Most Popular Q&As

My dog will play tug with me and bring the tug back but when I go to grab it to reengage he drops it. How would I go about countering this tendency?

My four and half-month-old lab puppy has started barking while training. I don't think that I have accidentally cued this, and it may be frustration or excitement. But I want to make sure it doesn't become a habit, as it will not be acceptable in an obedience ring. I start each session with engagement. Any suggestions?

Hi Cindy, We purchased an Educator ET300 Mini Ecollar from you a few months ago, and the collar that goes around the dog's neck is made like a belt. We were wondering if you have a collar that would fit through the Educator ET300 Collar that snaps (like many cat collars are made) in place instead of buckles. This dog is a hard dog, and despite the commands that he knows, insists on fighting the buckling part of the Ecollar when we put it on him. In fact, he jumps and bites in play anytime ...

I recently purchased a box of The Honest Kitchen Preference dog food from Leerburg. How much raw vs. cooked meat measured by weight should I add to 1 cup of Preference (is there enough difference to matter)? Also, would the calcium/phosphorus ratios be balanced if I don't add any raw bone, such as ground turkey or chicken necks and backs, to my dog's diet? Thanks!

Hi Ed, Our eight month old Doberman was suffering with pano. We were pretty sure it was pano due to reading up on it, but were willing for vets to do x-rays to make sure there was nothing broke or fractured. The x-ray confirmed our suspicions and we were given pain relief for her. It was sad to watch our beautiful loving puppy suffer so much. So on searching for more info on pano, came across your page. We followed your advice about stopping the puppy food and the MSM, etc. and we have no...

On the ecollar comparison chart, 5 tabs down it says "Different Levels for Each Dog" What is that?

Hi, I want to order the prong collar leash and the dominant dog collar. If the shorter tab on the leash is connected to the lower collar (the prong) and thus corrections go to this collar since the tab is shorter, how do you engage the dominant dog collar? Also, what is the reason one would want a two-handle leash? Vicky

Hi Cindy, I have a small 14 lb dog that I want to keep in the kitchen during the day while at work. I want to give her some area to exercise while I?m gone.?I was wondering how well this pen would work. Does it have stabilizers that would keep the dog from knocking over the pen??I?m sure she would be jumping up on the sides while I?m gone. Do you have any other recommendations short of using a crate? I do live in a small apartment. Thanks, Angie

I found your site very informative. If a dog is friendly with other dogs, cats and people but attacks one specific dog more than once, would this dog be considered aggressive? Recently, she attacked this much smaller dog beyond repair and sadly the dog didn't survive. Is this dog to be trusted around small children? I know with any dog, there should always be close supervision. But knowing she has this ability in her, is it too risky to keep her in the home with children?

I got a 6-month-old male German Rottweiler I got from a good breeder when he was 10 weeks old. We set up a crate that with a doggie door that goes outside. So basically, he is in and out all the time. I try to put a collar on him (since we got him) but he fussed too much. He runs away, uses his mouth to warn us... does a hand bite but doesn't bite down (I yell loud no). Since he goes in his crate, it is not a good idea to have his collar on him all the time (strangulation) so we take it o...

Hi, I have read through your website and I love it. You know your stuff and give great advice. I have a shih tzu x chihuahua who had a litter of 3 just over four weeks ago. The first two pups were born naturally but after a long struggle with the the third she needed to have a c section and that poor baby was dead. The 2 surviving pups are doing really well and Bella is a great mum. After the pups were born Bella had discharge for a few days but that cleared up when it should have...

I have a 1 1/2 year old Malinois. He thinks that everywhere we go we are going to do bite work. How do I train him to relax? He has good obedience but sometimes he wants to bite everyone. He won't do it if I give him his negative maker "No." But I don't trust him or my own reflexes so I muzzle him everywhere. I would like him to be safe around strangers. He doesn't need to be their friend, just ignore them. I am guessing you are going to tell me to work on engagement so he will focus on me in...

Hi Cindy, I have been a fan of the Leerburg website for several years and have always been happy with all of the items I have purchased from it. I have also spent many hours reading discussion board entries and the questions posed to both you and Ed in the Leerburg newsletters and am very impressed with the sensitivity and quality of the responses that you both provide to individuals seeking your advice in dealing with problems related to their dogs. I am currently dealing with a proble...

I am wondering if artificially inseminating too many times can cause pregnancy and birth issues? We A.I.'ed our English Bulldog 3 times, 2 days apart starting on day 12 of her cycle. The A.I. was successful, and I was very diligent on her diet, sodium consumption, folic acid and I gave her daily cranberry pills for water retention to help avoid water puppies that are common in the breed. She has no health issues and nothing was abnormal throughout the pregnancy. She started leaking a black...

Hi Cindy, I'm looking for a professional, unbiased opinion, and I thought of YOU! You have given me such excellent advice in the past and since you don't know me personally, you'll just give me an honest answer instead of trying to guess what I might want to hear... which is what usually happens! LOL! Ok, so I know a well-trained dog IS a well-trained dog; neutering a badly trained dog won't miraculously make him well-trained. That said, is it easier to work with/train a neutered male v...

Cindy, I would like to take advantage of the seasonal availability of whole turkey. My 2 dogs are 60# and are good eaters who chew well. Are there any precautions on feeding turkey and are there any parts that I should avoid? Thanks. Dave

Hello Ed and Cindy: I've just discovered your site & I love all the info you provide. It's both educational & reaffirming. Q: I've bred my two Pembroke Corgis. I've noticed in the past that they tend to get food allergies which cause a red belly & pimples under their muzzle. So, I feed them all natural dog food from the feed store. This has solved the problem. Since being bred, my female has been on the same brand of food but we are offering puppy food & vitamins for added nutrition. The ...

My dog is now 10 months old and her one ear is still flopping, I keep re-taping her ear but I'm about ready to give up. Is it to late for her?

Hi Cindy, We have a 5month old female doberman that we are training using your training methods. Specifically I was looking at getting your e-collar for pets video and an e-collar to help work on her stop jumping up and mouthing my wife and two young boys. Is it too soon to use an e-collar to correct this behavior. Also I know you and Ed like the Dogtra collars; which is a good economical model for us. Thanks for all your help in raising our dog. It is greatly appreciated. Brian

Hello, We recently purchased a Rhodesian Ridgeback adult female dog through the RR Rescue in our area. She is 4 yrs old, and had one owner before us, and was not socialized well and crated a lot. That's what we know. She was extremely skittish at first but is no longer afraid of us, and is more comfortable every day. She is not at all aggressive toward us or people, or our young children. She is either shy ? or very sweet and curious. She is very smart and is training well. However, my pro...