Greetings!
Hi there. I want to thank you for coming to the site and checking it out. The site has been up about 3 months now and we are really generating a lot of traffic. We are averaging about half a million hits a month! There is a lot of free information so take your time. Feel free to also add whatever you like to this blog. Also feel free to ask questions, and start some topics for good conversation.
If you have any questions about a commercial, TV show, or a movie that had an animal in it, and were wondering how something was trained, just ask. Remember that I live in Southern California and still work on the set, and am good friends with some of the best trainers that work on the other side of the camera! Don’t forget to check out the Online Dog Training and photo galleries. Also, check out my book tour dates. I might be coming to one of the 90 cites near you! Enjoy!
August 19th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Great website!
Insiteful and informative. It was a pleasure using the video instructions to help with my three dogs.
September 1st, 2008 at 12:30 am
site looks great. Lovely to see how humanistic you are with training!
Boris and I look forward to learning more …
The line has literally been drawn on the floor and stairs are the first training steps, thanks to you.
September 1st, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Thank you…. September 2nd…..The Big Day!!
September 5th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Congratulations on the site launch. I like the “super Joel” fly-bys as clips begin.
September 21st, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Finally, a website that shows how the cornerstone of dog training is having a great relationship with your pet. I will be back to your site over and over again.
Thanks Joel and best wishes in your goal to increase the quality of life of “Our Compainions for Life.”
Reece
September 24th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I’ve been looking for a site this informative and helpful since I adopted a stray puppy a few months ago. Thank you so much for sharing all these great methods. I really needed some basic guidance and I’ve been amazed at the results from just a few days of training! I have a little boxer mix with a terrible jumping problem and she’s already doing so much better. I think we’re both relieved to be communicating better about that particular behavior. I’ve got this site bookmarked and will be back often.
September 25th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Thanks Mary… Please keep us informed on the stray pup’s progress too!
September 25th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
i loved the websitre. almost like having you here in person.
more folks need to learn your techniques. they really work.
keep up the great work. i’ll be looking for you on tv!
if you are ever near annapolis stop by please
September 25th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Thanks Lin.. that means so much coming from you!!! and i will be in contact very soon….
September 28th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Thanks a lot for this site!! I am planning to adopt a dog soon and want to have some knowledge of what I’m getting into. Your techniques look easy to follow and I like the short “snippet” of steps. Thanks for reinforcing the concept of practicing for short periods of time and ending the training sessions in a positive manner. I’ll be back often!!!
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:05 am
Hi Joel, I just got a 6 week old Great Pyrenees pup and I have been told that this breed will get 110lbs tp 120lbs. We named him Sammy and he seemed to be pretty shy. I have been spending alot of time with him and trying to get him to come to me. Sometimes he will and sometimes he won’t. My question is, what age do you start training a puppie?
I love animals and I want to make sure I train Sammy the right way.
God Blesss You Joel…… Carol
October 3rd, 2008 at 3:43 am
Hi Carol,
First of all, you are absolutely correct. This breed can get very large. You are totally on the right track as far as starting to train him, but you really need to take some time to just bond with him. And remember too, that he is just a puppy and needs to do things that puppies do. As far as the shyness goes, you really want to try to expose an animal that is shy to as many things as possible once he has had all his shots. As far as teaching your dog to COME, the videos that I have in the Online Training Area should work great. Another thing that works great and that is fun it to find something that the puppy likes like his regular food and give that to him for following you around. That will help get him to COME, and is a lot of fun too.
October 4th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Joel, You said in your response to expose Sammy to as many things as possible… what do you meen by that?? Also I have tryed putting him on a leach and try to get him to walk with me, but he really hates it. He will just seat down and not budge. Maybe I am just expecting to much to soon ! Any ideas you can give me on helping with the beginning things would be great. Thank you so very much for taking the time to answer my letter. When I got Sammy last week he was infested with flee’s and was living outside in all dirt no grass. I brought him home and gave him a bath to get rid of all the flee’s and then took him to the Vet the next day to get his shots and be warmed.
I really love this pup and I just want to make sure I am doing everything right.
Again if you can give me any ideas on the beginning stages of training then that would be great.
You seem to be a really caring person and I thank you again for your help.
God Bless you and Your family . Carol P.S. how do I get him use to the leash??
October 4th, 2008 at 2:52 am
Sorry for writing again Joel, but I just took the time to read about how important it is to build a friendship with your pet before you start trying to teach him things. Geeee I am so bad about jumping ahead and not doing the first step first. Sorry. Your right I am going to wait and work on getting Sammy to trust me and the two of use becoming best friends which won’t be hard since he is such a loving puppie.
Sammy just turned 7 weeks so I am going to wait at least 4 weeks before I use your training on him. ( smiling ) Thanks again. Carol
October 5th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
I am going to look for your show on TV. Love the look of the WS, this will be handy. I have a 17 week old Boxer puppy I want to start in obedience training. I have some experience but more is always welcome. Thanks for the intro at Boxer Lovers group…Shelley
October 5th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Thank you Shelley. On my website, in the online dog training area, the HEEL behavior has a boxer that I used. Have you seen it?
