The Twelve Most Difficult Dogs To Train

The first thing we need to establish is, with the right caring and patience, any dog can be trained. Training often comes down to whether or not the person training can give the full attention needed to the dog being trained. That being said, there are certain things to factor in when it comes to training a dog. Size, breed, and time are all big factors in that. Yes. We did say breed. Often times, some dogs are difficult to train.

To put it as mildly as we can as to not offend anyone, the smarter the breed, the easier it to train. This is not say the dogs on this list are unintelligent, but they can be a little “stubborn” at times. The truth is, there are many distinct personality traits in dogs that can make them more difficult to train.

That out of the way, here are the twelve most difficult dogs to train, in no particular order.

Afghan Hound: Some people are unaware of just how old this breed is, but the Afghan Hound is one of the oldest dog breeds known to man. The thing about the Afghan Hound most don’t know is, they are often compared to cats in personality. Why? Because they tend to do what they want when they want, and are known for ignoring prompts and commands.

Basset Hound: What you need to understand about the Basset Hound is that their strongest instinct is to follow their nose. Hounds are amazing at picking up scents, but once they do, your prompts to sit and stay will matter far less to it than finding out what the source of that odor is. Having said that, Basset Hounds are incredibly loving when they are not ignoring us to follow their noses.

Basenji: Another dog breed that is often said to be more cat-like. The Basenji also has a very unique bark that people often mistake for a baby crying or someone laughing. So, in essence, it is a cat-like dog who sounds like a human baby. On top of that, they are a very independent breed. Also, quite rare. How many Basenji’s do you know?

Mastiff: Often known to be stubborn, and always known to grow to be massive, when was the last time you told an 150 lb dog to do something? The Mastiiffs knows it is bigger and tougher than us, so for that reason alone, sometimes it just doesn’t listen. Also, as funny as it may sound, use a sweet voice when trying to train these dogs, as they are often very sensitive.

Bulldog: If a Bulldog could tell you one thing, it would probably be goodnight. What we mean by that is, the dogs are pretty content with sitting around, sleeping, getting up to eat, and then repeating the process. For this reason, they sometimes just don’t want to listen. Don’t get us wrong, you can train them, but it takes a bit more work than your average retriever would.

Pekingese: The problem with this adorable little furball is that they can be quite defiant and at times, dominating. They may be small in stature, by try telling them that! Those traits maxed with the high maintenance a dog like this needs and you realize, training tends to take a back seat.

Chow Chow: A great dog to snuggle with, but very stubborn when it comes to training. The trick here is to remember to be firm. The dog is a very dominating breed, so to train it, it has to see you as authority and respect that. The Chow Chow is also a breed known to be very jealous and in need of constant attention, and that can get in the way when you are trying to train them.

Bloodhound: Another dog that’s first instinct has to do with following scents, the Bloodhound can be very hard to train. To train a Bloodhound properly, the person training needs an amazing amount of patience. In other words, another breed that will most likely ignore your prompts if there is an intriguing odor around.

Russian Wolfhound: That pic kind of sums it up, don’t you think? The thing about this dog is (and this pic does not help), they are rumored to be “stuck up”. What this means, in essence, is the dog thinks more about itself than anyone else. So you could be telling it to sit for an hour.