Is This Dog Disobedient?

Even a highly trained dog may fail to respond when the situation changes. Before blaming the dog, make sure the dog truly understands the cue.

People often assume that when a dog does not respond to an instruction they've followed before, the dog is being stubborn, distracted, or deliberately disobedient.

But dogs do not always understand instructions or cues as broadly as we think they do.

A dog may sit reliably when standing in front of the owner, watching their face and body language, but become completely confused when the owner turns away. The word is the same, but the situation looks different.

That does not mean the dog is ignoring the owner. It means the training is not yet complete. If you want your dog to follow instructions around real-world distractions, you need to practice in real-world situations.

Watch the Video:

Confusion Is Not Disobedience

Dogs pay attention to far more than the words we use. They notice our posture, gestures, facial expressions, location, distance, and the surrounding environment.

That means a dog may understand “Sit” in the kitchen while facing you, but not yet understand it:

  • when your back is turned
  • from across the room
  • outdoors
  • around other dogs
  • while chasing a squirrel
  • or in any other unfamiliar situation


Reliable behavior does not come from punishing a dog that “should know better.” It comes from practicing gradually in many different situations and making sure the dog understands what we want, and then reinforcing the correct behavior with rewards that actually matter to the dog.

In Simple Solutions for Common Dog Behavior Problems, Ian explains how to solve problems by completing the process of reliable lure-reward training—teaching dogs clearly, fairly, and effectively, so they follow your instructions when it matters most.


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You’ll learn practical strategies for:

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