Laura Sharkey
Owner and Training Director, Woofs! Dog Training Center
Wednesday, May 14, 2008; 12:00 PM

Making a rambunctious pet sit and stay can be an impossible task for owners. Luckily, professional help can calm down the wildest pooch and turn him into a playful and obedient friend. Laura Sharkey, owner and training director of Woofs! Dog Training Center, was online Wednesday, May 14 at Noon ET to take your questions on the behavior and learning abilities of dogs.

This discussion is one in a series of pet advice chats we'll be holding over the next several weeks. Please join us again Wednesday, May 21 at 11 a.m. ET when Dr. Sarah Bowman and Dr. Wendy Knight of CityPaws Animal Hospital will take questions. And check out washingtonpost.com's new pets section anytime!

____________________

Laura Sharkey: Hi Everyone, I'm Laura and I'm looking forward to helping out with your pet questions!

_______________________

Fort Washington, Md: Do you ever have clients who ask you what type of dog or breed that they should consider before getting one so it matches their personality and lifestyle? Do you ever go with clients to help them pick out the best dog/puppy for them?

For example, I am a more retriever or herding breed owner, e.g., labs, Aussies, goldens, collies, than working class dogs, e.g., dobes, rotts, akitas. I couldn't own a terrier, too high energy. I spell terrier T-E-R-R-O-R for the wrong owner. Nothing against these other breeds but I am not the right owner and admit it. Thanks!!!

Laura Sharkey: Yes, We get that question a lot and it is a very individual answer. What kind of dog to get depends a lot on personal preferences and your lifestyle. I am very glad to help people decide what is the right kind of dog for them and to also help them pick the right pup or dog out of a group. The breed specifications are a great place to start but the real important part is picking the right individual pup. Unfortunately not enough people think about these things before they choose a pup or dog and that can lead to a lot of trouble after the fact. Doing your research ahead of time and knowing what to look for when you pick your new family member is invaluable. We're happy to help!

_______________________

Washington, DC: I have four Chihuahuas. Sometimes, I let one visit with a friend (she's the smallest and the loudest), and it leaves me three. Whenever that one little female is away from the pack, the rest do not bark and are relatively quiet when someone knocks on the door or rings the doorbell. However, on the return of the little female, if anyone knocks or rings the doorbell, the four dogs bark so loud and are so obnoxious I can't hear myself think. How do I stop the barking so I don't go mad?

Laura Sharkey: You must work on your little girl. If you can teach her to stop the others might too. You are witnessing socially facilitated barking... once one starts the others feel free to join in, however, they won't initiate on their own. Get your little girl some training, away from the others and just concentrate on managing her behavior. Teach her to come to you and sit for a treat every time the door bell rings. Hopefully the others will follow her in that as well!

_______________________

Submitting very early...: We have our 2-year-old beagle in training but after having had her for two months (a rescue), we are unsure of how to tell her "No" like when she jumps up on us, is chewing something she shouldn't be, etc. What is an effective way to do that without being physical? We are working on positive reinforcement with the chewing (giving her a good toy) but need some help. Thanks so much!

Laura Sharkey: The best way of telling her not to do something is to prevent her from doing what it is and then if she does do it follow it up with a non-physical consequence. One of my favorite tools is a time out. A few seconds in a room alone can make a powerful point. No need to yell or get angry. A simple " Uh Uh" and put her away for 30 to 60 seconds.

_______________________

Denver, Colo: Hello! Thank you for taking questions today! I have a border collie who is sort of a "reject" border collie -- he is NOT athletic, and hates going outdoors. He is more of a couch potato. When I try to walk him, he yelps and cries like he's in pain -- he has always done this. I know his leash and collar are not hurting him. It's even worse when I take my other dog out at the same time. They cannot be walked together, they both get too competitive and both try to be in front. But the border collie's yelping and crying -- what is that? I've tried taking him to obedience, and even an agility class (disaster!). He is so noisy and loud when I try to walk him. What is he doing, and how can I work with him to walk normally? Other than this, he is a sweet dog who is very obedient.

