Most Popular Q&As
April 26, 2011
My dog has a tendency to nip and growl at other dogs in the dog park. Any suggestions as to how I can stop this behavior?
Dear Mr. Frawley,
I was wondering if you could offer any suggestions for me.
My 3 year old dog Kraemer, an Australian Cattle dog and Rottweiler mix, has started to develop aggressive behavior toward other dogs at the leash-free dog park. When we enter the park through the double gates and if there are dogs to greet us, he'll charge out of the gates and bark and chase the dogs away from us (me and my other dog Annie). He loves to smell the other dogs and literally gets urina...
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April 26, 2011
My dog is toy obsessed and won’t listen to me at the dog park. I’ve been trying to adjust her to being sniffed by other dogs while holding a ball. Is this right?
Hello,
I have an 11 month old lab/border collie mix that is very toy obsessed. I don't mind that she likes to always play with toys but I'm having trouble with getting her to only play with the toys when I say it is alright, she's at her worst at the dog parks when other owners are playing with their own dogs. Once she sees the toy (mainly balls) she does not listen at all she is so fixated on the ball and it gets really frustrating when she takes the other dog's toy. She's really good at ...
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April 26, 2011
I have a Giant Schnauzer who I basically rescued at 2 years of age. He is overly aggressive and dominant. What should I do?
I am a 40-year-old woman who has always had dogs - all kinds of dog. I particularly like dominant dogs in that I want protection (I live alone). My experience has been with Dobermans (females - love that breed). Recently I rescued/adopted an almost 2 year old Giant Schnauzer who was apparently left to his resources for 20 months. He did not have proper human bonding, was belligerent and arrogant when first here but has come around somewhat. I have worked him daily with obedience; I practi...
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April 26, 2011
My dog, (who used to be friendly to everyone), has been teased by a co-worker. Now he is very protective. What can I do to make him friendly again?
I have a two-year-old Australian cattle dog that was given to me as an adult at one and a half years of age. He was such a loving dog when I got him, he liked everyone. I am a construction worker and took him to work with me to socialize him. He stayed in the back of the truck all day long and never got out as long as he could see me. He was a dog for everyone. Children use to play with him all day long.
This guy at work started teasing him because he said he looks like he would bi...
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April 26, 2011
We have a dominant bitch who has recently started attacking other dogs while on our daily walks. Can this be corrected?
My husband and I acquired a Gordon setter from a breeder who told us that Indy was a dominant bitch and couldn't get along with other bitches. We have another older dog, which is a big friendly kind of guy.
We had some problems with Indy immediately, but we did get her to get along with our older dog. Four months ago, Indy began snapping at other dogs while out on walks. In one instance, my husband was bitten as he tried to pull her off another dog. These incidents are escalating q...
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April 25, 2011
Do I have to quit Schutzhund because my dogs hips are bad?
Hi Cindy:
I had my 3 year old German Shepherd female hips xrayed. She has her CGC and BH in the fall I want to go for her Schutzhund 1. I also have her in SAR 6 months training. At the trainer's request she suggested to have my dogs hips xrayed. They were not good. I will have her spayed of course. I was very disappointed because her whole line parents grandparents were all good. My question is do I have to quit Schutzhund? She does very well on the jumps and a frame so I could stop traini...
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April 22, 2011
Our 2-yr-old GSD has bitten 4 people and is dog aggressive. Our breeder is willing to replace the dog but we wonder if we can do something before sending it back.
I have a two-year-old German Shepherd that is of 100% German descent. I bought him when he was 11 months old and he was obedience trained and had all the basics down. I planned on taking him to advance obedience training but he was very dog aggressive and attacked my friends dog in the park when we were trying to acclimate them and attacked another dog at the groomers while we were waiting for our turn. Both of the attacks resulted in only minor injuries but in both I was not able to get ...
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April 22, 2011
Our 18 month old rescue dog has bit my wife three times. What should we do?
We have an 18-month-old girl lab mix named "Lily" that we rescued six months ago. She was a loud barker right from the start, but seemed to make herself at home with us. Neither my wife or I had much experience as dog owners, so we naively hoped that a loving & comfortable home life would be enough to calm her down. She is very smart and did in fact learn to mind us and show us a lot of affection after a while, but she was still difficult to manage on walks and showed territorial aggressi...
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April 22, 2011
My dog killed two sheep today. He has killed cats. We originally thought he was just playing rough – it seems he has a taste for this.
Hello,
My name is Lisa. I have a 3 1/2 year old Shepard male named Bud. I found him when he was a few months old and so I'm not sure about his temperaments in blood lines. We recently had some sheep on the property and he got loose and killed two. He has killed cats before but we thought he was playing too hard. Today he went after a calf, but luckily I was there to stop it. I punished him but it doesn't seem to do anything. I don't want to put him down. Is there any thing to do to...
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April 22, 2011
I want to teach my 2 year old GSD to baby-sit my twins. I want the dog to learn to keep the kids in the yard. Do you have any advice on this?
Hello:
My wife & I are having twins. Our German Shepherd is now 2 years old and for the most part well behaved. We have been told many different ways of presenting our Lola to the babies for the first time. Also my goal is to have Lola baby sit as much as possible in the future. Lola is rarely on a leash in the front or back yard. Already knowing her boundaries, I would like to teach her to keep the kids in their own front yard & out of the street. Of course this is in the future &...
