A Stress-Free Guide on How To Teach Your Dog To Listen

Key Points

• Your dog's ability to listen is essential for the effectiveness of their training.

• Learning how to teach your dog to listen requires understanding the root cause of their disobedience.

• If you want to teach your dog to listen, the first step is assessing their personality and needs and determining whether or not your training efforts align with them.

Yes, when your dog doesn't listen, it's often frustrating and sometimes embarrassing. One of the biggest challenges when training your pup is how well they listen. It's important to teach your dog to listen early. Otherwise, you're going to run into trouble down the road.

Learning how to teach your dog to listen doesn't have to be difficult, but you'll both run in circles without a proper understanding of your dog's behaviors and effective training techniques. Sometimes your dog doesn't listen because of age or health-related issues, but most of the time it's due to improper training. To get your dog to be well-behaved, understand the root cause of your dog's disobedience and then implement effective training measures.

At What Age Do Dogs Start Listening?

How old is your dog? Your dog's age may contribute to its ability to learn and listen. While training your dog early on is key to establishing good behavior, you must be realistic about their abilities. For example, your puppy may not be able to hear you properly because puppies don't fully develop their hearing until they're a few weeks old. That means you might need to wait to teach your new pup new tricks.

Dogs learn commands at just a few months old. However, just because your dog understands one or two commands doesn't mean they're mature enough to adopt advanced behaviors. Certain dog breeds learn more quickly than others, which is something to consider.

Large breed dogs are worker dogs with certain behaviors engrained in their DNA. Other dogs, who haven't been subject to more intensive training throughout history, may not be as easy to potty train or teach to shake. Of course, every dog carries unique abilities and capabilities. Always consider that first.

Your dog exhibits a higher level of learning and ability to follow commands at around one years old. Even then, there is still much learning and growth to achieve. The key is to have patience in your pet's training and remain consistent. Your dog becomes the best version of theirself with repetition and proper reinforcements.

Why Won't My Dog Listen to Me?

It's frustrating when your dog doesn't listen. You ask them to come inside; instead, they zoom around the background like a rocket ship. Maybe your dog gets into the trash anytime the coast is clear, and no matter how hard you discipline or yell at them, the behavior continues. Take a deep breath. There's a solution for listening issues, after all.

Inconsistent Training

The leading cause of listening issues in dogs is either inconsistent training or a lack of training altogether. Think about it — dogs don't necessarily understand human language. Your dog may recognize your tone and a few often repeated phrases, but that doesn't mean they truly interpret what you say. It's essential to repeatedly teach them specific commands and behaviors to solidify them in their psyche. Otherwise, your dog won't understand why jumping on the sofa is a no-no, or sneaking into your bedroom to steal your favorite sock is forbidden.

Continue to train your dog well after they perform a command or listen once. There needs to be a consistent and solid foundation in their understanding for your efforts to be long-lasting. If not, you waste your time and create excess stress for you and your pet whenever you get mad at them for not listening. It's not their fault. It's up to you to ensure they receive proper training. Training is essential. Without it, you can't expect your dog to know how to act. If you're slacking on your consistency or haven't implemented training, it's time to start back at square one.

Distractions

Distractions are not a dog's best friend. Dogs are easily stimulated and have the impulse of a firecracker. Having distractions takes away your dog's focus and negatively impacts their behavior. Are you trying to train your dog in a noisy environment with other pets or children? Instead, try finding a quiet place without distractions that lets your dog focus completely on you. Distractions are only a beneficial component later on in your dog's training. Initially, you want to keep them at a minimum to garner your pet's focus. Once they eventually learn the behavior, training your pet in distracting environments solidifies the behavior.

Breed Specific

The breed of your canine also determines whether they are a good listener. Of course, with enough training, overcoming challenges is possible. Research methods have proven effective in training if your dog's breed is famous for having difficulty listening. You also want to observe their personality and abilities to determine the most effective training methods. Sometimes, it takes tweaking their training regimen to start seeing results. Regardless of breed, dogs are essentially one of the easiest animals to train, and with enough commitment, progression in your dog's training is possible.

Medical Conditions

Medical conditions affect a dog's ability to listen in a few ways. In very young dogs, not listening is a sign of hearing impairment. You can't diagnose conditions independently. Only a veterinarian makes that call. There may be something wrong with your dog's hearing if you notice they don't respond to sounds or movement, especially when it's out of their sight. Deaf dogs may bark very loudly because they can't hear their own bark. Sometimes, deaf dogs may never bark at all. While deafness or hearing impairments aren't common, it's something to consider if your dog is obstinately not listening to you.

