Some dogs are more obedient than others! Some of our canine pals are just too stubborn.

This led Stanley Coren, a neuropsychological researcher, to put together a resource to help us understand more about dogs’ intelligence. 

Intelligence, in this case, refers to how well a breed can learn commands and respond to training. He summed this up as being a “measure of what the dog can do for humans.”

Like humans, dogs can differ a lot in intelligence, based on how they interpret new commands and how willing they are to follow them the first time.

This list will show you some of the least obedient dog breeds!

Do you have a specific question about the least obedient dog breeds? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page. 

Afghan Hound

The Afghan Hound was bred to spend the entire day pursuing prey over long distances. They hunt by sight and needed to think for themselves to keep track of the prey instead of looking to their owner for guidance. These days, these features are seen to be remote and autonomous.

They make up for their lack of discipline by being highly affectionate and faithful. Owners of this dignified breed claim that no amount of training can resolve the breed’s hunting instinct to hunt for prey. 

They need the ability to run freely in a wide, comfortably enclosed area at least a few times a week to fulfill their exercise requirements. It can be challenging to teach them to listen to you instead of holding an eye out for something to chase. It is easy to see why this is one of the most disobedient dog breeds.

Chow Chow

The Chow Chow is a breed that needs the family and the owner to be assertive and to let their pooch know who the boss is in the home. 

Chow Chow’s are considered to be stubborn and one of the least obedient dog breeds. But they need a lot of affection and love all the same. 

Chow Chows are also very resilient, they want to be their own dog, and they don’t have to obey orders. It is crucial to develop authority from the very beginning with your Chow Chow pup. They will want to take advantage of the situation, making it more complicated with age. 

When your Chow Chow has been trained, you’ll see that they can really be great pets for your home. This may be difficult because they are some of the least trainable dogs, but it can be done!

Bulldog

Bulldogs needed the tenacity to push cattle to the market and to indulge in the brutal sport of bull-baiting. That tenacity is seen as stubbornness these days.

Although they’re no longer violent, they do stuff in their own time, at their own tempo, and only if they want to. Having them for a walk may be a hassle, but it’s a good one because Bulldogs are especially vulnerable to obesity, which exacerbates some of the other medical issues they’re prone to. 

Adorable as they may be, Bulldogs are also known to be slow to learn, making them one of the least trainable dog breeds.

Beagle

Beagles are definitely one of the most common dog breeds you’ll see in family homes. They are considered to be very gentle with youngsters and love to play outdoors and be energetic. 

Along with their affectionate demeanor comes the desire to be independent pups on their own, making them a little stubborn to train in obedience. This puts them among disobedient dog breeds. 

It’s essential to take the time to train them right away at a young age because they can be harder to train when they get older. If you still have a hard time training your Beagle, you will need a skilled trainer’s support.

Shih Tzu

Shih Tzus, along with their amusing name, are also considered extremely powerful, eager, and independent dogs. These dogs are another breed that is great with kids and makes excellent watchdogs. 

However, because of the stubborn side, it can make it difficult for them to be compliant when it comes to house training. 

Just note to have a good deal of patience and empathy when it comes to teaching and instilling the house laws in them.

Dachshund

Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers, rabbits, foxes, and even boars. They’re brave, independent, and stubborn. This makes them notoriously difficult to train.

They are vibrant dogs that need activities to keep their mind and bodies occupied.

Boredom can intensify disobedience, and these are already one of the most disobedient dog breeds. They were bred to dig into tunnels chasing badgers, so they can decide to tear down your backyard to act on that instinct. 

They love to bark, too. Puzzle toys can help deter Dachshunds from being destructive.

Chihuahua

This breed should not come as a surprise when it comes to the least trainable dog breeds.

While they are intelligent dogs, they can be stubborn and not very well-managed. This seems to be the case for many toy breed dogs, as their personalities all seem to have the same mannerisms. 

Chihuahuas, however, also have a tough time coping with strangers, making them yippy, shaky, and somewhat vicious when they feel nervous. 

It can take some time to teach Chihuahuas to be obedient and be more good-natured when it comes to others, but patience is essential.

Borzoi

Borzoi is another type of dog breed with an elegant and royal look, close to that of the Afghan Hound. Similarly, with conduct, the Borzoi dog breed will also have a powerful will and want to be independent. 

This results in a lack of intellect, although this is not always the case. A long training process is required to make these dogs compliant.

You’ll need to be patient, but you’ll be able to get your dog trained the right way as long as you have that consistent grip on the process in general.

Credits: thanks for the cover photo to Canva.

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