Most Popular Q&As

Hi, I have watched both The Power of Playing Tug with Your Dog and Advanced Concepts in Motivation. I am a couple of weeks into implementing the techniques with my own dog and I have a question about growling--is it good or bad that she growls when we tug? If it's a bad thing, how do I address the issue? When I release the tug and run away from her she comes charging back to at me--she will even jump towards me with the toy in her mouth. She growls while we are tugging, while she is jumpi...

Cindy, I have a 2 year old GSD (working line) with a high prey drive, strong nerves, yet a temperament on the softer side. Over the past 6 months, she has become leash aggressive (barking during our walk) at certain dogs - not all & hard to predict. This is despite us crossing the street well in advance to be as far away from the passing dog as possible and a strong pop correction on a prong collar (as strong as I can give - my weight is about 25 more pounds than my dog). She usually obeys...

Hi Cindy, My puppy is just about ten weeks old and is very mouthy and bitey as well as defiant in the yard; going after rocks and sticks (I'm mainly concerned about the rocks). My husband's friend suggested and electric collar to help with the behaviors. I'm concerned he's too young but wanted to ask as his friend has convinced him that is the right next move. What age do you suggest electric collars for training? We cannot get into puppy classes until the end of the month. Thank you!

Hello, First off, I would like to tell you: You have a great site.I have been utilizing your website and products for over 10 years (when your website was blue). My question pertains to electronic collars (new dog).?I heard, when first using an electric collar, I should put the collar on and take it off many times a day for two weeks. Recently, I have encounter other established trainers state to me that this is unnecessary. I was told, I could use the collar the day I got it. Just make...

I have a mellow, neutered male 12 year old mix breed med sized house dog and recently acquired a JRT puppy. Is it alright to let the old dog correct the pup with growls and barks when she pesters him or jumps up on him? He wants nothing to do with the puppy and usually walks away from her. He is tolerant of sharing his bed if she lies quietly beside him. The pup is doesn't always get the message, however, and continues to bug him until he gets up and goes to another spot.

Hi - I found your website last night and ordered a muzzle, a dominant collar and several of your DVDs (set 301, 302 & 308 and the house training ebook). I was very impressed with your website and your knowledge and wanted your expert opinion. I am divorced with 2 girls 15 and 16. We have 4 dogs and 4 cats. They all get along pretty well but several issues need to be corrected - thus the above training tools. The dogs are Candi - 12 year old golden - hips going, eyes going, etc. I made a mi...

Cindy, I am writing to see if I am going in the right direction. I was walking my blue heeler/ border collie, Blu. He was wearing his tri tronics bark collar. He's been using it for over a year.We had just seen 5-6 does on our last walk, he was pretty excited about that. Next walk, two little shi tzu puppies approached from about 25 feet away. Blu began the long howling barks, you could hear each time he barked the collar set at 4 shocked him, and he just kept going off. This was the 1st t...

Mr. Frawley, I constantly visit your web site. I find the articles informative and very blunt. I have a 15-month male Rottweiler. He has begun obedience and is excelling in it to the point where I am going to put an obedience title on him. I have not entered bite work with him but he has been worked on some tracking. My question is this: I walk my dog in the neighborhood and the other neighborhood (strays) dogs run up to him and stay about 10-15 feet away. They bark and grow...

Hi Cindy, I've a few questions regarding the training my 2 1/2 year old Sheltie. I've recently started agility classes despite not having attended any other formal dog training. We have been following your 8 Weeks to 8 Months, Food, and Tug DVD since she was a puppy. We hardly train outdoors, we have very few dog friendly places to go to. The only time we go outdoors are for walks around the neighborhood. Recalls Whenever we arrive at the agility field, my Sheltie gets super excite...

Hi Ed and Cindy, I just recently purchased how to deal with dominant and aggressive dogs, dominant dog collar, leather leashes, etc. I had asked Cindy this question a while back when my female german shepherd was still only 9 months old. I bought the ecollar and DVD back then along with other Michael Ellis DVDs. She is doing very well with obedience without any high level distractions. She will obey on and off leash with people around only but cannot do that when there are any other animal...

