Most Popular Q&As

My name is Ralph. I am the Owner/Head Trainer of my own dog training business in Charlottesville, Va called Atlantic Coast K-9 Training Service. I have been a professional dog trainer for 10 years and spent several years before that involved in Search and Rescue work, so I am by no means an amateur. With that being said, right now I'm a little bit lost and need some help. I'm currently in the process of training a 10 month old Shepherd/Chow mix who is Dominant aggressive. Unfortunately, even ...

I saved a starved, mixed breed, 8 week old puppy out of a ditch about 4 months ago. Now he's a healthy 40lb, 6 1/2 month old, super smart dog. He can sit, fetch, shake, high five, lay down all kinds of things. He would be such a smart, obedient, well behaved dog, if I could get him to STOP tearing up EVERYTHING! He is an outside (half Acre to play on in the country guarded by a wireless pet safe fence) dog with my 4 year old, rescued Bull Mastiff female, who doesn't tear anything up. He is pl...

Ed, I recently tried to break up a dog fight between my 4 year old golden retriever and 5 year old yellow lab (both neutered males). The fight occurred in the middle of our large yard. I was alone but still tried to breack up the fight by grabbing the back legs of the dog that was wining and lifting and pulling back. As soon as that dog would let go, the other dog would attack. This went back and forth several times. Each time I was able to get one dog to let go, the other would attack. T...

Mr. Frawley, I recently came across your site and have spent all morning reading your advice on training dogs with behavioral problems. I'm hoping you can take a moment to give me some 1-on-1 training. I have a 2-year old Smooth Collie who has been in obedience training since he was 12 weeks old. The obedience center we attend strongly encourages use of a Gentle Leader while training, and equally as strongly discourages the use of prong or shock collars. My problem is this: When we...

I have 3 labs. A chocolate my male about 120lbs. My yellow female about 80lbs and my black female about 50lbs (she's the baby of the group). My male doesn't know how to mate with my female. This is her second heat and he will only try to hump her head. He does everything else he smells and licks and whines and follows her like a puppy but doesn't understand to mount her from behind. I have showed him a few times and had some talks to him but he doesn't get it. How do I get him to mount her ...

Hello. I am so thrilled to find your web site I have had an ongoing problem with my miniature dachshund, Greta. She pees/poops in her crate when I leave her. I have been told to just leave her out in the house, or pad train her, but she always pees if I leave. I figured crate training is the best way to stop her from eliminating in the house. BUT that is not so. I don't know what to put in the crate with her because she goes on it. For a long time, I just put somethin...

Hello, My 6 month old chihuahua has a very annoying habit and I am hoping you can help me teach him not to do. When I first got him at 12 weeks old, he was perfectly fine around everyone, but one day about a week later out of the blue he just started to get extremely afraid of my dad. He will not sit in the same room as my father and he will pace around the house watching to see were he is. If my father gets up and walks into another room, my dog will start to bark and run upstair...

Hi, I love your site! Wonder if you can identify or advise where we went wrong on a recent failed AI. I am a rookie, alone here in Alberta, Canada, now the stud owner in USA has been very helpful.. The story... Shipped in 6 frozen straws of semen from USA, thaw count at the collection clinic trial was 80%, thaw count here in Alberta on day of implant was 70%. Was told to call AI clinic on first signs of heat... First bloodsighted... Saw it on April 1 just as I was leaving for ...

Greetings Mr. Frawley, I've just spent an hour or so going over many of your articles and have learned quite a bit regarding my dominant female dog. She (Mia) is a rescue dog, boarder collie mix, 35lbs. When we first got her, she was incredibly passive. To this day she won't allow a stranger without a dog to pet her. However, in the year that we've had her she's opened up a lot and now plays energetically with several larger dogs in the neighborhood, mostly chasing but also some wr...

What is your opinion on Bark & Hold vs. Bite & Hold?

