Buckle up, because you’re in for one wild ride! If you’re a first-time dog owner who dove into pet parenting without realizing just how much patience it takes — well, surprise! That adorable pup you fell for at the shelter? That was the easy part. The real adventure starts when they claim your white carpet as their personal bathroom.
Sure, you could have picked a Golden Retriever, a smart Border Collie, or a loyal German Shepherd. But no, you went for a real challenge. Now you get to see what these clever, stubborn, chaos-loving dogs are all about!
From your couch to your backyard, everything is fair game. And trust me, these pups aren’t here to make your life easier; they’re here to rule the roost. So hang on tight… the adventure is just beginning, and your mischievous new best friend is ready to lead the way!
Hardest Dog Breeds to Train
1. Siberian Husky
After you bring home this light colored handsome boy, your house will turn into a scene from the classic animation Tom & Jerry, where the husky will be chasing the cat and the cat will be chasing the mouse. Hence, if you are ready to take up a big challenge, you may bring a Siberian Husky that is stubborn and independent, and makes training an exhausting, hair-pulling challenge.
You’ll never know whether to trail behind the Siberian Husky all the time to keep them in check or hire a professional dog trainer who can handle their high energy levels and independence.
Pawlicy Advisor says hailing from the Arctic Region of Siberia, this black and white and all things nice, working breed seems almost perfect at a dog rescue organization. So adorable, pleasing, and innocent pooch that melts your heart in seconds, but training them at home is a whole different story.
Because they are strong dogs with strong minds that are opinionated and resistant to change, the only respite is positive reinforcement techniques that are effective for training challenging dog breeds like the naughty husky, who is just too big and stubborn to handle.
2. Jack Russell Terrier
These beautiful pooches originated in the 19th century in England and are quite adorable, playful, and energetic. But these pups were originally bred to take down and hunt foxes. Now you very well know that foxes are intelligent creatures; hence, to subdue them, the Jack Russell terrier should be a quick thinker and decision maker.
Due to which it is a stubborn pup and wouldn’t easily comply with the training process or methods used for taming these cute pups down. These pooches naturally have sharp instincts, energy, and agility, which makes them incredible hunting companions.
Omlet explains that the Jack Russell Terriers are little bundles of energy that need plenty of exercise to stay happy. Without enough physical and mental stimulation, they can get bored, and that’s when the destructive behavior starts, even during training. Their strong prey drive only adds to the challenge if they don’t get the activity they crave.
That’s why daily exercise and brain games are a must for these lively pups. Pair that with positive reinforcement, and you’ll not only train your Jack Russell more effectively but also build a strong, trusting bond along the way.
3. Rottweiler
This big, powerful dog has always had a stubborn side, even back in the days when they worked alongside Roman legions! So don’t expect your Rottie to jump up and obey just because you said so. Instead, you’ll probably catch them giving you that classic side-eye, quietly thinking, “Who does this human think they are? This is my turf and there’s only room for one king here… me!”
Purina says Rottweilers can be overly protective and loyal to one person, which complicates their training with others. If you haven’t established good ties with this Roman war dog, you just cannot say anything to them.
Because even if you do, they’ll either never silence and simply forget you exist, or take it like a challenge and start intimidating you by flexing their muscles.
Establishing firm boundaries is essential for successfully training stubborn breeds like the Rottweiler because these pooches are too bougie and filled with attitude to follow your words easily. These pups are only recommended for veterans who know the biz like the back of their hand.
4. Beagle
Beagles have a keen sense of smell that distracts them during training sessions. Like most dogs, these pooches also have a high prey drive for small game like rabbits, which makes training this active breed challenging. Pet parents often underestimate the potential of these intelligent dogs; they need an experienced pet parent to train these loyal dogs.
VCA Animal Hospitals recommends that dedicated training and mental stimulation are crucial for these goofy and playful beagles that are small yet powerful in the dog world. Training methods like positive reinforcement and socialization from an early age can prove to be instrumental in preventing aggressive behavior in certain breeds.
Hence, use high-value treats like attention, affection, and appreciation for these scent hounds that are incredibly versatile pooches and serve us humans in so many ways as working dogs, detection dogs, tracking dogs for search and rescue operations, hunting dogs, and family dogs.
