One of the most asked questions in life is How to get my dog to listen to me? Everyone wants their furry friends to be well-behaved family members. But just like us, dogs have their own mindset. Whether your dog is small or grown up, he will respond differently to your commands. Sometimes their answer is not to answer at all. But this doesn’t mean he is rebellious or stupid. He may not listen to you on purpose, or he may not know what you want. No doubt it’s always frustrating to have a disobedient dog. It can be frustrating if your dog doesn’t listen to your commands, and it can also be dangerous.

This article will share some helpful strategies for making your dog listen to you. So before you give up on training, I suggest trying these strategies to overcome your communication problems with your dog.

Let’s explore why your pet doesn’t listen and how to get him to listen to you.

Here are some reasons if you wonder How to get my dog to listen to me

If you wonder how to get my dog to listen to me? Here are some reasons why your dog is not listening to you.

Your dog doesn’t have your full attention.

Dogs are very sensitive when it comes to attention. When your dog finds you busy on your mobile phone watching videos on TikTok and not paying attention to him, this behavior will hurt your puppy’s feelings. And that’s why he may ignore your commands.  

Your dog is not feeling well.

Your dog might not listen to you because he is not feeling well. He might have some medical issues. Maybe your dog is not able to listen. You must pay attention to your dog’s behavior and find out why.

Your dog’s physical needs are not being fulfilled.

If your dog is not meeting his physical needs, he will be unable to focus on the behavior you want him to do.

1. Tired
2. Hungry or thirsty
3. Needs elimination
4. Full of energy Needs to burn
5. Feels unwell
6. Feels anxious or tense.

Lack of training

Lack of training could be another reason your dog is not listening to you. When your dog doesn’t know how to behave in certain situations, he will not listen to you.

Breed

Being a pet parent, you should know there are some stubborn dog breeds. Dog breeds like

1. Dachshunds
2. Boston Terriers
3. Chihuahuas

These dog breeds are very difficult to train. So if your puppy is one of these breeds, then training is not a problem. It is their natural instinct of stubbornness.

Here are some other reasons why your dog is not listening to you.

1. Fear
2. Distraction
3. Pain
4. Age
5. He cannot hear to you
6. Maybe something is bothering him

How to get a dog to listen when distracted?

Here are some tips and tricks to make your dog listen to you.

Training

First of all, you have to train your puppy to behave well. Initially, it could not be easy, but he’ll understand with time. With training, you can teach him how to behave well. And in the end, he will definitely listen to you.

Patience

When you are going to train a dog, it requires patience. Training a dog is not an easy thing. It requires lots of time, but you must be there for your dog. Your presence makes him happy and energetic, and he will happily participate in training sessions.

Give your dog your full attention.

As we’ve already discussed, dogs are very sensitive about attention. They love their owner and consider them as their own family. They wait for you to come back home and sit with them. Give them quality time. You have to give them proper time. This will make them happy, and they will listen to you whenever you call them.

Give your tasty dog treats.

Tasty treats make dogs happy. Dogs love to eat tasty food. Give your dog a treat whenever he does some unusual or good thing. This will make him happy, and he will try to please you with their good behavior. This is how you can make your furry friend listen to your commands.

Fulfill his needs

As we mentioned above, if your dog doesn’t meet his physical needs, he will not behave well. For example, if your dog is hungry and wants food, but you want him to sit quietly, this will not happen. You have to feed him first, so he listens to what you want him to do.

Burn extra energy

Over-excited dogs can be difficult to handle. They will not listen to your commands and sit still. The best way to deal with such dogs is to take them for a walk. Running could also be a good option. Or do other exercises to burn off the extra energy. When they get tired, then they will listen to you.

Give a cute name to your dog.

You can give a cute name to your dog and teach him this name. Naming your dog is the best way to make him listen to you. Always take his name before giving him a well or treat. This will help your dog to remember his name. When you call him by his name, he will listen to you.

Eliminate distraction

If your biggest complaint is my dog doesn’t listen to me outside, we would advise proper training sessions for the canine. Your dog can not concentrate when there are many things around him. He will have a hard time listening to you. It is important to choose a quiet place for training your dog.

Solve health issues if you wonder How to get my dog to listen to me?

Health issues can be the reason your dog is not listening to you. You have to find out the cause of why your dog is not listening to you. Is he doing it due to behavioral issues or some medical issues? And if you figure out some health issues, talk to your vet first and solve those issues.

Discipline through punishment

Many seek answers to issues like ‘my dog is not listening to me anymore.’ For these owners, Punishment is not a bad or negative option if done correctly. Constructive punishment helps dogs learn better. For example:

1. Timeout
2. Instead of hitting the dog, speak loudly to stop the unwanted behavior.
3. Picking up the toys from in front of them.
4. Pay no attention when the dog misbehaves

All the above tips are humane and, at the same time, very efficient. Your dog won’t be afraid or suspicious of you, but he will understand that what he did is unacceptable.

Conclusion

To conclude, dogs are cute and true companions, but sometimes they can irritate you with their weird behavior. But it would help if you were patient when training a dog. It could be difficult. You can start by working with your dog on his favorite or familiar behaviors. Build a positive relationship with training by rewarding even small achievements. You can give tasty treats to your dog whenever he listens to you. Once your dog understands that training is good, take the next steps. With proper training and care, you will understand your dog’s behaviors and make him listen to your commands. Build a strong bond with your dog. He will listen to you.