We sometimes think of dogs who are difficult to train and ignore us as being either dumb or impossibly stubborn. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Thousands of years have gone into training dogs to willingly and happiily obey our commands. Different breeds have been used for different jobs, but obedience has been bred into them all. While it may seem that your dog missed those classes, it isn’t so. Some dogs learn quickly and others just take a little more time and patience. Your dog may appear to be stubborn or independent, but don’t give up. A commitment to a dog is for its lifetime, it’s not a throwaway.
In order to train your dog, s/he must pay attention to you. If your dog isn’t focused on you, behaviors can’t be learned.
To start conditioning your dog to pay attention to you, have some treats handy. Everytime s/he looks at you, give a treat.
For more information on how to train your “impossible” dog, I recommend following the training in the book, “When Pigs Fly” by Jane Killion. Ms. Killion will show you how to work with your dog’s nature, not against it. Remember, patience and being consistent are key to success.
