Behavior Problems Q&As

We are a family of 2 adults, and three children ages 7, 14, and 19. We bought a male German shepherd from experienced breeder about 8 months ago. He is developing pretty normal. However we have number of points of concern. He had been biting us from a very young age. We read that it may be normal in young puppies. But this behavior had been persisting occasionally until now. It looks like a game, no one gets hurt, but some times it's pretty painful. He couldn't be admitted to an obedience cou...

My boyfriend has a 2 yr old male (unaltered) Rottie named Bones. Recently, he bit me because I was trying to teach him not to get into my cats' toys. Now, I had only known him for less than a month, do you think that it was too soon for me to be correcting him? Also he has bit two other people after me for the same reason of trying to correct him. He also is constantly after my cats, not aggressively but very excitedly and it scares them. Will he ever get over this? The problem that I am ...

Dear Ed, My wife and I recently rescued a two year old female pit bull. We have had her for two or three weeks, walk her for at least two hours a day, and she has shown no signs of aggression towards people, however, she does pull on her leash on the walks and wants to pull towards other dogs/people. It's obvious to us that we have a long way to go. We want to make sure that we are providing the best possible situation for her and us. I just ordered your Basic dog obedience and pack ...

Hi Cindy, I have a training question to ask. I recently decided to back up my puppies training, back to square one starting with establishing pack structure. After watching the DVD on pack structure on the crate training I think I moved on to phase two to soon and would like to start again, because I don't think he views me as pack leader. He still cries a bit after I put him in before he settles down, sometimes a lot and even tries to bite me when putting him in. My question is, is he sup...

Hello, I just got your DVD about dominant and aggressive dogs. Let me tell you about my 8 months old puppy. She is jack Russell/beagle mix. She is very smart she listen very well. She is very aggressive towards me and just me since she was about 3-4 months old. She is very friendly. She starts showing her teeth and snipes for no reason. Mostly when I pet her or pick her up but not always. Since she was a baby we let her sleep in bed. I'm very strict with her now, but my boyfriend just spoi...

Hello Cindy/Ed, I hope you had a great holiday. Recall I have a 3 1/2 month old doberman puppy and a two year old female doberman. I listened to the DVD's and am following the instructions and tips the best I can as I found them most helpful. I'm the only handler to my dog, my wife only takes him outside to do his thing and places him back in the crate trying to be neutral as possible. I don't allow our older two year old female to play with him although she doesn't show any dominant te...

I adopted a 3 yr old cocker from an animal rescue center. I have learned that she has had 3 litters of puppies in two years. She is very timid. She walks on leash ok and can stay inside without being crated all day with no problems. The issue is: When we enter the home, she looks to see what the noise is and then runs to the opposite end of the home to hide. When we enter the home from being on a walk, she runs to hide. I have purchased toys that she will not play with during the day,...

I read a little about dog fights because of an incident with my dog this afternoon. I have a 1 1/2 year old female Rott. .."Sunny"....she is very gentle with my three little boys. She has been a little aggressive on two occasions with repairmen that have come to the door....snapping and hair standing up on back, otherwise she has basically licked to death anyone who comes to the house. We live across the street from my brother who has two female Dobermans. Sunny plays very hard with the young...

I have a basic question for you, and your response will be so much appreciated. My parents have a White German Shepherd named Zeus. Since Zeus was 9 weeks old, I have been a part of his life, visiting my parents 3-4 times a week and interacting with Zeus. Zeus is 6 years old as of this past May. When he was a puppy, I regularly picked him up, but he never wanted to stay in my arms for long, and would squirm and act restless. I'd end up putting him down sooner than I wanted. Other tha...

I have a Boxer that I rescued. The previous owner was terminally ill and had to give her up. Or that was what I was told. She seemed to be fine with all the other animals and then she got into a fight with one of my older dogs and that dog died from it. Since then she has killed one of my baby goats and attacked an adult goat through the fence. I have been watching very closely and yesterday I saw him grab the male goat by the face and would not let go until I hit her with a stick. My daug...

