What to do with a hard-to-train dog?
A difficult dog doesn’t focus to please you. This is one of the main factors that cause problems when training difficult dog breeds. Difficult dogs don’t have the willpower to learn anything.
So naturally, you have to spend more time training them. It’s easy to tell whether your dog is difficult or not. First of all, he likes to be left alone.
And then his reactions are different from those of normal dogs. They move away when you scold them. They demand more love and care. They don’t like to live like pet dogs.
But nothing is impossible. With a little patience, you can succeed in training your difficult dog. You just have to find the right technique. Above all, don’t try to solve the problem physically. Physical correction will make him even more stubborn. The best technique is to find a reward that will motivate him to make an effort. This reward will surely help you get a positive reaction from your dog.
In this article, we’ll look at 3 characteristic behaviors of dogs that are difficult to train, and give you the solution that will enable you to tame your pet.
Your dog whines and barks constantly
If, by misfortune, he sees a squirrel or a bird in the garden, it’s chaos!
Mistake : Allow your dog to chase anything he sees and wants to catch, rather than ignoring his bad behavior. This teaches him that if he barks, he wins and can go out and chase the animal he’s seen!
Solution : Tell yourself that from now on, the only thing that will get him what he wants is calm. If you have to put up with 30 minutes of barking, use earplugs! Wait for silence to return (and it will).
Be aware that a flurry of frantic barking may precede that promised silence, because your dog is frustrated. That’s how you know it’s working.
Your dog terrorizes other dogs
If your dog is brutal with his fellows, especially those who live with him at home!
Mistake : In this case, the majority of owners tend to put dogs away instead of solving the problem on the spot.
Solution : Your dog needs to vent his energy. If your dogs behave uncontrollably, try taking them out individually for long walks outside. During these walks, your dog will learn to act in a more “civil” manner. This is when you need to initiate group walks. And if the dogs manage to behave properly on these outings, they’ll gradually learn to tolerate each other at home.
Your dog jumps up and snatches food from your hand
This behavior can be dangerous for your dog. If one day he snatches something inconsumable or toxic, he’ll end up at the vet’s and you’ll end up with a hefty bill.
Mistake: You try to scold your dog when he jumps up and push him to sit. But it’s hard to stay firm at times like these.
Solution: This is where the importance of the “leash” command comes in. Here’s an effective way to train your fussy dog to respect this command. Go down to his level, and hold a treat in your clenched fist. Your dog will immediately reach for it. Don’t let him. After a while, he’ll get bored and stop trying to get the treat. As soon as he moves away, call him back and give him a treat from another bag, like a red one.
This will teach him that if he ignores the treat in your hand, he’ll get another. Next, start saying “let” when you hold the treat firmly in your fist.
He’ll associate the reward with the command he’s just obeyed. Later, you’ll start putting the treat on the floor and repeating the same process. With perseverance, your dog will even learn to stop following a treat whether you throw it in his direction or a little further away.
It’s possible to find a solution for your hard-to-train dog
As we’ve just seen, training a difficult dog is entirely possible when you know the right techniques.
In short, you need to make him understand your role. Make him understand that you are the boss and that he must follow your commands. Once he understands that you’re the one giving the orders and that he’ll be rewarded for following them, he’ll be no more difficult to train than any other dog.
