NOW.
Most dogs assume a neutral or submissive role toward people, but some dogs will challenge their owners for dominance. A dominant dog may stare, bark, growl, snap, or even bite when you give him a command or ask him to give up a toy, treat, or resting place.
Act like the alpha of the back and show him who is boss. Look him/her in the eye: When you give a command, look straight at your pet. Make sure he can see that you mean business and that it is not a command to be disobeyed. Always hold eye contact with your pet, no matter how big or small he or she is.
Aggression is the most common and most serious behavior problem in dogs. Different forms of aggression require different treatments.
Give them affection and attention on your terms – Call them to you when you have the time and desire to interact with them. Teaching your dog that you 'own your space' is essential to training your dog to respect you. Give them as much love and affection as you like, just on your terms, not theirs.
Your dog begins to learn that they will get what they want, no matter what they do, so they don't seek guidance from you and instead they behave in whatever way comes naturally or seems the most fun to them. For some dogs, the root cause for selective obedience may come from their early months.