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on Pack Structure
Dogs don't know how to be good until you show them.
Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet DVD
Dear Ed,
I have your puppy video and your Basic obedience training videos. They have been very helpful - since before these I was pretty clueless on how to train my dog on anything. Crate training was a breeze with your advice we only had one accident, which was my misreading his whining - he had diarrhea - which I didn't expect and I mistook it for wanting attention and he had an accident in his crate. But that is it. He goes into his crate on command and now the only time he ever makes a sound is when there is company over - but that is getting less each time. His crate is just too big to move around, so I have decided to put up with the noise during family gatherings until he gets over it - since the whole family has pets - it is no big deal, they understand he is in-training and I finally have all the family trained not to acknowledge him in anyway when he does bark or whine.
I am looking at buying a new prong collar for my dog (puppy) - he is only about 9 mos old, but he is large and strong - they believe he is part boxer and part mastiff. He seems to grow by the minute. I realize that it may be a young age to have him in a training collar, but correcting him with a regular collar did NOTHING and he is so strong that my daughter couldn't stop him and if he caught me by surprise he could pull me right off my feet and did pull me off the porch step once, when I forgot that our cock-a-poo was outside and he spotted her and took off to play. He is also a very HARD dog, I have never given a correction harsh enough to cow him. He also is extremely motivated - treats work fine with him, during training - but I am trying to also get him to mind when I don't have a treat on me - that is a bit slower in coming. I have been working hard to train him, but he really only fully minds me when the prong collar is on. Which wouldn't be a problem if it was easy to get on him, but it is a battle. I think the biggest problem is that I didn't have him trained enough on being handled in a sit stay before I had to resort to the prong due to his extreme pulling (to the point he was hard to stop). The prong solves the pulling problem, but it is WORK to get it on him and a couple of times my finger has came close to getting seriously injured, if he turns just right my finger gets torqued in the link while I am trying to get it fastened. The one I have is very hard to squeeze the prongs in order to get them in the other link. Once it is on, he is a different dog and I really don't have to issue much correction, if he pulls, he corrects himself and stops immediately - I link it to both rings as the first attempt with only the dead ring wasn't working with him. He is not aggressive, meaning he does not ever act like he is going to harm me, he is just really strong and willful. I also, know that he is learning, he managed to get away from me once and my daughter once and both times when I called him to come, he did. However, we live on a 55mph road - so I really worked hard on teaching this command from the beginning so that if he ever did get loose, he would be safe. We are moving in a month or so, then I will live on a gravel road on 26 acres so that I can actually feel safe working with him outside off-leash. I will not do that here as we live on 7 unfenced acres and the highway (cars, etc) are visible and can be heard from anywhere in the yard and it is too risky. So all potty trips, training, exercise, play etc is all done on leash for his safety and my piece of mind.
I looked at your quick release collar, but I don't think I get how it works, it looks like the clip would not open up the part that goes around his neck - so does it just make it larger so it can slip over his head or am I missing how it actually works. I haven't tried slipping anything over his head - so I am not sure how that would work out either. I also noticed your notes on the dominant dog collar - so I guess I should have one of those also, is this a collar that would be taken on and off also, each time he is on a leash or is a collar that can be on him in his crate too. I have to keep a collar on him at all times, so that when I take him out of his crate I have something to grab hold of, until I have him on a leash - as I have also not yet gotten him to listen to me 100% when other people are around. If it is just him and I home, I can let him out of the crate and he won't take off to the living room to see everyone else, because no one is there, so I don't have to worry about him knocking things over or running amuck - but my household (especially in the summer) is rarely just him and he definitely has a puppy mentality when it comes to other people - so I don't yet trust him off leash with anyone but myself and my daughter who took classes with me.
Also, I am two other problems which I haven't figured out how to correct.
1. Immediately when I put him on a leash - which I do every time he is out of his kennel - for bathroom, exercise or training - he grabs the leash and carries it in his mouth. The only way I can get him to stop is by distraction - getting him interested in something else, but that is only a temporary fix. The reason this is such a problem is because he will grab at it and if he scraps your leg or arm in the attempt - oh well. The bigger his mouth gets the more frequently I get caught (scratched) by his teeth. I know not to pull it from him, as this is just a tug of war game for him and does nothing to solve the problem, but I have not found an answer. When he was younger and I took my daughter to puppy classes with him, the trainer there thought he would grow out of it as he got use to being on a leash - I have had him since late March and he has not grown out of it and it is a problem now. I personally think it is a dominance issue - I think he does it to show me that HE is walking himself or at least that it is a 50/50 effort and I am not fully in charge. From time to time it does create a correction problem, but I have solved that by just grabbing the leash between his collar and where he is holding it so that I can issue a correction for not sitting etc. It is mainly a concern because he is pretty aggressive when he is trying to get hold of it and because I think it is a dominant trait that I have not trained out of him.
2. He gets in jumping up moods from time to time and I have tried pushing him back down and scolding him - to no avail, I have tried ignoring him until he stops, and I have tried giving him a correction (which is more difficult because the act of him jumping makes it hard to get all the slack out) but nothing has really stopped him from doing it, it just subsides it for that moment until the next time. Is this just something that takes time? I have even done the thing where I put him around the tree and stand at a perimeter - but again while it works at that moment - it doesn't the next time his is in the mood and does it on the leash. I don't really know what makes him do it - it is not something that happens every time we are out and it only started about 2-3 months ago - he didn't do it when he was smaller, which would have probably been easier to correct.
I haven't yet attempted to train him on everything in your videos yet - I am still working on the basics, until I can get him to sit, stay, down, walk with me without pulling or jumping, come, and wait (which is actually good about) 100% of the time, I have not tried to enter anything new, like place, heel, or being off-leash in the house. But if there are other videos you feel I need at this point to handle the above concerns, please let me know or at what point I should be looking at another video to continue his training. I just feel that I first have to get him to obey me on these simpler things fully and under any circumstance before we go much further - but if I am wrong on that please do advise. I am really in uncharted waters here - this is the first time I have attempted to fully train a dog like this - our cock-a-poo was trained over time on an as needed basis, because she was laid back and small and other than kennel training and come, not much else was a priority. Yogi is a different matter all together. I have to get him trained so that I feel comfortable with him off-leash and when my children are working with him. Plus the children wanted a dog that would make them feel safe - since we will be living in a more remote area. They want him to be able to go outside and just be out with them or free in the house so that he could protect them if needed. I really don't want him guard dog trained, just his normal protection of family instinct will be fine, once I can get him trained to be a behaved part of the family so he doesn't have to be in a crate or on a leash all the time.
Thanks for your time and assistance.
Bennette
Ed's Response:
I can tell you that if this dog lived in my home he would be in training with a remote collar. We introduce puppies to remote collars and low level stimulation at 4 months. I did a training dvd on this – Remote Collar Training for Pet Owners. I use a Dogtra 1900NCP on my personal dog.
Cindy (my other half) used Dogtra 200NCP on her dogs. It’s a little smaller in size than the 1900.
There are less expensive collars on the market but I don’t believe there are better collars.
I prefer the 1900 because it has a digital read out on the transmitter that goes from 1 to 127. This allows very precise control. I am raising a GSD right now and he started wearing the collar at 4 months. I would never own a dog again without using a remote collar.
The remote collar is the great “size equalizer.” With this said I don’t know how old your daughter is but a child should never be responsible for a dog that’s this large.
During the conditions for the collar I would train it going on with MARKER TRAINING – the same goes for a prong collar – but I would not use a prong on this dog. It’s beyond that.
Your leash in the mouth issue is a pack structure issue. He does not respect you. The fact is all you need to do is teach the dog the YUCK command and when he grabs the leash he gets a YUCK. If he does not drop it he needs a correction that he remembers the next time he thinks about this. You can accomplish this with a remote collar.
