Your Great Pyrenees Won’t Listen? Here’s What to Do

January 18, 2020 Bri Wyzard

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So, you’ve been diligently training your new Great Pyrenees or other livestock guardian dog (LGD), and he’s learned some basic commands. Yes! Step 1, check!

Buuuut… now you’re finding your dog only follows these commands when he wants to. You know he knows exactly what you’re asking him to do, but he just ignores you, and he ignores you—as one reader so perfectly phrased it in an email to me—“with a smile on his puppy face.”

If you’re raising a Great Pyrenees, Akbash, or other LGD breed, I know you know exactly what I’m talking about.

So, why is this happening and what can you do?

The first thing you should do is… Take a deep breath! This is completely normal, and nothing to be concerned about. All puppies (and older, untrained dogs, for that matter) go through this.

The second thing you should do is… Never blame your dog. As you’ll learn in this article, your dog isn’t being stubborn. He’s not defying or disrespecting you. He’s learning a new skill, and this takes time—a lot of time!

In this article, you will learn:

Why the claim that “LGDs are stubborn” is a myth
That LGDs are very slow to mature, and this is one reason training them can take longer than some other breeds
How to make training fun so your dog will want to follow commands
Why consistency is the key to success, and why you must always make sure your dog follows through with a command
Why your dog’s learning doesn’t progress linearly, and how training your LGD will be a long-term process with many ups and downs

When you’re reading about how to train your dog with positive training methods, you might think to yourself, “Oh, this seems so easy.” I think those of us who write about training (myself included) can be guilty of unintentionally misleading people into thinking that training happens quickly.

Training your dog is a long-term process that never goes smoothly. The simple, step-by-step commands I teach in my articles should be viewed as processes that need to be repeated over and over and over again until your dog reaches mastery.

My favorite dog trainer, Zak George, advises in his book that “you should always focus on progress, not perfection.” I love this advice! Your dog should generally be making progress over time.

You will, however, have some hiccups along the way, Your dog will seem to revert back to unwanted behaviors, such as not listening to you (more on these hiccups below).

Great Pyrenees/LGDs Are Not Stubborn

This is one of the worst myths about Great Pyrs and other LGD breeds. We’ve all heard it. It goes something like this:

“LGDs have been bred to work their jobs independently from humans. Therefore, they do what they think is best, and they do what they want to do, when they want to do it. They are incredibly stubborn and you can’t expect them to listen to your commands.”

It’s just not true. Great Pyrenees and other LGD breeds were originally bred to work in partnerships with shepherds. This partnership requires that they communicate with you (for example, letting you know if they sense danger), and that you communicate with them (for example, by telling them the plan). They absolutely need to both understand and follow your commands.

LGDs were also bred to be strong, brave, and intelligent enough to protect the livestock by their own means when the shepherd is not present. Whether your LGD lives in the stockyard or in your home as a companion dog, this is the only time your LGD should be working independently—when you’re not there.

The “stubborn Great Pyrenees” or “stubborn livestock guardian dog” is a breed (or rather multi-breed) stereotype. Unfortunately, this stereotype has spread like wildfire through the homesteading and pet communities.

Here’s the truth about dog breeds and inherent trainability: Easily trainable dog breeds are the exception, not the rule. Most dog breeds aren’t easy to train (and there is always individual variation). Even those breeds that tend to be easier to train will often seem “stubborn” as puppies or beginners.

For example, my most recent puppy was an English Shepherd (now almost two years old), and she was generally a joy to train. She comes from a stellar working line of cow and sheep herders, and she loves to please. However, when she didn’t feel like listening as a puppy, she was a terror (that’s not really fair to say, but that’s certainly how it felt).

And once this girl reached about 9 months of age, she totally reverted. She went from being highly trained to behaving as if she knew no commands whatsoever. I felt like I was starting over again. But, I knew that this was totally normal, even for an “easily trainable” dog breed.

Even today, my English Shepherd still requires retraining at times. When she stops listening to a certain command (or several), I take a big step back and start practicing with treats, praise, and enthusiasm once again. Each time, the retraining is easier and faster.

And here is one more piece of information that’s so easy to forget, but you must keep it in mind: Great Pyrenees/LGDs may take 2 to 4 times as long to mature as other dog breeds. It can be hard to remember this simply because these dogs are so big and powerful. They look mature!

Most (non-LGD) dog breeds only take about a year to 16 months to mature. Great Pyrenees generally take around 2 years, and some LGD breeds, such as the Spanish Mastiff, may take up to 4 years to mature. This means that your dog will remain a baby for a long, long time.

Think about that for a minute. When it comes to learning, do you have different expectations for babies than older children or adults? Of course you do!

I think of young LGDs (1-3 years) as toddlers or very young children. This isn’t an exact equivalent, but there are definitely parallels. Your toddler needs a lot more help learning than your ten-year old does, not because he’s stubborn, but because he’s a baby.

