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Dog Training/Questions Answered by Expert Christine (Chris) Vassonei, APDT
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Dog pees in crate | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: I have an 8mo Weim/Viszla mix. I've crate-trained her since she was quite young, and she seems to ... A: You may want to have your vet rule out any medical reason, such as urinary infection. I assume ... | |
| Training/Behaviour problems with my dog. | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: My dog Nikki is a female German Shepherd/Sheltie mix (possibly a bit of Husky). She is now 4 years ... A: Problem #1 A female not liking other females is not unusual. Not liking to be in big groups of ... | |
| my dog grawls at the whole family please help us | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a 4 year old sm mixed breed and he's getting meaner everyday. He s mean to my 19 year old ... A: If he's 4 years old now, have you been tolerating this all that time, or is this a new development ... | |
| dog pulling always on leash | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a 'used' German Shorthair Pointer...I am at least the 3rd owner and she is only about a year ... A: I'm including some information on loose-leash walking. There is a product called the Easy Walk No ... | |
| Crate training | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a few questions about crate training. I have a 13 week old puppy (Wheaten Terrier) that I am ... A: If what I’m understanding from the times you indicate, your dog is spending much more time IN his ... | |
| Rescue Dog 5 yr Jack Russell Male | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: My mother rescued a 5yr old Jack Russell. Buddy is his name and he is so loving but he has a problem ... A: My suggestion would be to treat Buddy as if he were a puppy and use basic housebreaking techniques. ... | |
| Labrador Puppy getting aggressive | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: I have adopted a Lab puppy (born on the 2nd Oct. 2009). Though he was very calm initially, he is ... A: I suspect the aggression you are seeing is just normal puppy "obnoxiousness." Labs, like many of ... | |
| Toilet training a 17 week old Tibetan terrier | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: i have had an absolutely smashing 17 week old tibetan terrier puppy since she was 9 weeks old. She's ... A: I am not very familiar with your breed, but I do know that certain breeds of dogs can be harder to ... | |
| Aggression/ choices | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: We adopted a Whippet mix whom is Deaf appr. 3 years ago. Within those 3 years her aggression has ... A: Obviously, the final decision on this has to be that of you and your family. In many case, however, ... | |
| puppy play? | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 week old Wheaten puppy that we just got. I am about 99% happy with the amount he is ... A: As far as the tree, I would recommend going with the idea of a fence around it. At 10 weeks old, I ... | |
| shih Zu | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a two year old male shihzu that is very aggressive with strangers. I am his favorite person, ... A: I feel the situation is something that cannot be adequately addressed through email conversation. I ... | |
| rocky is friendly | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: my dog is friendly when others call him kuku but i want to make my dog rude for others expecting me ... A: If you are asking me for ways to make your dog a "guard" dog, I cannot help you. Having a dog that ... | |
| my puppy bites | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 week old male German shepherd.I got him through a breeder when he was six weeks and the ... A: Gloria, If it makes you feel any better, his behavior, while not acceptable, is typical. Holding ... | |
| Barking/Growling | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a 3 1/2 month old Papillion puppy. I realize it is in the dog's nature to bark but I live in ... A: Spraying him in the face with a water bottle certainly will not hurt him. Be sure your timing is so ... | |
| peeing | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: My partner and I recently adopted a rot/husky/boxer mix. We feel he is a perfect match, especially ... A: I have a couple of suggestions. First, scolding (and/or punishment) does not help. It only serves ... | |
| Dog poops in house after going outside | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a miniture schnauzer about 11 months old, We just got the dog from a shelter 3 weeks ago. He ... A: I generally suggest to people who adopt a dog from a rescue or shelter to proceed as if the dog were ... | |
| my wees everywhere | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: but the problem is when my husband and sometimes my kids pick him up or call him he wets on the ... A: The problem of him wetting when he's picked up or when you confront him is probably either an ... | |
| dog toilet training | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: i have a 3 year old labrador who has recently gone back to urinating on the kitchen floor. He only ... A: Have you had him checked by the vet to be sure there is no medical reason, such as a bladder ... | |
| potty trainining | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: Our dog is a sheppard husky mix. Every time we leave the house and he is alone he will go potty in ... A: Here are some documents pertaining to housetraining: ... | |