The fact is, and possibly it's my fault, you have put the cart before the horse. Dogs require pack structure training before obedience training. This is where they learn to control themselves. I have a free eBook on establishing pack structure and I am editing a DVD on this exact subject right now. My web site has a large number of FREE eBooks that I have written. Go to the main directory for eBooks.
It’s a misconception that dogs require obedience training to become a nice calm pet, what they need is pack structure first ands then obedience training.
I hope this helps.
Kind Regards,
Ed Frawley
Dear Mr Frawley,
I am extremely concerned about my dog as I have been told by our head Schutzhund trainer that my dog is a risk to my small children and people in general. He is 9 month old black and tan from very good show lines.
The problem is that for the past few months he has become extremely aggressive. When walking on the street he barks and has tried to bite a few people. I am trying to correct it and have been told that he is "high in the nerve" and I will only achieve limited success as it is genetic. I also know of another person who had a two year old from the same Breeder. This dog was great with his child who used to kiss it goodnight every night, until one night the dog bit his child in the face. I have 3 year old daughter and a baby on the way. At the moment he does not display any aggression towards her at all but I am concerned that the risk of him biting the kids one day is high. I use corrections but but he is not responding well. I have been told to use a pinch collar and cable. My fear is that even though I could maybe correct this when in my presence I cannot trust him when I am not around.
I do not want to take ANY chances when it comes to my kids.
Please advise me on whether I should keep the dog or not.
This would be greatly appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Neil
Ed's Response:
Neil,
It sounds like the dog has short nerves. Short nerve dogs require almost all prey work if they are to be trained in Schutzhund.
They also require a stable pack structure in their home. They need and strive for harmony and leadership. When they don’t get it they can get neurotic.
The average person thinks that obedience training is all that’s need to establish pack structure – these people are 100% wrong. There is a ton more to it than that. I wrote a free eBook on this (and in fact at the moment I am editing a DVD on this exact subject) My web site has a large number of FREE eBooks that I have written. Go to the main directory for eBooks.
If I owned your dog I would run it through this program. I would also strongly recommend that you read and follow the information in the articles I have written on dogs and kids and dogs and babies.
I have owned truly dangerous dogs in my life – dogs that have taken body parts off humans (I.E. an entire calf muscle and a shoulder blade). I only had one bite on my kids and that was because my then 16 year old took my personal dog out while I was in Europe after I warned him to never take him out of the kennel. The point her is that if any dog you ever own bites your child – you f@#$%^ed up big time. It is not your dogs fault. Even the sweetest pooch that lacks pack structure can strike a child
I would also be training this dog with a remote collar (low level stimulation). I did a dvd on this called Remote Collar Training for Pet Owners. I use a Dogtra 1900NCP on my personal dog.
Cindy (my other half) used Dogtra 200NCP on her dogs. It’s a little smaller in size than the 1900NCP.
There are less expensive collars on the market but I don’t believe there are better collars.
I prefer the 1900 because it has a digital read out on the transmitter that goes from 1 to 127. This allows very precise control. I am raising a GSD right now and he started wearing the collar at 4 months. I would never own a dog again without using a remote collar.
I hope this helps.
I will guarantee you that the man that owned the other dog had holes in the way HE CHOSE to live with his dog.
Kind Regards,
Ed Frawley
Question:
Some answers in red within the email.
Hi Ed,
I have written before and hoped you may be able to help me again. I have a 16 month old English Pointer bitch who has really come along well with her training. I had a problem with her recall which is loads better although I know I have to work with her more. I admit I have been a bit slack recently.
My problem is this. Myself and my partner are separating shortly and the dog is coming with me. She has been a bit spoilt recently and that’s down to all of us, (probably more me!!) I am trying her on a natural diet but she seems to have gone off her food, things have been tense at home and I wondered whether she is picking up on it, or maybe just become fussy eater that I have encouraged. The other problem is she is really digging especially if she gets on the furniture. I tell her no and get her off.
I'm just feeling that I have let things slide with the pack structure. She is everything to me and I know I'm too soft! She is a lovely dog, very intelligent, lovely temperament and has a submissive nature with other dogs.
After all that my main problems are:
1) How will she react when I move, will she settle?
***Without knowing your dog, I can’t really answer that. The more structure and leadership you give her, the better she will handle changes in her daily life. Keep as consistent as you can and don’t feel sorry for her and let things slide.
2) I will be working everyday and she will be crated from 8-12 then I will be home for an hour then again from 1-3. Is this too long??
***As long as she gets adequate mental and physical exercise, this is fine.
3) Some days I wont finish until 5pm but on those days I will take her to my mother's or is that not necessary?
***That’s up to you, it may be better to leave her at home unless your mother can be consistent with your rules.
4) Can I regain control with the structure and start from the beginning?
***Yes, follow the groundwork article.
5) What can I do with regards to her fussy eating?
***I would make sure she is on a feeding schedule and preferably being fed a species appropriate diet. Since you seem to be feeding chicken as a base, I would rotate the meat sources to include beef, pork, lamb, rabbit, fish, etc. The veggies are not so important.
6) Should she ever be allowed on the furniture? She doesn't sleep with me she is crated.
***She should not be allowed on the furniture until you have re-established pack structure and then ONLY by invitation.
7) Will a walk in the morning and again in the evening be enough?
***That depends on how long of a walk you are talking about. A Pointer is a high energy dog, with a high exercise need. I would guess this dog needs a minimum of 2 hours of hard exercise a day to be content and mentally balanced.
Since she has been on a natural diet of vegetables and chicken etc her coat is superb, and I'm hoping it will help with her skin allergies she has had. I also give fish oil tablets and vitamin E plus natural yogurt.
I have read loads of your advice and taken it on but I know I need to sort myself out for when I go and that the anxiety of the situation hasn't helped as I get stressed which is no good for her.
I know you are a really busy man and would have posted on the forum however as it's quite lengthy I hope you don’t mind me contacting you directly. I just want a happy me and an obedient dog!!!
Many thanks for your time, I give out your web site address to all dog owners I meet because I feel it’s the best there is.
Lucy
Answer:
Please read this article about becoming an effective pack leader.
The first sentence in this article says it all: "You can feed water and love your dog and he will like you but he very well may not respect you." 99% of all behavioral problems are a result of dogs not respecting their owners. This happens as a result of poor handling and/or poor training.
This article was written for people like yourself, people who have great intentions but not enough knowledge of pack structure. There are links within the article that will take you to other articles on my web site.
(Other answers in red above.)
I recently adopted a 9mo. old female Dogo Argentino. “Sol” was an owner surrender, the reason for this is complicated but I’ll try to explain as briefly as possible. Sol’s former owner runs a dog rescue agency in West Va. In addition to this the woman has four small children and a few animals (cats and dogs) that she keeps as pets – obviously over-extended! One of her pets was a Dogo that she adopted. She loved the breed so much that she thought it would be a good idea to breed them. Thank goodness it didn’t work out for her because she DOES NOT have the time or resources to properly breed such a powerful and dominant breed. Since she wasn’t going to breed and was already over-extended she decided to adopt out Sol. I have always wanted a Dogo, love large athletic dogs and needed one for protection since I live by myself and run everyday – I need a dog that can keep up with me physically and that would visually be a deterrent to anyone with bad intentions. There is a Schutzhund class that meets about 20 minutes from where I live (Athens, Ga) and I have every intention of starting her on this training. She had very little “face time” with her former owner so I have started her on some basic commands such as “sit,” “down,” and “stay.” She is a very quick study. I have her eating in an un-used bedroom – after me, sitting and waiting at the door, steps, and before we cross the street, there is no food or toy aggression, she tries to get on the couch and bed but readily accepts correction when I tell her “off.” She has a high prey drive which has my cat a little upset but again she is quickly learning that the cat is not prey and to more or less ignore her. THE PROBLEM: dog aggression towards another female dog.
This appears to be her only flaw thus far and unfortunately I don’t know how much of this I can change. Perhaps you will be able to tell me if there is something I can do to help this situation.
