Most Popular Q&As

Our problem is with our female basset/pit. We got her when she was 6 weeks old and she's lived peacefully for 3 years with 5 cats and an older non-dominant female weimaraner. The weim died 2 weeks ago and last weekend she killed our 4 month old kitten when he came near her food bowl. In the 2 months prior to that she bit the weim twice (over food and a toy) and 2 other dogs - 1 in our home and 1 in the other dog's home - again over a toy. She attacks without warning. My partner is so upse...

Hi, I have another question on one of the puppies we kept in our family from the litter we had. I had told you, I had my female bred with Pedro (Merlin Von Conneforde) who was 3rd in the world in '06. I took my puppies to see his owner and he tested them and said one of them is the most amazing 4 mo. old puppy he has ever seen. Her drive and focus were relentless, even when he shot his gun, she would not let go of the toy. She is truly obsessed. Wallace (Pedro's owner) wants our ...

I did look for an answer in your website before I began this email. I have a 7 month old GSD. He is a male about 65 lbs now. I am currently training him as an SAR scent dog. He has some tracking imprinting as a pup and still likes to track today, which I let him do. Most of the training I have began in basic obedience and "find" which he goes out no further than 25 yards and returns (recall). It took 7 weeks to teach him to speak on command and I used food and toys for motivation. N...

Hello Ed, I want to see if you can give me some advice with an american line GSD. I know you do not prefere American line GSDs and it is not what you specialize in but I respect your many years of exprience and would like your opinion on something. I am the owner of a 3 yr. old male american line GSD that is a SOFT dog. He is not a fear biter, but becomes "nervy" and has a problem with submissive urination. I have read about submissive urination and it doesn't seem to be very commo...

Ed, Great web site. I'm a police K-9 handler/supervisor for a medium sized Sheriff's Office. Question in reading your TTD Q&A, and watching your Tracking I & II videos I have learned loads on tracking. Recently, I had a differing opinion with another K-9 trainer regarding training a new dog in tracking. This trainer was very concerned about the 'amount' of 'quartering' (straying from the footstep track) the dog was doing. He was having the new handler post when the dog wandered a c...

My name is Kearney. I have a 3 year old male German shaped I had some Schutzhund obedience training. He is the son of Yanku von wilhendorf Sch1. I want to learn how to go about car protection. And he is not lifting his leg when urinating. He is a housedog. He has good drive, I want to do more with him can you give me some advice. he's a wonderful dog one of the best I have ever had, and have had German Shepherds for 16 years.

Can a dual purpose police service dog stay in the house at night, live as a house dog, play with the family and then go to work and function efficiently?

Hello, Firstly thank you for your amazingly informative website. I am following your advice with my puppy but I have one question - you advise against dog parks and I completely agree, I find the atmosphere of dog parks potentially explosive and therefore quite unnerving. So how do I socialise my puppy if I cannot allow her to meet strange dogs? Suzie

Hi there: I would like to get your opinion on the issue of my dog biting. I am a dog handler for a security company and have a four year old, unneutered, German Shepherd ( who is my K9 partner). I have been handling and training him for about a year and a half now. His obedience is good as well as him protection work. He is not Sch titled. He comes from excellent lines, but is somewhat "sharp". He has in the past suddenly gone after several people. What the provocation was on those...

I have a male doberman that is about 10 months old. I would like to train him to perform schutzhund work. He has a fairly strong prey drive and is extremely attentive to me, always trying to please me. However, my one concern is that he does not seem to have a lot of confidence or a strong defensive drive. I tested him by having a neighbor creep into the yard while I held the dog's leash. The dog was very interested and watched him, but he did not bark. When the neighbor got within striking d...

Hi, I have a beautiful 2 1/2 year old male Sable German Shepherd that I truly love; however, he has issues that I desperately need help with resolving. Bandit has gone through basic obedience training and I continue to work with him with what I know. He is very smart but based on the pod casts from your web site I believe he has weak nerves. He is very nervous around strangers and any quick moves from anyone other than me he reacts as if he is going into fight or flight mode. I have h...

Dear Cindy, I've received Training the Retrieve DVD and Tugs for my dog. Everything is great as usual - my dog took no time learning out with Michael's techniques. Thanks a lot. Cindy, I know you must be very busy with the e-mails, just I know that I can trust your opinion 100%. Recently I've noticed that my 22 months GSD has all!!!! of her canine teeth chipped - little pointy bits are gone!! I was so shocked and angry with myself as I didn't even notice how i...

I have a 2 yr old black lab who has chronic yeast ear infections. We have tried Otoclear washings, and Otomax following the washings. In the past month we have been trying vinegar washes, then using Otomax. While the vinegar washes are helping, I still can't seem to get rid of the yeast infection. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Kimberly

Hi Cindy, I have a question about my 4 1/2 month old Dobe pup and my cats. I got my pup when she was 8 weeks old. I have your DVDs 8 weeks to 8 months, working pup, drive and focus, bacic obedience, and pack structure. I have my pup in the crate in the house most of the time except when I have her on a leash and with me. My cats are inside / outside cats. Still at 4 1/2 months my pup wants to chase the cats. When we are in the back yard and one of the cats are in the back also the ...

Dear Ed, One month ago my husband and I adopted a spayed female 13 year old husky/shepard mix named Cassie. We adopted her from a rescue society who pulled her from a high kill shelter. In her foster home where she was for 5 days, she co-existed with 2 other dogs and 2 young children. She has been cleared by our Vet of any physical problems other than cataracts and some arthritis. After 2 weeks of being with us she clearly bonded and now is showing signs of fear aggression. ...

Do you like to use a Tug or a ball for a reward in obedience?

Hi guys, Love all your DVDs and especially Michael Ellis, hope you can help with a huge problem that has emerged with my almost 3 year old male (neutered) German Shorthaired Pointer. He has his CDX title, (not sure how that equates in the USA) exercises are heel free stand for exam, drop on recall, retrieve on flat, retrieve over the high jump and distance control (change of positions). Because it will be a while before we are ready for the Utility Class and I love competin...

Hello, I have a question in regards to my 1-year old Aussie (maggie). Her name is Maggie. Can we help her? I will try to keep this brief but help you understand her behavior the same. Maggie was brought into our home at 12-weeks, she was/is very shy. We went through obedience classes with flying colors, although the social end didn't go so well. Maggie would show her teeth at the other dogs and sometimes growl, she would flip over on her back when people try touching her and...

I just read the article on dog bites where the person sending in the picture got bite while putting a rescue GSD on their side. I have little expertise with dogs much less GSD's. I have a 15 month old GSD who is on the large size and very powerful. What teaching I do with him is what I am picking up at the local Schutzhund club. Ever since he was an 8 week old puppy we do "inspection" which means lay down and roll over at what time I look over his belly and groin area for ticks (we li...

Hi Cindy, I've been doing behavioral modification for dogs for the last 3 years. I wasn't supposed to be a dog trainer. I just wanted to help this one dog and it grew into a full time job. I worked in shelters, rescues, foundations and for private clients. I love working with dogs but often experience frustration when dealing with ppl. I have a medium sized 2 year old male mutt I picked from a shelter a year ago, I've trained him to a high functional level and we are learning advanced obed...