Laura Sharkey: Wow. Without seeing the behavior it is impossible for me to know what the cause is. You are going to need a professional trainer to look at him to tell you what they think is the source of the screaming. First make sure there are no physical problems. Yelping and crying really concern me and he needs to be fully checked out by a vet. If he is not in pain, he could be scared. You are going to need a trainer to help on this if you want to make some progress. In the meantime ask yourself, do I have to walk this dog? If you don't have a yard, you probably do, but maybe don't walk him far. Also walk them separately.

_______________________

Woodbridge, Va: Max, who is a 7-year-old boxer/lab is generally well behaved and a valued family member. Unfortunately he seems to think he's a lap-dog and becomes dramatically despondent when he's rebuffed. We'd like to train him out of his cloying behavior, but consistently cave in the face of his mopey sad-dog response. Help?

signed -

black pants covered in dog hair

Laura Sharkey: Max is on to you and knows that if he gives you the sad eyes, you will relent. Boxer's and Labs are both great at the despondent look :). But you answered your own question.... you cave. and he knows you will. Tell him gently but firmly "off" and don't give in. If it makes you feel better give him a special treat to chew when you need some hair free time and set aside other times where he can slobber all over you as much as he wants. But remember you get to decide when that happens. But simply, you need to not give in. Boundaries can be a good thing :).

_______________________

Kensington, MD: I have a sweet and exuberant 11-month-old goldendoodle, Lucy. I took her to a puppy training class when she was 4-6 months of age where I was advised to use a pronged collar to encourage her not to pull and to "walk politely." It has been very effective. Moreover, Lucy is considerably more difficult to walk without it. But Lucy's vet is very much against using it. How do you explain this difference of opinion and can you weigh in?

Laura Sharkey: Sure. The reason Lucy can't walk without the prong collar is because it is a management tool. She knows that if she pulls when she wears it she will initiate pain so she doesn't pull. However she has not been TRAINED not to pull. Prong collars do concern me because they can injure a dog neck and trachea so I certainly agree with your vet. Of course the ultimate answer is to train her to walk nicely. That said, training a dog to walk nicely (especially an exuberant 11-month-old) takes a lot of time and practice. Try switching to a less punitive form of management like a sensible harness. If might give you the control you need without the negative side effects of a prong collar.

_______________________

Silver Spring, Md: We have a wonderful 2-year-old rescue dog who is too much of an early bird! We walk her at night between 10 and 10:30 p.m. and she is up and trying to play by 5 a.m. We no longer crate her at night, so I don't know if that is the problem. It doesn't seem to be an urge to relieve herself at the early hour, just an effort to wake us up and play. She's a great dog and we adore her, but would like an extra hour of sleep. Any advice?

Laura Sharkey: Yes, don't get up! And certainly don't get up and play with her! She needs to learn that YOU decide when to get up, not her, (assuming she doesn't need to relieve herself of course). Try ignoring her. For a long time, like 15 to 20 minutes. Covers pulled up over your head, no acknowledgment whatsoever. Don't even say anything! If she persists, get up calmly and quietly and put her in her crate and ignore her again. (You can even throw in a nice frozen marrow bone or stuffed kong to keep her busy). You probably won't get that extra hour of sleep until she gets used to the "new" routine but it won't take her long to figure it out and give up. The secret is not paying her any attention at all.

_______________________

Gaithersburg, Md: How do you get a dog to slow down when he eats? Our newly adopted Jack Russell practically inhales his food (small size kibble). It only takes him about 30 seconds to down his 1/2 cup of food.

Laura Sharkey: That's a tough one... the easiest thing to do is feed him smaller amounts. Put 30 to 40 pieces of kibble in his bowl, let him eat it, ask for a sit, put in 30 or 40 more pieces and repeat. He'll probably still gulp it down but you'll be introducing some level of control to the situation. Also ask your vet if it's a problem, it may not be.

