Puppy Training Q&As

Hello! My 6 month old cockapoo is nervous when walking the trails in the park. He also does not like to walk in the neighborhood unless someone else is with us! I have tried to use treats and praise him when he gets to a certain point with no luck! He is VERY smart and loves people and other dogs... no matter the size. He has a big space in the back yard to run and chase the balls and gets plenty of exercise without the walks. What can I do to help him be more comfortable on walks and i...

I am now working through the Michael Ellis puppy development courses but I would like to know where I can learn more specifically on socialization with other dogs. We are taking our puppy out for walks and a lot of dogs on leashes seem aggressive. He is supposed to meet other dogs but I don’t trust them. Is there a course on how to safely introduce him to other dogs and how to deal with neighbors who want their dogs to say hi to my puppy? I want him to socialize with dogs but I also don’t...

I am rehabbing a 10 month old Mal. She is doing great but after we go for a serious romp in the forest and she returns to her kennel, she pees and poos in it. We are out many times per day so she has plenty of opportunity to potty in the right spot but she seems to think the kennel is THE spot. How do I undo this?

Hi Cindy, Our family is waiting for our German Shepherd puppy to come to our home in March. We are first time dog owner, and we are serious about properly training our dog. I am amazed by the amount of training material and courses you have made available on your website, but at the same time feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start. What would you recommend as we start our preparation and plan our training for the dog in the next 12 months? Looking forward to hearing from you. ...

We just started putting our our 8 1/2 week GSD in the ex pen under supervision with toys and Kong to work on. Both times he eliminated (pee and poop one of the times) right on front of us and without asking to get out. We had taken him out to potty right before. Also we made the ex pen smaller by folding some of the slats, hoping to avoid this. Is it making him anxious, or is he too young or too small to expect potty success? Not sure why he would go in a fairly small place when he had just b...

Not sure If I should call it defiance, but my 5 month old Malinois puppy has gotten defiant and bit and growled at me when I tried to correct him with a verbal "nope" command when I went to pick up a bag of trash. Typically the "nope" command works well. He started to drag a bag of trash that was sitting inside the fence that I was about to take out. I think he may have just gotten amped up into thinking it was a game of play because it seemed like he thought it was more of a fun game like tu...

I have a 7-month-old mal/dutch shepherd puppy and I am just starting to put his behaviors on cue. Up to this point, he looks really good being lured into position and I am about 90% happy with the positions he is ending up in. We are both also having a ton of fun with a lot of engagement. Previously in my routines, we have worked through several different positions/behaviors which seems to keep him more engaged. Lately, I have limited the sessions to one behavior per session and have begun to...

Hi, I have a 14 week old Rottweiler puppy. She has a bone and when I went to pick it up, she went after me. I thought she was kind of young to do that. What would be the best plan to handle this?

Hello, I just got my first German Shepherd puppy on 12/4 she is 9 weeks old. I've had Akitas and Belgian Shepherds in the past and haven't had many issues teaching them their names. With this puppy, I am having ZERO luck. Do you have any recommendations on what I could do to teach her what her name is? Also, she is incredibly mouthy. And when she bites it isn't a very nice one either she is very vicious with it. I have plenty of toys and I take her outside but she just likes to bite her...

Hello! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your website and all of it's contents. We have a 9-week old Golden Retriever puppy and the information you've provided has given us such a firm foundation. Thank you! My question has to do with running. I know pups this age shouldn't be running/jogging until they're older, but what age is that? Also, is playing fetch considered running as well? I've searched your database but couldn't find this answer. I'm sure it's in there but I couldn't l...

Not sure If I should call it defiance, but my 5-month-old malinois puppy has gotten defiant and bit and growled at me when I tried to correct him with a verbal "nope" command when I went to pick up a bag of trash. Typically the "nope" command works well. He started to drag a bag of trash that was sitting inside the fence that I was about to take out. I think he may have just gotten amped up into thinking it was a game of play because it seemed like he thought it was more of a fun game like tu...

I am getting a 8 week old Belgian Malinois pup in a couple of weeks. At what age do you recommend that I begin feeding him bully sticks?

My German Shepherd puppy literally has to be under me ever second I am around. He will not go in the back yard without me to use the restroom, he stays under my feet, in between my legs while we are walking or standing still, he'll sit on my foot when I am cooking, washing dishes, cleaning, laundry, etc. Even when I vacuum the house, the vacuum cleaner noise doesn't deter him from up under my feet and in between my legs or following next to me. It's like he has to see me, watch me, and he lit...

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, My puppy is just about ten weeks old and is very mouthy and bitey as well as defiant in the yard; going after rocks and sticks (I'm mainly concerned about the rocks). My husband's friend suggested and electric collar to help with the behaviors. I'm concerned he's too young but wanted to ask as his friend has convinced him that is the right next move. What age do you suggest electric collars for training? We cannot get into puppy classes until the end of the month. Thank you!

Hi Cindy, My 12-week-old puppy is a lab mix and is pretty mellow. I want to increase his drive to be able to train him with obedience and I want to teach him to retrieve. He likes to tug and chase flirt poles but not much if it is in my hands. I want to get closer to the action so he bonds more with me. Should I be more patient as he is still very young or do anything different? Thanks for your time.

Hello! I have a 9 month old male cockapoo who was recently neutered. He is almost fully house trained, but recently has been jumping up onto my couch and bed and urinating. He is fully eliminating, and has done it about 5 times. I am wondering whether this is a dominance issue, or an issue of insecurity. I have tried to keep him off the furniture but he will run into the other room and do it before I can get to him. I live alone but have a serious boyfriend who is usually around. I am unsu...

First, I have read your advice for hours and I have purchased a number of your DVDs and equipment. Your site is beyond impressive. In doing all my research on working dogs/pup selection, I felt like I found a solid breeder that had a certain pair whose litter would have the potential I desired. The litter was born in October and I've been investing and preparing for my pup's arrival. Unfortunately, I was just informed by the breeder that the litter as a whole developed a case of diarrhe...

What is the shipping stress on puppies? I will be getting an 8 week old German Shepherd by air. The flight should only be one to one and a half hours.

Hello, Ed and Cindy. I have a question about my 6 months old GSD puppy and his behavior around other dogs. I watched several of your DVDs, also your basic obedience and engagement online classes, but still have a problem with my pup. He gets very excited when he sees other dogs. I guess he feels insecure around them. I do not let him interact with them at all. All I do is go to our local pet store and just let him be in sight of them. He engages fine at home but no matter the distance from...