October 5th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Hi Carol,
I am glad you are taking care of the “relationship” part. Stay in contact as you want to train your dog. On the site we have text (if you are into reading) and of course, the videos.
Keep us posted!!
October 5th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Thank you Joel for taking to time to answer everyone’s letter’s.
I think it is so wonderful that someone famous like yourself is taking the time to help other’s on this sight. Thank You !!!
You are truly appreciated for your kindness. Carol
October 7th, 2008 at 3:57 am
Joel,
Just had to thank you for the phone call, I really appreciate that, and I have to tell you you were right, totally unexpected, but you and I are alot alike we both respond to all inquires, quickly.
I have relayed the info you gave me tonight, to the adopters of Tia and I hope we can help this relationship work.
I have your Hollywood Dog Training program, and have had it for awhile, but to be perfectly honest, I have not had the time to look it over.
I am sending the link for your website to all of our past adopters,in hopes that it will help them as well.
Thanks again, for the personal touch!!!!
October 7th, 2008 at 4:57 am
No Problem Sharon… and keep me posted!!
October 7th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Joel, I felt like a proud momma today, I did what you said and spent alot of time with Sammy and getting him to trust me ( which wasn’t near as long as I thought it would be ) and today I took him on a leash for the second time with a pocket full of dog treats. I was so excited that he didn’t try to fight me this time and fallowed me like a pro. I would keep saying to him come Sammy and he fallpwed me. We just took about 20 feet at a time before I stoped and gave him a treat and then started again. After about 4 mins of this I took the leash off and told him how good he was and gave him another treat.
I felt like a proud momma. lol I plan on getting this down pat before I move on to the seatting stage. But I knew i needed him use to the leash first. Thank you Carol
October 14th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Hi Joel,
Keep on teaching, learning, and sharing your journey with us!
I appreciate your comments I’ve read (here and elsewhere) regarding communicating with an animal to let them know their behavior was correct and also that we should be their friends in addition to being their trainers. That bond is so important, especially when talking about dogs who live with us as family members.
There is indeed more than one way to click.
Deb
October 14th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Thank you so much Deb.. Stay with me and enjoy the ride!!!
October 15th, 2008 at 3:33 am
What can I do to stop my 8-10 mo old male APBT from play biting our two other dogs and us? They are starting to cower even though the alpha dog, female mixed lab has vocalized her position in the home. The golden just takes it until he runs away.
Thanks
October 15th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
It is really hard to comment without actually being there and seeing what is going on. The first thing is that there is no question that at 8 to 10 months old, the dog is old enough to be corrected. So the first thing is that you need is to send a message to the dog that this is not acceptable, and it needs to be sent at the exact moment the dog goes after you or the other dogs, even playing rough.
I recommend putting the dog on a leash and setting up a scenario where the dog is going to want to go after you or the dogs playing. Once the dog does that, if it is on a leash, you can correct the dog at that exact time. This will let the dog know that this is not acceptable. This is just for starters. Hope this helps
October 15th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Joel,
I need some help. I have a five month old male Field Spaniel. His mother was headstrong as is he. He does well with fetch, sit, down mostly with a treat. He will “come” on a lead but take the lead off and he either takes his time or will ignore the command completely. I am worried since I live in an open area and it could be harmful if he ignores me.
Frustrated,
Carl
October 16th, 2008 at 3:59 am
Hi Carl,
OK… good news and bad news.. the bad news is that the dog is discriminating…He knows when he has the leash on and off. The good news…. that is the sign of a very smart dog. I am in a Peet’s coffee place and they are closing.. I will continue when I get to a Starbucks in 30 min.
October 17th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I like this site a lot. I really enjoyed you on Good Dog U. Your program was always filled with wonderful information. I have three Westhigland White Terriers.
October 18th, 2008 at 4:47 am
Thank you so much. Westies are very cool… Have you entered the contest?
October 18th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Hi Joel ~ I love your website “Companions For Life” & your TV program Good Dog U where I have learned some valuable lessons. YES I have entered your Contest. I have seemed to meet you up close and personal when you posted on MSN site “Just Dogs”.
I have three black Standard Poodles. This has been my breed of choice for 25+ years. My boy UKC Ch. Jewel Rose-Royce also has his CGC title & I would like to go on to have him certified as my personal Service Dog. I need your help. I would also like to do Therapy work at nursing homes in my area. I need your help. My SPs are my life & I value your opinions & expertise because I know dogs are your life too.
Thanks…Billie & the Rose-Royce gang
October 18th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Hi Billie,
I really appreciate those kind words, and am glad you are finding a lot of information on the site. I can answer some brief questions in this blog, but if you are interested in me helping you out in some way, the best way is just to send me an email. You can get that on the “contact us” area on the site.
Joel Silverman
October 21st, 2008 at 5:22 am
Joel,
It was great meeting and talking with you tonight at the Canyon. I am taking your advice and learning more about how to enjoy my dog on your web site. Thank you for doing this as it helps me by understanding my relationship between my dog and me.
