Many dog owners, especially immediately following adoption, have heaps of motivation to train and spend time with their new pets. Most pet owners have dreams that their new furry friend will master all of the tricks and become a perfect companion. This plan, however, does not always manifest. While some dogs have a loser focus when given a task, others might lack an attention span or stubbornly refuse commands. You might also find that your dog sometimes ignores commands while other times gladly follows and obeys. Confused and want to learn more about training your sometimes stubborn or disinterested dog? Read on!
Reasons For A Dog To Be Disinterested During Training
Understanding why a dog isn’t paying attention to you or your commands is a crucial first step in addressing the problem. There are two main reasons, but both of them often work in tandem:
- Too Many Distractions
- Not Enough Reward
Dogs love to please their owners, but sometimes the situation is just not right.
Distractions –Â Dogs can very easily get overwhelmed or confused in new situations. There are smells to sniff, people and dogs to meet, and small critters to listen for and chase. When training, it is always best to do so in a quiet, enclosed, and familiar area such as a bedroom during a quiet part of the day. Without external stimulation, your otherwise disinterested dog will focus more on the exciting part of the room – you.Â
Distractions do not just refer to noisy or visually stimulating outside annoyances. It can also refer to anything that will likely pry your dog’s attention away from you and towards something else. A perfect example of this found during training for the common command of ‘Leave It.’ Ideally, this will teach your dog when to drop or pick up things, controlling what they put in their mouth without forcing you to wrestle it out of them. A dog might have difficulty learning this command if you start trying to teach them using high-value items, such as chicken or their favorite toy. When training, it is important to reward your dog for obeying your command, but your dog might have such a strong love for the training object itself that it will ignore you. Start with simple food or toys so your dog will have a manageable distraction that tempts it during the learning process.
Rewards –Â In a similar vein, your dog must understand that the training they are engaged in will result in a particular reward they enjoy. Even in a boring and dull room, a dog without an incentive might try to sniff out and look for something to play with instead of learning a new trick or command. This reward might differ based on the type of training you are engaged in and how much external stimulus is present. Training your dog to behave outside will be much easier if you tempt them with delicious food like meats, but inside training in an enclosed room might only require smaller treats or toys.Â
Most dogs love to please their owners, even if they sometimes act out. A dog that seems unmotivated to learn tricks and commands might fail to realize what should motivate them or is preoccupied with other exciting things in the room.
If you have a disinterested dog or have encountered any other type of training challenge – call Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training. We will help you to peak their interest and begin to enjoy interaction with you.
