Most Popular Q&As

Good day Thank you for all the excellent training content. I have been training my pup since eight weeks old to do footstep tracking and he does it accurately and at a good pace. Not quite a tracking thru drive pace, but the dog is focused. I have been doing tracks in the country about 4-5 days per week. I was told that is too much tracking and should back off to 2 per week. However, my dog loves to track and I don’t think he’s being overworked physically by any means. ...

Do you have a protection video that focuses on the job of the handler in training? Even such things as keeping long lines (we frequently use 2) from tangling in our dog's legs & equipment, how to set our dogs up quickly and cleanly so we don't spend time "futzing," how to quiet our dog after we out the sleeve and tell him to sit, how to watch the helper & our dog for maximum engagement, how much & timing of praising & correction, can all be helpful to "2 left footed handlers" like me. Thank y...

I recently acquired a new dog (4 y/o lab/shepherd mx)) from my son who got her 2 1/2 years ago from a rescue group. I brought her home because she nipped my grandbaby & I felt she deserved another chance. The problem is she and my 14 y/o Border Collie/Aussie mix HATE each other! The new dog is now dog aggressive with most dogs (especially if they run up to her) although she gets along with my little terrier mix and does not bother my 3 cats. We keep them separated, either with the crate or on...

Hi, I am having a small problem with my Obedience dog that, I don't want to become a big problem. During sit stays he is moving his front feet to the point that he "ooches" sideways. This is my Novice A dog... presently we are working toward our CDX title. This started after a dog went for him. I have been working with "safe dogs," but still moves. I have been to two seminars with Michael Ellis and bought all of his DVDs and numerous other products from Leerburg. Any suggestions you have w...

Hi Cindy, I'm getting an 8 week old Malinois in about a month (just purchased your Ex-Pen the other day). It will be my first working/protection dog. Although I don't possess near the training experience you have, I've trained 2 Chesapeake Bay Retrievers to Master Hunter in NAHRA as well as 2 German Shorthair Pointers that ran in field trials. These were (and 2 still are) my own personal dogs. I realize some aspects of this training are different from the breeds I've worked with, but I'm l...

Hi, I have a question about which sleeve to order from the Leerburg site. My dog is a 6 month old female Malinois. She is done teething, all adult teeth in. She loves to tug, but I don't think she has a particularly hard bite for a Mal. Which sleeve would you recomend to use for her? Thanks

I have a 1 year old female black mouth cur who had 12 pups on 02/20/12, 1 was still born and 2 more have since died. Can you tell me how many normally survive in a litter this large with a first time mom?'

First, let me say all of your videos/articles on engagement have made my life much easier, but I've run into something where I'm stumped, as is everyone at the dog school where I take agility. My 2-year-old Pit runs great for me at home and everywhere, except our dog school, where she will run for everyone but me. When I walk in the main agility ring with her, she stops and looks like I'm about to beat her. I can do my engagement exercises with her and get her engaged and playing with me,...

My question is this, I bought a DVD "8 weeks to 8 months" then went to a link that said watch your "streaming video," is this available to me because I bought the DVD or will it charge me another 40 dollars if I watch the streaming video? Thank you, Brad

Hi Cindy, I'm sure with all the emails that you get, you might not remember me, but you and Ed have been a great help to our family. Your advice, videos, products, and web site helped us to raise a beautiful, well behaved Lab. Jake is now six years old and has been on a raw diet (your exact weekly menu) and the vitamins you recommend since he was about four months old. I know that as cats and dogs get older, they need - and should have - less protein in their diets. As dogs fed a raw d...

Ed and Cindy, Having just read your Dumb & Dumber Q&As I can see that you are not particularly tolerant of stupid questions, but I hope you will treat this seriously since it was a very upsetting event. I have a 5 year old Amer. Staffordshire Terrier (almost 80 pounds) that is very loving and gentle and we were spending a weekend at my daughter's in-laws cabin where several families and their dogs were present. In addition to my dog there were two Maltese and a Black Lab. All of them ge...

I just got home from a dog show where I saw the most awesome German Shorthair Pointer. I asked him where he trained and he gave me your web site. I have a 3 year old Sheltie that has an obedience CDX and am working towards a Utility Title and maybe an OTCH. I hope this doesn't sound silly, but does your method of training help a breed of dog like mine achieve the type of results. I have seen on your web site? Obviously she does not need to learn bite work (or does she?). I believe we could...

Dear Cindy, My question is regarding avoidance corrections. I have a 2.5 year old cattle dog mix that I have just adopted. I am constantly around horses and my dog will be as well. When the horses are not really moving the dog leaves them alone but if they start running around his herding drive takes over and I can not get him out of the zone. He chases them and barks at them while nipping at their heels; characteristically of his breed. He understands "come" and "no" and is almost alwa...

We are working on hold. I like the size of the dumbbell I got from you & it is the hard plastic one. Is the wooden one better for teaching this? And the plastic is better for when she has it down solid. and it’s not possibly clanking against her teeth? It seems harder to grip. Gets slippery. Not that’s it’s an excuse for mouthing it! I just wanna be fair to her and she’s learning. She can when she wants to though.

Hello Cindy! We have a very confident and obedient 4 1/2 month-old Mal puppy that impresses us every day with his progress. Except his fear of car rides. He is willing to follow me anywhere until I open the car door. He slams on the brakes and tries to back up immediately. He has his own crate in the back of my car that he rides in but he will never approach it willingly. Lately, he has been riding up front in the passenger seat which he doesn't resist as much. When he is in the car he is si...

Hi Cindy! Thanks so much for all the helpful info you've shared. We have a 2.5-year-old male GSD, Jake, who has always been a major barker when he hears someone outside our house – especially other dogs. We and our trainer have been trying to train him out of it and thought we were seeing progress up until recently. He developed a scary habit where upon hearing someone outside, he not only barks but quickly goes after our other dog (a 3-year-old malinois) as if she were the threat, even...

I have pick of the litter male German Shepherd. Using your training techniques with streaming. Still having bad habits and getting worse. Daily training by me, leashed but free time, no responses to No, Come, and runs, bites, etc. Basically incorrigible and I’m pretty firm and had breed in the past. Is he too young for E-Collar? I’ve been watching your free videos on the collars. Advice?

Hi Cindy, I have a 5 mo. old German Shepard puppy I've had since he was 8 weeks old. I have an 8 lb Yorkipoo & a labradoodle. I haven't been able to introduce him to my Yorkipoo because all he wants to do is paw her and mouth her to play and she's too little so we keep them apart. My question is how do I introduce them? He really wants to get to know her but he's too rough. Thank you

Hi Cindy, I don't mean to keep bothering you but I am having some problem with my pup. 1) I use a comfort flex collar and British slip lead at night when I take him to the bathroom. He pulls so hard on the leash that he chokes himself, I can't get him to stop pulling. He's 11 weeks should I use a pinch collar now or wait? This dog is very head strong and determined to go and get whatever wants. 2) I have problems with him peeing in his pen. He's great at night and no issues in the...

I am now working through the Michael Ellis puppy development courses but I would like to know where I can learn more specifically on socialization with other dogs. We are taking our puppy out for walks and a lot of dogs on leashes seem aggressive. He is supposed to meet other dogs but I don’t trust them. Is there a course on how to safely introduce him to other dogs and how to deal with neighbors who want their dogs to say hi to my puppy? I want him to socialize with dogs but I also don’t...