Your educated trainer knows that your dog is not trying to “dominate” you if their behaviors aren’t what you expect or want. There are specific reasons they don’t do what you ask.

Some reasons your dog isn’t “listening” to you:

• Your dog doesn’t fully understand (or wasn’t correctly taught) the cue you are using
• Perhaps your body language doesn’t match the verbal cue so they are conflicted
• Your dog may be distracted with too much input from the environment the same way you would be in a noisy new city trying to find a restaurant on unfamiliar streets
• Your dog might have a physical issue that requires a veterinarian visit to diagnose
• Or they may be feeling fear, anxiety, or stress which may be hampering their ability to focus on you

No matter what the reason for the behavior your pet is (or is not) showing you, your educated trainer knows that confrontation and domination are never safe or necessary when training an animal.

Listening to what your pet is telling you and working as a team to communicate with each other is the safest and most effective way to train your pet. Treating them with understanding rather than forcing them to act like a robot will help them become a treasured member of the family for years to come.