Most Popular Q&As
June 17, 2024
My 2 dogs do not get along and they have been in bloody fights a couple of times. Will muzzling them in the house allow them to get along?
I have two dogs that cannot get along: a 9 year old spayed female lab/shepherd mix, and a 5 year old intact female German Shorthair. The German Shorthair was 11 months old when I got her, and when I brought her home, the mix breed attacked her. She responded by attacking the mixed breed, and they have been enemies ever since. It got bloody a couple of times. Currently, the German Shorthair stays outside most of the time, and the mix stays in the house. I run them daily (separately), and when...
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January 2, 2024
My nosy neighbor is interfering with my training sessions with my Lab in my own yard. She tells me she's going to call animal services because she feels I am abusing my dog. What should I do?
Hello Cindy, I have a Labrador Retriever that I'm in the process of training, I'm having to use balanced training with him since positive reinforcement and food rewards aren't enough for my strong, stubborn working line Labrador. Here's my question, I have a nosey neighbor who gets in my business about how I train my dog using corrections with a prong collar, she tells me I'm abusing my animal and ruining my relationship with my dog by giving a simple correction with a light pop on the prong....
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August 22, 2023
My rescued pitbull's oral fixation is getting worse and is becoming a problem, which course should I take?
Hello!
I have a 20 month old pit bull mix that I rescued. Her oral fixation is getting worse. Please let me know which course I could take to work with her. It is becoming a problem.
Thank you!
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August 1, 2023
I have a 6 year old rescue Pit bull that I have had for 2 years. When I play tug with her, she shakes it aggressively and wants to run off with it. How do I teach her to play nicely?
My dog tugs/shakes aggressively and wants to run off with the tug and "kill" it. How do I get my dog to calm down a little around the tug and play nicely?
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May 12, 2022
Do you have any videos about training terriers? My terrier puppy has an aversion to his harness and leash
Hi Cindy, are there any videos about training pet terriers?
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February 26, 2014
I recently purchased the send away DVD and had a question. Do you eventually send the dog out without a target to run to in training?
Hello from Australia,
I have recently purchased the Send Away DVD and am currently teaching my 17 month old dobe the send away. I have trained her to work from a touch pad and the touch pad was gradually replaced with a disc (water frisbee), which virtually sits flat on the ground. The cue to go to the touch pad/or disc is "step."
My sendaway pre-cue is "where is it," then the actual send away cue is "go" followed by "step" - she is progressing well. Only still doing short distance...
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July 27, 2012
My 10 week old puppy has coccidia and is being treated for it. His appetite is OK but he's not interested in treats, should I hold off on training with food right now?
I just got a male 10 week old GSD puppy 3 days ago. He has coccidia and I have started him on the medication the vet recommended. His appetite is decent not voracious. He is lively and healthy. However, I wonder if I should hold off beginning high value rewards for marker training until he finishes the medication? At the moment Zuke's small cookies do not interest him enough.
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March 19, 2012
One of my dogs is getting sores on her skin from our other dog's saliva when they play. Is there anything we can put on her fur to make it taste bad, but won't cause her any arm?
Hello,
I read quite a bit of your Q&A about dog biting and nothing really applied to my situation. I have 2 Golden Retrievers just under a year old. They are from the same litter, sisters. They are the best dogs I have ever owned but the problem is when we put them outside, they wrestle around and play.
They are in no way trying to hurt each other and they never do this in front of my husband or I. The issue we are having is when they wrestle, they grab at each other's necks. One of th...
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February 23, 2012
I just got a new puppy and after a few days and switching to raw, she has started to itch a lot. What do you think this could be? How long do you think I should keep her on this food to see if it is the problem?
Hello,
I recently got a french bulldog puppy. She was picked up from the airport on Sunday night, she was perfectly healthy and went to the vet the next day, he also said she was perfect. She did not itch or have any skin issues other than a little dander. I fed her the last of her food they sent Monday and Tuesday I started her on raw. She has eaten mainly chicken necks and meat from leg quarter with a little yogurt, just enough to get her to eat her digestive enzymes and probiotics. She...
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February 9, 2012
Our dog was crate trained at the foster house he lived in before. However, we've been having trouble getting him into the crate. Can we reverse his reaction to his crate?
I've been trying to crate train my 9 month old collie mix. We've had him for 8 days. He was crate trained at the foster house he lived in before we adopted him, and would willingly go into the crate with or without being told. However, when we say, "Go to bed," he tries to get away, will roll over and play dead, or do anything that it takes to not go into his crate. I'm thinking about moving his crate into the family room and luring him in with treats to get him to start liking it again. We d...