OTHER DOG BACKGROUND: a completely untrained beagle mix that is allowed to do whatever she wants and get away with it from everyone but me. This is my friends dog (she also has a 4mo male Bernese that Sol plays fine with) but I spend a lot of time with her because I have a fenced in yard so my friend drops them off to play everyday while she is at work. I am close enough that I come home on my lunch breaks and during this time I have been working on some basic obedience for her dogs too. Leila is out of control. She gets in the garbage, destroys things out of spite, eats food (MY FOOD) off of the table, sits wherever the hell she wants, and has bone aggression. The other day my dog tried to dominate Leila. There was a lot of growling and posturing and a few nips before it was broken up. Nothing major but an obvious cause for concern because my dog could easily eat her alive and though she is the most annoying dog ever I would never wish that on her. Now of course her owner thinks that this is all my dog’s fault (and it might be that’s why I’m writing). That my dog is overly aggressive/ dominant and that it’s a danger. Please correct me if I’m wrong but I think the problem lies more with her dog than with mine. I do think there are some problems with my interaction with both of them: for instance I’m the only one that tries to be pack leader over Leila and in my family (Sol and I) Sol is next in line I think that Sol thinks she is entitled to be dominant over Leila. This IS obviously dangerous because if Leila resists she is going to get her ass kicked or die. What can I do about this, how much of this can I control, will Schutzhund help? I love Sol and I hate for other people to look at her as a bully just because she is big and strong.
Carlina
Answer:
To TopI wouldn’t let my dog around this other female. I think it’s a no brainer!
Your friend needs to take responsibility for the untrained obnoxious dog, and you need to protect your dog from situations that get her in trouble.
It sounds like you are doing fine with Sol.
Tell your friend to read this article about becoming an effective pack leader.
The first sentence in this article says it all: "You can feed water and love your dog and he will like you but he very well may not respect you." 99% of all behavioral problems are a result of dogs not respecting their owners. This happens as a result of poor handling and/or poor training.
I hope this helps.
I have attended 2 different schools to become a dog trainer. Basic Obedience, behavior and scent work.
Somehow I got involved in schutzhund and I like it a lot. I like challenge. So not knowing anything about the sport, my husband decided that we should buy a green dog from Slovakia and he would be my challenge and my project to achieve. My husband is from Slovakia. He found this gorgeous dog Donnie with an incredible pedigree. It cost me money. The entire time I knew I did not want a green dog to teach a sport that I knew nothing about. But my husband is the type that he knows it all and he is always right.
We brought the dog to USA. We came very close to losing the dog because of transportation problems with the airlines and customs.
Anyway we are here. I gave him several months to adjust. I had to learn the commands in Slovak. But that is all I was able to learn.
I tried to bond with the dog but it was not happening. I kept telling that to my husband but he kept saying that it was not true.
A year later I am still trying to bond with the dog. Finally I had to turn him over to my husband. He speaks the language and somehow Donnie responds to him much better.
The problem is that my husband does not know how to train, only from what he watches from us and others.
This coming August, Donnie will be with us for 3 years. I have spent so much money (my personal money) to find good trainers to help us, buying DVD's , traveling long distances to find someone to help us with the protection work and whatever I can do to make something out of this dog.
One of my desperate attempts was to board him with a trainer that supposedly was training for 25 years.
Donnie was suppose to stay with the trainer for 3 months in order to get his BH.
My husband did not like what he was seeing so he went and brought Donnie home after one month. What I learned later is that this trainer breaks the dogs down the first month using hard compulsion and then he rebuilds them again to listen to him. Since Donnie was pulled out after a month he was never rebuilt. I still do not know for sure if this is what is causing us to have all the problems we are having today with Donnie.
Donnie is extremely intelligent. Now he is to the point that he will do a couple of exercises and go and sit under a tree and watch. He will never fight for his rights. For example if the one of my other dogs takes the ball or the tag, Donnie will not go to try to get it.
Donnie does not listen. When called to come he will come when he is ready. When my husband raises his voice then Donnie goes into a panic mode. The only thing I personally do with Donnie is play with him and taking him tracking.
He does very good tracking. I let my husband do the work but it is not looking good.
I wish I could bond with the dog and be able to work with him. I am consistent, I have a plan, I read, I research and not afraid to ask. I have another dog that he will not work for any one else other than me. I know I can train.
There is a lot more to it than just what I wrote but I do not want take up all your time. I just wanted to give you a very small picture of what I am faced with every day. We have purchased several of Ed Frawley's DVD's. Great information.
I am just so lost and worried on how we will be able to make Donnie be happy, be exited to come out and work, have fun.
I can write in more detail if you think you need more information.
Thank you
Maria
Answer:
To TopIt sounds to me like a relationship problem, and the fact that this dog does not see you as a leader. It also may be that the dog does not have the nerve, temperament or drive for the work you wish to do with him. Not all GSD's have the ability to do all 3 phases of schutzhund.
The only thing I can suggest is that you need to make a fresh start with the dog, and if you wish to train him, have your husband turn the dog over to you and let the two of you bond.
The only way to do this is to re-structure Donnie’s life completely. You need to become the focus of his day to day life. The great thing about dogs is that you can start over with them at any time, dogs don’t live in the past. They live in the here and now…
I would suggest you stop training and start working on a relationship with the dog and see where it takes you.
I had emailed not too long ago about having sent my Golden to training and it being the worst thing I could have done. Well, I did order the basic obedience video (coming in the mail soon), I got a prong collar, and an electric collar. I read the information in the website and tried to do what it suggested. I used to just give him his food, but I started asking him to downstay and wait until I release him and give him the okay to get his food.
The first day was almost a complete disaster because I had the bowl in my hand and I was trying to give him the commands and he was not paying attention to me. This went on for 5 to 10 minutes because I was not about to give him his food until he did what I ordered him to do. After several minutes he started jumping on me trying to get the food. In a gentle way, but still jumping. I could see the frustration in his eyes and could sense that this was going to take a turn for the worse, so I went back inside with his food. Placed the food in the deck area where he could not get to it and came back outside with the pronged collar. Because the basic choke collar had already been used with him, he hears the sound of the chain and he already knows what is going to happen. So he kept moving his head and laying down purposely trying to avoid getting this collar on. Once I got it on, I healed him to the spot I wanted, Sit and Down-Stay. He cooperated wonderfully, but when I went to get his food he got up. I told him No, I put the food away, went back to him and did the same thing. After I put his down I gave him a small tug and told him Stay. I went got his food and he did not move until I released him. Day two, I did not even bother going out without the collar. Everyday, he is getting more and more evasive and it is getting more difficult getting the collar on. When I try to heal with him he is trying to bite the leash turning him head to the right because it is on the side. Even with the prong collar on he is starting to try to jump on me. I can see a change in him. When the trainer came to drop him off I saw and thought that he was using excessive force with him, and after reading the materials in your website, I KNOW he was using too much force for the mistakes he was making. I have this bad feeling that my once soft puppy has become a hard dog. He is not quite there yet, but I can sense the tide changing. Please help me. I do not want anyone to be hurt by him or have to give him up. Thanks.
Lupe
Answer:
I think you are rushing things too much. I would never ask for several minutes of a stay from a dog I was retraining. You are retraining this dog, and it takes longer than if it had been done correctly in the first place.
Have you followed the groundwork in the article? This is what you should be doing until the videos arrive.
I wouldn't be trying to heel or do so much, so soon.
Also, it's very normal for dogs to try what has worked for them in the past and when they find things are not working, they become more frustrated and hectic. Take the heeling out of the equation, always have his collar on when he is not in a crate, and reward him for very small steps in the right direction. If he will stay for 5 seconds reward, then the next time ask for 6 seconds, then the next time reward after 2 seconds, and so on. He needs to feel successful to want to try.
I would not be using the food bowl if it's causing so much excitement. Use his food as rewards, piece by piece for cooperation. Take the food bowl completely out of the picture for now.
