When Obedience Isn’t the issue, How Hormones Impact Your Dog’s Behavior

As a dog trainer, I’m always asked about behavior. Why isn’t my dog listening? Why does she seem less eager to play? Why does training feel harder now than it used to?

Most people assume behavior is purely about discipline, structure, or “training harder.” But often, what looks like a behavior issue is really your dog’s health speaking up, and one of the biggest hidden drivers is hormones.

In my work, I spend just as much time listening to dog parents as I do teaching dogs. They come to me worried because their dog isn’t acting the same. Commands that used to be solid start to slip. A once eager dog suddenly seems distracted. A normally steady dog feels different, less consistent, less predictable.

For many families, this feels like a setback in training. But what I’ve learned over years of working with dogs is that behavior changes like these almost always have a reason. And often, it’s not about the training itself, it’s about what’s happening inside the dog.

Behavior Changes Are a Sign 

I’ve worked with dogs who used to breeze through exercises but now lose focus halfway. I’ve seen normally steady and cooperative dogs become more irritable or uninterested in cues they once knew by heart. To families these changes feel like setbacks. To me they’re important clues.

Dogs don’t wake up one day and decide to be stubborn. Their bodies change and their behavior follows.

The Overlooked Role of Hormones

The truth is, many of these behavior shifts can be linked to hormone changes. After spay or neuter, dogs lose up to 90% of their hormones, and the effects often show up in ways that surprise families. These signs can look like:

• Less eagerness to train or play

• Subtle shifts in mood or personality

• Lower energy or slower recovery after activity

• Weight gain despite no major diet changes

• More anxious or restless behavior

While we can’t see hormones directly, we can see their effects in a dogs behavior. That’s why so many of the challenges families bring to me often trace back to more than just training.

Hormones shape behavior, so it’s important to look at the bigger picture of your dog’s health, not just the behaviors you want to fix.

 Adjusting the Way We Train

When I notice these shifts, I don’t approach the dog the same way I would with one who’s bursting with energy or still in early growth stages. Instead, I make adjustments. Sometimes that means shorter sessions. Other times it means introducing new motivators, slowing the pace, or building in more rest.

The goal isn’t to push through the behavior but to meet the dog where they are. Training is a partnership, and that partnership only works when we pay attention to the changes our dogs are showing us. Sometimes that also means going beyond training itself and adding hormone support to the plan so we’re addressing the dog’s health as well as their behavior.

Training and Health Work Together

Training gives dogs structure, confidence, and the skills to thrive in everyday life. But when hormones shift, even the best training can only go so far. That doesn’t mean training has failed. It means the dog’s body needs support as well.

As a trainer I’ve seen firsthand how behavior changes when hormones aren’t in balance. That’s why I believe the future of dog wellness has to include both great training and a closer look at hormone health. Together they give dogs the best chance to not just learn but feel their best.

Written by Alyssa Megias, founder of Total Dog Tampa and voted Best of the Bay. She has worked with hundreds of dogs and families to build better communication, stronger bonds, and healthier lives.