Most Popular Q&As

Is it normal during teething for a pup's drive for sack or puppy tug to diminish to a level where they are almost nonexistent? My 5 month old GSD who normally acts like a little alligator, now because he is teething, is only content to retrieve a tennis ball and track. He has mo interest at all at training with the helper or at home with me in sack work. Doesn't even get worked up watching the other dogs work in Protection like he did before he started teething. He used to bark like a mad...

I purchased a GSD that has excellent working bloodlines. He has super prey drive. I did not discover your videos until he was almost a year old, but I still wanted to train him in personal protection. So I started with the 1st steps of bite training. He does really well in the bite work. I just cannot get him to bark at the helper, even when he pops in and out of the blind. When I took him out in the field and tried the stranger in the bushes, he just looked cautiously, but never barked. ...

My husband and I are opening a shop. My husband wants to get a dog that will offer some protection when we are not there. He is talking about "perimeter training" the dog. I think by this he means that the dog will guard the property in the night. He says to train a dog to do this, the trainer uses vinegar and sprays the dog with it. He says this is only done at night, so that when customers come into the shop during the day the dog will not attack. Is this the proper method to use? And c...

I am interested in becoming a trainer. I used to go with a family member every week while he worked his GSD, so I am not new to the sport but I am a new to training. I own an American Bulldog from good lines now and I am working him, and I have a female puppy coming as of June this year and she is from excellent lines and I am going to work her. I am interested in becoming a trainer/agitator for other people. What advice would you have for me? I live in Weymouth, Ma. Scott

We are owners of a Cavalier King Charles 2 year old female. We have been discussing the prospect of adding a 'buddy'? for her to our home and finally decided that it was time. We also decided it would be a rescue from the Cavalier Rescue of Chicago. About 10 days ago we drove with our dog (Sophie) to the foster home to meet Merlin (male 2 years old). The foster home had 3 other cavaliers in the home so everyone was at ease when we introduced Sophie. The immediate attention to one a...

Your Q&As are extremely interesting and helpful. We have a three year-old male neutered white GSD named Trigger.? He can be a bit fear-based dominant and aggressive (I have your DVD). We are working on this aspect of his personality and making good progress. We would appreciate your advice on one small issue. Our bedroom is a duplex. There is an open staircase from the first floor where we have our home office and the second floor where the bed is located. By open ...

I have a 5 year old Yellow Lab I got from an abused home. She has been with me for four years and has settled in nicely. She has learned a lot of obedience but refuses to return the ball or whatever we use for fetch. She wants to play keep away. I won't chase her around which is what she wants. I was told not to chase her by the dog trainer and eventually she will learn to bring it to me if she wants to play. Well that was three years ago and if I walk away and refuse to chase her she ju...

Hi Ed and Cindy, I will keep this brief as I know you are inundated daily. I have three of your DVDs (have watched 1.5 so far, as my pup keeps me very occupied and TV time is zero nowadays). I am trying to teach my 4 month old mal the place command. Well, I am trying to start that training. We have used "yes" as his marker and he knows "yes" is a good thing. I put his kennel blanket on the living room floor to start the training, but he avoids it at all costs. I've trie...

Hi Cindy, I've watched a few of the videos I've ordered from Leerburg recently. I'd like to say nice effort on your and Ed's part. I'm wondering if you can explain something as marker training is new to me. In the past I've always used "ok" as my release command. Using "yes" as a marker seems to be a little more motivational in terms of it's auditory presentation and I'm considering that. In your Basic Dog Obedience dvd Ed uses "ok" as a release. In the Michael Ellis DVDs, i...

Hello, I rescued and 8 yr old Akita from the animal shelter about a month ago. The first week was perfect and he was a great dog. After that, he has started to tear down my vertical blinds in my front picture window. I believe it is due to the mailman walking in front of it to get to the next house. In the process he has also knocked over an antique lamp which was my grandmother's and broke it. That was my fault though for not moving it. I am trying different things to prevent this...

Hi I have a 17 year old collie/ husky mix. I have owned my dog since he was 6 months old. Snoopy is very much a family member. He didn't much like when we added our daughter to the family but got over it as soon as he could follow her around and steel cookies from her hands and birthday cake from her at the dinner table. He is having a lot of issues now he was fully trained to go outside and now is leaving messes all over the house. We walk him now almost hourly since my hus...

Hi Cindy, I have begun my ecollar training after viewing the DVD several times. I have a 10 month old standard poodle. I am using a 20 ft long line during the training and feel comfortable with the stim level I am using on on her. During the outside training she responds appropriately, takes treats and toys during our 5/6 minute sessions. When we come in the house and I leave the collar on her she retreats to her bed, goes to sleep or hides in the shower and this goes on for hour...

I've looked in every subject line I could think of on the Discussion Board (which has a wealth of information), for my particular problem. The answer is probably there buried in other discussions, but I decided to go straight to the 'horse's mouth'. I have a 17 mo. Siberian Husky that is CGC and Therapy registered, and we are also training in Agility along with Competitive Obedience. With that said, she is quite smart, responsive to training, and eager to learn new activities. We r...

I own fila brasileiros and need to know a test to give them to see if they can make dope dogs. I have a litter of 10 pups 8 weeks old and wonder if they can be tested at that young age. Please advise on information or video for testing purposes. I know they can track not all but some and need the test to give and at what age. I thank you for your time. Henry

Hi Ed, My name is Niamh and my husband, Glen, and I own a 70 pound neutered bitch named Sena. To explain our situation I will give you a little background on us. I had a previous dog, Grady a male neutered black lab/rottie cross. Grady was a huge dog and at age 12 and at 120 pounds he had to be put down. Grady was put down quite suddenly due to failing organs. He was a gentle giant who in his senior years didn't want to do anything but lay at your feet. My husband and I went out tw...

I have a 5 yr old Old English Sheepdog. We purchased this pup from a private breeder who I now feel, gave little regard to temperament. From the very beginning, he has been a "nervous" dog. When Barnaby was 6 months old I took him to a local basic obedience class. During a session of 'meet your neighbor,' where the dogs were allowed to sniff each other, he lunged and pinned the other dog to the floor. I soon realized that all dogs were considered the "enemy" to him and avoided cont...

Hi Cindy, My question regarding the electric collar is that I used on my dog (18 Months Pit bull) and he does fine when he is wearing it. He responds to commands but when I take it off he does not respond the same way. I got the video and collar from you can you advice what did I did wrong or how can I improve the use of the collar? Thank you. I love your news letters and web site. Adalberto

Hello, I need your expert advice in regard to one of my dogs (who is a 4 yr old male rottweiler) a few months ago my mother was walking him in an open area in the north of England, He left her side to investigate a german shepard who was been walked by some guy, the investigation became a little hostile and soon turned into a fight. The owner of the German Shepard kicked out at my rottweiler in response my dog bit his leg. Later we found out that the dog walker was an off d...

Hello, I have sought help from numerous sources (too many to mention here), including my vet. I have one huge problem with our border collie, named Oreo, she is 7 yrs old, we've had her since she was 10 weeks old. She is a wonderful dog all the way around... for obedience, etc. no problems. The problem is she is showing aggression towards our daughter who will be 4 yrs old in February. She used to be able to go and pet Oreo and help me feed her, etc. However over the last co...

Cindy, I have written you several times about my GSD, and my distraction problem with him away from home, when we try to work and I am working on this. He will do some very low key obedience away from home but with none of the energy or drive he shows at home. We were doing a little obedience work this morning in a pet store and he was his usual distracted self. I tried something just to see how he would react, here's how it went. At home I have done a lot of scent work with him, not track...