Back up and restructure this dog's life, by using the steps outlined in the groundwork article and then study the video when it arrives.
Thanks:
To TopI have so many questions that I have not found in the podcasts or articles, but I am going to wait for the training video and see if I can get my answers there. Right now I am just going to work on "mending fences" with Xenon and pray that we make it through successfully. I want you to know how much I appreciate your quick responses. Right now I am in a whirlwind of emotions and it feels so nice to know there is someone out there trying to help, because right now I am not feeling very strong, and feeling quite inept. Thank you SO much! Lupe.
Question:
Hi Ed,
I so enjoyed listening to your nine free podcasts. You are a wise dog trainer, that is obvious. Good information, very balanced, and best of all free. Boy, I could have used your information so many times over the years - but at least I have it now. You are so insightful on so many dog issues. You have provided me many valuable lessons in just those few podcasts that I hate to now take issue with the one thing that we apparently don't agree on. However, I think it's a dangerous enough issue that I just have to at least tell you about it. You gotta do what you gotta do, and I have to do what I have to do - but I wish you'd think about it and possibly put another twist on it.
The only issue I have with any of the information you gave was your idea that when feeding a pup or dog, never take the food away, or bother him while he's eating. I think I heard that right. To do so is "bullying him" I believe you said. Contrary to that I always train my dogs not to be food possessive - having been bitten on the face when I was three years old. The adults that observed this incident did not blame the dog - a three year old boy, like me, with out any instruction should just know not to go near a dog when he's eating. They told me it was my fault. After all, three year old boys are very intelligent, everyone knows that. I'm 57 now and still have the scars of that incident. I think the adults that over saw that incident were idiots. I hope I heard you wrong on that issue.
Also, I happened to be watching a dog shelter program on TV one evening and the worker on the program was testing dogs for food possessiveness. They would not allow a dog to go out of their shelter with food, or toy possessiveness, for the same reason I was bitten as a three year old. It's plain dangerous. They could not keep all the dogs they had, and those that were food aggressive (i.e. dangerous to humans) were the ones euthanized.
I have always been a human first kind of person, and if one of my dogs ever bit a child on the face, I would not see it as the child's fault, or the dog's fault. It would be ALL my fault. So, I guess, I am a bully, but all my dogs over the years have let me slide on that one without much ado, and any kid or person can stick their face in my dogs bowls at any time without ever being bitten. That's my rule and I will always stand by it. I just think you overstated yourself on that issue. We don't all live in a perfect dog set-up where we can protect all wandering children - hell there were four adults in the room when this happened to me.
That's all. Think about it. I am sure you have effects on so many people with your web site that I'd hate to see another kid scarred for life for something you said. All said I was glad I did not lose my eye. I am well over it, but I have made it a point to never see a dog of mine do that to anyone.
Certainly, you and I are such responsible, knowledgeable, and proactive dog owners that that sort of thing would never happen around us - but wow - so many inept dog owners, dysfunctional residences, and so many children. It's still a concern of mine! Your comment on that one subject hit me like a Mac truck, or maybe more like a dog ripping at my face. Not fun. Yikes!
Hey, keep up the great work. I ordered your catalog and will be ordering more of your stuff. Love 99% of it so far.
Brian
Answer:
To TopBrian,
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but the fact is your wrong. You don’t understand pack structure and/or how to obtain it without a fight. Screwing with a dog's food is not good leadership.
The VAST MAJORITY of dogs in shelters are there because they lack pack structure. Their old owners never established it and as such they have behavioral problems. The fact that they are aggressive to toys and food only confirms this.
I suggest that you spend some time reading my free eBooks on pack structure, motivation and corrections.
Kind Regards,
Ed Frawley
Ed,
I got your name from a woman Cynthia from Trinity Croft. She recommended you to me because I have an aggressive dog, who seems to be getting worse.
When she was about 3 mos old I took her to a place called K-9 Guardian and we were asked to leave because she was so aggressive. For a long time I thought I could handle her but she got worse.
Last March I hired a dog trainer from “Who’s The Boss” and he worked with us until just recently and is still consulting over the phone. She bit him 3 times and she bit me once.
Now she seems to be taking her aggression out on the other dogs, she has become very pushy, more so than usual. She even growled at me this morning. I don’t know what to do, I know if I put her in a shelter she will be put to sleep and she is a very healthy 3 ½ year old dog. Please, please, help me.
Thank-you,
Kathy
Answer:
To TopKathy
Most of the time handler aggression is a pack issue. The problems need to be solved by the owner and not some trainer. What good does it do for a trainer to establish himself or herself as your dogs pack leader? NONE !!
Not knowing your skill as a handler or your size or your dogs size I can only tell you what I do with aggressive dogs. I start out with Re-establishing Pack Structure - I start from ground zero and do exactly what I explain in the free eBook on my web site on THE GROUNDWORK TO ESTABLISHING PACK STRUCTURE My web site has a large number of FREE eBooks that I have written. Go to the main directory for eBooks.
I will have a DVD finished called ESTABLISHING PACK STRUCTURE WITH THE FAMILY PET. (I am working on it as we write here) that will be done is 3 or 4 weeks.
I would also do the work in my DVD on DEALING WITH DOMINAT AND AGGRESSIVE DOGS.
I personally work aggression with remote collars but then I understand how to do this and when necessary I use a muzzle. We have a ton of different type and sizes.
I did a DVD titled REMOTE COLLAR TRAINING FOR THE PET OWNER. I use a Dogtra 1900NCP on my personal dog. Cindy (my other half) used Dogtra 200NCP on her dogs. It’s a little smaller in size than the 1900.
There are less expensive collars on the market but I don’t believe there are better collars.
I prefer the 1900 because it has a digital read out on the transmitter that goes from 1 to 127. This allows very precise control. I am raising a GSD right now and he started wearing the collar at 4 months. I would never own a dog again without using a remote collar.
While it may seem like I am just trying to sell you DVD's here – the fact is this is not a simple issue to fix – you already found that out. It begins with handler education and this is beyond the scope of an email. My web site is over 10,000 pages but even then there is a lot of topics discussed there. These DVD’s are directed at the source of dog aggression.
I hope this helps.
Hi there, I am writing this to you in a state of high distress. My doberman who is 2, we have had him 6 months, just bit my 5 year old son requiring many stitches. This is the 2nd incident and I believe it is a dominance pack issue thing as it only happens if he is alone with my kids, something I try desperately to not have happen. I don't know what my son may have done to provoke it but it would likely have been trying to hug the dog he said he had rolled onto his back and he went to pet his stomach when he jumped on him growling and obviously biting. Are the muzzles okay to leave him in for long periods. I am looking to muzzle him whenever my kids are home and not muzzle him other times I have been training him with a remote collar system and he has gone from out of control to being able to walk off leash no problem. Even with other dogs when he starts to lunge and growl I just click the dogtra collar and he comes or sits or whatever with no dog fights it just seems to be a family "pack " issue. When we first got him he growled and snapped at me several times in a very menacing way and I was told to pinch his lip really hard and force him into a down which he did and started to tremble and rolled into a submissive posture and I have never had that problem again he is definitely my husbands dog first and mine second as I am the one who takes him for 5 -10 walks or runs.
Any way long story short I now no longer trust him and my children are far more important so can I leave him in this muzzle for large periods through the day and should I put it on him when I go out even though his main issue seems to be in our house with my kids?
This is the only option I can think of as I love him to bits and can't bear the thought of re-homing him as we are the 4th or 5th place he has been in 2 years. I just don't know if we gave him to a home without kids if it would be better or if we would be screwing him up with dumping him into yet another home.
PLEASE answer this rather long winded email if you can thank you.
Lea
Answer:
To TopYou need more than a muzzle (although we have many styles and type). Keep in mind that a dog can seriously injury a human with a muzzle on. I used to train police service dog and did muzzle work with police dogs. They can break ribs and knock teeth out of adults with muzzles on.
