Anyone who’s ever watched their dog completely ignore a perfectly clear command knows that certain canines march to the beat of their own drum. While some breeds are eager to please and quick to follow instructions, others have perfected the art of selective hearing when their personal comfort is at stake.
Siberian Husky: The Escape Artist Who Calls the Shots
These beautiful Arctic breeds are famous for their stubborn behavior and short attention spans that frequently lead to temper tantrums, with their independent thinking bred to pull sleds in harsh climates. The Internet is in love with the stubborn tendencies of Huskies who are extremely smart and world-class escape artists, even throwing toddler-worthy tantrums to get their way.
They often ignore commands, especially if off-leash, though a tired Husky tends to be a well-behaved one. Their thick double coat and athletic build were designed for endurance work, not following household rules about staying off the furniture.
Basenji: The Catlike Thinker
While highly intelligent, their independence can lead to stubborn streaks, requiring an experienced pet owner with patience and consistent training. These intelligent breeds can be a little independent and known for being stubborn, making training a challenge that some describe as being like training a cat!
Basenjis tend to be clever dogs but not easy to train, needing creative and patient handling to bring out their best qualities. Their personality can best be described as catlike, being generally independent, wary of strangers, and fastidious about cleanliness as they groom themselves like cats.
Shiba Inu: The Japanese Diva
This small Japanese breed is charming but headstrong, known for its strong-willed temperament and dislike of following commands with its independent nature making training a challenge. Originally from Japan, Shiba Inus should be considered among the most stubborn breeds because of their bold and independent personality, accompanied by stubborn characteristics that make them highly disobedient.
The Shiba Inu breed is fiercely independent, making them one of the most stubborn dog breeds, also known for being aggressive if not properly trained at a young age and needing an experienced owner full of patience. When they decide something isn’t worth their time, they’ll simply walk away with dignity intact.
English Bulldog: The Laid-Back Rebel
Bulldogs have perfected the art of stubborn lounging, and once they decide to plant themselves or ignore a command, good luck convincing them otherwise despite their low energy and iron wills. The Bulldog may seem lazy but don’t mistake that for obedience, as these dogs can be willfully slow to respond with their stubborn tendencies softened by their sweet nature.
English Bulldogs typically stand around 12-16 inches but are compact powerhouses fueled by their own strong wills, often turning a deaf ear toward commands they don’t feel like fulfilling, requiring assertive leadership. Their wrinkled faces may look adorable when they’re ignoring you, but they know exactly what they’re doing.
Dachshund: The Sausage Dog with Attitude
The short wiener dog is well-known for their lively and independent attitude, as well as their intelligence, hunting ability, and stubbornness, with Doxies liking to do things their own way. These little barking sausages would rather run around the yard to hunt than listen to your commands.
Originally bred as hunting dogs, these pups are most well-known as wiener dogs, but their history of attacking small, vicious prey inside holes has bred a dog that isn’t afraid to back down from a fight and are some of the most stubborn dogs on the planet. Their long bodies and short legs don’t stop them from having enormous personalities that prioritize their hunting instincts over human requests.
Jack Russell Terrier: The Energetic Dictator
For a small dog, the Jack Russell Terrier sure has a big personality, known for their fun-loving and independent attitude with a streak of stubbornness that makes them difficult to train. Jack Russells are packed with energy, smarts, and attitude, being brave and bold but famously hard-headed, and once they decide something is worth their attention, they’ll ignore the rest of the world.
These fox hunting dogs may be small but their independence is fierce, with their tiny bodies filled to the brim with adventurous energy, and once they find something they like, they simply don’t give it up. Whether it’s chewing your favorite shoes or demanding constant belly rubs, they’ll stick to their agenda regardless of your plans.
Akita: The Dignified Guardian
Akitas are known for their strong-willed and independent personalities, originally bred for guarding and hunting which required them to make their own decisions. This ancient Japanese breed carries itself with a nobility that suggests they believe humans should be honored to be in their presence.
Their large, powerful build and protective instincts mean they’ll evaluate every situation before deciding whether your command is worthy of their attention. When an Akita plants itself in a sunny spot on the living room rug, it’s making a statement that comfort trumps compliance every single time.
Afghan Hound: The Supermodel of Dogs
Afghan Hounds look like high-fashion models and act like divas too, knowing they’re beautiful and often behaving like royalty while being independent thinkers who rarely obey commands unless there’s something in them. These sweet but aloof dogs demonstrate profound loyalty and have an independent mind, with their aloof nature and independent streak qualifying them as one of the stubborn dog breeds.
Their free-spirited nature and tendency to explore their environment on their own terms displays a lower interest in pleasing their owners, with their intelligence and deeply ingrained hunting instincts often overriding training commands. That flowing coat and aristocratic bearing aren’t just for show – they truly believe they’re above mundane tasks like “sit” and “stay.”