October 21st, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Joel,
Thanks for the compliment. Murphy is very smart so discriminating makes alot of sense. He wants to be the boss as you can imagine. I need your help to figure out how to have him come without a leash and to have him mind without breaking his spirit.
Thanks ,
Carl
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:11 am
Thanks Bruce…. Canyon is a great place!!
November 4th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Joel,
Can you tell me what breed Duke is? What a great dog. I would like to get this breed for my son.
Thanks,
Breezy
November 4th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Duke was a mixed breed that was rescued from the North County Humane Society in Oceanside, CA, so it is hard to know what kind of mix he was. But some people that have seen him have thought that he has some Leonberger in him.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Very informative. I have a 4 month spirited Jack Russell. I’m have trouble with the come. He knows when the lead is off and just wants to run. I have followed all your training tips. What’s next or just keep reinforcing? Any helpful hints for this breed is appreciated.
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:36 am
Joel,
Love the web site
Cheers
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Hi Liz,
If your dog knows when the lead is on and off for the COME, that is a discrimination problem. Your dog understands when is is on and off. You really want to start making the lead a lot lighter.. to the point where the dog never realizes that it is on.
November 29th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Hi Joel, I have a Great Pyrenees pup 4 months old now and he is starting to dig holes in my flower beds. eeeeeeee How can I stop him from digging holes??? Thank you
November 29th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
This is a great time to deal with a problem like this. You really want to catch it early. The first thing you want to remember is that the completion of the bad behavior is in itself a reward. Knowing that, you want to take a look at your yard and see how you can eliminate the opportunity of your dog getting a chance to get into the flowers and digging holes.
The flower problem might be as simple as putting something there like a fence around it made of cheap welded wire.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:36 am
Joel, For now I put bricks all over my flower bed because its winter and won’t hurt it. This spring I will get a fence. After I put the bricks in the flower bed yesterday, the silly dog started diging a hole next to the house.
If it wrong to roll up a news paper and hit the hole were he was diging and tell him no no ? I was thinking that the sound of the paper would discourge him. What do you think?
From what I can tell Sammy is bored, I keep lots of toys for him outside and let my Min Australian Shepherd out quite often to play with Sammy, ( they are playing buddys ). I spend time with him in the late after noon trying to work on walking on a leash. But when he is by hiself he seems to get into things. I have a trash pile that I burn limbs and he even get into the burned limbs and drags them in the yard. We have 2 acres and so he has lots of room to run. I just don’t know. Thanks for your help. Carol
December 1st, 2008 at 2:55 pm
HI Carol,
I think the fence is the best way to go, and what you might want is material that you can move around to certain areas in the yard too, just in case he wants to start digging other holes, like the problem that is developing.
I would be very careful with any negative when you find a hole. Just try to look at that as something that you need to not let happen again, instead of scaring the dog. If you can catch the dog digging, you can say “no’ or something that will startle him, but that is only for catching him in the action.
You are right about being bored. I would also crate him at time during the day too. This will keep him from the areas you don’t want him to get into when you are not there.
December 4th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Today at the office, a patient was complaining about her new dog that was using her flooring for a bathroom. When she asked if I had any suggestions, I told her no but I knew of a good website! While she was tractioning, I gave her my laptop and she read about housebreaking from your site. She plans on using your site and said to thank you for saving her expensive carpet!
December 9th, 2008 at 4:32 am
Hi Joel -
I am a volunteer at the Irvine Animal Shelter. I want to thank you (profusely!)
for your Meet the Trainer booth at our Home for the Holidays Adoption Event this weekend. Since I was working the event, I did not get a chance to come by…I have some questions about correcting some undesirable behavior exhibited by my 10 month old pit mix (IACC adopted (June 2008) of course.)
Junior is a great dog! Like most pitties he is totally bonded me and the rest of my family. He is very active and mostly well behaved. I can take him off leash to the beach and park. My 60-something year old mother can loose leash walk him. He is appropriately social with dogs and people (butt sniffing before “chase.” “Wrestling” occurs only with interested parties. One “warning shot across his bow” deters him from playing too rough with small dogs, older dogs and the rare un-neutered female. He is a great cafe’ dog and good with kids.) Occasionally, regardless of the amount of exercise (on a bad day at the office, he gets 3 miles) he wants to “play” with me like I am one of his consenting wrestling partners. He will grab at a blanket on me or occasionally my pant leg! When he does this I “pin him” with a the claw like grip on his shoulder (like a momma dog’s bite.) I know this “utlimate penalty” is not effective if over-used. Obviously, I have some how encouraged the behavior. Any suggestions on how to overcome our last hurdle? I am working towards his CGC. I want him to be a great ambassador for his breed.
December 9th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Well the good part of all this is the fact that this dog is great around people and kids, and that comes from YOU, and the time you have put into the dog!! I have always told people that Pits can make great pets and great family dogs, but it starts with a responsible owner that has done some research and understands the breed.