You need a dog crate and some training dvd's and you need to change the way you live with this dog
I strongly suggest that you get several of my training DVD'S
This week I finished a dvd titled ESTABLISHING PACK STRUCUTRE WITH THE FAMILY DOG - this is where you need to start
Dealing with Dominant and Aggressive Dogs
The pack structure DVD will not be back from being pressed until the Nov 9th. There is an abbreviated part of this program in a free eBook on my web site. My web site has a large number of FREE eBooks that I have written. Go to the main directory for eBooks http://www.leerburg.com/dogtrainingebooks.htm
I also wrote a free eBook on how to prevent dog bites in children. You will find that on my web site.
I read your comment about not having time for people who did not read the information provided already on your website. So I read many postings before sending you this request for information but perhaps being both hopeful and confused I think I need a straight forward answer.
We had one female spayed doberman we have had since 10 wks old who we have taken through beginning obedience training at 16 weeks old. Several months later we rescued her litter mate, also female. Due to her aggression we had her spayed right away but within the 6 month old time range. OD (AKA Other Dog) is the rescue dog who was scarred, thin, and well bitten by other dogs when we got her.
We trained OD with what we learned earlier in Molly's obedience training. Our main problem is occassional fighting that last time required stitches to Molly's ear. We are concerned about the aggression and whether it can be solved or do we need to find yet another home for OD?
I read many postings were you indicated a new home was the only solution for some but then I read others where people were writing back to say with additional training they were able to keep both dogs. Also we have been told that litter mates are impossible to keep together, especially female siblings and that it could lead to death for one animal.
OD is very passive with humans, both adult and children, but aggressive towards other animals. Is there hope for her or should be begin a search for a new home for her?
Thank you for your time. I also intend to follow up with purchases of your training materials even if only for one dog. "COME" is not a strong point for either dog at this point.
Answer:
To TopIn reality this is a pack structure issue. IN a well established family pack the leader is the one who determines who fights and when to be aggressive. This is a clear rule that’s establishing in the ground work for pack structure. The lower ranking member of the pack instinctually understand this once the leader has been determined.
In your case this dog has had previous attacks – probably against her the first time and then after that she probably became dog aggressive. So this results in the leader needing to do a better job of STRUCTURE and ASSERTIVNESS in what is and is not tolerated. In other words in establishing rules.
Last week I finished a new DVD on ESTABLISHING PAC STRUCUTRE WITH THE FAMILY DOG.This lays out the program to follow for this work. In this DVD I took 4 of my dogs and put them together (2 at a time) and showed how they establish rank.
The vast majority of local obedience instructors don’t understand pack structure well enough to offer sound advice (oh they think they do but they lack experience)
So I recommend this dvd along with the my Basic Dog Obedience DVD. I say this because I question the obedience program you have been exposed top.
In the mean time spend some time reading the free eBooks on my web site – read my philosophy of dog training (or listen to it on a podcast on my web site) Also the theory of correction in dog training.
I have 2 female red poodles (sisters) who are 10 months old. One is 6 pounds, the other 11 pounds. It's not just the larger one picking on her little sister, the little one is just as feisty. They recently have been getting into some pretty violent fights with each other - over a toy or food or jealosy. What's the safest way to break them apart and how can we keep them from fighting in the first place?
Thanks much,
Joe
Boca Raton, Fl.
Answer:
To TopWe have a directory for people with more than one dog. There are articles here which address your questions.
Pack structure and how to live with a dog in your home are the first issues to deal with whenever you have problems with an existing dog or dogs. We are taking orders for a new DVD that extensively covers the way Ed and I live with dogs in our home. This video is called Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet.
I would also suggest obedience training these 2 dogs, once you have the pack structure worked out. Our basic obedience dvd has over 4 hours of information and if you purchase it at the same time as the pack structure dvd, you receive a discount on the total price.
I hope this helps.
I have a 6 year old un-neutered male black lab. He has started becoming very aggressive in the past year. He has never liked me being around any man but my husband, and he would get very agitated at the unknown male, such as a repairman. This past year he has bitten my cousin, not badly, just enough to make her scream and make the attack worse. He also snapped at the vet, which in turn made the vet muzzle him and refuse to treat him unless he is restrained and doped up on medicine. The vet will no longer board him either. Is there any help for getting this dog to stop biting people? I really love this dog, but I don't want him to hurt somebody or myself. If I establish pack leader authority with this dog, will it help his aggressive tendencies to stop?
Sincerely,
Amy
Answer:
To TopYou need to restructure your dog’s life. It appears that he believes HE is in charge, instead of following your leadership.
With an adult dog that has been allowed to behave as he pleases, the process takes longer than if you had established yourself as a leader when he was much younger but it can be done. All of his privileges need to be taken away and you will need to control every aspect of his life from now on in order for any training to make a difference.
First, read this article about becoming an effective pack leader. The first sentence in this article says it all: "You can feed water and love your dog and he will like you but he very well may not respect you." 99% of all behavioral problems are a result of dogs not respecting their owners. This happens as a result of poor handling and/or poor training usually because of a lack of understanding of dog behavior..
We have just finished a 4 hour long DVD on pack structure. Pack structure and how to live with a dog in your home are the first issues to deal with whenever you have problems with an existing dog. We are taking orders for a new DVD that extensively covers the way Ed and I live with dogs in our home. It is called Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet.
I would also recommend our Basic Obedience DVD and our dvd on how to handle Dominant and Aggressive dogs.
There is so much covered in the videos, that it is impossible to explain it all in an email. You can read about each one on the webpages I have linked in this email.
I hope this helps.
Dear Mr. Frawley:
I have a one-year old German Shepherd from pure German imported parents. He is very lovable and he is moderately friendly to people, but very hyperactive at home where he lives in our house with a 6-year old female German Shepherd and an 8-year old male. If you try to brush him, he tries to bite the brush. Whenever you put the leash on him he tries to bite the leash and he is very excitable about most things. When he is taken for a walk he is very quiet and docile unless he is walked with the female. If let loose on our property with the female, he and she will play fight vigorously, but not hurt each other. When I take him to the vet, he is very calm and behaves himself. He is afraid of strange dogs however, when he is off our property. I took him to a dog park and all he did was run from the other dogs to hide by me and by any other person who he thought would protect him. By the way that he followed me at the dog park, I am convinced that he regards me as his park leader. I am not too concerned about his fear of other dogs. I think with familiarity of the dog park and of the other dogs he will lose his fear, so long as I am there to protect him. I am more concerned about how to deal with his hyperactivity at home. By the way, did I forget to tell you that he is 100 pounds and almost impervious to pain? Do you have a DVD or magazine article that I can obtain that will help me. He is not a dominant-aggressive dog, so I don't see that that DVD will help, unless you say differently. Do you think that an electric collar will help calm him down when he gets hyperactive?
Thanks for your help.
George
Answer:
To TopFirst of all, if your dog bites the brush when you try to use it on him or bites the leash when you snap it on he DOES NOT see you as the pack leader. The first thing you need to do is establish leadership to the dog in a clear and fair manner.
Pack structure and how to live with a dog in your home are the first issues to deal with whenever you add a new dog to your family or have problems with an existing dog. We are taking orders for a new DVD that extensively covers the way Ed and I live with dogs in our home. It is called Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet.
We do not recommend dog parks at all, for any dog. A good pack leader doesn't put his pack members in this situation.
Once you have the pack structure worked out (which can take weeks or months, depending on how consistent you are) then I would work on obedience on leash and then eventually the electric collar.
We produced a training DVD in the fall of 2005 titled ELECTRIC COLLAR TRAINING FOR THE PET OWNER. In this DVD Ed teaches people how to handle the foundation training and then how to use the collar.