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October 3, 2011
Last month, our dog ate some highly toxic seeds from our back yard. We're trying to get rid of them, but he is still finding the roots. Can we use the e-collar to make this plant taste and smell bad?
Cindy,
Thanks so much for what you and Ed produce. We've got a 9 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback that has been a great dog (so far). We (him and I) have been through the basic obedience and pack structure work and it has made him a great little dog (though he's 85lbs now). We got your e collar video and that has really helped me work with him (he now knows the difference between corrections and rough play).
Last month he ate some Sago Palm seeds (highly toxic) which of course sent him ...
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August 22, 2011
I may be bringing home a 3 month old puppy tomorrow that had surgery to remove a sock from her stomach just last week. She seems like a great pup otherwise. Do you think this pup will be ok psychologically and physically?
So sorry to ask you to respond immediately, but I was hoping to get your opinion on a german shepherd puppy that I may be bringing home tomorrow. Her breeding seems excellent for temperament and health (including hips, etc.). She is 3 months old. The only concern that I have is that she swallowed a sock last week and had surgery to remove it. The vet, who is supposed to be very good, had to cut open her belly (6 inch cut) to remove the sock which she swallowed whole. The stitches are inside a...
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August 15, 2011
My 6 month old dog did reasonably well in obedience class but he nips our daughter, chews our shoes and chases the cat. Which ecollar would you recommend?
We have a 6 month old Portugese Water Dog (weighs 40 pounds). He's an awesome dog and did reasonably well in basic obedience training... but I'm having difficulty getting him to stop jumping and nipping on my 5-year old daughter, going after shoes to chew on, and chasing our cat.
I've heard great things about your e-collar video -- before I order can you suggest the best e-collar to go with it?
Regards,
Eric
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April 20, 2023
Looking For Advice On Using Leash Pressure With An E-Collar?
Hi Cindy. I hope this question makes sense. I am looking for a little guidance on how to use what I've learned in Michael Ellis's e-collar course. I think I understand his process of introducing it: verbal command, followed by stim+leash pressure, escape upon compliance. However, I haven't really used leash pressure to teach any of the behaviors ME suggests using leash+e-collar for: foot targets, down, back. We taught those with luring and shaping only. I do use a prong and leash pressure for...
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March 17, 2023
I can't keep my GSD's attention on the club field only. Any suggestions?
Hello Cindy,
I really need your help! I own a 2-year-old GSD with a great pedigree and I'm not able to get his attention on the club field only. He works for me perfectly anywhere in public.
I also purchased Forrest Micke's Engagement Skills foundation which he mastered just fine and I still continue on a daily routine. What worked in the past was only a deflated big ball, but a workshop trainer from Finland by name of Marko told me to put it away and get back to engagement, which I di...
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February 6, 2023
Is teaching a dog their name the same as charging the mark?
Dear Cindy,
This might have been obvious to some, but I missed it watching the "8 Week" stream. The way to teach a dog their name and "charging the mark" seems to be the exact same process.
If they differ, how do they differ?
Should you do one before the other?
Can it be done around the same time?
Do they get combined at some point?
Hopefully, you can provide a little clarity.
Thank you
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December 8, 2022
My 13 year old dog doesn’t seem to want to play tug outdoors anymore, is it too much to expect an older dog to play tug?
I am returning to training an older pet dog that I had stopped training due to work and personal difficulties. He is 13 years old and does not seem to want to play tug outdoors anymore. He will occasionally bring me a tug toy if I leave it on the ground in our room but he built a lot of bad habits playing informal games of tug with my mother while I was away.
Is it too much to expect of this older dog that he play tug with me? He acts like he has been beaten when I show him a tug toy but ...
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November 22, 2022
My 14 week old puppy is afraid to go for walks and just tries to run back inside, how can I help her get used to being outside?
Hi there. My 14-week-old pitbull puppy is terrified of going for walks. She is super rambunctious inside, wanting to play and bark and run around with the other dogs, but once we try to go outside she slams on the brakes and tries to go back inside. We tried luring her with treats to help her move forward but she is just fixated on getting back in. How can I help her get used to being outside for play and walks?
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July 28, 2022
What kind of whistle do you use for recalls?
What is a good whistle for recall? For the French Ring?
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July 21, 2022
How should I speak around my puppy? I don’t want to dilute my obedience commands by using some of the cues or his name in conversation. How do you speak to a dog in order to preserve the meaning of commands?
I need some advice about how I should speak around my 14-week-old Retriever. I am following training methods detailed in courses and videos purchased from your company. My question concerns carelessly using words associated with very important skills in everyday conversation with the puppy. Among them is the word COME. My puppy has learned a very good unrestrained recall. However, both myself and my wife find ourselves saying COME HERE to the puppy for a variety of reasons but not the officia...
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