Scottish Terrier: The Feisty Little Napoleon
Scottish Terriers are vocal, active, and proud dogs that will do whatever they set their mind on, and if they don’t want to do something, they simply won’t, often being a one-person type of dog. The Scottish terrier has an independent streak and is spirited with their prey drive still intact after years of hunting vermin.
Their small size doesn’t stop them from terrorizing much larger dogs, and they think that being a handsome terrier allows them to do whatever they want. These little warriors were bred to think independently while hunting, and they’ve never forgotten that lesson when it comes to household rules.
Chow Chow: The Aloof Emperor
Chow Chows are dignified, aloof, and not the type to grovel for approval, often acting more like cats and deciding when and how they’ll interact with you. Known for their aloof, reserved, and independent temperament, traits that can often be mistaken for disobedience.
Their fluffy lion-like appearance matches their regal attitude perfectly. When a Chow Chow settles into their favorite spot, they’re not just lying down – they’re holding court. These dogs have mastered the art of making humans work for their attention rather than the other way around.
Pekingese: The Royal Lap Warmer
Pekingese are very intelligent but that intelligence is offset by an independent mind and wide stubborn streak, making training a challenge as they consider themselves in charge of any situation. Many owners describe their Pekingese as regal, self-important, and loyal with a preference for a single person, though they can be challenging to train due to their stubborn and independent nature.
Pekingese can be stubborn about learning new things and are very happy to be lap dogs much of the time. Their imperial Chinese heritage shows in every interaction – they expect to be waited on hand and foot, and they’re not shy about expressing displeasure when their comfort standards aren’t met.
Beagle: The Scent-Driven Dreamer
Beagles are known as one of the best hunting dogs and companions in history, but are also famous for their independent and tenacious character that makes them hard to please, and they even tend to howl when left alone. Beagles are known for their energetic, curious, and single-minded nature, which is often misconstrued as disobedience.
Their incredible nose leads them on adventures that have nothing to do with your training schedule. Once a Beagle catches an interesting scent, your commands become background noise to their olfactory symphony. They’ll follow their nose over your voice every single time, especially if it leads to somewhere more comfortable than where you want them to be.
Chihuahua: The Tiny Tyrant
As the most petite pooch in the world, you may not expect them to have such a big attitude, but Chihuahuas need all the patience you can muster to train because they seem to think they are the boss. Tiny and fierce, Chihuahuas would rather lie in your lap than work for a reward, being not only challenging but also one of the laziest breeds and tending to be aggressive when not trained.
Don’t let their size fool you – these pocket-sized emperors rule their households with iron paws. They’ve perfected the art of making themselves comfortable in the warmest, coziest spot available, and they’ll defend that territory with surprising determination. Their comfort comes first, and everything else is negotiable.
Bull Terrier: The Mischievous Comedian
Bull terriers are loving, charming, friendly, playful, mischievous, and muscular, also known to be comical, independent, entertaining, and one of the stubborn dog breeds, being a bit challenging for obedience training. Bull Terriers are known for their energetic, playful, and sometimes stubborn temperament, which can often be mistaken for disobedience.
Their egg-shaped heads house brains that are constantly plotting their next comfortable conquest. These dogs have turned selective hearing into an art form, especially when their current activity is more appealing than whatever you’re asking them to do. They’re not ignoring you – they’re just prioritizing their own entertainment and comfort schedule.
Rhodesian Ridgeback: The Independent Hunter
They are a loving breed but may be stubborn or dominant, which may make them challenging for first-time dog owners and need a person who can give them positive direction with consistent training. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are intelligent, strong-willed, and independent dogs originally bred for hunting and guarding, and while they are capable learners, their stubborn streak and natural independence can make training more challenging.
The Ridgeback’s hound background means he is bred to think for himself, which also means he can be willful and stubborn, with Ridgies testing everyone in the family to see what they can get away with. These magnificent dogs were bred to face down lions, so your request to move from the sunny spot by the window hardly registers as urgent on their priority scale.
Conclusion
Living with these wonderfully stubborn breeds means accepting that sometimes your dog’s idea of comfort takes precedence over your training schedule. These dogs aren’t being deliberately disobedient – they’re simply following thousands of years of breeding that valued independent thinking and self-preservation. Understanding this can help you work with their nature rather than against it.
While their selective hearing can be frustrating, these breeds often form incredibly deep bonds with their families precisely because they choose to love and respect you on their own terms. The key lies in patience, consistency, and recognizing that sometimes the best-trained dog is simply one whose comfort zone includes pleasing you. After all, isn’t there something refreshingly honest about a dog that knows exactly what it wants?
Esther is from India; the heartbeat of South Asia, holding a Master’s degree in Zoology and a postgraduate diploma in Animal Welfare. Her enthusiasm for animal welfare drives her passion and dedication to working for animals, ensuring their well-being, and advocating for their rights. With a solid academic background and hands-on experience, she is committed to making a positive impact in the field of animal welfare. In her free time, she enjoys embroidery and sewing. As a Chennaite from Tamil Nadu, Esther loves Bharathanatyam, an Indian classical dance form.
