Dogs are well-known for their loyalty, but training them isn't always easy. While quick obedience is ideal, certain breeds demand extra patience and dedication.
Basset Hounds, for instance, are infamous for struggling in obedience classes. Old English Sheepdogs also have a reputation for being stubborn. If you’re considering one of these breeds—or already own one—keep reading for helpful strategies to train them effectively!
Shih Tzus Are Known For Getting Their Way
Training Shih Tzus can be somewhat challenging. These charming little dogs are skilled at escaping trouble and often manage to persuade their owners to forgive their mischief. Their mix of cleverness and stubbornness makes obedience—especially house training—a bit tough.
Patience is essential with this breed. Enrolling your Shih Tzu in an early puppy class that emphasizes positive reinforcement is a crucial step toward raising a well-behaved companion.
Saint Bernards Will Take Advantage Of Their Size
Saint Bernards are affectionate family dogs, though it can take a while for them to grasp just how much larger they are compared to typical pets. Starting obedience training early is essential to teach them not to snatch food from the table, accidentally knock over children, or misuse their size.
With patience, Saint Bernards reveal their true desire: to please and be loved by their humans.
Chow Chows Think They're The Boss
Chow Chows charm with their wrinkled faces and confident demeanor, but training them can be quite challenging. This breed tends to be reserved around strangers and other animals, making early socialization essential.
Due to their stubborn streak, forming a strong connection with a Chow demands steady positive reinforcement, frequent praise, consistent practice, and plenty of patience—just as the American Kennel Club advises.
Belgian Malinois Are Too Smart For Their Own Good
Belgian Malinois are incredibly intelligent dogs, but their smarts can sometimes make training tricky—they quickly lose interest if sessions become dull or repetitive. They excel with mental challenges, but if something catches their eye, you can bet they'll be off after it.
Successful training relies on starting early and establishing a consistent routine. Owners need to firmly show their Mal who’s in charge and ensure no misbehavior goes unchecked.
If It's Not Fun, A Bull Terrier Won't Bother
Bull Terriers tend to participate in training only when it's enjoyable. According to the American Kennel Club, "This independent thinker values fun and games far more than a strong work ethic. Bull Terriers follow the motto: if it’s fun, they’ll do it; if not, why bother?"
Their stubborn streak can make training difficult unless the owner brings creativity and energy to keep the sessions interesting.
Bloodhounds Quickly Become Set In Their Ways
Bloodhounds aren't impossible to train, but starting early is essential. If not taught from a young age, they can become stuck in their habits, making it tough to break old behaviors later on.
The American Kennel Club notes that while Bloodhounds can be headstrong, early enrollment in obedience classes can go a long way in curbing their stubborn streak.
Japanese Chin Are "Catlike" To Train
Once bred to delight and soothe Japanese royalty, the Japanese Chin has retained much of its regal personality over the years. Often compared to cats in temperament, they respond best to gentle, positive reinforcement during training.
A single stern word can cause them to withdraw, which makes the process more delicate. Still, if training remains upbeat, engaging, and playful, you'll make solid progress. Just be prepared—their stubborn nature will occasionally surface, and they won't hesitate to remind you who's really in charge!
Borzois Are Strong-Willed
Borzois are known for their independent nature, strong will, and a hint of stubbornness, which can make training a challenge for many owners. Their natural instinct to chase anything small that moves doesn't help either—especially when it comes to leash training.
The American Kennel Club advises that "patience and consistency are key" when working with this breed. Despite their training quirks, Borzois are typically gentle and polite companions. Enrolling them in early training classes is highly recommended to set a solid foundation.
Australian Shepherds Will Test Their Owners
Australian Shepherds are often ranked among the smartest dog breeds—and their intelligence can be both a blessing and a challenge when it comes to training. While they're eager to please, they're also quick to test boundaries and turn training sessions into a battle of wits.
These dogs thrive on mental stimulation and respond best when training feels like a puzzle with a clear objective or reward. Keeping things engaging and goal-oriented is key to keeping an Aussie focused and cooperative.
Old English Sheepdogs Remember Their Bad Behavior
Old English Sheepdogs have an impressive memory, which might seem like a training advantage—but it also means they remember every mischievous habit they've picked up. This trait can make them a bit of a challenge to train.
