Most Popular Q&As

Hi, My husband and I will be training a yellow lab puppy (later this year) to ultimately do therapy dog work. We've been educating ourselves about proper training techniques through your videos, articles and Q&As, as well as with service dog trainers and materials. My question is this: You stress the importance of engagement work while socializing a puppy and young dog. The dog should view other people as "furniture," as you've said. This makes perfect sense to us. However, if we ult...

Hello, I have a year old while German shepherd dog. I got him as a 9 week old pup. We also have an adult Beagle, and 2 cats. Sax GSD gets along with everyone in the home. He is extremely loving and playful and has lots of energy. He has not been neutered yet but we do plan to do that this month. He has always been fearful of strangers out side the home. If someone comes into the home he is better after he gets to know them. However, when we are walking it is hard to go a block before ...

Hi Cindy, I had a question on fitting a prong and ecollar together on the dog at the same time since both are supposed to go up right under the jawline. We're using the prong for leash pulling and the ecollar for dog aggression (when I can't redirect him). Since we are in a city, being near other dogs is unavoidable on our walks. My question is whether the prong collar or the ecollar should be highest up on the dog's neck. I've seen pictures both ways, and just want to be sure I'm gett...

Hi, I'm not actually having a problem. Just wanted to know if my 2 1/2 year old German Shepherd is just being a German Shepherd or has he taken being protective to a whole new level. I take him to the dog park frequently where we have miles and miles of off leash paths through the woods to walk through. We meet lots of dogs and for some reason, if there is a problem anywhere, my dog has to get involved and sort it out peacefully. If a little dog looks like he's being picked on, Dax is the...

We have a dominant/agressive 16 month female doberman. We have purchased and implimented all of your training videos and hired several local trainers. The latest trainer, has instructed us to do an alpha roll with a muzzle 2 times a day as an excercise not as a correction. Our doberman growls and freaks out when we do this but eventually calms down. We are rolling her on her side only not on her back. Should we stop doing this? I know your other articles are adamant about not using alpha roll...

Dear Mr. Ed Frawley, Hi, my name is Justin. I live in Vermont and I have a 1 1/2 year old johnson american bulldog/american pit bull mix. His name is Conrad and I have had him since he was 4 weeks old. Conrad is about 85 lbs and extremely aggressive to anyone he does not know. He is very protective of my house, car, kennel and mostly me. He has already bitten 6 people and just bit my girlfriend the other night but did not break skin. I know I was a little hard on him when he was pup and I ...

Hi Cindy, I just brought home an 8 week old F Belgian Malinois. I have 2 other dogs. A 3.5 year old F Rottweiler and a 5.5 year old M Boston Terrier, and so I'm pretty familiar with how to raise a pup. But it seems that the Malinois pup is a bit more challenging when it comes to the crate. I've had her for 2 days and 2 nights. She goes in voluntarily and comfortably in and out of the crate, when the door is left open, but once it closes, she goes on a high pitch barking/whining/crying t...

I was reading through your dog bite Q&A in the email newsletter and it brought up a new question for me. We have English Mastiffs and are contemplating the purchase of a Black Russian Terrier. Regarding the dog bite Q&A that took place in the pet superstore, your response was that you don't take your dogs to places where misinformed people might touch your dog without permission. I know that a BRT will need a lot of continual socialization throughout its life to as many different s...

Hi Ed, First I want to thank you for all the information you've made available here on this website. I've been through so many of your articles, videos, and even the discussion forum and have learned a lot. I recently adopted a 2 year old GSD a few weeks ago. I've been putting her though your pack structure program, and thing seem to be going pretty well. She knows that she has to wait to go up/down the stairs, in/out the door/crate until I tell her she can go, she's very responsive ...

Cindy, We have a Standard Poodle who is in the early stages of her first pregnancy. She has been on a raw food diet since she was 6 months old with no problems. We started her on the raw diet because she was having skin issues and goopy, runny eyes and the diet just makes sense. Her skin and eye issues have disappeared and she seems to be very healthy and happy. We live in a very small town so my Vet options are limited. I was told a Vet in town was familiar with the raw diet, but what...

Hello, I have a question in regards to teaching tricks (sit pretty, roll over, ect) to puppies that are in protection sport training. I have a 3yr old DS that I never did protection work with as she is too soft nerved. But I have taught her many tricks and I enjoy teaching them. We now have a 4 month old pup that we are doing protection work with in hopes to be a FR dog. I was told that teaching pups tricks when training for these type sports can take away from their fierceness and isn'...

I have noticed similar questions on your website, but still a bit different and not exactly direct answers with what to do, so I figured I would ask you myself...The other day my roommate was having a pool party and she told her friend to come who brought her aggressive pit bull over because my roommate (unknown to me) told her that my pit bull (Cami) is great with other dogs (which is true) and that she has socialized some other shy/aggressive dogs before (true, but not at MY house). Long st...

Hi there, I own an American bulldog male 8 months old and desexed. I have been having problems with him around some other dogs. He is very playful and loves other dogs, but doesn't know his limits. He will play with a dog and then grab their face or ears and won't let go! Some dogs scream, which makes him more excited and longer to let them go. He never has harmed them though, but it's such a problem people think he is aggressive and judge me as an owner. I'm highly contemplating a muzzle ...

Our young dog has a submission urination problem when I come home from work. What can I do?

We recently rescued a starved emaciated female pitbull from the side of the road. I have been watching her closely to pinpoint any aggression issues; but so far she has shown no aggression to our dogs that she has seen but not closely encountered or people. She is very submissive and shy although hasn't even really thought about biting anyone even when poked and prodded by the vets. Evidently she was never trained on a leash. This is fundamental stuff she needs to know ASAP. I have tried to b...

I adopted a puppy at ten weeks, she is now about 4 1/2 month old Aussie mix, smart, driven, and loving. I've worked hard with her on basic training and socialization letting her interact only with dogs that are proven puppy friendly. Here's my dilemma. We take our older lab mastiff mix to get groomed at a place where they offer dog "socialization" (dogs pre screened and vetted). Elvis thrives in these types of places. I am much more cautious with my puppy, because she is a puppy. Today the ow...

Ed, We have a Rottweiler female puppy (born Jan 14th). We also have your puppy training video. Abby has responded well to our correction for jumping up on us. Thank you. She is outlawed from the house because she doesn't control herself and tinkles when she gets excited. Any hints for that? However, the main reason we are writing is because of her constant lapping. Abby loves people, and she laps thin air, hands, thin air, legs, thin air, clothes, and thin air. It drives us crazy. ...

Cindy, I have had a few high drive GSD. Great dogs, except when we are in the home relaxing. I am relaxing but the dog is pacing and whining. He never seems to be able to turn it off. I was not able to ever find his "off" switch. Can you help me with some ideas or make a DVD on how to turn your dog off when you are not working? Think there is a need for us novice dogsters. Thanks

Hi Cindy, I have an 8 month old spayed Doberman. I follow yours and Michael Ellis? videos for training, especially The Power of Training with Food. Here is the problem. Sami doesn't like people, acts very afraid or nervous and is uncontrollable when they approach when we walk at the track or in a store. She will not hold a sit or pay attention. I have used a variety of high value treats but she ignores them when she gets like this. She either sees them and then it is hackles up, somet...

Hi Cindy, I love the newsletter I get. It's very informative. I have a question. I have a 1 year old Malinois. I want to make him neutral to other dogs and I wanted your advice on how to do this. I have several of the training videos already. His recall is good with the ecollar on and off but when there are dogs around he wants to go and play. Do you think this is because of his age? Some times I have to give him a little extra stim because he wants to play instead of returning rig...