Other medical conditions, such as an infection or arthritis, may affect your dog's listening ability. When a dog is sick, they don't have the energy or motivation to be the happy version of themselves that you know and love. Usually, sickness shows up in other symptoms such as excessive sleeping, refusal to eat, skin irritation, or vomiting. Pay attention to your dog's behavior. If their symptoms are mild, see if they resolve within a few days. Your dog's behavior and listening ability may return to normal once they feel better.

Do Dogs Listen When You Yell at Them?

Just because your dog looks at you when you yell doesn't mean they genuinely hear you.

Yelling isn't necessarily effective training. Sure, it's easy to scream and shout whenever your dog doesn't listen, but are you really teaching them anything? Yelling might get your dog's attention, but it deters them from being able to assess and interpret the situation. Yelling stresses your pet out, shifting their focus toward safety rather than obedience.

If you have been prone to yelling in the past, don't worry. There are more efficient ways to train your dog moving forward. Instead of yelling, try eye contact or body language. You can even try maintaining some distance to get your dog's attention. Make sure that no matter what's happening around you, their focus is on you. Using body language and eye contact gets better results than yelling. This allows you to reinforce your training methods in a comfortable and effective way.

How Do You Discipline a Dog That Won't Listen?

Many dog trainers agree that disciplining your dog doesn't enforce good behavior. The reasoning behind a non-disciplinary mindset states that dogs learn more with positive reinforcement. They don't understand when they are "bad," even if they receive punishment for "bad" behavior. Your dog doesn't know right from wrong, no matter how hard you try to drill it into their little head. They do understand being rewarded for good behavior, however.

Victoria Stilwell from It's Me or the Dog talks about the benefit of using positive reinforcement in dog training.

Stilwell explains, “Positive reinforcement is the safest and most effective behavioral modification or method to turn around a red-zone dog. Positive reinforcement changes behavior. It changes the way the dog feels inside. I could work with a really, really aggressive dog, a big red-zone aggressive mastiff, let’s say. Now I’m 110 pounds; there’s no way I’m going to be able to wrestle that mastiff onto the ground, hold it down and get it to submit. Not that I would want to anyway. How can I turn that mastiff around from being severely aggressive to having to be much more comfortable and much more confident? That’s when positive reinforcement really wins the day over dominance training.”

The best way to discipline your dog is to use positive reinforcement in their training, and when they are wrong, refrain from rewarding them. Keep dog treats or toys nearby while you train your dog, and every time they don't listen, show them the reward and quickly hide it. After a while, they're going to understand that their current behavior isn't going to get them the treat.

With enough practice and consistency, reinforcement is enough to train you pup properly without resorting to inhumane disciplinary action. Of course, there are some instances where a little discipline is necessary, and putting your dog in their kennel or in time-out suffices.

Why Doesn't Your Dog Listen When You Call Them?

If your dog doesn't respond when you call them, pay attention to how you use your tone of voice. You often use different tones for various words when trying to train or communicate with your pup. Certain tones don't register as well as others, and it's important to find a tone your dog recognizes and responds to. Reflect on the commands your dog listens to, such as sit or shake, and mimic that tone while calling their name. Your dog responds more obediently now that they have a sense of familiarity.

Age may also be an issue if your puppy doesn't respond when you call. It takes time and consistency for your dog to learn their name, so use it enough around them for it to stick. Practice using their name every day — when you come home from work, when they play outside, or when they're in the other room. It's also beneficial to use their name while directly looking at them, using hand gestures and body language to show them that you are speaking to them.

Proofing

At some point in your dog owner's journey, you have an experience where your dog's good behavior seems to go out the window when they enter a new environment. Every time you take your dog for a walk on a new route, for example, it seems like they discover the world for the first time, sniffing this bush and that, zig-zagging in front of you, and tugging on their leash until you think they might choke.

In contrast, when on their familiar route, they know exactly where and how to walk, and don't cause any trouble. The key here is that the behavior is "proofed" in one location but not another.

To understand "proofing," you need to understand generalization. Generalization is a form of dog training that teaches your dog a general sense of behavior. Learning to sit, stay by your side, or roll over is a form of generalization training. Transferring those learned commands to new environments is challenging. That's where proofing comes in.

Proofing is reinforcing and establishing learned behaviors in new or distracting places. If you notice your dog acts out of character at the dog park, this is a sign that you must work to teach them to stay obedient around other dogs. Proofing is as simple as creating a training routine at the dog park until your dog learns to behave appropriately. Alternatively, set up a playdate with other dogs where you work on their consistency.

Proofing is no different than generalization training because it's simply reinforcing the training they already have. Behavior issues usually happen because your dog's behavior is only "proofed" in the comfort of their home or in familiar environments. Proofing behavior in unfamiliar environments will lead to better-behaved dogs.

