Why Your Dog Isn’t Listening (And the 10 Rules to Fix It)
Why Your Dog Isn’t Listening (And the 10 Rules to Fix It)
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Dog training isn’t about carving out an hour a day and running drills. It’s about the standards you live by every single day.
Whether you’re walking through your Kansas City neighborhood, heading out to a local trail, or just trying to get out your own front door without chaos, structure matters.
Over the years in my blogs and classes, you’ve heard me talk about “non-negotiable rules.” I’ve referenced them. I’ve given examples. But I’ve never clearly defined what they are — or why I stress them so much.
So here we go.
Non-negotiable rules are the behaviors you expect your dog to exhibit every day. Not just for manners — but to establish structure, leadership, and good routines in your house.
When you live by these rules, you’re training your dog without carving out “training time.”
You live your life.
Your dog lives by the rules.
Learning happens automatically.
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Why These Rules Matter
In my experience, lack of impulse control is responsible for 60–70% of problem behaviors.
Jumping.
Pulling.
Door darting.
Ignoring commands.
Over-excitement.
Impulse control fixes most of it.
And in busy environments — whether that’s your driveway, a crowded park, or a weekend event somewhere around Kansas City — impulse control becomes even more important.
Non-negotiable rules build impulse control into daily life.
Instead of reacting to bad behavior, you prevent it by creating clear expectations.
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Whose Rules Are They?
They’re yours.
What I expect from my dogs might be completely different from what you want from yours.
That’s why I call myself a Pet Dog Trainer — a dog trainer who focuses on training and delivering for the client what they want out of their pet, not necessarily what I want out of my pet.
Don’t get me wrong. There will be certain instances when I will point out issues with what you want that may crop up later. That’s part of my job.
But the goal is simple:
Your dog needs to listen to you.
Your trainer can give you structure.
You decide what behaviors are required in your home.
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The 10 Daily Rules That Fix It
Here are the things I try to ask my dogs to do each and every day:
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Sit and/or down at every door.
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Sit and/or down before every meal.
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Sit before the leash goes on.
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Ask permission before getting on furniture or beds (sit first, then invited up).
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Walks only continue if there is no pulling.
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If the dog pulls, the walk stops. The dog must come back to me, sit, pause, and we start over.
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The “punishment” for pulling is simple: the walk stops. We reset and try again.
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Go to crate on command (“go to bed” or “kennel up”).
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Crazy behavior equals no attention.
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Unwanted behavior earns up to two minutes of complete disengagement.
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The dog learns there is a clear cause and effect.
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Reliable “leave it.”
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Leave it means quit paying attention to that and pay attention to me (or your handler).
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I will reward you — and remember, I am more important than the distraction.
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Reliable recall.
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Works in the house, outside, at the park — everywhere.
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If you expect recall to work in all environments, you better be prepared to practice in all environments before you have that expectation.
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Stay behind me on stairs and wait at doors until invited forward.
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“Excuse me,” “back up,” or even a solid “stay” command can prevent crowding, rushing, or unsafe movement.
None of this requires force.
None of it requires yelling.
None of it requires intimidation.
It requires consistency.
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Leadership Without Being a Jerk
In dog training, you’ll hear different opinions about leadership and what it should look like.
In my experience, leadership doesn’t require dominance or force.
Leadership is about resource control.
If you control:
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Food
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Attention
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Movement
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Access to furniture
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Access to walks
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Access to play
You naturally become the leader.
Not because you’re scary.
Because you’re consistent.
Brain over brute.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Daily Dog Training Rules
Q: What if my dog ignores these rules at first?
That’s normal. Dogs don’t respect new standards just because you decided them yesterday. Consistency is what builds clarity. If the rules are applied every single day, improvement follows.
Q: Is this dominance training?
No. This isn’t about overpowering your dog. It’s about controlling resources and creating predictable routines. Leadership comes from consistency — not intimidation.
Q: How long does it take for these rules to start working?
That depends on how consistent you are. Most dogs begin showing improvement within a few weeks when expectations are clear and applied daily.
Q: Do I have to use all 10 rules?
No. You should create rules that fit your home and your lifestyle. The key isn’t copying my list — it’s building standards and sticking to them.
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The Bottom Line
People struggle with training because they think they need more time.
You don’t need more time.
You need more standards.
You need more good routines throughout your day.
Write your own list of daily rules.
Live by them.
Stick to them.
And without even realizing it, your dog will improve.
You won’t need to dominate.
You won’t need to be a butt-head.
You’ll simply be the leader.
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Kansas City Dog Owners: Here’s Where This Applies
If you’re looking for a dog trainer in Kansas City, or you’re trying to improve behavior on your own, these non-negotiable rules are often the difference between chaos and clarity.
Most behavior problems I see in Kansas City homes aren’t because owners don’t care.
They’re because expectations aren’t clear and routines aren’t consistent.
If you want help building those routines in your own home, learn more about working with a
👉 dog trainer in Kansas City
https://kissdogtraining.com/dog-trainer-kansas-city/
🎆 Winner – Best Dog Trainer in Johnson County (2023, 2025)
https://bojc2025.johnsoncountypost.com/pets/dog-trainer
