Understanding “Stubbornness” - a podcast by Ty Brown

In this post, I want to talk about stubborn dogs.

Here’s the thing: even if you think you have a stubborn dog, I doubt it. You might, because they do exist. But I highly doubt that you have one.

It’s common for me to be working with a client and hear something like, “Oh gosh, my dog is so stubborn!” This is a frequent claim that owners make about their dogs. Sometimes I’ll agree with them—but not often.

When I call a dog “stubborn,” this is what I mean: the dog fully understands what you’re asking, and then chooses not to listen or pay attention. Makes sense, right? It’s not a crazy concept. But the reality is that very few dogs actually know what’s being asked of them, and so many owners think their dog knows exactly what’s being asked of them!

So when owners complain that their dog knows what they’re asking but doesn’t do it, they almost always mean that their dog is clueless! The dog hasn’t been taught very well. Maybe the dog understands what “come” means in certain situations, but once they change the setting or add a distraction he is confused. Now they aren’t coming when called. The dog isn’t stubborn, he just hasn’t been taught how to deal with distractions or to obey from a distance. A dog who is truly stubborn understands the command, yet doesn't obey it.

The reason this is so rare is that if a dog does understand what’s expected and desire, they usually want to do it. Most dogs enjoy work and are totally willing to please. They enjoy the camaraderie that comes from working together with their owners. Of course, some dogs are little knuckleheads that know what you want but won’t do it.

I see this situation go awry often. Frequently, owners say that their dogs know what they want because of a facial expression. They might say to the dog, “Hey, come here!” When the dog doesn’t, they go after it. If the dog appears to be sorry, then they say, “See, he knows what I was talking about.” That’s not true. The dog simply understands that its owner is upset. He’s trying to say “Sorry, I would have come if you had told me that’s what you wanted—but you didn’t.”

Other owners might say “He heels it a lot, just not off-leash” or “He can sit, but he doesn’t when guests come over.” They think that’s because their dog is stubborn. In reality, it only seems like the dog was taught to come or stay. The second you add those other elements that you didn’t spend any time teaching about, the dog doesn’t understand. It’s not because he’s stubborn.

Stubbornness is active; not understanding is passive. If your dog is being disobedient, it’s probably because of the latter. Will you come across stubborn dogs occasionally? Yes. But out of the dozens of dogs that I’m currently working with, only two or three of them are actively stubborn. If you frequently find yourself calling your dog “stubborn,” slap yourself on the wrist and recognize that there’s probably something you’re not teaching. Only then can you start teaching your dog better!

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