Most Popular Q&As

My question concerns rewarding for an odor 'find' during NW. I am having a disagreement w/nosework trainer who is certified in NW, but does not have an obedience training background. My dog is conditioned to my verbal marker, and when I give it he instantly knows he's giving the correct behavior, and that he can expect a food or toy reward momentarily. Per my trainer, we are not to give direction to the dog during NW practice, but she apparently believes this includes verbally marking the wan...

Hi Ed, I just ordered a dominant dog collar and a 3 series DVD that you had recommended in one of your QAs. My question is, my husband doesn't like to have a huge crate hanging around in our house. Is it possible to substitute the crate for a 6ft lead tied either in the dining room or our bed post, to follow your instruction on establishing pack leadership in our house? The only other option is to have the crate in our daughter's bedroom. I want to start from scratch, even though we had...

Hi, I had a quick question about a health issue in my 10 week old puppy. He has only dropped one testicle (cryptorchid) the problem is I don't want to have the dog castrated. He is a GSD from working lines and I bought him the intention of doing personal protection work with the dog. I am also working with a professional trainer. I have tried talking to a couple of vets including my own. The only solution they offer is time. It will drop or it won't is all they say. Vets are very eager to ...

Hello Cindy, After trying all training methods, at what point should an owner consider using a bark collar for a younger dog? The dog I'm considering on adopting is an 8 month old English Cocker spaniel. The current owner has allowed me to keep him for a trial period. I don't reprimand when he briefly barks for his dinner as he's a typical Cocker and loves his food or when he's outside and sees other dogs. However, I've filmed him while I'm at work and have observed him barking most of th...

I have a 5 year old intact male Shepherd (30 inches at the shoulder and 110 pounds)who is aggressive toward other dogs, both while we are walking and when he is in the yard. Part of our yard is well above street level and Liam uses it as a vantage point to watch for dogs and to a lesser degree, other passers-by. He will become totally focused on the approaching dog and will charge in their direction, so I keep him on a long line to be sure he stays in the yard for that reason. When we are wal...

My 9-month-old Cavalier King Charles has been eliminating outside successfully for the past two months. He rings the doggie bells we have on our door or barks when he needs to eliminate and he generally defecates at the same time (morning and before bed) everyday. Recently, after we took him outside to play, when he came back into the house, he defecated on our carpet (this was mid-afternoon, and we had not changed his feeding schedule). He gave no signal that he had to go out - no bell ringi...

I have tugged a number of times with my dog, but I am hesitant to fully develop my dog's tugging skills because her mouth always bleeds slightly when we tug. She acts as if nothing is happening, and she continues to tug. Even when I tug lightly with her, she still bleeds. Is it common for dogs's mouths to bleed while tugging? Is this something I should go to the vet about? Thank you.

I recently purchased the DVD "8 weeks to 8 months" which has been a great training aid. I wanted to ask at what age does Ed typically recommend to spay his female shepherds? Thanks in advance, John

Ms. Cindy, Which of the prong collars is the sturdiest? I plan on purchasing a 2 clasp lead when I purchase the prong collar so that I will have a lead on a backup collar should the prong collar fail. I'm working with a 10 month old 170# English Mastiff that is still 100% puppy but also incredibly strong. Anyway, please let me know which prong collar you feel will handle the most stress. Thanks, Brad

Hi Cindy, I would like to ask what is the appropriate feeding temperature of a raw diet? That is, do I serve it straight from the fridge or at room temperature? Thanking you in advance. Best regards, Dennis

My 3 year old neutered doberman is aggressive with other males only when I am around. I walk him on a leash at all times, and he does not lunge at other males, but if they approach, he will attack. Unfortunately, I live in an area where numbers of people walk their dogs off-leash. If another dog approaches, I make my dog sit next to me and call out to the other dog owner that my dog is not friendly, but people don't always listen. My dog walker and the kennel where he is sometimes boarded rep...

Hello, I came across your website, which is amazing and just wondered if i could ask your opinion on recent events. The Scenario: My friend has two staffordshire bull terrier bitches who appeared to be getting on well, they came in season together and she mated them! The first bitch went into labour but a pup got stuck and an emergency section was needed, at much cost, the bitch took well to the pups and all seemed fine. The second bitch was took in for a section after what ha...

Good afternoon Cindy, Will you tell me if I can use the Bark Limiter while my dog has a prong collar on? My dog barks and pulls in reaction to dogs on the opposite sides of the fence, as well as dogs/critters that he sees in the distance. The prong collar and dominant dog collar are good together when he is in regular walking mode, but seem to have no affect when he goes into high drive. I was thinking that if we can have the immediate correction when he barks of the Bark Limiter, then ...

Dear Ed, I wrote to you before sometime ago about herding GSDs. I have a very young bitch who is quite promising in herding with strong schutzhund lines and herding lines in her pedigree. She is working a two sided border rather independently on a long line, but from time to time she is still breaking in on the sheep. In herding, it is acceptable for a grip on the sheep when appropriate, the problem we have is, Janna our girl has a great grip and in the proper places on the sheep. She is a...

I visited your web site today to find out what kind of vitamins to supplement my puppy with. To be quite honest, I did not have much time to go item by item, but I really want to buy something. Would you recommend something with calcium for his bones or what kind of vitamin would you suggest? I'm currently feeding Royal canine which is a good brand, but still want to give him some supplements... In advance thanks for your time. Juan

How much do I feed?

Hello, I took my dog in for a check up and talked to my veterinarian about the raw food diet you push and she said; bad idea. She said dogs will contract Campylobacter and salmonella from raw chicken just like humans. She said eating raw chicken is unsafe for humans and why would you risk your dogs health by feeding them raw chicken? I've been making my own dog food; cooked with a protein source such as elk; oryx; deer; chicken; pork or beef mixed with brown rice; cooked vegetable; egg...

Dear Cindy, First I would like to say that you have a beautiful website with a good information that easy to know for every one, thank you very much. I have question on breeding... I have a couple of rottweilers and I want to breed them. From the the day 1 to day 9 she started her heating period it was normal and clean and the blood became very light that hard to see then I let my male jump on her from the 9 day till 14 day but today I shocked because I found a lot of dark drop of blood...

I just ordered your whelping video but needed an answer to my question before I would get it. The breeder of our dog told us to give our bitch, Pet-tab Calcium 1 week before whelping her. The Vet says no. Who is right?? This is suppose to ward off eclampsia. Our bitch is due in 2 weeks. Thanks, Paula

Hello, I have enjoyed your e-mails in the past with questions about whelping and you were very quick to respond, straight up and very very helpful and thank you for that. My new question is this, I have breed my female Sandy vom Salztalblick twice with 2 different males, the first was Kim von der Ehrfelder-H?lzung and the second breeding was with OCJ of Shepherdglen. 9 pups in the first litter "6 males & 3 females" and 6 pups in the second litter "2 males & 4 females." I keep in co...