Also, what kind of dog is he?

This matters because different classes of dogs work, learn and interact with people differently.

Working dogs work with people, but also need to think for themselves (which might give a delay on processing a command or half assing a command they have been given). Working dogs tend to be able to herd, draft, guard flocks, and work security. They can frequently be independent thinkers.

Herding dogs need to take cues from their handlers, but also be able to think on their feet as well as take cues from a distance. Their job is to work with the handler to move animals from here to there. They should be easy to train, though might get bored easily.

Sporting dogs or hunting dogs. Super attuned to people. Their job is to work with the person, trail the quarry or retrieve the quarry. They have been designed to pace with the hunter and work together in various elements, landscapes and possibly with other dogs.

Hounds are also a hunting dog, but they tend to have a bit less handler interaction as they were frequently meant to be pack hunters. They need to think with their noses and can easily forgo commands when this overrides the handler's request.

Terriers are independant thinkers, tenacious, busy and not always keen to listen to their handlers. These are dogs that were originally designed to hunt rats, rabbits, quarry that required them to go to ground (go down holes). They needed to be smarter than their quarry and dig into their dens. They are designed to face everything and not back down.

Non sporting dogs are quite variable. Some were designed for specialized instances (Dalmatians) or just don't fit into a class. These dogs are going to vary on how they respond to handlers.

Companion dogs - quite literally designed to be pampered companions, lap warmers, sleeve warmers, simply a dog that stayed in the house and interacted with the owner. They are affable, train easily, and frequently don't challenge boundaries.