Teun
Hi Robert, thanks for your great content! Our 14 months Malinois/Swiss cross has turned very reactive. I’ve started working on engagement, in a spacious park with other dogs around, with Victor on a long leash. Already making great progress. BUT every once in a while an out of control dog will dart our way. What to do (apart from asking the owners to recall)? Stepping in between is almost impossible (would mean a lot of leash pulling). Moving away just makes the other dog follow. Thanks!
Jackie M
Hello. How can I get my Ripley to be ok with staying in vehicle with out me in it. I bring her into our vet clinic for regular weigh ins and visits plus she goes into our feed store to say hi to everyone but I’d like to be able to leave her in truck for just a few minutes to do my errands. Like check the mail or whatever. She gives this high pitched bark when I start to walk away from truck. It sounds quite pitiful. I wait until she stops. Then open the door and say it’s ok repeatedly.thank you
Benjamin T
Is the 15mm neodymium cube for sure safe inside the dog ball? I’m wondering if my dog chomps down on it, it might be pretty hard. Is being inside the rubber ball enough protection where there’s nothing to worry about?
Irene
I see videos going around on social media of Rottweilers doing what is claimed to be called a ‘rottie purr’ which is where the dog growls/snarls loudly while the owner grooms or pets them. Every person that posts videos of this say that the dog is happy even though it looks angry. I see this a lot online of Rottweilers specifically doing this. Have you heard of this before? And do you know if it’s true that the dog is happy or if the dog actually is pissed off?There are videos of this on YouTube
Kim
Mr. Cabral, This is my first Malinois (8 months old), and my kids are grown. When we’re not training, I’m affectionate and pet her constantly, and tell her she’s such a good girl, etc. However, she seems to get so much positive feedback all of the time from me that she seems to care less about earning my approval when she trains. Do I need to reserve the most praise and affection for when she’s training well? I love her but I want her to respect me, too. Thanks!
Monica
What do you think about allowing dogs on the couch? My husband and I are in discussion about this. He thinks we shouldn’t let her up and I think it’s fine if we train her to only come if invited. (Granted, she will only be about 27 lbs full grown) He thinks allowing her up will only teach her to just jump up on anyone’s couch. What do you say?
Mack L
I have not started to use word association yet with Zara. We do lite practice everyday and I’m very active and use the same behavior you did with Siggy. My pup is catching on very quickly and she now is trying to guess what I want her to do whether a spin or between the legs and beginning to ignore my hand by trying to guess. I switch it up every session so it is not repetitive but yet she still has began this “guessing” issue. I feel I may have missed the proper time for word association.
Heidi S
Hi Robert, my 3 year old female German shepherd has recently started to whine. She does it when she sees me prepare her food and before we go for walks. She is relentless and it’s driving me crazy. How can I stop this annoying behaviour. Thanks for all you help.
Mitch L
Friend has a 5 month old male Mal that he just got. Pretty well behaved. However, the 5 year old male GSD that also lives there has become nervous and anxious around the puppy and will yelp and run away whenever the puppy tries to play or goes near him. I told him he should try and build the older dogs confidence up and maybe that would help but maybe it’s just 2 males fighting for dominance. There is also one female dog but she is pretty neutral to all of this. All are fixed except mal
Ken C
Hello Robert,
I heard you are part of IACP and will specking at a event. I Wanted to become a member. But it said I had to be referred by a member. It this true ? What if I don’t know a IACP member.
Nick
Hey Robert have a question to get your advice on how to get my 19th-month English Cocker to do the recall required for Obedience competition. He comes energetically on Command to me when I move backwards, clap my hands and have treats for him. However, I discovered that from AKC rules, he needs to perform the Recall with only a verbal command from me, and that I can’t clap, move backward etc. Just asking the process in how you made that happen in your training? Thanks for all your help!
Kelli N
Hi, I have a 3 month old puppy that I’ve had for 5 weeks. I’m working through your puppy video’s and I have an issue with her wanting the leash in her mouth while training. Since I got her, she’s always wanted a stick or toy in her mouth when we’re walking and if she doesn’t have anything, she puts the leash in her mouth. Makes it okay knowing she can’t pick up rocks but it hampers training. I now train off leash in a secured area just for her training and that works well. Is this okay?
