When Your Dog “Stops Listening” — It’s Not Stubbornness, It’s Information
One of the most common concerns I hear from dog owners is:
“My dog used to be so good at this… but lately they’ve stopped doing it.”
Maybe they used to sit when you asked.
Maybe they used to come when called.
Maybe they used to respond instantly — and now they don’t.
It’s easy in these moments to slip into frustration and think:
“They know this… why are they ignoring me?”
or worse,
“They’re being defiant — I need to correct this.”
But the reality is far simpler, far kinder, and far more honest:
When a dog stops doing a behaviour they used to do well, the question isn’t “How do I make them do it again?”
It’s “Why did it change?”
Because behaviour doesn’t disappear for no reason. It always tells a story.
When Behaviour Drops, There Are Always Clues
If your dog suddenly stops performing a behaviour they’ve been previously great at, there are a few likely explanations — and none of them involve stubbornness or disrespect.
1. You stopped reinforcing it
Most owners don’t realise this, but behaviour stays strong because reinforcement stays strong.
If a dog used to get rewarded consistently for a sit, and now they rarely (or never) get anything for it, their brain simply updates the equation:
“This isn’t worth it anymore.”
Dogs aren’t being rude. They’re being honest.
2. They’ve discovered something more valuable
The world is full of competing reinforcers: other dogs, smells, sights, sounds, movement, novelty, excitement.
If those things now offer more value than listening to you — and your reinforcement has dropped — the dog will choose what pays better.
They’re not saying, “I won’t.”
They’re saying, “Why would I?”
3. Most commonly… it’s both
Their rewards went down, and other rewards went up.
So the cost–benefit equation has changed. And they are simply responding to it.
Your Dog Isn’t Giving You the Finger — They’re Following the Math
It might feel like your dog is flipping you the bird when they stop responding.
In reality, they’re following natural behavioural economics:
High-value options outweigh low-value options
Reinforcement history influences future choices
Dogs choose what works best for them in the moment
It’s not personal.
It’s not disobedience.
It’s not defiance.
It’s just information.
Instead of Punishing — Rebuild the Reinforcement History
If your dog’s behaviour has dropped off, the solution is beautifully simple:
✔ Take ownership
Recognise where reinforcement has decreased on your end.
✔ Reduce access to competing reinforcers temporarily
Not forever — just long enough to make your behaviour matter again.
This could mean:
Moving training away from highly distracting environments
Creating distance from dogs or people
Choosing calmer areas to practise
Managing access to “too much fun” in the short-term
✔ Reinvest in the behaviour you want
Bring back rewards that are meaningful to your dog.
Not forever.
Not every time.
Just enough to remind them:
“This pays well.”
✔ Then reintroduce those competing reinforcers
Once your dog remembers the value of responding to you, you can gradually give them access to the distractions again.
You’re not eliminating the world — you’re rebalancing the checkbook.
The Takeaway
When your dog stops doing something they used to do well, don’t jump straight to punishment or frustration.
Start with curiosity.
Why did the behaviour change?
What shifted in the environment?
What changed in the reinforcement?
What is now more valuable to my dog than listening to me?
Behaviours don’t vanish. They drift — and they drift for a reason.
And the beautiful part is: once you understand the reason, you can rebuild that behaviour with kindness, clarity, and consistency.
Not through force.
But through value.
Inside Canine Caregivers, we teach you the realities and practicalities of building a reinforcement history and how to approach rewarding the behaviours you like and handling the behaviours you don’t.
If you’re in Sydney and want personalised guidance, I’d love to support you and your dog through one-on-one sessions.
👉 Join Canine Caregivers
📞 Or get in touch for 1:1 help in Sydney
— Ian
Bondi Behaviourist
“A healthy dog is a happy dog and a happy dog is great to live with”.