Many trainers, especially hunting dog trainers and even some professional dog trainers use “escape training” when they train with remote collars. This is where they stimulate the dog, give it a command and then teach the dog how to turn the stimulation OFF by doing what’s told. I don’t agree with “escape training.” I don’t think it's fair to the dog. He is being stimulated before he is even asked to do something. In my opinion this is ass end backward. Rather I believe in using the collar to reinforce a voice correction. In other words, I always tell my dog “NO” before I correct him. I give him the opportunity to change his behavior. My goal is to always teach my dog to follow my voice command.
If you read the article titled THE THEORY OF CORRECTIONS IN DOG TRAINING you will understand how to approach corrections. In the DVD Ed simply applies that philosophy to remote collar training. The article explains how to determine the level of correction to use on each dog. This varies according to the temperament and drive of the dog along with the level of distraction it’s currently facing at that moment in time.
This DVD shows how to determine what level of stimulation to use on your dog. That’s important. In this DVD we never used a level higher than a medium and most of the time it was on the low settings for every dog we trained.
We use a Dogtra 1900 on our personal dogs. This is about a $300.00 (plus shipping collar). There are other good collars for less money. I recommend staying with DOGTRA, INNOTEK and TRI-TRONICS. Other companies sell cheaper collars but in the remote collar business you get what you pay for.
I hope this helps.
Great Site. Began buying equipment from you just recently. Thanks.
1 year old male GSD. Very good. Very obedient. Somewhat dog agressive; but, we are working on that.
My partner plays "chase" with Kipp. She tosses a toy. He runs after it. Waits. She chases him. (I searched your site for answers to this one and wasn't successful yet ... so I'm writing).
Seems to me that this is a back-asswards game. Yes/NO? Should I allow her to continue (and things are OK)? Or, should I continue to ask her to stop this style of play. Thanks in advance for the counsel.
Frank
Answer:
To TopThanks for the kind words and for your business. We appreciate it.
I wouldn’t allow chase type games with any of my dogs. The reason being is then the dog is controlling the game, and I am not. From a leadership standpoint, it can cause some problems as the dog matures.
The toys I ALLOW my dog to play with are my toys, and we play by my rules. (which do not include me chasing the dog around) I am sure many people do this without incident, but for me it’s just one more way to establish leadership with my dog in a way my dog understands and enjoys.
Does that help at all?
Hello,
I know that you are probably very very busy and don't have that much time answering personal emails but I thought I would give it a try.
I have two male dogs, Ace who is 1yr and 2 months old and is a complete mutt (not sure what he is possibly puggle with something else that makes him a bit bigger), and Tyson who is 8 months old and is a pit bull/lab mix. Ace is about 48 pounds and Tyson is probably around 50 and an inch taller than Ace. I have read every book possible to make sure that I am training them well enough, we socialize them at dog parks, take them for walks, etc. They are great with other people, they are decently trained. I say that because we still have much work to do with not jumping up on people and heel when we walk and listening when we are in an outside setting where they are distracted. But this email isn't about the basics of training, they have gotten into a few fights. I know, I know people say we shouldn't have gotten two male dogs and I know that most of their fights are about dominance right now but what do I do. I have established myself and my boyfriend as the pack leaders, they know that. Someone told me that I need to let them decide who is alpha between them, but shouldn't they both be followers because I am the pack leader. The last fight turned into Ace needing stitches, a $600 process that I would like never to happen again.
Tyson is a grumpy dog when he is tired, he will snap at other dogs when he wants to be left alone to sleep. He will growl at Ace when he wants to be left alone. Ace likes to taunt him mainly because he wants to play. The last fight was when my boyfriend was throwing the ball and they both jumped up to get it, one of them landed on the other and a fight broke out. Sometimes it will be when we are eating, Tyson will show aggression if Ace gets to close. And lately (Ace has a cone on currently because of the stitches) Ace has been showing Tyson aggression and now Tyson won't go near Ace.
They don't show any aggression towards humans, with toys or with their food. When they were both puppies they growled when they had a pigs ear but we took it away and never gave it back. They haven't done that since.
You can tell that they get along, they play with each other and sleep by each other. But then they have these fights and it makes me nervous. I love both of my dogs very much and don't regret getting them. They are good dogs, I just need to know what I am doing wrong as an owner to help with their personal dominance issues between them.
Please help me, soon my boyfriend is leaving and it will just be me and I want to make sure I have a handle on the situation.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and help me.
Sincerely,
Melissa
Answer:
To TopDog parks are not a good idea, especially with dogs that show dominance issues with each other. So many people mistakenly think their dogs need to play with other dogs, and without a very clear understanding of pack structure and canine body language this can actually cause more problems in the long run.
Please read this article about becoming an effective pack leader. This article was written for people like yourself, people who have great intentions but not enough knowledge of pack structure. There are links within the article that will take you to other articles on my web site.
You should not allow these 2 to work out their differences, YOU are the leader and they (as followers) are not allowed to fight.
I have several video recommendations for you. You can go to the webpages to read what these cover.
Pack Structure DVD
Basic Obedience
Dealing with Dominant and Aggressive Dogs
I have a Boxer that I rescued. The previous owner was terminally ill and had to give her up. Or that was what I was told. She seemed to be fine with all the other animals and then she got into a fight with one of my older dogs and that dog died from it.
Since then she has killed one of my baby goats and attacked an adult goat through the fence. I have been watching very closely and yesterday I saw him grab the male goat by the face and would not let go until I hit her with a stick. My daughters will not let my grandaughters come to my house until I get rid of this dog.My question is:
Should I try to find a home for her or put her down?
This is a very hard decision for me.Sharon
Answer:
This is far more of an owner problem than a dog problem.
The dog lacks pack structure, training and a controlled environment. After the dog did this to a goat - why in the world would you allow this dog to be loose outside and out of your control?
Find a new home for the dog - one where the people will take an interest in learning how to establish pack structure and training - here are the links to do it. I don't think you're the right person for this dog.
Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet
Basic Dog Obedience
Remote Collar Training for Pet OwnersI don't think its fair to kill a dog because of your mistakes and lack of training.
Question:
I have a basic question for you, and your response will be so much appreciated. My parents have a White German Shepherd named Zeus.
Since Zeus was 9 weeks old, I have been a part of his life, visiting my parents 3-4 times a week and interacting with Zeus.
Zeus is 6 years old as of this past May.
When he was a puppy, I regularly picked him up, but he never wanted to stay in my arms for long, and would squirm and act restless. I'd end up putting him down sooner than I wanted. Other than that, he was always thrilled to see me when I came over.
At some point when Zeus was full-grown, I'd take to stooping over him, while he was standing, and gently proceeding to hug him around his chest/neck area, but as I proceeded to do so, he'd let out a subtle growl.
My mother has always insisted that this is a "purr" of affection. I'd tell her, "Dogs don't purr. Cats do." I know the sound of a low growl.
In addition to the growl, Zeus's tail would become rigid and horizontal -- though curving up a bit, but always rigid, unmoving. Ironically, this very same dog would obey my every command. He'd come to me at the click of my fingers. I could put a piece of steak on his paw, while he was lying, and make him wait for my command to eat it. He'd get extremely excited when I gave him the signal for playing ball.
To overcome the growling problem, I began giving him a food morsel immediately following every hug I gave him. I'd hug him for about 15 seconds, hear him growl, then follow up with food. It didn't take long for Zeus to associate the hugs with food, so the growling eventually stopped.
I thought the problem was licked until he was at the kennel for nearly a week. Once he returned home, he was growling louder as I simply stooped over and barely embraced him ever so slightly. Once again, I had to retrain him to associate the hugs with something positive (food). The growling problem resurfaces when he comes home from staying at the kennel for several days.
My mother has all along insisted it was a "purr" of affection, though I think she is now convinced it is a growl.
Now get this: My brother moved to town when Zeus was maybe 4 years old, but sees the dog only once a week. The dog goes bananas when my brother comes over, and doesn't seem to know that I exist. My brother plays ball with him but is not as physically affectionate as I am -- I touch the dog more than him or my parents as far as being affectionate and lovey dovey.