Brian S
We have been limiting our new 1+ y/o female Doberman foster’s interaction with our cat. This morning she was uninterested until our cat moved. It interested the Dobie and she displayed playfulness similar to what our Lab does. However, my wife reached down and the foster lightly nipped her hand. Other than this the Dobie has been super affectionate with me, my wife, and kids. I think at a minimum we should have her wear a leash indoors for corrections. Any other advice?
Lorry H
I’m training a2 yr old bully,she has no heeling experience and sometimes sits and won’t move or she refused to stay with you! I tried food and toys but she just jumps on me trying to get toy
Drew
I have a 2 year old rescue Dutch shepherd. We don’t know much about her other than they found her roaming the streets. She is fearful of men, including me. I am her primary provider and when she is on a leash, she is perfect. When she is off leash, she won’t stay in the same room as me. We have sent her to a month of training/ boarding and she is better, but I want to know if there is something I can be doing to get her over this fear? She doesn’t care much for toys, but does like food.
Christina
Hello Robert and Janet, do you have any advice when dining out at dog friendly restaurants? It isn’t something I’ve done yet but would like to as the weather gets nicer. Thank you!
Tara
Our 3-year-old beagle mix, Oden, can be fear reactive when he meets new people. He runs up to them and sometimes jumps up. If the person goes to touch him, he freezes, panics, and nips towards their hands. If they ignore him, he sniffs and relaxes. As we work on this, I’m curious, is it possible to change his initial response, so that he doesn’t run up when scared (e.g., teach him to flight instead of fight)? Or is the way a dog responds when they are afraid not something that can be taught?
Melissa M
I have 2 Belgian mal x malamutes bro’s, one with more mali personality (hyper & playful) & other more malmute (more relaxed, stubborn/dominant, ignorant-ignores you). crated separately, still in same room, need to be walked together & separately in future.
plan to do separate puppy classes & trips etc and one may move away with adult son.
Can you suggest how best to go about avoiding litter mate syndrome without causing anxiety.depression or ruining confidence in both/either pups? thanks Mel
Lois H
Maggie had her first encounter with a coyote a few days ago. As I stood there panicking, they ran up a hill that I know has at least 3 coyote caves. I heard screeching and believed the worse but then Maggie came flying over the hill and running back to me, still screeching. I realized her ecollar was very high and that I may have accidentally taken my first step in teaching her to fear coyotes. Thank God for that collar. I also ordered a Fi gps that same day.
Ann H
Hi my JRT she is 7 months. I have always had problems with her eating anything she can find on the ground esp rocks, grass, slugs. I am having trouble training her bc she can’t focus except for the floor outside. Leave it command works great when she wants to do it. How do I resolve this? Thnx
Kevin
I have my GSD , he is basic obedience train but easily distracted , how can i get a solid focus from him? i already did focus and engagement training using hand feeding on him, but after that he will back to distractions, doing sniffing , ignoring my command even though i correct him and calling his attention, he will back to sniffing and ignoring again.
Arthur
I am a dog trainer here IN the Netherlands. I am from the school of Michael Ellis. I had a pauze because of the Corona and now am starting up again. I see a lot of online dog training nowadays. I have a website with info, see —– if you have time i would appreciate feedback, but I don’t like giving online dog training lessons. I like to give lessons in person to people, in private or in small groups. What is your opinion about this?
Christian
Hello Robert, my name is Christian. I have a 7-month-old German shepherd and so far I´ve done everything wrong when walking him and my arms must be a couple of inches longer because of the pulling. I´ve come to your site looking for help, and I try to do what you advocate but I live in a terrible busy street with no means of going to a calm place where I can train him properly.
He is fearful of cars, loud noises and people, but he is not reactive, he just wants to run away.
Please help! Thanks
Scott M
Similar to Josh M (6/22/21), we have GSD with a fear of water. He is a (recently rescued) 3yr old male (neutered) working-line GSD. His fear of water and hoses is so substantial that a dip of a paw in water or the sight of water flowing out of a hose – sends him into a complete panic and escape mode. A calm demeanor and treats have no effect on this behavior and a bath has therefore been impossible. What process can we use to desensitize him to the fear of water and hose+water?