Dear Ed, I am going to pray you read this and answer me. I have 2 dogs that have begun fighting and we are at the end of our rope. We know we need professional help, we know that we have made the mistakes that have lead up to this. I have 4 children ages 2, 5, 9, and 12 they all love our dogs, as my husband and I do as well. We have a 4 and ? year old terrier chow mix and a 3 and1/2 year old pit boxer mix. They lived peacefully together until Jan 16, 07. That was their first fight....

I have a major problem with one of my dogs and I am hoping that you can help me or point me in the right direction. I have two dogs Miranda(chow/shepherd mix) and Abby (lab/retriever). I recently got a new puppy Axel(German Shepherd). Miranda does not like Axel and it has taken some time for her to adjust to him, which is understandable. What I did not expect was for Miranda to attack Abby. Miranda and Abby have been together for two years and are buddies. Miranda is definitely the dominant d...

Hi Cindy, I have used some of your videos and they are great. I have a 3 year old Shiba Inu and I am having problems with putting flea treatment on him. I know that you are not advocates of flea treatment, but I haven't been able to control the fleas through other methods. Last time I put frontline on his neck he was very distressed, snapping and crying. I think its fear rather than aggression. Overall, he is a well trained dog, very polite, and a pleasure to live with. He was stubb...

What DVD would you recommend to help me learn how to deal with a dog that has crazy resource guarding habits? Everything I've read says it's one of the hardest behavior issues to correct and most dogs will never be corrected. (?!) I have two Australian Shepherds, an unaltered male and an altered female. The female is the one with the problem. They're always crated separately for feeding so that has never been an issue and thankfully, she doesn't guard people or show aggression towards people ...

Ed, We have a 7 year old Beagle and a 14 year old Cocker Spaniel at home. We've had both since they were puppies, but we got the cocker first. They have gotten along up until about this past year. Lately, the Beagle has been attacking the Cocker Spaniel. She's a hunting dog, so she's fast and gets a good grip on the other dog. Out of the blue, she'll lunge at the other one and attack her, without ever letting go. When we try to drag her off, she takes the other one with her. It doesn...

Hello, I have recently rescued a 7 year old Staffordshire Bull terrior/Jack Russell, her name is Penny. She is well behaved and has understood from the off that I am master. I was told she was dog aggressive and I am confident enough and usually able to distract her we she sees other dogs whilst out on the leash. However, yesterday as I walked round a blind corner another domesticated dog came with it's owner, Penny instantly lunged and bit the dog around the snout before I could react, th...

Hi, I've been watching your basic dog training videos with my 4 and 5 year old papillons. They've quit pulling on the leashes on walks, but only as long as they are on prong collars. They still pull continually on flat collars. How do I transition between the prong collar and the flat collar for walks? Thanks! Rebecca

Hi, I have a 4 month old GS puppy that since 8 weeks, has been eating his poop. We follow him and clean up, but sometimes he gets some we didnt find. I feed him Blue Buffalo, and give him GNC brand No Poop pills. He seems to have a sensitive stomach, as I changed high value treats to your red barn and he gets diarrhea. For this reason, I am hesitant to change food. Thanks, Melissa

Hi, I have a nearly 4 year old female spayed GS. She seems very high drive, as explained by the breeder. Bloodlines from Europe. She aims to please and is very good and trainable. We want her to bark at cars and people coming to yard. She barks at the night critters but never people or cars. I once saw her bark at my Dad that was unexpectedly in the trees one day. She is always loose on property, never runs away, and has a beaten trail around the house that she seems to be protecting. Whi...

Two weeks ago we adopted a 3 1/2 yr. Golden Labrador dog for free, from a reputable kennel. Before deciding on the dog, we asked: - Is he well behaved around people, other animals? Since we have 2 children, 2 birds & a cat, the dog had to have an excellent temperament around other animals and children. - Knowledge of commands, what? - Name, Address & Number of previous owner. - Medical History, shots, neutered, dates shots were last administered. - Exact breed lineage. - V...