Why does your dog not listen to you...

The biggest question I get asked from nearly every client is "why does my dog not listen to me?", and the simple answer is because your dog doesn't have a reason to. But, there is a deeper understanding to that answer. What I mean by that is dogs do behaviors to get something out of it, whether that's barking at people to make them go away, or sitting to get a treat.  Your dog might not listen to you for many reasons, you need to pay attention closely to see what the dog is doing when they do not listen.

Is your dog looking at you confused?

That is a sign that the dog does not fully understand what you are trying to tell them. You should reteach the command and slowly add distractions.

Never train your dog if you do not have a way to enforce commands.

Is your dog acting like they cannot hear you?

This could be a sign of many things:  are you saying it in an "asking" tone of voice, or maybe you are just not important to your dog. Your trainer can help you figure out where the disconnect is. There are many ways to correct that behavior, and it should be specialized so all the pieces are put together correctly like a puzzle.

Does your dog look back at you and start running away or get excited? 

This is an issue a lot of dog owners struggle with, and it is typically because you show the dog there are no repercussions when they do not listen. Your dog is in belief that you being serious is a game.  There are 2 ways of going about this. Personally I use both methods to create a balanced understanding. Which is being fun but giving a stern correction when they try to start the game so the dog understands I am being serious and I will not play the game.  Then when the dog listens, we have fun and they get rewarded.  You cannot be serious with your dog 24/7.  Being serious all the time and never rewarding good behavior will lead your dog to act out that way creating their own reward of being chased by you.

- Balanced training is an art, specialized to each dog.