The Best Way To Deal With Disobedient Dogs

As a proud dog parent, it’s natural to get stressed and disappointed when your dog disobeys you. Continuous ignorance of your commands can even be dangerous. Even after proper training, your pet can let you down. This can be due to several reasons, such as food-related issues, anxiety, etc. In this blog, we’ll explore the reasons behind an unruly dog and how to train disobedient dogs to follow your commands.

Insufficient Time Out for Dogs

If you’re not giving enough dog time, it may start to disobey you out of boredom. This can be more problematic if walking is the only exercise for your furry friend. You must allocate sufficient time out for dogs to keep them energized all day long. When your pet doesn’t get that, it may start engaging in disruptive activities like stealing food, chewing shoes, etc.

Inadequate Dog Training

Dog training is not limited to basic commands like sitting, standing, or playing. It needs consistent and comprehensive training right from an early age. If your dog is not listening to you, then it’s time to focus on disobedient dog training.

Reinforcements of Bad Behaviors

Like your kids, dogs also start misbehaving when they perceive and sense the wrong behaviors of the owner. When you regularly engage in bad behaviors, you reinforce the dog’s misbehavior, too. For example, yelling or shouting at your dog when it’s barking, watching it silently when it’s stealing a piece of meat, etc. With your negative actions, like yelling, shouting, or silently watching the dog’s misbehavior, you are encouraging it to keep behaving this way, reinforcing the bad manners.

Lack of Breed-specific requirements 

Different dog breeds have different requirements, especially regarding exercise and training. For example, a Labrador Retriever might be happy with just one walk in the evening or morning. On the other hand, you need to give more time out for dogs from Border Collie breeds to keep them well-behaved.  

Adolescent Pup Behavior

Just like teenagers, adolescent dogs between 5-18 months can be rebellious and test the owner’s patience, seeing what they can get away with. 

Anxiety & Stress

Dogs can be impacted by anxious situations, such as separation anxiety, noise sensitivity, or compulsive behaviors. They can feel stressed, leading to changes in their mannerisms. All of this can lead to aggressive behavior like growling or unfocused barking.

Fear & Trauma

Your pet can be afraid of many things, including strangers, loud music, being alone at home, and road trips. Of course, dogs cannot say this in so many words, but they do communicate their feelings through actions, like barking more than usual, disobeying your commands, etc. 

Additionally, a traumatic event in the past can trigger misbehavior. Therefore, it’s important to recognise and address their fears and trauma to help your dog overcome them and make them obedient again.

If your dog has become disobedient, here are some of the best ways to get it back on track. 

Managing Incessant Barking

Barking is a natural behavior for dogs, often used to alert their owners. However, when barking becomes excessive, it may be due to boredom, stress, or a need for attention. Simply raising your voice won’t help.

• Identify Triggers: Observe your pet to understand what might be causing the barking, such as fear or environmental factors.
• Counter-Conditioning: Once you’ve identified the reason, begin counter-conditioning your dog to reduce the unwanted barking.
• Interrupt and Reward Quiet: Interrupt the barking before it starts and reward your dog with a treat when it remains quiet.
• Use Sound Interrupters: Employ sound cues like “tsk, tsk” or a whistle to acknowledge and redirect your dog’s attention.
• Odor Management: Sometimes, dogs may be triggered by anxiety associated with odors near their sitting or play area, like turf or any other surface. In such cases, use a powerful Turf Hero Pet Odor Eliminator to maintain a calm environment. It can help reduce your pet’s stress and make it less prone to misbehavior.

Redirecting Chewing or Biting Behavior

Dogs often chew on inappropriate items like shoes or furniture, especially when they’re young. To manage this:

• Calmly Redirect: Interrupt the behavior calmly and redirect your dog’s attention to a suitable item, like a sturdy chew toy.
• Praise Positive Behavior: When your dog latches onto the appropriate toy, praise it to reinforce the behavior.
• Handle Arousal Biting: If your dog engages in arousal biting, which is common in puppies, redirect its energy to an appropriate target. Seek help from a professional trainer if needed.

Curbing Jumping Behavior

Dogs often jump out of excitement, especially when they’re eager to greet someone or explore. To address this:

• Interrupt and Redirect: Interrupt the jumping without using force. Simply step back and direct your dog to an alternative behavior, such as lying down.
• Reward Obedience: When your dog follows your command, reward it for the desired behavior to reinforce it.

Controlling Rough Play of Disobedient Dogs

Rough play can involve growling, snapping, or other undesirable behaviors. To manage this:

• Interrupt the Behavior: If your dog begins to engage in rough play, interrupt it by using the command “break.”
• Scatter Treats: Distract your dog by scattering treats on the floor or turf. This encourages it to sniff around and redirect its energy to a calmer activity.

Dealing with unruly or disobedient dogs should not involve fear, dominance, or punishment. These methods are outdated and ineffective. You should refrain from yelling, shouting, or showing any kind of aggressive behavior towards the pet. The use of shock or electric collars is against the rules of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Instead, use positive reinforcements to train your disobedient dog and deal with misbehaviors.