Dog Sports Q&As

Hello Ed, My name is Louis and I have a question for you. I've bought training DVDs from your company and let me tell you a lot of information that I've got from said DVDs have helped me. I'm located in El Paso, Texas which is the black hole of dog sports. Anyway my question to you on training is; How many times should and/or can a dog be trained without burning them out? I have German shepherds and I'm training in the sport of schutzhund. Thanks, Louis

I have a 14 month old shepherd and I want to get him involved in schutzhund training. I had him evaluated by a state police k-9 trainer and he told me my dog had great potential. I have been very light on obedience training to this point. He knows basic commands but at times I have been unable to enforce them----not wanting to ruin his drives. I called your office and asked them to recommend a training video or book on obedience training. They told me to ask you. He cannot begin schutzhun...

Hi Cindy, We have a 4 year old German Shepard. We took obedience classes with her when she was young and did agility with her as she grew up. We have a bit of an attention problem in that when she get excited about an activity she feels she no longer need my guidance. I am trying to be polite but actually she is not. She blows me off. I tell her she is being rude and that is not acceptable. If we are doing agility lets say we will start off okay, but she get excited and runs her ow...

HI, My name is Andy and I have an 18 month old German Shepherd male with 1/4 DDR. He is not a German import but he does have the bloodline due to his mother and father being imports. When I first purchased him I took him home and only started on obedience work. But after learning more about the breed and acquiring a few more shepherds I have decided to train him for Schutzhund. He has all his obedience work needed for Schutzhund but I have not trialed him yet for his bh. He also do...

Hello Ed or Cindy, I have a question about MONDIORING vs. SCH. I wanted to learn more about Mondio-ring so I contacted someone from a Mondioring Club to ask about training. She asked me about the sire and dam for the pup I was thinking about purchasing and I told her SCH III (Sire) and SchH BH, PPD (Dam). The DAM is Isis Vom Leerburg. She told me that pups from this type of bloodline are not working dogs, they are show dogs, or dogs that are bred to look pretty and are not a...

First, I'd like to commend you on your informative web site and your excellent videos. I bought your "Drive Training with Bernhard Flinks" video and have been using his methods on my 5 month old GSD with excellent results. I would like to begin schutzhund training with this dog, but I have a concern about his temperament. Cosmo has great prey drive, is calm and friendly around new people, and is confident in new situations. However, he is fearful of other dogs. When first meeting a...

Mr. Frawley, I'm trying deciding which of your videos to buy first. I have recently purchased a nine month old GS who has already been started on schutzhund work. She's a terror at the training field but, once home only seems to stay focused for a few minutes. If I take three of 'my toys' to the park, she is only willing to chase after the one she wants, as opposed to the one I throw. And finally, I am afraid to take her off the rope or leash as she is easily d...

Hi, I have another question on one of the puppies we kept in our family from the litter we had. I had told you, I had my female bred with Pedro (Merlin Von Conneforde) who was 3rd in the world in '06. I took my puppies to see his owner and he tested them and said one of them is the most amazing 4 mo. old puppy he has ever seen. Her drive and focus were relentless, even when he shot his gun, she would not let go of the toy. She is truly obsessed. Wallace (Pedro's owner) wants our ...

Mr.Frawley, Hi my name is Jack and I have been looking through your site and it is full of excellent information but I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I just brought a German Shepherd pup, he is now 10 weeks old. He was 8 1/2 weeks old when I purchased him and brought him home. He comes from a very good working line. I want to train him in Schutzhund, like his parents. I have looked through your site and read some of your articles on training but I don't know where to start...

Hi, My name is Chuck. I have a 8 month old Rott. I was looking into having her and me trained for the sport of Schutzhund. I have taken her to a trainer. He says she would do good and should handle the training. I just don't feel he's a good trainer. With that said, I have two questions. First, can I train her using the DVDs? Now to the a Problem I am having. I have two Toy poodles and I can not keep Treasure from going for them. She's not being mean just wants to pla...

Mr Frawley, Why is it important for the dog to carry the sleeve? If he realizes that by dropping it he can re-initiate his tug-of-war with the helper, isn't that a good thing? Thanks for the help. Mark

Hey Ed, First I want to say you have a great site and I value your opinion very much. I have a concern with my 5 yr. old female GSD. She is schutzhund trained although not yet titled. I will admit that I am still a novice trainer/handler even after a couple of years doing this work. My GSD recently bit someone for the first time. This dog has german working lines, father was 2 times BSP participant, and etc. She has had both defense training and of course prey. Some times I have fe...

Members of my club were talking about wearing sunglasses During Training. I never wear them because I want the dog to look in my eyes when it looks at me, and not see a reflection of itself in my glasses. Some said that it did not matter. One person said that it depends on the dog. He said if a dog is insecure it was better to wear glasses so that the dog would not be intimidated. I would like to know what you think. DENNIS

First, I'd like to commend you on your informative web site and your excellent videos. I bought your "Drive Training with Bernhard Flinks" video and have been using his methods on my 5 month old GSD with excellent results. I would like to begin schutzhund training with this dog, but I have a concern about his temperament. Cosmo has great prey drive, is calm and friendly around new people, and is confident in new situations. However, he is fearful of other dogs. When first meeting a...

Mr. Frawley, I have a problem with my one year old German Shepherd whom I am currently training for Schutzhund. Since the day I got him, I have been preparing him for Schutzhund. Especially the protection phase. Originally I taught him basic obedience with very few treats. I only used treats to perk up interest because Saber (my GSD) has a high desire to please and didn't need treats at all to learn quickly and remember his lesson. I made a terrible mistake with him though. A tr...

Hi Ed, I have a fantastic bitch that is doing really well, and is exactly where I want her at this stage. However, when she goes into heat she is banned from all club events and training (except trials) for three weeks. I have always thought that just because your male smells a bitch that it is no excuse for them to go stupid. When she is in heat I shorten her training sessions, but other than that I do nothing different. I guess my question to you is...Am I off base on this? ...

Hello Ed I have spoken to you before, and the reason why I am writing you about this issue is that you keep it real. I am a helper and a good safe helper. This past weekend I was getting some dogs ready for a trial and I gave them nice hard, but FAIR stick hits and the dog came off the sleeve. The stick hits were not that hard and any damn way, this soft ass SchH 3 dog was supposed to endure a solid hit. At any rate, the first thing the lady said was that the dog was hit too hard a...

Hi Ed, when you're training for the Companion "B" what is really the best way to start with food or toy? I have a female going on nine months sable with a lot of drive. I am having trouble with my self determining the balance of correction, play and praise??? Thank you John My pup thanks you also (Ginger)

I have watched numerous tapes from you. The latest is training personal protection dogs. I was given a 17-month-old German Shepherd bitch whose parent are both SchH 3. The sire is on the Ohio search and rescue team. This female lived in a kennel most of her life until now. I want to try her in SchH. I joined an SchH club, and the trainer thinks I should go for SchH 1 in September. She has been to four classes and she's gone from no interest in the helper or the sleeve to intense interest ...

Mr. Frawley: I've noticed you've advised many people with breeds uncommon to the Sport of Schutzhund to "find a different sport." I am not a "little dog person," I like dogs that have purpose - plain and simple. But I've also opened my eyes up to see that the canine species is very diverse. It is rare, but I've seen breeds like the Maltese succeeding in Herding, Bulldogs driving flocks of ducks at the shows - and the same is happening to the sport of Schutzhund. I've seen Standard ...