The blanket and pant leg situation can actually escalate into something more. I would not normally have much of an issue with it with other dogs, but because of this breed, I think you might want to find calmer things to do as you play with the dog. Remember, some types of excessive play with some high prey drive dogs can slowly turn in to a form of aggression.
I would also recommend not getting yourself into a situation where you have to pin your dog down, especially this breed.
It really sounds like you have done a great job of exposing this Pit Bull to many things, and he has become a great K9 citizen. I hope that as other people that read this that have a Pit Bull, or just got one take note.
December 11th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Hi Joel, nice website you have! I’ve been using some of the tips on my rabbit
I am interested in training animals and am truly inspired by your credits in animal training for commercial/movies. How do I actually start ? I’m looking to do an animal training course but am clueless as to which compound to go to. Do you have any advice on this matter ? Thank you for your time!
December 12th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Hi there Michelle,
You trained a rabbit? Cool…. Let me see if I can point you in the right direction. What city are you in?
December 15th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Hi , I’m struggling to teach him how to play dead though haha, any ideas on that ? I’m using some of your tips on dog and cat training on my rabbit, really works! Well I’m not from the US, I’m actually from Singapore. I have been eyeing the private 8-day course at the Hollywood Animal School but it seems like I can’t contact them in any way. Are there any other places which offer short programmes like this one ? Thanks!
December 19th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Hi !I was so excited to view your website that it has already slipped my mind…. where I had found it.My problem is that I have been reading just to much,and not doing.I am totally blind as to how to train a dog.I have a 10 pound boston terrier,have had her for 2 years.well,I decided she needed someone to play with.I went and took in another terrier,she is about 35 pounds and very strong,I might add.stubborn and it turns out she goes crazy after squirrels.I take her out on a leash and she PULLS me all over the yard.I am trying very hard to stop her but nothing is working.
I live in the country and the “New Dog”ginger,will not listen at all.Right now i am confused about the “alpha” I keep reading about all over the net I can’t wait to start your training program.She will sit,with a treat and I started last week with the come command.I see that I am doing it all wrong.Thank you for having such a wondeful website.I can’t wait to order your dvd.My computer is just toooo sllowwwww.
December 19th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
I forgot to add that ginger keeps biting my other dog on the legs..Is that a jelousy thing?they play tug of war with a sock all the time and at the same time they are nippingg at each other.I just don’t understand it.again,Lilly is only 10 pounds and she does not back down from her.I am afraid she might get hurt.
December 21st, 2008 at 4:46 am
Hi Mary,
Thank you very much!! OK… lets take it slow.. Remember that with a BT, you are dealing with a dog that most likely wants to chase critters. If you go to the COME online training area on the site, you will see that I use a long line. I would recommend something like that around some of those distractions. This way you will have some control. Let’s just start off with that and let me know how it goes. The DVDs will be available to be ordered on 12/26, and be shipped on 1/15.
Good Luck, and let me know how the COME goes!!
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Hi I recently found a blue tick puppy (about 12to14 weeks) abandoned in the woods I instantly fell in love with her she was as you can imagine very timid and hungry. I thought it best to wait and let her get to know my husband and I before I started training her it took a week or so but she became a very healthy and happy puppy. now I have started to train her and all she wants to do is play:) I have tried exercising her before we start but she still has a hard time focusing on the training is there anything I can do to stop this behaviour.
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:11 am
MY YEAR OLD SHELTIE BARKS TOO MUCH. SHE BARKS AT EVERYTHING SHE HEARS OR SEES. ALWAYS HAS TO HAVE THE LAST WORD. SHE IS THE SWEETEST SHELTIE I HAVE EVER HAD BUT I NEED TO TRAIN HER TO BE QUIET WHEN I TELL HER. HOW CAN I START. SHE HAS BEEN TO TWO CLASSES AND DID A GOOD JOB WITH HER SIT,STAY,LEAVE IT AND COME. NOW I NEED TO CORRECT SOME OF HER BAD BEHAVIOR.
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:37 am
Hi Jenny,
You know, I have gotten a chance to work with some Redbone Coonhounds.. We did “Where the Red Fern Grows” with them for a movie. I do remember them being a different type of dog. Blue Ticks are very similar. One of the reasons that the dog might have a problem focusing on training is that they are bred to hunt bears. So they have that natural prey drive. In order for you get a handle on things, you need to have something that is more interesting to the dog than looking for prey. One of the things you can use are treats. I think if you find something the dog likes, you will find that it will help him focus. I would start off experimenting a bit to see what he likes.
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:39 am
Hi BJ,
Is your Sheltie crate trained?
December 26th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Hi , I’m struggling to teach my rabbit how to play dead, haha any ideas on that ? I’m using some of your tips on dog and cat training on my rabbit, really works! I have a question… I’m actually from Singapore. I have been eyeing the private 8-day course at the Hollywood Animal School but it seems like I can’t contact them in any way. Are there any other places which offer short programmes like this one ? Thanks so much
December 30th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Hello Joel:
So much appreciate the website. It’s very, very useful. We just got a 1.3 year old standard poodle for our kids. He is wonderful, however, he lived with 2 elderly people and 3 other standard poodles in their house. He has a shy disposition and is somewhat of a nervous dog (not too bad though). My first question is in regard to this. I have a 6 year old and an 8 year old boy that he hasn’t bonded that well with yet. When they begin their romping in the house, he’s very uneasy. Is there anything we can do to help that? Also, since he’s shy, if anyone new comes to the house, he’s leary of them and will not come to them. Anything we can do to help that too?