_______________________

Lafayette, IN: Can you offer any tips on training a second dog? We acquired Dog #2 as a six-month puppy in what seems to be the worst possible way -- we picked him up off the street and decided to keep him -- with no gradual introduction to get him and Dog #1 (who was about 6) used to each other. Dog #1 went through obedience school, and is somewhat trained. We don't know what to do with #2. We thought we had him mostly housebroken, but lately he's been sneaking into other rooms to relieve himself if he has the slightest opportunity. When we take one dog out, they both want to go, so we just don't know how to apply the traditional method of slowly teaching him to ask. Obedience work is hard, too -- if we work with one dog, the other one gets really excited. They'll both respond to a command given to one, in hope of being rewarded.

Is there any book, Web site, or method of training that works especially well with two dogs at different levels? I'll be by myself with the two dogs soon.

Laura Sharkey: The best thing to do with a second dog is to train them totally independently from the other dog. Go back to house training 101 and use a crate and leashed walks (no matter how big your yard is) until the house training is accomplished. Also remember, you don't have to treat the two dogs exactly the same. The older dog can have more freedom than the younger and the younger can get separate training time. Different behaviors warrant different approaches. Don't be afraid to split them up. Check out dogwise.com for some excellent training books, CD's etc. Good luck!

_______________________

Columbia, Md: Hello Laura, Often in the evening my dog will come & sit by me and I will pet her gently on her head. Yet she then lowers her head and she tenses up & on occasion she wrinkles her muzzle. Yet when I stop petting her she puts her head up on the couch like she wants to be petted again. What do you think is going on in her furry little head?

Laura Sharkey: Wow. I will be honest and say I have no idea. Because I haven't seen the behavior it is really hard for me to comment. A lot of it depends on the timing, where and how you are touching her when she stiffens, etc. First i would say be very careful, since I don't want you to get bit and she is sending very clear signs that there is something she doesn't like about the situation. Second I would pay very close attention to EXACTLY what you are doing, or what else is going on when she reacts like that to see if you can pin point what triggers that reaction. Again be careful. Once things like this get worse it is very hard to fix them.

_______________________

Waldorf, Md: My husband and I have a retired racing greyhound, a Goldendoodle, and a miniature pinscher. Our greyhound and Goldendoodle are perfect dogs. We've trained them to sit, down, and stay to words and hand signals. Our miniature pinscher, not so much. She makes it difficult to have people over to our house because she runs up to people and barks non stop and will nip at visitor's ankles. She will settle down if everyone is sitting, but starts again with the nipping and barking if someone gets up or moves around. I've tried dropping pieces of treats on the ground around her when we have visitors over so that she associates "treats from heaven" and good stuff with visitors, but it hasn't helped. She's been like this since she was a puppy. Any thoughts on stopping this habit? Thank You!

Laura Sharkey: You are doing the right thing with the treats, to help her associate visitors with good things. I would start by not letting her greet guests as they arrive. The energy in a home goes way up when new people arrive and it just might be too much for the Min pin to deal with. I would keep her safely away in a back room in a crate with the door closed and some music playing (not to soothe her but to drown out some of the noise from the arriving guests). After things have calmed down a bit, maybe 20 to 30 minutes after everyone has arrived try letting her out and using the treats. If she cannot calm down at all while people are there she may have to stay away in the back while people are there. Her behavior sounds like stress to me and giving her a break during this time will be beneficial to everyone, including her. Allowing her to practice that behavior when ever people are over pretty much guarantees that she will continue to do it. Practice makes perfect. If you are really interested in making the behavior better your best bet is to contact a positive methods trainer and get some in the home help. Good luck!

_______________________

Old Town, Alexandria: Laura -- I'm bringing home a puppy in five weeks and am trying to prepare. I've lined up a dog walker but how often should s/he come over to let the puppy out of her crate?