| German Shephard Agression | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: We own a 2 year old male GS. 99% of the time, Max is a wonderful family pet - he is very loved, ... A: Well, I will say that there are other things besides thyroid problems that may cause a dog to behave ... | |
| Dogs Fighting | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: We have 2 miniature dachshunds, actual blood sisters, from two different litters; one is 2 and the ... A: I personally think you may be better off enlisting the help of a trainer to come to your home and ... | |
| dropping the ball and coming to heel | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: we have just bought a 9 month old king staff. he was abused as a puppy but is not too timid he will ... A: From what you say in your message, I see four main concerns: 1. Will not drop the ball 2. Will not ... | |
| CrateTraining my 3 year old boxer | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 3 year old boxer that we rescued last year. For the past year I have been trying to crate ... A: What was his living situation like BEFORE you rescued him? Many dogs that are kept crated for ... | |
| nipping and barking | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: My JR x foxy (1 1/2 years) is over protective of me and the property. eg, if he's inside the ... A: Quite truthfully, I cringe when people say they want a dog "to protect." A dog that is "protection ... | |
| Training | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: My boyfriend, of three years, and I just picked up a week Blue Nose Terrier Pit and I was wondering ... A: 1. Get him neutered; this is always recommended, for health reasons and to defray any aggressive ... | |
| Yorkie crate training | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: My Yorkie is almost 5 months old and we just got her a few days ago. I have never crate trained ... A: Lindsey, First of all, being "crate trained" means the dog will not eliminate in the crate; since ... | |
| Teaching a tiny puppy to let go of something | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I just got an 11 week old Shih tzu mix puppy (2.5 pounds) a few days ago with two very similar ... A: You could try a rattle can (a soda can filled with rocks or pennies) and shake it loudly. The ... | |
| Teaching a tiny puppy to let go of something | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I just got an 11 week old Shih tzu mix puppy (2.5 pounds) a few days ago with two very similar ... A: Here's a bunch of puppy-related documents, a couple pertaining specifically to nipping. ... | |
| Submissive Urination | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a 13 month old male miniature american eskimo. He has submissively urinated since he was 3 ... A: Maybe you need the help of a trainer or behaviorist to come to your home and work with you, your ... | |
| Dog Excape Artist | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: My 5 year old wheaten does everything in her power to escape the house if I leave her alone. She has ... A: If she's not left alone for long, is there some reason why the doggie door can't be locked so that ... | |
| Dog won't go to the bathroom alone. | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: We got a 6 month old miniture Chihuahua from a lady and she told us it was crate trained. We found ... A: Well, I'm sure you know being crate trained is different from being housetrained. First of all, at ... | |
| Crate training | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: I have a 12 week old miniature dachshund. We've had her for 3 weeks and so far her puppy training ... A: I'm a little unclear - when you say you can close the door to your sewing room to limit her access - ... | |
| gsd bad habits | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: i have a German shprd male puppy 4 and half months old.my problems are following... 1)he pee inside ... A: Crate training is the most efficient, popular way to house train a dog. I am including information ... | |
| Barking Dog | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I rescued an 11 month old Malte-poo about 9 months ago. Although we don't think she ... A: Juna, I'm including some documents that I hope will be helpful and give you some ideas for solving ... | |
| 9 month old labrador puppy | 6/25/2009 |
| Q: My family and I are adopting a 9 month old labrador puppy from the local pound. We went to go visit ... A: The best advice I can give you is to always use gentle voices, gentle hands, and have patience. ... | |
| Blind puppies | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: Recently my wife and I bought 2 miniature daschunds. They are a brother and sister. The female is ... A: I don't have any experience with blind dogs, but here are some links to websites that may help. I've ... | |
| shih tzu is drooling | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 mo old male shih tzu (fixed), he has been a total dream. Has not been a problem at all. ... A: Drooling constantly; is this serious? That would depend upon the reason. If the dog is sick, then ... | |
| Growling and snapping | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: Boy; do we need help! We recently purchased a miniature schnauzer from people that I met at the PTO ... A: At 11 weeks old, I don't think you have a case of "aggression" but I do think you have a puppy who ... | |
| Aggressive Behavior | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: We recently rescued an 11 month old male cavalier king charles spaniel. We already have a 10 month ... A: Start teaching him how to "trade." You need to first have on hand some VERY SPECIAL, EXTRA TASTY ... | |