BTW - been working on “Come” with the leash and in 2 days (15-20 minutes each day) he’s “coming” rather quickly. Also, he mastered “sit” within about 3 days! Heel is next…I’m afraid that’s going to be a bit more difficult (he’s a leash dragger now haha!)
January 4th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Hello..I am the owner of 3 rescue cocker spaniels..my newest one is the problem..he is 2 years old and the previous owner had him locked in the laundry room at night and kept him outside all day…he was great when we first got him…was good with my kids and their friends but now he has become very skittish when the kids friends come in the house. He tries to go after them by barking and biting…he becomes nuts when we try to hold onto him to let the friend go into a safe room…he then is very calm and wags his tail as if nothing he had done was wrong. I wonder if the barking of the other dogs sets him off and he is the one who tries to attack while the other two just stay behind. I have purchased a muzzle and am hoping that treat training with the muzzle on will solve this problem. He is a great dog with the family. Only when that door bell rings is when he changes.
Also, we thought when this first happened he was just the alpha dog and we tried to “bring him down” by using the sit stay comand and sleeping in a crate and putting his food down and having him wait until we say ok to eat..he has done great with all of that but still is bad with people at the door.
I appreciate any information that you could give me.
January 4th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I’ll add that we have him for 2 1/2 months. Our other dogs are 12 and 5 years old. The 5 year old and him are the excessive barkers and get up and go nuts..but only the new one actually goes after the kids.
January 4th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
one more thing..my kids are 16 and 14
January 5th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Hi Matt..
That is great news on the behaviors. I love to hear that!! As far as the shyness, you are absolutely correct to start dealing with it right now. You really need to have the kids take it upon themselves to just kind of either ignore the dog or only give treats and so on. This is a very critical time in dog’s lives when they first are around kids. So anything the kids do that is negative or that can scare the dog can have a major effect down the road. I would make the bonding with the kids a #1 priority.
January 5th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Hi Claudia,
Yes, this something you definitely want to take real serious right now. You have a lot of things happening, but let’s deal with the new dog. There is a word that I use often regarding bad behavior, and that is called escalation. So often, bad behaviors only escalate more unless you deal with the problem. You need to not let the dog do things that are going to get him excited and want to hip at anyone. If it does happen, it is up to you to let the dog know in the most humane way that the behavior was totally unacceptable.
But you really want to do things like keep the dog in a crate in a quiet place for short periods of time, especially when kids are running around and people are coming and going. You want to eliminate things that are going to excite and agitate the dog.
January 8th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I really appreciate your website, thanks for all your helpful tips. I have a rescue weimaraner pup who is now 7 months old. I got him at 3 months old and he had never been socialized and was terrified of people and new places in general, but not dogs or noises. He is now great in our own home, yard and with my family, but still terrified of new people even though we walk him every day to new places and I have tried to introduce him to new people regularly. He is great with my friend’s dogs and we go on playdates. Does he just need more time or should I try something else? When on our walks, he can get so scared that no treat will distract him and all he wants to do is run home and he is totally food motivated at home.
January 11th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Hello Joel!
I saw your post on Weimaraner’s, a group I joined on MSN. Thank you very much for being so available to those of us who want the best life for our companions.
I have a new Weimaraner pup. He will be 12 wks old next week. He is doing very well with the leash, housebreaking, sit and is starting to get the stay command. However, he wants to nip and bite often. It’s almost as if he is saying, “Come on and play with me”. I try not to do anything that raises his excitement level and i walk him frequently. Got any tips for me? These bites hurt and he has left 3 ugly marks on my hands this past week. He also does what i refer to as “drive by bitings” when he is off leash. Thank you so much for your time.
T
February 5th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Hi Marge,
Thank you. Sorry this has taken a while to get back with you. I am preparing for the tour and so on. The problem you have really needs to be dealt with now, and I am glad you are aware of it. At 7 months, you want to deal with these issues, but you want to make sure that you do not force the dog in a situation that he is not comfortable with. There is really a fine line here. Exposure is huge for a dog like this, but it really needs to be done is small increments. It sounds like you are doing everything right. You do have a place to start since he is great in the house. What I would do is start from just outside your front door and see how he is. Does he eat a treat? If so, then move a little farther the next day… and so on.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Hi Therese,
At 12 weeks old, they can really inflict a lot of damage just playing around, especially with a puppy with sharp teeth, and a person with thin skin. I would try to make sure that you are aware of the times that it looks like the puppy is getting a little overly playful. When that happens, I would give the puppy a toy or something that he goes crazy over. It takes everything off of you, and puts it on the toy. You need to find the right toy, and keep it with you for those times. Once you find the right toy, don’t leave it with the puppy. After he is done playing with it, take it away. This way it becomes something special. This is a good start. You can also start teaching the 12 week old puppy the word “no” too.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Hi Joel,
I just wanted to drop you a line and congratulate you on your well deserved award at the Show Dogs event as the Top Trainer for 2008. Century Foods and Our Hero Dog Water could not have selected a more deserving recipient for the award. I look forward to your book launch and tour. Best of luck on your future endeavors!
