Dog Wisdom Connection Blog

When it seems like your dog is ignoring you, have you ever wondered if it's "selective hearing"?  Of course, that would suggest that your dog is ignoring you intentionally.  But why would a dog do that?

Let's ask the question another way. 

Is it fair to expect your dog to immediately interrupt what he's doing whenever you tell him to?

Why does that kind of human control over a dog seem so necessary? Why is it that people often view their dogs as subordinate and expect them to comply, or else? Why make it such a big deal?

When I talk to dog owners about their pets they share some revealing insights about why they expect compliance from their dogs. Here's why a dog "ignoring a command" is such a big deal to some.

• If I let the dog get away with disobeying me he will become dominant.
• People are superior to animals so animals should submit.
• The dog knows what he's supposed to do and he's just being stubborn to spite me.
• When my dog misbehaves...