It’s important not to label your dog as “stubborn” for another reason. Once you decide he’s stubborn, you will see all of his unwanted behavior in that framework. This is really unfair to your dog. In reality, a dog with unwanted behavior is a dog who needs more help learning from you. It’s not his fault.

As Zak George says in his book, Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising the Perfect Pet with Love,

If you decide that your dog is simply “stubborn,” you will be hurting his chances for successful training, and, even worse, you will be hurting your bond with him.

The 3 Ways to Ensure Training Success for Your Great Pyrenees or Other Livestock Guardian Dog Breed

#1 Make sure your dog is motivated to learn

Your viewpoint: My dog knows this command, and, therefore, should always obey it.

Your dog’s viewpoint: I’m tired or preoccupied, so I am saying “no” to that request… OR… That request feels boring or otherwise not fun right now. I’m telling her that I don’t feel like playing that game.

It’s easy to take our dog’s behavior personally. When you know your dog knows what you’re asking of him, and he refuses to do it, you feel frustrated, annoyed, and maybe even a little offended. He doesn’t listen. He doesn’t respect me.

Wrong. He just doesn’t feel like doing that right now. It’s like when someone asks you to do something that you don’t really feel like doing, so tell them “no.” Your “no” is not about how you feel about that other person. It’s about you being authentic and honestly voicing your preference.

Of course, as adults, we may have a harder time saying “no” to other adults, so imagine the request comes from your child. Do you play with your child every time she asks? When you say “no,” is it because you don’t want to listen to your child or don’t respect your child? Or is it because you’re just not motivated to play for another reason?

Maybe you’re doing something else. Maybe you’re tired or wanting to relax, or maybe you’re just not in the mood. As a young girl, I often asked my parents to play Barbies with me, but they rarely did. It wasn’t personal. They just didn’t want to.

Similarly, imagine a friend or family member says, “You want to go get pizza right now?” You say, “no” because you’re not hungry, or you’re busy, or you’re dieting. Have you been unreasonable?

When your dog says “no” to your command, it’s like you saying “no” to having pizza when you don’t want it. (But seriously, who doesn’t want pizza? Okay, maybe it’s a bad example, but you get the idea.)

Your dog views your command as a request. This is great! This means you’ve accomplished your main job of positive training. You’ve made it fun, leisure time. Your dog feels comfortable being honest with you and telling you “no.”

But you’re not okay with “no” for an answer, so what do you do? How do you break through the “no?”

Well, the long-term goal is to make your dog understand that your command isn’t a request. It’s a communication that will eventually trigger an instinctual response. Being given a command will eventually be the equivalent to your dog of going potty outside the house, rather than inside. It’s just something he’ll do without even thinking about it.

But in the meantime, just like with potty training, you teach the command by setting the environment up for his success, and by making obedience training fun and exciting.

To set up the environment for your dog’s success:

Make sure your dog isn’t hungry or tired
Make sure your dog has had plenty of exercise and isn’t overly hyper
Make sure your dog is in a place free from distractions

And how do you make obedience training fun and exciting? It’s all about the rewards. If you’ve been practicing positive training methods, you already know all this. However, most people stop rewarding their dog way too soon.

Most (non-LGD breed) dogs will need rewards for 6 months to a year or more. It depends on the individual dog. Great Pyrenees/LGDs will very likely need rewards for much longer as they take longer to mature.

Just remember, if your dog doesn’t follow a command, you need to make him feel that following the command is worth his while. If he’s not in the mood, get him in the mood with a treat. If he’s not in the mood for his usual treat, find one that he will go crazy for! A piece of cooked meat or a fresh, delicious bone—keep looking until you find something he really, really wants.

When you reward your dog for following the command, he will associate training with feeling happy, and training sessions will feel like play.

You need to make sure that you are always cheerful during these training sessions too. Everything about the experience should be positive for your dog. You may be frustrated that your dog didn’t listen to you without the treat, but you need to get your treats ready, and talk with him in an excited and happy tone anyway.

After repeated training, following your commands will become habit for your dog. This will be way down the line, but, eventually, listening to your commands will feel like second nature to him. Give it time (lots of time).

A very common mistake is discontinuing treats too soon. You think because your dog listened a few times without treats that he’s learned the command. He hasn’t. He’s still expecting a treat, and when he repeatedly doesn’t get one, he loses motivation.

Here’s another tip: You don’t ever want to stop giving treats cold turkey. Instead, keep your dog guessing. As Zak George says in his book,

This means, when you give a command, don’t give your dog a treat for a couple of times. Then, the next several times you give the command, give your dog a treat. As your dog continues to obey, reward him less and less over time. Eventually, you can stop giving treats altogether.

For more information on how to wean your Great Pyrenees from treats, check out the video below:

But remember, this is a long time down the road. And if at any time, your dog stops responding when he doesn’t get a treat, you have to take a big step back and give him treats liberally again.