Sincerely,
Tim B. Greene
Director of Sales, Branded and Private Label
Century Foods International (a division of Hormel Foods)
Makers of Our Hero Enhanced Dog Water
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:44 am
Joel,
Have a great cross country adventure!
Remember to put up some pics as you go.
Roland
March 9th, 2009 at 2:45 am
Found your site very interesting, full of informative articles, added to my favourites.
March 30th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I was so excited to see you on Good Company (WKYC TV) you were holding a grayish silver dog that also appears to be the dog on the cover of your new book. If you shared the info on the breed of this dog I missed it. Please tell me the breed, my most beloved dog looked exactly like it and I was never able to identify him. His face , hair and coloring were the same although my dog was larger. Thanks so much for a great web site.
March 30th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Thank you.. That was a blast to be interviewed by Fred. I don’t know if you heard the beginning of the interview, but he interviewed me 26 years ago when I was working at Sea World in Ohio with killer whales.
Foster is a mixed breed dog, and he thanks you for those compliments!! He is probably a little Cairn Terrier/Miniature Schnauzer.. and about 4 or 5 other things… you name it.
But I am glad you liked the interview on WKYC in Cleveland.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:43 am
Joel, I talked with you at the PET XPO in Col., Ohio Friday (3/27). I have the 2 Aussies. I made a mistake when I said the deceased Aussie was trained by a prior Disney trainer who worked on the White Fang movie animals. It was the old, black/white, Spin & Marty series of Shadow, a white wolf (actually white sheperds). I have tried your tip on using “No” and a food reward to curb herding the cats. Also tried it on the pack barking that occurs in the house when they see anything moving quickly outside. I used a pinch of cheese so small they had to lick my finger. It worked so well that they now start to run for a cat, stop and look at me, and if I say nothing they go over and sniff the cat and then run back to me and sit and stare at the cheese bowl. When they bark in the same room I am in, Taylor (4yr old mom) only needs me to shuffle the bowl. When she stops barking and runs to me, Brutis (2 yr son) runs to me too. I only worked with them 3 evenings as I worked during the day. Thank you so much! Unbelievable! Thank you!
April 4th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Just want to say thank you for talking today at the Medina Kennel Club, it really was quite enjoyable. It was also very impressive to watch you and Foster work together!
We from Medina Kennel Club send out a BIG THANK YOU!
Jan
April 5th, 2009 at 1:03 am
Thank you so much Jan!! I really enjoyed it…… and so did Foster.. I hope to get back there later this year when I am in the Pittsburgh area for the Pittsburgh Pet Expo.
April 6th, 2009 at 2:11 am
I just wanted to say to the Medina Kennel Club and the W.A.G.S. Canine Training Institute, thank you for making the seminars happen. I had a lot of fun, and I hope the folks got a chance to learn a few things. We had a great turnout, and hope we get a chance to do it again in October when I am at the Pittsburgh Pet Expo….
Joel
April 8th, 2009 at 6:26 am
Thanks for making the Seminar with North St. Louis County Obedience Training Club happen. It was really informative and your web site is great. I first thought my Boxer was Red but now think she is moving more to Orange. I will be using some of your suggestions in training her. May have to order video on Come.. She does in training but can’t trust her outside. I need to figure out how to send the photos I took. Haven’t noticed a email address yet but haven’t toured the whole site yet.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:05 am
I really had a great time giving that seminar, and thank you so much for the compliments about the website. I think if you check out the site you should get some good tips on COME. I will be back to give another seminar next year! Good luck on the training of your dog.
April 14th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Hey Joel, I heard your interview on KCUR today. I sent you an email but I’m sure your inbox is flooded. I really hope you get a chance to read it before you leave KC!
Paul Skelton
May 2nd, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Joel,
It was great meeting you (and Foster) today at the Atlanta Pet Expo. We picked up your DVD for training and hope to implement it with our dog. We talked about Twinsburg and Aurora if you recall, and Sea World of Ohio. I will have to tell my family up there to try to catch you if you get up there anytime again this year.
Also it was great to hear your too-brief presentation with Foster. Very enjoyable to watch!
Have a great tour this year.
May 3rd, 2009 at 11:15 am
Thank you Tom.. We have one more day here…I really enjoyed the amount of people that came up to me that had seen my show on Animal Planet or had one of my videos. It was great meeting you!!! I hope you enjoy the book and DVD.
May 3rd, 2009 at 11:16 am
Hi Paul..
I sent you a response to that email. Let me know if you did not get it..
May 15th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I just wanted to say hi…I look forward to meeting you on Sunday at the Hair of the Dog 5K!!! Love your show!!! Keep up the good work!!
