puppy teen ignoring me


As your young dog continues to mature into an adult, you may notice that they’re not always as responsive as you’d like. Much like their teen human counterparts, your young dog may seem to have “selective hearing.” The good news is that your puppy hasn’t forgotten their training! They may simply be distracted, may not understand your command in the given environment or may need more enticing.

Distraction can cause failure to respond to commands

In some cases, your dog may simply be focusing on another stimulus in the environment and truly doesn’t register what you’re saying. It’s not uncommon for young dogs to become absorbed in something to the point that they seemingly can’t hear you. You may need to specifically say their name or use another loud cue to get their attention back on you. It’s a good idea to have a specific cue or noise that is meant to draw your dog’s attention back to you.

Your young dog may not understand their cues in different environments

It’s also possible that your dog doesn’t realize that your cues mean the same thing in different contexts. For example, if you always tell them to “sit” before you feed them in your kitchen, they may seemingly be a pro at this behavior, sometimes even sitting before asked! However, when you’re on a walk on a busy sidewalk waiting to cross the street, they may not understand what “sit” means in this context. This is one of the reasons it’s recommended to practice commands in different settings and with different people. You’ll want to make sure you’re reinforcing the behavior in a variety of environments.

Your young dog may not think the end justifies the means

Of course, we have to admit that your dog may also be hearing you and actively choosing not to perform the desired behavior. In this case, your dog is actually ignoring you. This behavior would suggest that your dog doesn’t feel that the action is worth the reward. If your dog is suddenly willing to participate if you pull out a treat, then this may be the case. Suggestions for improving behavior in this situation would be to:

  • Use higher value treats as rewards
  • Return to rewarding more frequently
  • Provide a variety of rewards to keep things novel 
  • Ensure that you are always giving praise and affection when your dog performs a desirable behavior

If your young dog still seems to be ignoring you or is regressing behaviorally, you could consider obedience classes to reestablish the basics. Of course, if your puppy isn’t responding to any auditory stimuli, we recommend checking with your veterinarian to ensure your puppy isn’t truly experiencing hearing loss. 

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