| Aggressive Behavior | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: We recently rescued an 11 month old male cavalier king charles spaniel. We already have a 10 month ... A: Lee, You don’t say where you rescued Charlie from, so is there a possibility that his former ... | |
| Puppy Biting | 6/14/2009 |
| Q: My 4 month old chow bites alot and very hard. He once bit through my jeans and left a scar when he ... A: All dogs, like children, need to have rules and be shown how to behave properly. Some breeds, like ... | |
| barking at fast moving things | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a 9 month old Sheltie who is generally very obedient until he sees a fast moving car or the ... A: Dee, I assume you know that Shelties are herding dogs, so anything that moves will probably catch ... | |
| yorkshire puppy | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: My yorkie is 24weeks old. I have been trying to potty train him on pee pads and to go in a litter ... A: Liz, I do not have any experience with using the pee pads or doggie litter. Perhaps some of the ... | |
| behavior | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: i bought a new gsd its male and 5 months of age . how can i train him. he has a bad habbit of ... A: By "pulling clothes" I assume you mean he's very mouthy, putting his mouth on everyone? At 5 months ... | |
| my puppy | 5/28/2009 |
| Q: I have just recently got a little Chuweenie pup. She is very smart and has been pretty easily ... A: Lisa, When you say she's peeing on your husband, do you mean she's actually maneuvering herself to ... | |
| Hyper Dog | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: She is a about 1.5 years, (pit mix) vet checked last weekend, UTD on all vaccines, heartgard, and ... A: Emily, Crating will not give her a complex; consider it from the point of view that full run of the ... | |
| My pom always smells like pee | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: I bought a pom from a lady about three weeks ago and noticed that she always smells. Everytime I ... A: Mabel, Before I try to offer suggestions, can I get some additional information from you? 1. How ... | |
| Submissive chihuahua | 5/25/2009 |
| Q: I bought a chihuahua yesterday from a breeder who is questionable at best. There were probably 15 ... A: No, I do not get annoyed with f/up questions. Letting the dog run around all the time is ... | |
| Submissive chihuahua | 5/25/2009 |
| Q: I bought a chihuahua yesterday from a breeder who is questionable at best. There were probably 15 ... A: I would call the Staffie off before he becomes a pest or remove him so the newcomer can have some ... | |
| Submissive chihuahua | 5/25/2009 |
| Q: I bought a chihuahua yesterday from a breeder who is questionable at best. There were probably 15 ... A: Tracy, This poor dog has most likely not had any socialization, seen anything other than the inside ... | |
| Training old dog | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a yorkie that I rescued, he will be 10 in October. My problem I have tried and tried to ... A: You stated, "he starts going before I can get him out. He will not come to me," Again, try ... | |
| Training old dog | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a yorkie that I rescued, he will be 10 in October. My problem I have tried and tried to ... A: Cassie, A couple of things: If his stools are messy, maybe he needs a change in his diet. ... | |
| Full sized 4 month old Yorkie and 1 year old mini Doxie potty problems. | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a 4 month old Full sized male Yorkie puppy named Teddy who we adopted a month ago. We also ... A: Cher, Having a 2 year old and one non-housebroken dog is hard enough, but having two such dogs - My ... | |
| dog traing | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a 7 month old Maltese, she still is not potty trained. I wanted to crate train her but ... A: Nancy, I agree with you that crate training is the most productive tool in housebreaking. It is ... | |
| Help with my Yorkie Peeing in Crate | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: Yes I have a 15 week old yorkie. This is our first time having a house dog and is needing advice. He ... A: Wanda, I am including at the end of this email some documents that should provide some help with ... | |
| Car Crying | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: We've had our bichon-terrier mix for about 5 months (she's a 1.5 years. She Never wants to leave ... A: Comment: Really didn't tell me anything. The link she recommended really didn't apply as we've ... | |
| dog peeing in crate over night | 5/15/2009 |
| Q: I adopted a 2 year old beagle one month ago who was pretty much house broken when we got her. She ... A: Julie, First, rule out any medical reason - have her checked for urinary tract infection. I'm ... | |
| Samoyed won't come when called | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: Our male dog has always been aloof. He has never come to us when called - he goes the other way. ... A: Jane, I think these documents may help you adjust your dog's attitude as to who is the boss and who ... | |
| My Dog's new sleeping situation | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2 year old part Red Lab, part Brittany Spaniel dog. We have had him since he was 8 weeks ... A: Danielle, Is there any reason why you could not kennel him at night as well? My feeling is that ... | |