I don't know if Zeus would growl if my father stooped over to hug him because my father has never done this. But Zeus has growled about 50 percent of the time my mother has hugged him from overhead.
My brother says he does not growl when HE hugs him. My brother says this is all because Zeus instinctively submits more to males than females, since in the animal kingdom, the male is superior and will not submit to females. I countered this by saying that Zeus obeys my every command without hesitation. My brother then said that kind of submission is on a smaller scale, but something like leaning over close to the dog and hugging him can be perceived as a domination thing, and since Zeus recognizes me as being female, he feels his role as superior is being threatened.
What do you make of all this?
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Ellcee
Answer:
Your dog is basically telling you he doesn’t appreciate you leaning over him and hugging him. This is a dominant gesture and sometimes a precursor to a fight if dogs do this between themselves. You are pretty lucky you haven’t been bitten!
A fair pack leader does not posture over his lower ranking members over and over again, and I imagine your actions are making this dog uneasy. Kind of like someone who “gets in your face” or invades your personal space. It’s not a nice feeling for a dog or for a person.
If you want to show this dog you care for him, be fair and consistent.
Please read this article about becoming an effective pack leader.
This article was written for people like yourself, people who have great intentions but not enough knowledge of pack structure. There are links within the article that will take you to other articles on my web site.
I hope this helps.
Response to the answer:
Thanks for responding. It saddens me that my own dog doesn't want me to hug him; kind of like a parent trying to hug their child, but the child always pulls away. This is distressing, especially since Zeus's coat is so warm and luxurious to the touch. The confusing thing is that he DOES see me as above him in the pack structure (he obeys my every command), yet only for this one particular thing, he dares to growl at me.
Another Answer:
To TopDogs are not humans, and it’s obviously distressing to Zeus when you persist on repeating the same things over and over despite his attempts to communicate with you in the only way he knows how that he is uncomfortable.
Some of my dogs like to be hugged, and some hate it. As a fair pack leader, I respect the individual bubble each dog has for his or her personal space. This leads to more trust and ultimately a better bond than I would have if I consistently impose MY wishes on the dog.
Thanks for writing, try thinking of this from Zeus’s point of view and see what happens.
I read a little about dog fights because of an incident with my dog this afternoon. I have a 1 1/2 year old female Rott. .."Sunny"....she is very gentle with my three little boys. She has been a little aggressive on two occasions with repairmen that have come to the door....snapping and hair standing up on back, otherwise she has basically licked to death anyone who comes to the house. We live across the street from my brother who has two female Dobermans. Sunny plays very hard with the younger of the two and has a lot of fun, the older Doberman, Thunder, doesn't like to play and usually keeps her distance from the other two.
Today the younger ones were playing hard as usual, rolling in the snow, tackling each other, etc. and Thunder tried to get in between for some reason. Sunny, our Rott, turned on her and bit her ear and gave her a few small punctures around her neck area. The whole incident lasted only a few seconds, Thunder ran away quickly, unfortunately, bleeding a little. These dogs have been with each other every day for almost a year now and nothing like this has ever happened. If Sunny could snap on another dog, should I also be concerned about her snapping on one of my children? I also wonder if the dogs should be kept away from one another now? I don't know what to do with her and I don't understand why she could have turned on Thunder. Could you please give me a little insight into this situation and advice for trying to avoid it in the future.
Thank you.
Theresa
Answer:
To TopYour dog is now becoming a young adult and trying to establish herself over the Doberman. When the Doberman resisted, Sunny tried harder and this is when dog fights happen. This is normal pack behavior.
We don't allow our dogs to interact in this manner, our dogs listen to us they don't wrestle around at their own discretion. If we want all of our dogs to spend time together we take them on walks where we are in charge.
If Sunny was my dog, I would not allow her to play with these dogs again. It's just a matter of time before it would happen again.
I believe that this recently finished DVD could really help you. It’s titled Pack Structure for the Family Pet. You can go to the web page and read the outline of what’s included on the video. My DVD's are not meant to be watched one time. The fact is anyone who needs this information needs to watch it many many times because every time they watch it they will pick up new ideas.
Please read this article about becoming an effective pack leader. This article was written for people like yourself, people who have great intentions but not enough knowledge of pack structure.. There are links within the article that will take you to other articles on my web site.
I hope this helps.
I adopted a 3 yr old cocker from an animal resuce center. I have learned that she has had 3 litters of puppies in two years. She is very timid. She walks on leash ok and can stay inside without being crated all day with no problems. The issue is: When we enter the home, she looks to see what the noise is and then runs to the opposite end of the home to hide. When we enter the home from being on a walk, she runs to hide. I have purchased toys that she will not play with during the day, but I have found them moved if we have been away. She will not come, will not eat if we are in the same room, will only potty if we are on a walk ( no yard use) She does not approach us, does not bark or whine. But will sleep in the bed with us, if I pick her up and put her in bed. She will not voluntarily get in bed with us. She is timid at some of the outside noise, but is getting better. We walk twice a day. Where do I start and what should I do? Thanks for the info.
Answer:
You don't mention how long you have had this dog, but what she needs is structure and obedience training. Dogs that are insecure thrive on this, because it makes them feel safe.
I would recommend our new dvd on Pack Structure for the Family Pet and Basic Obedience.
In the meantime read this article on Pack Structure and follow the guidelines in it to get started.
Hello Cindy/Ed,
I hope you had a great holiday.
Recall I have a 3 1/2 month old doberman puppy and a two year old female doberman. I listened to the DVD's and am following the instructions and tips the best I can as I found them most helpful. Im the only handler to my dog, my wife only takes him outside to do his thing and places him back in the crate trying to be neutral as possible. I don't allow our older two year old female to play with him although she doesn't show any dominant tendencies as of yet. I of course will keep them separated anyway.
I do have two follow up questions for you, I have several training sessions with the pup a day and late at night, when he is more tired than anything I sit on the floor and lay with him for a while before putting him in his crate for the evening. He tries to bite my face or hands more than usual during this time trying to play but I was wondering if I should be actually on the ground with him or if I need to be sitting on a chair forcing him to lay by my feet? The reason I ask is I'm still trying to establish a bond with him besides my training. Do you think I should continue to lay with him on the floor with him on my lap?
I'm also training him to "target" or "place" train to have him go to his place which I have used a sheep skin bed very similar to the one you have in the video as my target. The problem I'm encountering is he loves to chew on this bed actually putting holes in it and ripping the stuffing out of it. This occurred with my older female and now it is occurring with my pup and I was wondering how I can stop this? The video mentioned for chewers to use that bitter apple cider and to take a cotton ball and force it into their mouths for a minute so they hate the taste and the smell resulting in them not chewing it anymore. Problem is I can't do that with the target or place because I obviously want them to go to it and not avoid it. Would you have any suggestions?
Thanks again,
Jason
Answer:
To TopI wouldn’t lay on the floor with the puppy, you are putting yourself on his level and this causes many puppies confusion on where they fit into the pack structure. You can bond with the dog in many ways, you don’t need to lay on the floor. You could try sitting on the floor with him next to you, but if he gets “in your face” you may have to sit on the furniture.
Until you can teach him the YUCK command to not put his mouth on the bed, I would simply restrict his access to it. Use something that doesn’t shred for his place training. Chewing on things and tearing them up are reinforcing for some dogs, so I would simply remove the items right now. He is very young and this is normal behavior for many puppies. Try a rubber or industrial carpet mat, that’s not as attractive to chew and see if that helps.
Hello,
I just got your DVD about dominant and aggressive dogs. Let me tell you about my 8 months old puppy. She is jack Russell/beagle mix. She is very smart she listen very well. She is very aggressive towards me and just me since she was about 3-4 months old. She is very friendly. She starts showing her teeth and snipes for no reason. Mostly when I pet her or pick her up but not always. Since she was a baby we let her sleep in bed. I'm very strict with her now, but my boyfriend just spoiled her, eating food from his mouth in our bed and other stuff. She doesn't sleep in our bedroom, but any time I leave them alone home the dog can do what ever she wants and get away with it. I'm the one who takes her out, feeds her, run to classes with her and trains her. Why does the dog only attack me? I have started correcting her with a training collar but she just attacked back and got ever more aggressive and then she goes to her cage and 2 min later she is crying and being sorry. She cries for hours. Please could you help me somehow.