I have a 1 1/2 year old working line GSD. I will take my dogs for a swim form time to time, by throwing a floating toy out for him to retrieve. When he jumps in, he will get some water in his ears, then when he grabs the toy, sometimes his whole face and part of his head will go in the water, so water is getting in his ears.?My questions are, is it really a bad thing to get water in the ears of GSD? and?what kind of a good wash solution can one make for general, preventive cleaning??I've hear...

Hi! At the present time I'm actively working with my puppy on marker and engagement skills. I'm having a great time and we are having tons of success. However, when I'm taking Alice (15 weeks doberman x Dutch Shepherd) on leash to the back door to go outside to the bathroom, she will see our adult min pin and try to jump and pounce on her. I engage her in that situation and it works but it's every time she sees the min pin its always the same behavior. I understand she is just dying to pla...

Hey Cindy, I'm intrested in starting my own kennel for the purpose of breeding and training - and I was wondering how I would go about doing that since I don't live in a house that's big enough for something like that. Do you have tips or suggestions based on your experience? I.e How many dogs would I need to get started, initial cost (rough estimate)? The two breeds that really intrest me are the Malinois and the Doberman. I used to have a female dobe about a year ago but I lost her due t...

Good morning. I have searched the Q&A section and I have read about introducing a dog to the resident cats & your philosophy of dog training. I plan to do much more reading now that I have found your site. Here is my situation & I am hoping you can offer some advice? I am considering adopting a 6 month old Doberman Shepherd cross. She is in a shelter, found as a stray with her 2 sisters. She is good with other dogs & cats and unknown with young children. (I have 2 cat...

Hello. Sure love the information you all provide. It has helped me establish a solid relationship with my German Shepherd dogs. I have a question about having 2 German Shepherds at home. My 45 lb. spayed female is scared of our 90 lb. intact (but soon to be neutered) male. She hides and barks when he is out. As a result only one dog can be out at a time. Any tips for settling the female down? Thanks

Thanks for taking the time to read this email. Your previous responses to my questions have really helped. I just finished placing my order for some training videos; retrieve, tug, puppy bite work, and some equipment. I have a question regarding engagement. I have been training my dog with Michael Ellis' The Power of Training Dogs with Food. It has been a few months now and my pup is doing great. My problem, I have noticed, is that it is harder to keep his engagement with food. Befor...

Hey Ed, First I want to say you have a great site and I value your opinion very much. I have a concern with my 5 yr. old female GSD. She is schutzhund trained although not yet titled. I will admit that I am still a novice trainer/handler even after a couple of years doing this work. My GSD recently bit someone for the first time. This dog has german working lines, father was 2 times BSP participant, and etc. She has had both defense training and of course prey. Some times I have fe...

Cindy, I recently purchased the E-Collar for Pet Owners video. My plan had been to use an e-collar at about the one-year mark, after achieving a firm foundation in basic obedience. However, when reading the Discussion Forums a user alluded to a difference in the way an e-collar is used for a pet and protection work. I plan on training my dog in protection work and would like to understand what (if any) are the differences in the way an e-collar is used for pet owners as opposed to owners ...

Hi Ed, I have a 8 month old German Shepherd, I am currently feeding him dry Canidae dog food. I was mixing it with ground turkey. I started mixing it with can Tuna or can Salmon. My wife thinks that can tuna or salmon has too much sodium in it for the dog. I started draining the water out of the can, is the can tuna or salmon good for the dog? I am feeding my dog twice a day, when do I start feeding him once a day...he loves canned fish better then turkey. I could not go through with the a...

Dear Cindy (and you too Ed), I have a 10 month old Bulldog/boxer puppy who I got at 8 weeks. I have been home day and night with him for the last 6 months and I am returning to full time work in the next few weeks. He is never allowed to roam freely unattended as he is the equivalent of a drunk toddler; as I have always been home usually its a drag line or ex-pen. He sleeps like the righteous in his crate all night - no accidents. However when I do crate him for a few hours during the day ...