| HELP!!! | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: we moved into a new house 3 months ago. Now my beloved bichson seems to think she may pee wherever ... A: Teresa, You don't say how old your dog is, so I'm assuming she's an adult. You will probably have ... | |
| my dogs fear of my boyfriend | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: My two 1/2 year old chihuahua/jack russell cross is terrified of my boyfriend, the first year I had ... A: At first she did not like our puppy, but now they get along great. Does this seem to make any ... | |
| my dogs fear of my boyfriend | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: My two 1/2 year old chihuahua/jack russell cross is terrified of my boyfriend, the first year I had ... A: Amelia, Without actually being there to witness the interaction between your dog and your ... | |
| dog chewing | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: we built a wooden cage for our two daschshund, our 7 year old daschshunds has been chewing at the ... A: Carla, You may want to purchase a kennel/crate that is specifically designed to house your dogs. ... | |
| Sleeping in crate | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I have an 8 yr old Jack Russell terrier female. We crate-trained her from the beginning. For years ... A: Mike, Just a personal crate story first; I have a golden retriever who suddenly didn't want to go ... | |
| digging | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: How can I stop my two one-year old dogs from digging in the yard and flowers? They also gnaw and ... A: Sharon, Are your dogs "outside" dogs, or are they "inside" dogs that go out to potty and play? If ... | |
| finicky eater | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: I feed my 11 week old goldendoodle 3 times a day I give 1/4 cup of IAMS puppy food, but she will ... A: Pat, The way I'm figuring it, that means she gets 3/4 cup for the entire day? If so, I agree, ... | |
| Ravenous Puppy | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: My 4.5 month old Black Lab has an issue with food. First of all, whenever I go to pour food into his ... A: Megan, Let me ask you first, have you ever used a crate/kennel for this dog, for instance when you ... | |
| training the "finish" or return to heal for competition obedience | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: I have an italian greyhound that i have started in ralley obedience training and also agility. I am ... A: Jennie, I'm sorry, but I have more expertise in the area of basic dog behavior than competition ... | |
| pooping in kennel | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: I brought home a 9 month old dog from a pet store 3 weeks ago. Isaac lived at the store since he ... A: Tamara, It is indeed unfortunate that this poor dog spent the first 9 months of his life in a pet ... | |
| length of training and dog growth | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: My lab is six months old and is 50 pounds most people teel me he will only be 55-60 when he is ... A: Well, other than whatever guarantee the pet shop gave you, the dog will not have a "health" ... | |
| length of training and dog growth | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: My lab is six months old and is 50 pounds most people teel me he will only be 55-60 when he is ... A: Ralph, You mention your concern that this current dog will not meet your expectations. Can you ... | |
| Puppy Chewing | 4/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a 7 month old Pug/Boston Terrier mix. We just adopted her and she is a chewer. Now, my ... A: Sarah, I don't think it's necessary to put anything like a blanket in her crate; laying on the ... | |
| length of training and dog growth | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: My lab is six months old and is 50 pounds most people teel me he will only be 55-60 when he is ... A: Ralph, In my opinion, much of his full-grown height and weight depends on his parents. If he's ... | |
| no-leash? | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1yr and 3 month old basset terrier mix. He knows his basic commands (sit, stay, wait, lay, ... A: Kristen, Here is some information that may help you make up your mind: ... | |
| Eliminating in Crate | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: We have an 11 week old female bichon. We use the crate to confine her at night and when we leave. ... A: Lisa As far as the accidents out of the crate, I’m including some documents for you; one ... | |
| Housebreaking my Dog | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: After a few weeks of using wee wee pads while I was at work all day she stopped using them and would ... A: Pete, Related to establishing good "bathroom" habits: http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/crate-train.pdf ... | |
| housebreaking my dog | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently got a 2 year old female dog from our local shelter (Dumb Friends League), and she is ... A: Adam, My personal opinion is that using a crate is one of the most effective means of ... | |
| wetting the bed | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: i have a rescued staffordshire bull terrior bitch who is 20months old, the only problem i am having ... A: Stacey, What kind of situation was she rescued from? Was it a case where she spent most of her ... | |
| Please help, he is driving us crazy! | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: We have a pug named Mario, he's three years old. He was a christmas present that we didn't really ... A: Erin, My personal preference is a crate, but the fact that you have a place of “safe keeping” for ... | |
