The Power of Ignorance: Ignoring the Dog for Training

Your dog jumps on you, begs at the dining table or scratches excitedly at the door? Ignoring can help, but only if you do it correctly and apply it in suitable situations.

When does ignoring work as a training method?

Ignoring only works when your dog is trying to get your attention with its behaviour. This applies to jumping up, barking for attention or begging. The dog shows a behaviour and expects a reaction from you. If this doesn’t happen, the behaviour weakens after some time.

In learning theory, this is called negative punishment: you remove something desirable, your attention, which makes the behaviour less frequent. This is the opposite of punishment in everyday language. Here it’s about learning, not dominance or submission.

Ignoring is not suitable for behaviour stemming from stress, fear or boredom. A dog that destroys the flat due to separation anxiety needs different help than strict ignoring.

How do I ignore my dog correctly?

Correct ignoring is more consistent than you might think. You must not react to your dog at all:

• No eye contact; deliberately look away or through them.
• No words, not even “No!” or “Stop that!”
• No touching or pushing away.
• No frantic movements; stand still calmly or walk away slowly.
• Ignore until the behaviour stops completely and your dog has calmed down.

The hardest part: even an annoyed sigh or a quick glance counts as attention. Your dog then learns that they just need to be more persistent.

Why do many owners ignore incorrectly?

The most common mistake: giving up after five minutes and reacting anyway. Then your dog learns that persistence is rewarded, which actually reinforces the behaviour.

Another pitfall: you ignore, but your family doesn’t. If your partner gives the begging dog something anyway, your effort was in vain. Ignoring only works if everyone participates.

Sometimes the method also fails due to timing. Do you ignore the dog only after it has already stopped barking? Then it’s too late. It will then interpret the ignoring as a reaction to its calm behaviour.

For which problems does ignoring help specifically?

Jumping up when greeting: As soon as the paws leave the ground, break eye contact and stand still or turn away slowly. Only greet when all four paws are on the ground.

Begging at the dining table: Ignore completely, even if the dog whines or nudges with its paw. The family must participate. Reward calm lying down in their place after the meal.

Attention-seeking barking: Don’t look, don’t answer, don’t scold. Only give attention again when your dog has been quiet for a while.

Scratching at the door to go out: Only pick up the lead when the scratching has stopped. This takes longer at first, but pays off.

What to do if ignoring doesn’t work?

If the behaviour doesn’t improve despite consistent ignoring over several weeks, there is often another problem. Some dogs have learned that negative attention is better than none at all.

For destructive behaviour like chewing furniture, ignoring usually isn’t enough. Here you additionally need management, i.e. removing objects, and alternative enrichment.

If your dog is stressed or under-stimulated, unwanted behaviour intensifies despite ignoring. Then you must work on the cause, not just the symptoms.

Does my dog jump up more when I ignore them?

Yes, this often happens at first. Your dog intensifies their behaviour initially because the usual reaction is missing. In behavioural research, this is called an extinction burst and is normal. Stay consistent; it will improve after a few days.

How long does it take for ignoring to work?

If applied consistently, you will see initial results after 1-2 weeks. The new behaviour is usually fully established after 4-6 weeks. The speed depends on how long your dog has been exhibiting the old behaviour.

Can I do anything wrong when ignoring?

The biggest risk is inconsistency: giving in once ruins everything. Furthermore, you should avoid using ignoring for fearful or stressed behaviour as much as possible, as this can exacerbate problems rather than solve them.

Do I need to reward my dog when it stops?

Not immediately, as that would reinforce the stopping. Wait until your dog has calmed down and is showing desired behaviour, then reward that. This way, it learns what you wish for instead.

Does ignoring work with every dog?

No. Very insecure or fearful dogs can become even more stressed by being ignored. Ignoring is also often counterproductive for dogs with separation anxiety or compulsive behaviour; other training approaches are needed here.