Thank you,
Lucie
Answer:
To TopYour dog doesn't respect you as a leader, when she shows her teeth at you it's because she feels she is the boss, and you are the follower.
In addition to watching the Dominant and Aggressive Dog DVD, you need to learn and study pack structure and begin to apply it with your dog.
Please read this article about becoming an effective pack leader.
The first sentence in this article says it all: "You can feed water and love your dog and he will like you but he very well may not respect you." 99% of all behavioral problems are a result of dogs not respecting their owners. This happens as a result of poor handling and/or poor training.
This article was written for people like yourself, people who have great intentions but not enough knowledge of pack structure.. There are links within the article that will take you to other articles on my web site.
I am going to recommend a couple more DVD's to help you with your issues, the first one is Pack Structure for the Family Pet and it picks up where the groundwork article leaves off.
Once you have your leadership issues under control, then I would suggest obedience training.
Your dog is behaving like any normal adolescent dog, and like all dogs if you don't offer her the structure, leadership and exercise she needs then she will seek to take charge.
The material I have suggested to you will help you take the control back in your house.
I hope this helps.
Hi Cindy
I have a training question to ask. I recently decided to back up my puppies training, back to square one starting with establising pack structure. After watching the dvd on pack structure on the crate training I think I moved on to phase two to soon and would like to start again, because I don't think he views me as pack leader. He still cries a bit after I put him in before he settles down, sometimes a lot and even tries to bite me when putting him in. My question is, is he suppose to be calm and submisive going in and while in there and not cry at all before I move on to the second phase.
Thanks for you help I'm really trying make this work he's a very dominant puppy and has been since I got him at five weeks old and I not sure how much is puppy and how much is dominance.
Thanks,
Neil
Answer:
Some puppies take a long time to quit crying in the crate, it's your job to only let him out when he's calm and quiet. Have you covered his crate with a towel or blanket so he's not looking at things and getting stimulated?
If he's trying to bite you when you put him in the crate then I assume you are forcing him to go in? Use food and marker training to make going in something that isn't a struggle, but a fun thing to do.
I'd make sure he's being good in the crate 80% of the time before moving on to the next step.
Another Question:
HI again Cindy I had another quesion I forgot to ask. How do you know when he starts accepting you as pack leader? What kind of signs can I look for?
Thanks again,
Neil
Another Answer:
To TopThe biggest sign is compliance and calm, cooperative behavior.
Dear Ed,
My wife and I recently rescued a two year old female pit bull. We have had her for two or three weeks, walk her for at least two hours a day, and she has shown no signs of aggression towards people, however, she does pull on her leash on the walks and wants to pull towards other dogs/people. It's obvious to us that we have a long way to go.
We want to make sure that we are providing the best possible situation for her and us.
I just ordered your Basic dog obedience and pack structure dvd's.
Is it realistic that we can train her ourselves or would you recommend we find a professional in our area. If so, do you have suggestions for a trainer in Tucson, AZ.
Thanks for your time,
Joshua
Answer:
To TopJoshua
First – thank you for your business.
You have to train this dog yourself. Sending a dog off for training never works and in many cases the people you send the dog to use WAY TOO MUCH FORCE because to them time is money. In the end it intimately does not work because your dog needs to establish you as a pack leader and sending the dog someplace else does not solve this problem. The dog learns to mind the trainer and it will always revert back to old problems when it comes home.
Listen to my podcast on MY PHILOSOPHY ON DOG TRAINING - it is on my web site. I talk about this in that podcast
You are on the right path here with the two DVD’s. Study them – they are not meant to just be watched like a movie. You will see – there is a lot of information.
Pitts can be HARD DOGS - (as opposed to soft dog in terms of corrections). This is discussed in the dvds your getting. You may find that you need to train this dog with a remote collar. Bottom line is I will never train a dog again without a remote collar and low level stimulation. I did a DVD on this REMOTE COLLAR TRAINING FOR THE PET OWNER I use a Dogtra 1900 on my personal dog.
Read the eBook I wrote titled THEORY OF CORRECTIONS IN DOG TRAINING. This may also help you.
I hope this helps clear some thing up for you.
My boyfriend has a 2 yr old male (unaltered) Rottie named Bones. Recently, he bit me because I was trying to teach him not to get into my cats' toys. Now, I had only known him for less than a month, do you think that it was too soon for me to be correcting him? Also he has bit two other people after me for the same reason of trying to correct him. He also is constantly after my cats, not aggressively but very excitedly and it scares them. Will he ever get over this? The problem that I am having is getting through to my boyfriend. He absolutely refuses to neuter him and he thinks that his dog is the greatest dog in the world. And for the most part that is true, he is a very sweet dog, very loving and playful, he for the most part listens well to my boyfriend, but he really doesn’t like anybody other than my boyfriend telling him what to do. Do you think neutering would help? And how do I get Bones to listen to me and realize that I am dominant over him?
Thank You,
Stephanie
Answer:
To TopTrying to correct any dog without a bond or leadership established is dangerous (as you have found out). Neutering may or may not help, this isn’t an issue of hormones but an issue of pack structure.
Please read this article about becoming an effective pack leader. This article was written for people like yourself, people who have great intentions but not enough knowledge of pack structure. There are links within the article that will take you to other articles on my web site.
You will need to establish yourself as a leader for this dog and you will need your boyfriend’s cooperation. He will need to allow you and Bones to work out a relationship between the 2 of you.
Pack structure and how to live with a dog in your home are the first issues to deal with whenever you add a new dog to your family or have problems with an existing dog. We just finished a new DVD that extensively covers the way Ed and I live with dogs in our home, called Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet.
I would use the groundwork program and watch this dvd, and once that’s going well work on some basic obedience yourself with Bones.
I hope this helps.
We are a family of 2 adults, and three children ages 7, 14, and 19. We bought a male German shepherd from experienced breeder about 8 months ago. He is developing pretty normal. However we have number of points of concern. He had been biting us from a very young age. We read that it may be normal in young puppies. But this behavior had been persisting occasionally until now. It looks like a game, no one gets hurt, but some times it’s pretty painful. He couldn’t be admitted to an obedience course when he was 5 months because the trainer told us that our puppy was aggressive.
He is barking at our neighbors and our relatives when they come to visit us. We live in a house in a quite suburb and probably that’s why he didn’t get much socializing. It looks like our dog has low self-esteem. Despite the fact that he has never had been hurt by other people and dogs, he is scared from strangers of all ages and other dogs. He expresses it like a fearful-aggressive behavior. He begins to bark and his fur stands up not only on strangers, but also on any unfamiliar moving objects.
Otherwise, we don’t have significant problems with him. He learned housebreaking really fast and he more or less obeys simple commands such as “sit,” “down,” “come,” and “stay.” However, two recent episodes in a veterinarian office, and when we tried to bring our puppy, Rex to a cannel were pretty fearful. Rex growled on the people and tried to attack them.
We watched your DVD “Establishing pack structure with the family pet.” We have started to establish pack structure as your recommended. During the last 3 days only one person contacted him, and Rex began to recognize this person as a leader. But our question is, how the other members of our family should behave with the dog? You mentioned that all members of the family may be pack leaders regarding the dog. But you didn’t recommend how to do it practically. Should Rex be in a COMPLETE isolation from everyone else except for one person for a week or longer? How should we introduce additional family members as pack leaders?
We think that our dog has softer and weaker personality, rather than dominant and strong one. As general rule should we allow him to escape from fearful objects, or should we force him to overcome his fears.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards,
Natalya