| I NEED HELP PLEASE!!!! | 4/5/2009 |
| Q: My dog Pixie is a 6 years old Cocker Spaniel. I had her ever since she was a baby. It's been a year ... A: Samira, Based only upon the information you provide in your email, since the start of her behavior ... | |
| House training | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: We just adopted a 5 month old mini schnauzer puppy (3 days ago) and are working on house breaking. ... A: Jill, I’m assuming the crate is not too large for her; being a “mini,” I would guess she’s pretty ... | |
| adoption | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: Debating the rescue/adoption of 2 basset hound puppies. Any recommendations? Do they work well as ... A: Amber, Generally speaking, male/female is thought to be the most desirable, but a lot depends on ... | |
| convincing my dog to go in the dog run. | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: My almost perfect 10 year old cocker/poodle rescue dog has only one behavior that is a problem. He ... A: Susan, Another thing I forgot to mention is that when he DOES start going in the run, give him lots ... | |
| yorkie attacking other yorkies puppy | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: my grandmas dog, maci is living with my family and i. we rescued maci because she was being ... A: Chelsey, I'm assuming this is a temporary situation, you watching your sister's dog and its ... | |
| Play time | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: My dog is 9 months old, when I try to play fetch with him he will not bring the toy back to me or ... A: Emily, It sounds to me as if your dog has discovered he doesn’t have to listen to you, and you ... | |
| DEA dogs | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a friend who insists that the DEA trains its drug-sniffing dogs by addicting the dogs to the ... A: Peggie, Does your friend say where they "learned" this information? I seriously question whether ... | |
| Puppy potty accidents | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a 7 month old dachshund puppy. I go for a walk with her every day after every 2 or 3 hours. ... A: Meriliis, Does your puppy eliminate at all during the walks? Is the puppy in a puppy-proof area, ... | |
| Puppy problem | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a 5 month old female German Shepherd. She has learned a lot in a very short time. I have 2 ... A: Sarah, Here are some documents that may be helpful: http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/pup-nip.pdf ... | |
| Toilet training an outside dog | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a question about toilet training our 8 month Rottiweiler, Samson. We originally lived on a ... A: Dave, As far as training him to relieve himself in only one spot in the yard, I personally would be ... | |
| Older dog peeing in the house. | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: I adopted a dog 6 years ago named Codie. (Collie-Bernese mix) She's an amazing dog but she's ... A: Jake! First of all, dogs do not have "emotions" the same way people do; they do not hold grudges or ... | |
| Housebreaking | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: My puppy is 8 months old. We used to live in a house with a garden, where he was free to urinate ... A: Sofia, I'm a firm believer that everyone is better off having their dog be comfortable using a ... | |
| dog suddenly peeing everywhere? | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old Chihuahua and he is neutered and potty trained. All of the sudden for the past ... A: Kim, The first thing I would do is take him to the vet to rule out a medical reason; does he have ... | |
| HELP!!!!! | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a 6 month toy poodle he is so precious but just isn't getting the hole potty training. in the ... A: Here are some trainers within 10 miles of your zip code: Before deciding on someone, please read ... | |
| Golden Doodle..training | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a male chocolate Golden Doodle (b. Aug 12/08) that I received on Nov. 12/08 from a breeder in ... A: Angela, I will try to answer your concerns individually, to the best of my ability. You: My ... | |
| LEFT ALONE AT HOME | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: MY DOG CAN'T BE LEFT ALONE AT HOME. HE WILL BARK AND HOWL THE WHOLE TIME AND IS PANTING AND ... A: Donald, Without having much background information, my first though would be that your dog has ... | |
| female pomeranian wont stop leaking | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: My female dog is 2 yrs old now and everytime I want to bring her inside the house she starts ... A: Mary, It could be a number of reasons, and we may never know WHY she does it, but how is she when ... | |
| SCARED DOG | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: I HAVE A 4YR OLD LAB & WE JUST BOUGHT A HOUSE AND HE WILL NOT GO THROUGH THE SIDE DOOR (IN OR OUT) ... A: There are many trainers in Michigan, but I didn't find anyone specifically in Madison Heights. Here ... | |
| SCARED DOG | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: I HAVE A 4YR OLD LAB & WE JUST BOUGHT A HOUSE AND HE WILL NOT GO THROUGH THE SIDE DOOR (IN OR OUT) ... A: Danielle, First of all, I'm assuming he has no reason to fear the door - it hasn't slammed on him, ... | |