Laura Sharkey: Congratulations on your new pup and getting prepared ahead of time. The general rule for crating during the day is the pup can be in the crate for as many hours as they are months old +1. That's a complicated way of saying a 3-month-old puppy can go four hours, a 4-month-old puppy five hours, etc. Of course each pup is different and if you find your pup is soiling the crate between walks you might need to increase the number of walks until he can hold it longer. Also make sure the crate is the right size. The biggest mistake in crate training is the crate being too large. The pup should be able stand up, turn around and lie down. No more room than that. If they can relieve themselves in the front of the crate and sleep in the back, they often will.

_______________________

McLean, Va: Ms. Sharkey -- Thank you so much for doing this chat. I have two Westies, litter-mates, a boy and a girl, about 16 months. The boy will do anything for a treat, so he has been easy to train, but the girl...not so much. She doesn't care about treats or praise, she just wants to do her own thing. How can we train her (even just the necessities) when she doesn't seem to want to learn?

Laura Sharkey: First thing I would do is to be sure to train them separately from each other. As far as the girl, you need to find out what motivates her. Does she like a game of tug, does she like a different treat from him? Positive training is about finding what motivates your dog and asking them to work in exchange for whatever that is. Because MOST dogs will work for treats, we tend to go to that first, but every dog is a little bit different and you need to find what works for her. Make a list of her absolute favorite things and then use that list to try and train her. When a do isn't treat motivated you might have to be a bit more creative. Start with the list.

_______________________

Alexandria, Va: Help! Submitting early due to a meeting. I need to find a dog daycare that will work with me to help re-socialize my dog. Prior to moving to this area, my Flat Coated Retriever/Border Collie mix had been going to doggie daycare on a consistent basis. It was a great place with licensed trainers on staff that continually monitored the dogs and their interactions. Since moving I've been unable to find a similar situation. I've had some really unfortunate experiences with daycare and walkers which has damaged my dog's sociability. Though extremely friendly toward people, she's unpredictable around other dogs -- she'll either love them or hate them. She's been working with a private trainer and she's made great progress. Now I'd like to find a safe place where she can be introduced and socialized to other dogs on a consistent basis.

Laura Sharkey: That is a hard question. We see a lot of dog's who do very well in one daycare but when they move they do not do well in a new place. Dog's social abilities change dramatically as they get older. If she is over 2 or 3 years of age I am not at all surprised that she is having a hard time adapting to a new daycare. She "grew up" in the other place so she was comfortable there, even as she became more mature, but now she cannot really adapt easily to a new place. My suggestion would be not to take her to daycare but to continue to work with the trainer you are having success with and work on getting her comfortable around a small pack of dogs. A daycare is not really a good place to re-socialize a dog.

_______________________

Fairfax, Va: My neutered 2-year-old lab mix used to be friendly with dogs we encountered on our walks but no longer is. He lunges and acts like he means business, but I think it is just for show. We have had a friend's dog over who he didn't know and, although he acted a little put out, didn't attack it. What should I do when he starts his misbehavior?

Laura Sharkey: You are probably dealing with leash aggression and I would suggest that his behavior is not "just for show". You need to be very careful. You need to start a training plan where you teach your dog to perform more appropriate behaviors when he sees another dog, like sitting and watching you or even some fun tricks and this needs to be done in a situation where he is far enough away from any other dogs he sees that he does not bark and lunge. There is a protocol of desensitization and counter conditioning for this behavior but you are most likely going to need a trainers help. In the meantime take your dog's reactions seriously he is telling you he is not happy in that situation.

_______________________

Arlington, Va: Will neutering a dog help with agressiveness?

Laura Sharkey: Maybe, maybe not. Aggression in un-neutered dogs may have nothing at all to do with his aggression. It could be a learned behavior, it could be a just be an aggression problem. What I will say is that neutering him can't hurt and might help. In addition any dog that is showing aggression in any situation should probably not be bred (don't want to propagate aggressive tendencies) so there is really no reason to keep him intact. The situation where neutering might help is that an intact male tends to be a target for other males. If he is constantly harassed by other dogs because of his intact status he can learn to be proactively aggressive to prevent getting picked on. in this case neutering will help by making him less of a target and allowing him to have positive experiences with other dogs throughout his life.