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April 22, 2011
Does your DVD “Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet” cover a situation like ours where we need two dogs to learn their place?
Hello Mr. Frawley,
My name is Mark Wright. My wife, Cassie, and I have two dogs? and a newborn (our daughter Anna was born a week ago). Our dogs are Lacey, an 11-year-old pure bred Cocker Spaniel and Gidgit, an 11-month old Beagle/Collie mix.
Prior to Gidgit?s arrival, Lacey was fine and understood that we are the masters. I believe that is still understood today. I can approach Lacey and pull a bone or other toy away from her without her becoming aggressive towards me....
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April 22, 2011
I have a problem with a friend's dog and I don't know what to do about it. I am wondering if you could give me advice or direction on what to do.
Dear Mr. Frawley,
I have a problem with a friend's dog and I don't know what to do about it. I am wondering if you could give me advice or direction on what to do.
This may be a little long, so I apologize now if it is. I have been with my boyfriend for almost three years and have known him for five. His family has a Springer Spaniel. I have never liked that dog. The first time I walked through that door, his dog showed his teeth and growled the whole time. Nobody did anythi...
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April 22, 2011
I have a 16 month old male Shepherd with whom I have inadvertently caused a big problem.
I have a 16 month old male Shepherd with whom I have inadvertently caused a big problem. When he was young he had hardly any interest in food and I tried everything to get him to eat, including teasing him that our other dog was, "going to get his food." I realize now how big a mistake that was. My question is, what can I do to undo the damage? To give you a little background, I am not an inexperienced dog trainer. I've raised many dogs, including two Dobermans that are well rounded, lika...
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April 22, 2011
I have two males one Chow and one St Bernard. They fight every time I go into the back yard. Would the sound of a stun gun stop this from happening?
I've read your homepage and the last story there was from a lady asking you if you ever did try using the stun gun for sound effect. I would like to know the answer to that Question on Dog Fights because I have a medium size male (supposedly chow and Akita mix not sure) that has started beating the heck out of my male St Bernard. They both were puppies growing up together and all was well until the last month. The medium dog keeps attacking the St Bernard every time I go out side to chang...
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April 22, 2011
I am an obedience trainer. The owner of the dogs I have been training has not been following my rules and want me to sign a certificate for her insurance company. Help?
Dear Ed,
I am writing to you as one trainer to another. I need some advise on a aggression issue. I will apologize ahead of time for the length of the post but I would like to give you as much info as possible.
I began OB training with two male siblings (Rott, pit, shar mix). Both are about 90 lbs and growing. They were 7 months old when the owners contacted me and dominance issues had already started between the two of them. They both had recent surgery to to a hellaious fi...
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April 22, 2011
We have 2 recently neutered male doxies. They are starting to fight. We took them to Pet Smart obedience training but it does not seem to be working. What can we do?
My husband found your website today and we have a few Question on Dog Fights about the products and techniques you have listed. First of all I want to give you some background on our situation:
We have 2 recently neutered male doxies;
The oldest dog (Oscar - 2 ? years old) is the one who displays aggressive behavior;
We took an obedience class with Oscar when he was about 6 months old at Pet Smart. While in the classes, he would behave like an angel, but he would not ...
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April 21, 2011
Why would my 4 and 5 year old dogs suddenly start urinating inside the house after being housetrained their entire life?
I have a question regarding my 5 year old Jack Russell Terrier and my 4 year old Miniature Pinscher, within the last 6 weeks both of my dogs have been urinating in my house in every room. We have a 1 1/2 year old son and when we brought him home from the hospital they were fine. I am now pregnant with my second child and just out of the blue they are both peeing on furniture, carpet, anything they can lift their leg on. They are let outside frequently because I work from home. We have blo...
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April 21, 2011
I think that German Bloodline dogs are harder to house train than American Bloodline dogs.
Hi Mr Frawley,
I am finding your web site very helpful. I have had GSD all my life and back in June lost our best friend of 11 years. I now have (my first, and much wanted) a new 100% German bloodline female. She is 4.5 months old. I have a urination problem with her as well as many I read on your board. I am convinced at this point that this is a German bloodline thing. I have had all American breeds until now and have never had this problem. My question is: how do you know a pupp...
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April 21, 2011
I feel mean when I put my puppy in a crate and let the older dog run loose. Should I put the crate closer to the other dog?
We bought a Mini Dauschand puppy when she was 8 weeks. I also have a standard who is 11 and is not doing so well with her health. We got her about 5 weeks ago. Her living arrangements were very clean and they were well looked after. I did try to crate train her, but I gave up. I wish I would have read your site in the beginning!! Anyways, I messed up! She did pee in her crate and whined constantly, so of course I took the easy way out and put her in bed with my other dog. My older dog we ...
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April 21, 2011
I am having the worst time house breaking my puppy. I have tried everything. I know I am doing something wrong, but don't know what. I really need some advice.
Having the worse time housebreaking my puppy - have tired recommended time outside, diapers. She stills pees and poops in the house - I watch her like a hawk but she beats me, and is quick about it - we don't put her in a crate - because she also does it in there, she pee's in her diaper. She doesn't pee on a regular time intervals, I tracked it by time and sleeping patterns - I am confused and trying to patience with her. I know she isn't acting out and trying to be disobedience but I ca...
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