Hello, I know that you are probably very very busy and don't have that much time answering personal emails but I thought I would give it a try. I have two male dogs, Ace who is 1yr and 2 months old and is a complete mutt (not sure what he is possibly puggle with something else that makes him a bit bigger), and Tyson who is 8 months old and is a pit bull/lab mix. Ace is about 48 pounds and Tyson is probably around 50 and an inch taller than Ace. I have read every book possible to make...

Great Site. Began buying equipment from you just recently. Thanks. 1 year old male GSD. Very good. Very obedient. Somewhat dog aggressive; but, we are working on that. My partner plays "chase" with Kipp. She tosses a toy. He runs after it. Waits. She chases him. (I searched your site for answers to this one and wasn't successful yet ... so I'm writing). Seems to me that this is a back-asswards game. Yes/NO? Should I allow her to continue (and things are OK)? Or, should I...

Dear Mr. Frawley: I have a one-year old German Shepherd from pure German imported parents. He is very lovable and he is moderately friendly to people, but very hyperactive at home where he lives in our house with a 6-year old female German Shepherd and an 8-year old male. If you try to brush him, he tries to bite the brush. Whenever you put the leash on him he tries to bite the leash and he is very excitable about most things. When he is taken for a walk he is very quiet and docile unless ...

I have a 6 year old un-neutered male black lab. He has started becoming very aggressive in the past year. He has never liked me being around any man but my husband, and he would get very agitated at the unknown male, such as a repairman. This past year he has bitten my cousin, not badly, just enough to make her scream and make the attack worse. He also snapped at the vet, which in turn made the vet muzzle him and refuse to treat him unless he is restrained and doped up on medicine. The v...

I have 2 female red poodles (sisters) who are 10 months old. One is 6 pounds, the other 11 pounds. It's not just the larger one picking on her little sister, the little one is just as feisty. They recently have been getting into some pretty violent fights with each other - over a toy or food or jealousy. What's the safest way to break them apart and how can we keep them from fighting in the first place? Thanks much, Joe Boca Raton, Fl.

I read your comment about not having time for people who did not read the information provided already on your web site So I read many postings before sending you this request for information but perhaps being both hopeful and confused I think I need a straight forward answer. We had one female spayed doberman we have had since 10 weeks old who we have taken through beginning obedience training at 16 weeks old. Several months later we rescued her litter mate, also female. Due to her agg...

Hi there, I am writing this to you in a state of high distress. My doberman who is 2, we have had him 6 months, just bit my 5 year old son requiring many stitches. This is the 2nd incident and I believe it is a dominance pack issue thing as it only happens if he is alone with my kids, something I try desperately to not have happen. I don't know what my son may have done to provoke it but it would likely have been trying to hug the dog he said he had rolled onto his back and he went to pet his...

Ed, I got your name from a woman Cynthia from Trinity Croft. She recommended you to me because I have an aggressive dog, who seems to be getting worse. When she was about 3 mos old I took her to a place called K-9 Guardian and we were asked to leave because she was so aggressive. For a long time I thought I could handle her but she got worse. Last March I hired a dog trainer from ?Who?s The Boss? and he worked with us until just recently and is still consulting over the phone. She...

I had emailed not too long ago about having sent my Golden to training and it being the worst thing I could have done. Well, I did order the basic obedience video (coming in the mail soon), I got a prong collar, and an electric collar. I read the information in the web site and tried to do what it suggested. I used to just give him his food, but I started asking him to down-stay and wait until I release him and give him the okay to get his food. The first day was almost a complete disaster...

I have attended 2 different schools to become a dog trainer. Basic Obedience, behavior and scent work. Somehow I got involved in schutzhund and I like it a lot. I like challenge. So not knowing anything about the sport, my husband decided that we should buy a green dog from Slovakia and he would be my challenge and my project to achieve. My husband is from Slovakia. He found this gorgeous dog Donnie with an incredible pedigree. It cost me money. The entire time I knew I did not want a gre...