**#2 Always be consistent: Your dog must follow your command every time**

Your viewpoint: My dog has learned this command before. He knows he’s supposed to follow the command every time I give it.

Your dog’s viewpoint: I know that command, but she doesn’t expect me to perform it every time.

We have already gone over how your dog may initially view your commands as simply requests. However, you may not realize that you are actually reinforcing these beliefs in your dog.

If you tell your dog to “sit” or to “come,” and your dog understands the command, but still doesn’t do it, you have to convince him to do it. If you don’t have treats on you, get some immediately, and work with your dog until he performs the action. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Don’t stop until your dog follows the command.

If you don’t follow through, your dog will believe that he doesn’t need to listen when he doesn’t want to. You’ve taught him that this is the case. From his point of view, he has told you that he doesn’t feel like following your request, and you have told him, “no problem.” Once your dog learns this, he will likely listen to you less and less.

Again, this has nothing to do with respect or disrespect. It’s similar to a scenario where I ask you to watch a movie with me, and you say, “No thanks. I don’t feel like watching TV right now.” You’ve done nothing wrong.

But you need your dog to learn that your command isn’t a request, but an absolute necessity. As a comparison, it’s like me telling you that you need to use the toilet, not the floor or the houseplants, when you have to go to the bathroom. This is not a request, nor an attempt to dominate you. This is just what needs to be done to maintain our friendship and live in harmony. The same is true if I tell you to turn the gas off after lighting the gas stove. It’s not a request. In this case, it’s necessary for safety.

However, remember that your dog is a baby, so he will take much longer to learn these social and safety rules (i.e., commands). Reward, reward, reward. Praise, praise, praise. Practice, practice, practice.

You’ll also need to understand that dogs don’t generalize well. This means that even though your dog may have learned how to sit in the living room when he’s home alone with you, he might not know how to sit in the kitchen or on the back porch. He might not know how to sit when another person or animal is in the room.

It seems obvious to us that “sit” means sit, but to your dog, these are all new concepts. You’ll need to practice your commands in a number of different places, in front of familiar people and strangers, and around many other distractions (like other dogs, traffic, etc.).

Your dog may feel like each new situation is like learning a brand-new command, even though the action is the same.

#3 Understand that your dog’s learning process has ups and downs

Your viewpoint: When my dog learns a command once, he knows the command forever.

Your dog’s viewpoint: When I learn a new command, I need to practice it over a long period of time before I really know it.

Remember that your Great Pyrenees or other livestock guardian dog breed matures very slowly. Your puppy’s brain is not fully developed, and he can’t be expected to learn and remember skills like an adult does.

But regardless of this, think about what it’s like when you learn a brand-new skill. A brand-new skill is particularly challenging because you can’t relate it to things you’ve already learned.

For example, if you already know how to play the piano, you will have an easier time learning how to play the violin. But if you’ve never played a musical instrument (and don’t even know how to read sheet music), then you’re facing a lot bigger learning curve.

Your puppy is facing a big learning curve.

For an example, I remember when I was a girl and I learned gymnastics. It took me a long time to learn how to do a back handspring. When I finally did it the first time, I was able to do it a few more times during that session. However, when I went back to the gym a week later, I couldn’t do it anymore. I needed more practice.

Similarly, over time, my back handspring would improve, but sometimes I’d have setbacks. After doing it very well for a couple of weeks, I might struggle to do it with proper form again. I was incredibly motivated to learn, and this was still the case.

This is true of your dog’s learning process too. They might be doing great with their training, and then have a big setback. They will certainly have several smaller setbacks. All of this is totally normal, and you just need to go back to the fundamentals. Reward, praise, practice. I can’t say it enough.

The idea that your dog will progress linearly with training is truly one of the biggest misconceptions people have about their dogs. You and your dog will go through many ups and downs along the way. Don’t worry about it. With patience, empathy, and practice, it will all work out.

End the “Stubborn Great Pyrenees/LGD” Myth

Below is a popular meme that describes a Great Pyrenees training session:

I love this meme—I can totally relate, and it makes me laugh! However, I hope I have convinced you that the view of the “stubborn Great Pyrenees” or “stubborn livestock guardian dog” is a misguided one.

So, I made my own meme-like pin for Pinterest.

My goal with this pin is to encourage us all to not be so one-sided. Let’s not blame our failed training sessions entirely on our dogs. I think it can be hard for all of us to see the world from our dogs’ points of view. It’s a skill most of us struggle to master, for sure.

But a failed training session with our Great Pyrenees or other LGD breed means a failed communication between dog and trainer, not a failed dog. Will you help me spread the message? Feel free to pin the image above!

More Training Resources

If you haven’t noticed already, I highly recommend Zak George’s training book, Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising the Perfect Pet with Love. He also has an amazing YouTube Channel I highly recommend for everybody with a dog.

I also highly recommend the online training program, Brain Training for Dogs, where you have access to a professional dog trainer.

For my reviews of Brain Training for Dogs, see my articles:

For Love of Livestock