| 5-month old Boxer | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: Our 5-months old boxer puppy, Daisy, has become increasingly belligerent and stubborn. We have ... A: Cimarron, 1. Since you are home with Daisy all day long, she needs to learn to obey you as well, ... | |
| 9 month old bulldog wont walk with husband | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: We have a 9 month old pedigreed English Bulldog bitch. She is a fantastic dog, she is housebroken ... A: Avril, As far as how she behaves with your husband, I think I would start with some preliminary ... | |
| HELP!!!!! | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a 6 month toy poodle he is so precious but just isn't getting the hole potty training. in the ... A: Sarah, I wish I could give you some positive information, but it sounds like you are in a situation ... | |
| New Puppy | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: I had asked you a question before and I thought you were very helpful, so I have 1 more question. I ... A: Yes, you could leave the puppy loose as it gets older, from a housebreaking standpoint, once it ... | |
| New Puppy | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: I had asked you a question before and I thought you were very helpful, so I have 1 more question. I ... A: Quite honestly, I have never used Puppypads, nor have I ever had a dog that was "paper trained." I ... | |
| Husky Puppy Housebreaking | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: we are trying to housebreak our puppy but he doesn't mind eliminating or defecating in his crate. ... A: A couple of questions: 1. How big is his crate? If it's too big, he'll go at one end and lay at ... | |
| Housetrainning a 13 month old sheltie | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a 13 month old male sheltie. I tried the crate system, I left him in the shower, and he will ... A: Luiso, I can't tell from your message whether you got the dog as a puppy or if he was an adult, so ... | |
| brusier | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: we have a dog named brusier he is a mix rot lab and chow he is almost 2 dob in june we keep him out ... A: Laura, There could be several reasons for Brusier's barking while he's outside. He could be bored. ... | |
| Crate training 7 1/2 week pug/cocker spaniel mix. | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I recently got a 7 1/2 week old pug/cocker spaniel mix. We've had her for 3 days. The first night, ... A: First of all, it's natural for puppies to cry in their crates. It's not that they don't like the ... | |
| jumping biting | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: We adopted Dezeil about 3 months ago he is now a year old we had him fixed. We just cant seem to get ... A: While his behavior is normal for a dog, you are correct in that it is a problem around children and ... | |
| Potty Training | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I have an 11 week old Mastiff puppy. I have been potty training him for the last week. I've ... A: Puppies do sleep a lot. As a matter of fact, as he gets older and requires less sleep, there may ... | |
| Potty Training | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I have an 11 week old Mastiff puppy. I have been potty training him for the last week. I've ... A: The more routine a dog has, the easier it is to housebreak. It sounds like you're doing a pretty ... | |
| Beagle Yelps | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: I am about to purchase my first puppy. I am very excited at this opportunity. I am looking at a ... A: Kate! First, beagles and yelping - you can change a dog's behavior with patience and training. You ... | |
| begging for food | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: i have a 10 lb schitzu and when ever we eat anything he sits and begs for the food how can i get him ... A: there! You don't mention how old he is and if the behavior has been going on most of his life. ... | |
| pooping inside | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: We got a 6 month old puppy 2 weeks ago. He's doing well overall, but today we got home and he'd ... A: there! My first thought is that you would be better keeping him in a crate instead of the laundry ... | |
Dog Training
Answers by Expert:
Christine (Chris) Vassonei, APDT
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I have NO MEDICAL background. If your question pertains to a physical concern about your dog -- that is, you think your dog may be sick, whelping problems, trouble breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive urination, excessive drinking, heavy drooling, unexplained physical symptoms of ANY kind, etc -- YOU NEED TO GET OFF THE COMPUTER AND CALL YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT WASTE TIME WAITING FOR AN EMAIL RESPONSE!!! Your dog could be having a medical crisis!
I answer questions pertaining to training of all kinds, behavior, grooming,etc. I am qualified to address questions regarding basic training issues; crate training, housebreaking, behavior management tools, basic obedience skills.
You may be interested in visiting:
http://bad-dog-good-dog.blogspot.com/
www.housecalls-dogtraining.com
Experience
Have been a trainer for over 10 years, both in private in-home sessions and in classroom situations. Have participated in obedience with my golden, titling her with a Companion Dog title. Am currently serving as an "expert" in the Golden Retriever category.
Education/Credentials
On the job training for several years as instructor for Puppy and Behavior classes for the Humane Society of Missouri.
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