May 17th, 2009 at 5:45 am
Hi Kim…
See you tomorrow.. Hope the weather will be as great as today!!!
May 23rd, 2009 at 11:31 am
I rescued a mastif/lab mix and we have been together for a little over a month. I had a trainer come over once and she gave me basic leadership principles that have helped a bunch. I still do not think that I am her leader entirely yet. With that said, she can do some basic commands but we need more help. Are the DVD’s alone enough or should I purchase the book as well? The clips that you have available on your site are great. P.S. I have a 13 yr old, 4 lb poodle that probably wants her trained more that me:)
Thanks
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I, 4 days ago adopted a 2yr. old female pit. She is shy timid and fearful, yet incredably sweet. She is also scared to death to go out side. I guess you know what happens after 4 days if a dog doesn’t go out. I don’t mind that she freaked out when I left for 20mins. and she ate my blinds and chewed thru the molding, but I am at a loss as to how to get her potty trained. I don’t want to return her to the pound but if I don’t get a handle on this my husband will not stay understanding for too much longer. I have gotten her out several times but no action has taken place. there seems to be lots of info on every other subject but this one!! Please, please any suggestions would be greatly appreciated thank you Amber
June 29th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Hi Joel,
The new site looks great and the inforation you provide is very helpful. I refur ppl to it all of the time. I have been using your training methods since early 1992 when i picked up you “Hollywood Dog Training” tape/vidoe set to train my Dalmatian puppy named Chip.
All of my dogs since have turned out great because of your no-nonsence, and down to earth training techniques. I now help others with thier dogs and I am mentoring a small group of local middle school kids to provide advice and guidence on how to correctly raise and train dogs to be a viable part of the family unit.
July 4th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Joel … I went to your book-signing @ Camp Bow-Wow, Cedar Rapids, IA on 7-1-09. I LOVED meeting Foster and hearing about your background as an animal trainer. I, too, LOVE all kinds of animals and Adore Dolphins! My BIG ‘Dream’ is to own a Foster Home/Ranch incorporating doggies and children!
May Our God Richly ‘Bless’ Your Endeavors and ‘Purpose’ On This Earth!!
Jen
July 5th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Hi Trina,
To be honest with you, I would not purchase the DVDs, and instead just the book. It seems like you pretty much need to re-establish your relationship with your dog. This book will totally help you with that. It will also help you with the behaviors sit, stay come, and the word no. Good Luck!!
July 5th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Hi Amber,
Sorry about the situation you are in. One thing I would suggest is crate training your dog. There are many reasons, but the first is that most dogs feel comfortable in enclosed areas like that. This will also help the separation anxiety problems you are having. I have some info in my dog training area on my site that will help you with crate training. Good Luck.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
To Michael and Jen,
Thank you both so much for those kind words. Training really is simple, and hopefully through this tour, individuals like yourselves will be able to understand that simplicity. Again, thank you so much!
July 17th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
I really enjoy your easy to understand training methods. I watch you on tv every am. I have an 11 month old labrador since he was 12 wks old. He has been given basic obedience training and I continue to try to train him every day. I am desperate for help. I WANT TO WALK HIM ON LEASH but it has become almost impossible. If we are walking on leash and he sees another animal,dog or hears a loud car go by he grabs the leash in his mouth and begins a tug of war. I can hardly hold on to the leash at this point. If i drop the leash as soon as I pick it up he starts all over again,. Saying no does nothing. I can’t get it out of his mouth. Then he will begin jumping at me and grabs my arm and I have to try to stand on the leash close to the collar if I can. I have tried distraction with treats, saying no, gentle leader face collar keeps him from the behavior but he doesn’t want to walk with it on and it is a real struggle. Looking back when he was 3-4 months old he always used to jump at the leash when walking and pull on it. I wish i would have corrected more then.I would appreciate any advice. I am desperate and really want to walk my dog.
July 18th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Hi Pamela..
What kind of collar do you have on your dog when you are walking him??
July 18th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I use the gentle leader walking harnass I also have a choke chain for him but I seem to have more control over his jumping up and pulling with the gentle leader harnass. He has been taught to heel but if he starts pulling on the leash with his mouth there doesn’t seem to be any way for me to get that leash out of his mouth I have walked him with the choke chain and also choke chain with the prongs on it and have had the same problems when he walks I also tried sqiurting him with spray water bottle which caused him to jump at me and grab my arm more.
July 20th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
It sounds a lot like a pretty out of control dog. I am sure if you were to bring a trainer in, you would be able to get rid of that problem pretty quickly. It is just so hard not seeing the dog or being there. My suggestion is to bring a trainer in to help you.
July 26th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Love your site. Especially the mini-flash of Foster in the header. Love the book. Most training methods tend to ignore the element of personality, not only of the pet, but the owner, as well.