The training needs of beagles might be challenging, but the talent, skills, and loyalty these pooches bring to the table make everything worth the risk. These pooches are smaller than many dogs, manageable and friendlier than other breeds, and proper training can make them exceptionally flexible companions for life.
5. Pekingese
Pekingese dogs were once the prized companions of Chinese emperors — true royalty in the dog world. Sadly, their history took a heartbreaking turn when most were lost during the invasion of the summer palace, with only a few surviving.
These little lions were cherished not just for their unique looks but also for their bold and stubborn personalities. And really, can you blame them for wanting to be the center of attention? After all, they were born to be treated like royalty!
Using training treats and praise can significantly enhance a dog’s training experience. Hence, if you are eager to bring home a Pekingese and want them properly trained, try consulting with animal behaviorists to learn more about your majestic and royal pooch.
The Continental Kennel Club says these priceless dogs also face health concerns because they are brachycephalic and are completely independent thinkers, who will only follow your orders when they think it’s appropriate.
Hence, don’t expect them to come to you on your first call. If you are a first-time dog owner, these pooches will give you an even harder time. However, the owner has the biggest impact on a dog’s training success, and if you are willing to commit to raising a Pekingese as a pet parent, then you’ll definitely find a middle ground with these high and mighty dogs.
6. Chinese Shar Pei
The Chinese Shar Pei is another stubborn, chubby pup. They are independent thinking dogs that are highly intelligent and skilled escape artists because they are quick problem solvers. These heavily wrinkled pups have a cat-like demeanor; they march to the beat of their own drums.
Orvis states that the Chinese Shar-Pei can be territorial and aloof, which complicates training sessions. These pooches were bred to be fighting dogs; hence, they have an aggressive nature.
Moreover, training needs should be tailored to each dog’s unique personality, and in the Shar Pei’s case, positive reinforcement is the only method that works best.
If you establish mutual respect and remain firm and persistent, you can handle the blue-tongued shar-pei easily and utilize its high energy and intelligent mind resourcefully. Chinese Shar-Peis can be territorial and aloof with strangers, requiring dedicated and early socialization, and make great guard dogs that are extremely loyal yet stubborn.
7. Bull terrier
Bull Terriers, with their distinctive egg-shaped heads, are playful, determined, and famously stubborn — traits that can make training a bit of a challenge! Their strong will comes not just from personality, but from their history too.
As descendants of Bulldogs and Terriers, they were originally bred for bull-baiting and dog fighting, which made them strong, agile, and fearless.
Because of this background, Bull Terriers may not always show the easygoing behaviors people expect in a pet. But that doesn’t mean they’re untrainable! With patience, consistency, and reward-based methods, these dogs can become wonderful companions.
The key is early socialization and positive training to channel their energy into fun, purposeful activities and build a strong bond along the way.
Conclusion
After reading about this long list of stubborn and strong willed pups that are almost always giving you a side eye and just roll their eyes when they are not interested in following your orders. You must be intrigued to know to know what’s the hardest breed of dog to train? Then let us quench your curiosity, it is non other than the mighty rottweiler that is the most difficult dog breed to train because of their determined and strong willed nature and if you are wondering what is the most stubborn dog to train?
Then it is none other than the beautiful black and white huskies, that are known for being independent and don’t take cues and orders too seriously, sometimes they don’t even care about what you are saying and just turn a blind eye and ignore you like a spoiled brat.
Dog experts say the breed origins and traits can often dictate their training responsiveness and independence. Therefore there are also plenty of other dogs who are also notoriously difficult to raise and train which aren’t ideal for first time dog owners like the barkless Basenji’s independent nature makes them extremely difficult to train effectively. Or like the Basset hound are often stubborn and easily distracted by their keen sense of smell.
When judging about What breed of dog is hardest to own? Then this title is taken by none other than the Afghan Hounds that are independent and can choose to ignore commands, complicating training efforts. Afghan Hounds often demonstrate independence and aloof behavior towards their owners.
Do you know what is the most disobedient breed of dog? It is the famous Chow Chow that requires consistent training to prevent them from being overly aggressive or protective about their owners. Chow Chows require extensive socialization to avoid being harsh and offensive towards strangers. It is seen that Experienced dog owners may have an easier time training their dogs compared to newbie pet parents who don’t have any idea, about handling a pup, let alone handling a mischievious side eyeing and overdramatic fanatic.