_______________________

Arlington, Va: I've sort of adopted an older (6 years old) dog who is not neutered named Pali. Now after four months of living together he is violently attacking my other neutered dog named Coco. Pali attacks for no reason at all. Coco will be walking around and Pail will just lung at him with teeth showing and mean growling. This sometimes happens so often that I have to put Pali in another room. Once I tell him no and give him hugs and kisses he seems okay. What could be the cause of this. I read somewhere that dogs don't get jealous. Will he behavior change if he is neutered. Also, he marks all over the house. yuk.

Laura Sharkey: Well definitely get this dog neutered, at least it might help the marking which is totally unacceptable. If Pali is aggressive toward Coco you have three options. Contact a trainer immediately and see if you can fix the problem. Unfortunately i am not optimistic that you can change Pali's behavior significantly enough to keep Coco safe. Your other options are to keep the dog's completely separate or to re-home one of the dogs. It is very unfair and bad for Coco's health to live in a environment where you might be attacked at any time, several times per day. Coco needs to be protected from that happening starting right this minute.

My plan for you would be neuter Pali tomorrow, contact a trainer today, and keep them separate until you have this resolved. Good luck, it is a tough situation to be in.

_______________________

Warrenton, Va: What is the best way to volunteer one's time that involves being around dogs who need the most attention?

Laura Sharkey: That is easy, contact your local shelter. Those dog's need you.

_______________________

Guarding Dog: Thank you for taking my question. I have a Shepherd-Husky mix puppy (just under 1 year old), he and our other dog stay outside (living in the country). He stays by the house most of the time, although has a freedom to roam as he wishes. He passed beginner training class very well and I am taking him for next level classes in June. My concern is -- he barks at joggers, cars, etc., is very protective against other neighbors dogs, but he doesn't seem to show guarding skills when a strange person or a car pulls right into our driveway, instead he will run and let people pet him, complete strangers. What can I do to teach him to be on defense and guard, which is why we adopted him after the first dog did not show any guarding skills?

Laura Sharkey: I do not promote keeping dogs outside and I would never train a dog to guard. Most dog's have more than enough natural guarding instinct and should never be taught aggressive behaviors. I think your dog guards just fine seeing as he is barking at passerby's etc. Revel in the fact that you have a friendly dog and install an alarm system for you protection needs.

_______________________

Annandale, Va.: Please help me!! My boyfriend's dog like to eat underwear are socks but only if they have been worn. Besides the obvious of keeping dirty clothes off the floor...how can we break her of this? Thank you.

Laura Sharkey: Lots of dogs like to eat dirty underwear and socks. It's a sad but true fact. The best thing to do is simply keep the clothing away from her. Someday this could present a real problem if she eats something and gets a blockage. If that happens the dog could easily die and a several thousand dollar vet bill is in your future. Keep the stuff off the floor and provide her with many many other better options of things to eat, marrow bones, pig ears pizzels, etc. Getting a habit to change involves preventing her from doing the old behavior while teaching a substitute one. Hopefully one day you won't have to worry about it.

_______________________

Arlington, Va: When should you start walking puppies and how far? Our 4 1/2-month-old puppy gets a short walk in the morning, noon and evening, but sometimes he doesn't want to go very far. Should we be encouraging him to walk farther or take him home and let him play indoors? Thanks!

Laura Sharkey: Encourage him to walk to a point but don't push it. I am a little concerned that the unwillingness to walk is because of fear rather than lack of energy. Don't walk so far but go out, play games, meet people who give him treats, etc. Make being outside a really fun time so that he learns to like it. Don't be concerned about the distance, just the experience.

_______________________

Crumpton, Md: What do you think of those shock collars for behavioral control?

Laura Sharkey: No way. Causing a dog physical pain from an electric shock borders on barbaric as far as I'm concerned. If you don't HAVE to use pain to train a dog why would you? There are so may better ways.

_______________________

DC: Hi! My 9-year-old German Sheppard/Chow mix has developed a fear of stairs. He has a very hard time walking up three flights of stairs. It seems to be a fear. How can I fix this? I tried assisting him by gently patting his behind but it does not work. He has no physical problems that would cause this. What could have triggered it? Thank you.