August 1st, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Joel, just wanted to let you know i figured out a way to stop my lab from pulling the leash in his mouth and jumping up and gabbing my are when he sees another animal or hears a noise. I just pull the gentle leader face collar out, which he hates, and show it to him when he starts the behavior. It only took a couple of times and he doesn’t do this behaior anymore. I still take the collar in my pocket just in case.If he even looks like he wants to start i pull it out and say no before the behavior starts to prevent it. It makes sense now to me when you say the completion of the behavior is a reward. I think I have stopped it altoghether.Before this NOTHING worked and I was about to give up.He still gets super excited when he sees another dog on a walk but i’m not sure what to do about it.
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I have been watching Good Dog U since I got a Shorkie (half ShihTzu and half Yorkie. She’s fisty but very smart. I love the gentle, caring way you train pets. Thank you for being there. I ordered the set of 2 dvd’s today, can’t wait to get them. Being retired and widowed, she is so much love and company. Thank you again for sharing. Bless you. Joy
September 8th, 2009 at 1:13 am
Thank you Joy.. I sent the DVDs a week back… Hope you enjoy them!!!
October 27th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Thanks for your helpful information on doggies! Pets rule!!
October 27th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Hi Joel. I was delighted to find your website yesterday while looking for your Good Dog U training segments. I like your teaching methods and yesterday ordered some material from you. I was sorry to read that Duke died. He seemed so noble and I loved how he “thought out loud.” I watched Foster’s video and he is incredible. It is wonderful to see how much you have taught him. I didn’t know until I found your website that you have trained all sorts of animals. What a gift you have. Thank you for helping us all be better pet owners. Linda
October 29th, 2009 at 3:59 am
Hi Linda,
Thank you so much for those kind words. It is always great to know that people are learning from what I have to offer. Thank you so much as well for those nice words about Duke. He was a great dog! I look forward to sending the material to you. Hopefully you get a chance to come to one of my free seminars. Check out my tour schedule.
Joel
November 6th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Hi Joel, I just happened to run across your website today and have found it very helpful. I have 2 female 10 month old American Bulldogs (sisters) that I’ve had for 4 months. I am in desperate need of some help as my husband is wanting to find them a new home. I will do everything not to let that happen. I have my hands full with these 2 giant hyper stubborn pups. They have all the typical bad behaviors. They know sit but thats about it. Having 2 is really a challenge because they mimic each others bad behavior. i have 2 giant crates and they are almost potty trained but the challenge is one of them has the smallest bladder in the world when she is not in her crate she has to pee constantly. Where do i start? Thanks, Shari
November 6th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Hi Shari… glad you found the site helpful. The one thing you are going to want to make sure you do is keep them in their crates for a good hour or two during the day. Each time you take them out of the crate, it is essential you take them for a nice long walk. You really want to find out ways to “burn off” the energy. My DVDs go over the sit and stay behaviors, and when you work with each dog, you are going to want to train each one individually. This is a great place to start.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Hi Joel,
We saw you & Foster in Des Moines at the Great Iowa Pet Expo in October. The presentation was awesome! We don’t have a dog right now as our dog, Cassy, died after 13 years with us. We are just starting to talk about getting another dog. Did you go to college to learn about animals or were your techniques developed over the years as you worked with all types of animals?
Thank you for sharing so much helpful information with all of us!
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Hello Joel:
We saw you and Foster at Camp Bow Wow in Newark, Delaware last week. We had a great time and think Foster is just amazing.
I’ve been reading your book and can’t put it down! I brought it with me to the DMV so I could have something good to read while I waited to renew my license plate tags! It’s easy to read and informative and lets me take a new approach to some issues that are slightly problematic for Tess.
We both appreciate your knack and skill at training and I’m so glad we were able to see you on tour. Thank You.
All the Best for the Holidays.
December 9th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I have a 2 yr old Westie that I thought I had a good relationship with, but due to my disability I had to move in with my adult children which one of them has two dogs. An 8 yr old large male and a 3 yr old medium size female. Since moving in, my dog follows the male mostly which is fine but I feel he does not have the same bond with me any more. He will not sleep in my room, he walks or runs away when I tell him to come and ignores my command to stop barking at the next door dogs. I feel that I lost my dog. Can you please tell me what I need to do to get that bond back. Thank You.
December 9th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Hi Heather from Delaware!! Foster and I thank you so much!! I look forward to coming back there next Fall with my new book!
December 9th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Hi Michele.. As things change socially with your dog, unfortunately sometimes your dog’s relationship with you will change as well. Because I am not there to see the dog, it can’t tell you exactly what the problem is. The one thing I will tell you to do is make yourself more reinforcing to the dog. You can do this using what is called REDIRECTION. If you can give your dog high valued treat like chicken, cheese, or steak at certain times you will make yourself more reinforcing to the dog. The important thing to do is give your dog just a very small piece from time to time. The dog will start looking for that treat that you have. It is a great way to get him more interested in you again. Good luck!!
December 9th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Joel, Thank you so much for responding so fast I was pleasantly surprised. I will try the REDIRECTION as you suggested. Would there be a particular book or DVD you offer that would also help? I hope that your book signing and seminar here in Colorado is a good one.
Michele W
January 4th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Hiya “Uncle” Joel!
Way to Twitter and cross-promote!
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