Naturally headstrong, they enjoy pushing boundaries and will often turn training into a contest of wills, especially if the routine becomes too dull or repetitive. The key to success with this clever yet stubborn breed is keeping training sessions engaging, varied, and mentally stimulating—think puzzles and creativity over drills and commands.
Mastiffs Are Very Emotional
Mastiffs are large, emotional dogs, and if not properly trained, they may resort to lying down and snoring in a cute yet unhelpful way. Training these giants requires a delicate balance—owners need to be firm, but also gentle and encouraging.
This breed is sensitive to harshness, and yelling can easily hurt their feelings, causing them to lose interest in training for the rest of the day.
Bullmastiffs Need To Start Training ASAP
Bullmastiffs can make excellent family pets, but training them requires a long-term commitment. With their strong-willed nature, owners must establish a consistent routine and clear rules from the start to ensure their Bullmastiff becomes well-behaved.
The American Kennel Club suggests enrolling Bullmastiff puppies in training classes early on to help them learn commands and develop good social skills.
Chihuahuas Will Fool You With Their Cuteness
Chihuahuas are eager to please but can be a bit tricky when it comes to training. Smart and full of personality, they often use their adorable charm to get away with misbehavior. To keep them in line, owners need to be firm and consistent in their training, ensuring their pup knows who's in charge.
They can be wary of strangers, so it may take some time for them to warm up and stop barking at new people. Patience and persistence are essential when working with this breed.
English Bulldogs Chew...A Lot
They might be adorable and great family pets, but the truth of the matter is English Bulldogs are one of the more difficult breeds to train. For most of the breed, chewing is a way of life.
So, getting them into the habit of chewing on nothing but their toys will be the number one hardest thing for owners, especially since they're not considered the smartest breed. Because of this, training can be a bit time-consuming.
Lakeland Terriers Are Smart But Get Bored Fast
Lakeland Terriers are incredibly smart, and they're well aware of it. With their "big dog in a small body" attitude, this breed thrives on constant challenges and will quickly lose interest in repetitive training sessions.
However, training is essential for this breed, or else their owners may find themselves driven mad by endless barking. A firm yet fun and creative approach to training is the key to getting through to Lakeland Terriers.
Rottweilers Need To Learn On A Day-To-Day Basis
Rottweilers may be eager to please, but they demand a significant amount of time and effort to become well-behaved. While many view them as trainable, they do have a stubborn side that can make certain days more challenging.
The secret to training a Rottie lies in consistent daily exercise and training, starting from a young age. For this breed, the outcome largely depends on how much the owner invests in their training.
Siberian Huskies Need A Lot Of Attention
There is no denying Siberian Huskies are a fun breed. They're loyal and full of energy. But it's that energy that places them on this list of dog breeds that are a bit difficult to train.
They require a lot of attention and training to ensure they don't become anxious or try to find their owner when left alone. Not to mention they're outdoor dogs and need a lot of open space to run. So, if a prospective owner is thinking about a Huskie, leash training is going to be a not-so-nice treat!
Basenjis Thrives On Short Training Sessions
When it comes to training Basenjis, the shorter the training session, the better. This breed is too intelligent for its own good, and because of this, they need "mind game" training and reinforcement, something a bit more than the typical sit and stay commands.
This breed is also quick on its feet and isn't prone to enjoying time on a leash. So, off-leash training is a must if walks are to go smoothly and without pulling.
Lhasa Apso Will Please Their Owner If They Want To
A Lhasa Apso will please their owner when they feel like it and only if it's on their own terms. But that shouldn't deter prospective owners because this breed is trainable; it's just a matter of making sessions fun and interesting to keep their interest.
Highly intelligent, this breed really has a mind of its own, and if their owner ignores them, then it's game over. They'll walk all over their human and become the master of the house -- aka, they won't listen.
Greyhounds Need A Personalized Schedule
A breed typically trained to run around a track, Greyhounds benefit from short bursts of training sessions. Owners of this breed won't benefit from long periods of telling their Greyhound to sit, stay, or rollover; they'll get bored and most likely walk away without a second glance back.