Location Reinforcement Training

Location reinforcement training is an excellent tool if your dog needs extra assistance in certain locations. A location-specific training method considers the environment when you find a new reinforcement method.

For example, if your dog is usually food-oriented, they may stop responding to food if other animals are in the vicinity. In this instance, you must find a new reinforcement tool to keep them on track. Understanding your dog's sweet spots and knowing which methods are appropriate for different measures requires a little practice.

If you're lucky, all it takes is to shake a bag of treats to get your dog's attention, even in the most hectic environment. However, some dogs are more sensitive to their surroundings and won't respond as readily due to excess stress. Physical affection, toys, and words of affirmation may be just what you need to get your dog on track.

Does Your Dog Listen to Others but Not You?

There are a few things to consider when your dog listens to others well but seems to lack the same respect or obedience when you speak. First, consider your relationship with your dog. Do you spoil them? Do you only train them periodically or refrain from using any form of authority over them? If so, your role is likely confusing to your dog. You need to understand your authority and create clear expectations for your pet. You shouldn't expect them to listen to you without first implementing structure and standards.

A lack of boundaries is another common reason your dog listens to others but not you. It's fun to share your food, bed, and personal space with your dog, but sometimes, boundaries of what's yours and theirs need to be drawn. Without boundaries, they take on a more dominant role and don't have the obedience you want.

Circling Back on Training

Don't give up on your dog training, even if you have to circle back from time to time. Your dog learns a few behaviors with every training session, even if they aren't listening fully. Each time around, your dog's behavior becomes more tolerable. If you want to move the needle faster, the best way to encourage better listening in your dog is to follow the three D's of dog training: duration, distance, and distraction.

Duration

Use duration to your advantage. Play with the duration of dog training to make the process more effective. For example, teach your dog how to sit and stay until you say their name. Don't stop training just because they behave for a few seconds. Increase the time you expect them to stay still, rewarding them whenever they reach a new goal. Your dog's training becomes more consistent as they become comfortable with a longer duration between each expected command.

Distance

Keeping distance between you and your dog while you teach them to listen is also essential. Just because your dog listens to you when you are nearby doesn't mean they do when you're out of sight. Play around with distance in your training sessions, adding a few feet between you each time you practice. After a while, your dog listens to you even when they can't see you because they know what you expect. Positive reinforcement is essential here, as the promise of a treat only squashes your dog's curiosity about why you're far away.

Distance training is vital if you let your dog off-leash in public.

Distraction

Distraction is both good and bad. Sometimes the distraction causes your dog to lose focus and stop listening. Other times, distraction serves as a way for your dog to show consistent behavior, which usually results in positive reinforcement for them. The key here is to have patience. Determine what reinforcement method works best while the distraction is present and use it to keep them focused and obedient.

Having multiple dogs around the house is a blessing and a curse. On a positive note, dogs learn to behave simply by being around other dogs. Your pup listens easier if the other dogs have proper training and excellent listening skills. Practice training methods on an already obedient dog to show the other pup how to behave. When they see positive reinforcement, they soon mimic the behavior to receive a reward.

What To Do When Training Isn't Enough

Sadly, sometimes training isn't enough for some dogs because of their past experiences. Dogs with a past filled with abuse may have issues learning to listen or being obedient because they're hesitant to trust. When you adopt a dog, it's essential to understand the background of your new furry friend if possible. Background knowledge informs you of the best ways to train and what you might want to avoid. No matter how much effort you invest, underlying behavior issues may still exist through no fault of yours.

Sometimes a dog's behavior issues stem from a young age for no particular reason. In these instances, issues are typically outgrown, or proper training can curb the undesirable behavior. Certain cases, however, require a much more comprehensive approach. Contact a local dog trainer and tell them about your dog's behavior.

Book an appointment with your veterinarian to see if any underlying health issues cause your dog's inability to learn. Dogs are complex creatures, and some issues that hinder your dog's education aren't visible.

Regardless of the reason for training not being effective, there's no shame in getting help. With the help of a professional dog trainer or veterinarian, you better understand your dog's needs.

Take Accountability

While there are some reasons outside of your control as to why your dog doesn't listen, it's more likely that inadequate training is the root cause. Improper training doesn't mean you are a terrible dog owner or trainer. It simply means that your dog requires a unique approach you haven't tapped into yet.

It's important to understand that most of the time your dog's inability to listen directly reflects the training they receive. Don't get angry when you don't see results. Reassess your efforts and see where changes are necessary. It's normal to have roadblocks, especially in the early stages of your pet's training.

Research different training techniques and read about which dogs benefit from them. Find one that fits your dog's personality, or try various methods until you find one that sticks. With the right mindset and effort, teaching your dog new tricks like how to listen, regardless of the environment or circumstance, is possible.

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