The best way to train a Greyhound is to keep them on a specific and personalized schedule to let them know their owner is still in control.
Pekingese Have A Lot To Say
Bred to live in palaces, Pekingese are almost as stubborn and independent-thinking as the emperors whose laps they used to sit on. An extremely opinionated breed, Pekingese can be very difficult to train in a timely manner, as they tend to do what they want when they want.
It will take a lot of work to get this breed housebroken and listening to commands. But once an owner accomplishes that, Pekes are considered great house pets.
Vizslas Need A "Job"
Ironically, Vizslas love training. It's just that they require it constantly to keep their mind and body stimulated with a "job," or else they tend to get into a bit of trouble around the house. According to the American Kennel Club, "They are highly intelligent, curious, and sometimes manipulative, so owners need to establish solid communication and teach good behavior."
One of the better ways to train this tricky breed is to play towards its strengths: soft toys that remind it of hunting and lots of outdoor play.
Beagles Need Your Patience
Unfortunately, Beagles have a bit of a habit of barking a lot. But breaking them of it isn't impossible; it just takes a bit of patience on the owner's part. According to the American Kennel Club, "Beagles do not respond well to harsh techniques, but patience, positive reinforcement, and even a little creativity will win out in the end."
It might be difficult to be patient when a Beagle is up and barking at nothing in the middle of the night, but good training always pays off in the end.
Whippets Are Stubborn And Need A Lot Of Exercise
If a prospective owner isn't the most energetic or exercise-prone person, then training a Whippet is out of the question. This breed needs daily doses of outdoor exercise, like running around in open spaces, preferably with other dogs.
It's the best way to get them to listen when command training begins. When that happens, it's best to go off a reward-based system, or else they'll get very stubborn and walk away in the middle of training.
Great Pyrenees' Find Training To Be a Bore
Used to being independent and out in a field watching over herds, Great Pyrenees don't see training as something useful. In fact, this breed finds training to be downright boring. Extremely intelligent, Great Pyrenees' will sit and stay, but they will let their owner know that they think the commands are a waste of time.
To prove their boredom, this breed will move very slowly to perform any command they deem "unimportant."
Shiba Inus Are Virtually Impossible To Leash Train
First things first, no amount of obedience training will ever make a Shiba Inu okay off-leash. This breed will book it the moment they're free. Even when it doesn't come to leash training, this breeds high intellect makes it difficult to train.
The trick to training this breed is creativity and making sure they're rewarded for a job well done. But the sessions better keep the Shiba Inus interest, or its stubborn nature will have it lying down and bored.
Pugs Can Be Stubborn
Agreeable one minute and asleep during a training session the next, pugs will let their owners know when and when it isn't an appropriate time to work. While this breed wants to please their humans, they have more than a little stubborn streak that makes training a little hard.
Positive reinforcement and a whole lot of treats are the way to a pug's heart. Any harsh words and this breed will call it quits before their owner realizes their mistake.
Afghan Hounds Have A Lot Of Bad Instincts
Afghan Hounds require a lot of work, as they have a lot of bad instincts that need to be broken. One being the instinct to chase small animals. This makes it a bit tricky to go on walks around the neighborhood.
This breed of hound requires constant work, positive reinforcement, and, if owners really want to win over their hound, treats aren't a horrible idea either. Even so, Afghan Hounds are a lot of work.
Scottish Terriers Will Test Their Owners
A "thinker" breed, Scottish Terriers, do best in short, 15-minute training sessions. Any longer and this breed will get very bored with the repetition since their instinct is to figure things out on their own.
They are known to test their owners' limits yet will be a bit emotional if snapped at for doing something wrong since they're very attuned to vocal tones. According to the American Kennel Club, "Just be persistent, and reward good behavior."
Basset Hound's Are Very Independent
According to the American Kennel Club, "Basset Hounds are very independent, and training the breed can be a challenge." It's not that it's impossible to train this breed; it's just that it will take some time and patience on the owner's part, especially since this hound breed looks aloof more often than not.
This is because the breed's instinct is to work alone. But positive reinforcement and treats go a long way when it comes to training.