Laura Sharkey: A sudden fear of stairs indicates one of two things: 1) a physical problem, hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, stiffness, etc. or 2) a traumatic experience slipping and falling or something like that. Be very very sure your dog is not in pain... x-rays, etc. should be done and your vet consulted. A 9-year-old Shepherd mix is likely to have some physical slowing down. Also make sure your dog is slim and trim. Extra weight is a problem. If it is fear from a traumatic event, start small asking him only to go up a few steps at a time for a really exciting reward. You'll need to build up his confidence again. Good luck and check with your vet!

_______________________

Reston, Va: Hi Laura,

My parents have a German Sheppard/Chocolate Lab mix who is 9 years old. He was never neutered, and has been the only dog in the house. Now they are considering getting another dog, and would like to have original one neutered. Are there any risks associated with doing this at his age? Thanks.

Laura Sharkey: I don't think so but I would definitely consult your veterinarian. The biggest risk in any surgery is usually anesthesia, and your vet will be able to inform your decision based on the health of the dog. If the dog is very friendly and does not have any aggression issues it may not even be necessary to neuter him just for the sake of introducing another dog. Consider a female, (neuter her by 6 months or earlier) she will most likely adore your intact male :)

_______________________

Laura Sharkey: Hi everyone, I am so sorry that I have not been able to answer all of your questions. I will continue to answer as many as I can for the next few minutes. Thanks so much for you interest in the health and well being of your pups!!

_______________________

Dayton, OH: We have the sweetest English cocker spaniel but she is a "Jumper". How do we train her not to jump and not scare her. Thanks.

Laura Sharkey: The best thing to do to stop a dog from jumping on you is to ignore her. Do not talk to her, push her off or anything at all. What she wants most is your attention and you can teach her that as soon as she sits she will get what she wants and as long as she is jumping she gets nothing. Not even an "off" or a look at her. Good luck.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: I did it completely wrong with my 3-year-old Belgian Sheepdog (maybe not enough watching and nylabones?) and got a lot of chewed furniture as a result. What are your recommendations for keeping a new puppy from chewing the furniture?

Laura Sharkey: Get them addicted as puppies to appropriate items like pizzels, marrow bones, compressed rawhide, etc. Habits formed in puppy hood can last a life time. Whether it's chewing furniture or dog toys. Also you hit it on the head. Constant supervision is critical!!!

_______________________

Valdosta, Ga: I hope I get this in on time! We have an eight-month-old daughter who within the past month has become mobile (crawling). Our dog (3-year-old spaniel/hound/terrier), who had been ignoring her up to now, is suddenly very interested -- in a very aggressive way. It reminds us of how she plays with smaller dogs -- rough, nibbling, nudging. In addition, she is very into stealing her Cheerios and doesn't respond to our verbal commands to stop. Please help! Thanks!!

Laura Sharkey: Crawling children and toddlers are tough for dogs. You must never let them interact without supervision. If your dog is behaving aggressively toward your child you need to seek professional help immediately. Please please seek out a positive trainer.

_______________________

Gaithersburg, Md: Do you have suggestions on how to handle a puppy that growls and bites at strangers who get to close? This includes the vet and groomer.

Laura Sharkey: You are going to need some help. Aggression in puppies is quite abnormal and is a huge red flag for your future. Of course you only mention the vet and groomer. These are generally not positive interactions for your dog. Is he generally ok with other strangers but just hates the vet and groomer? You definitely need a puppy evaluation to tell you how serious of a problem you have. Good luck.

_______________________

Arlington, Va: Hi Laura,

Thanks for taking my question. I have used clicker training with both of my dogs and it has worked pretty well for most behavior issues. But there is one problem that has been unsolvable -- poop eating. I have consulted vets, dietary specialists, etc., to no avail. My only option at this point is to use a muzzle. Is there any way to train my dog to resist this urge -- at least long enough for me to scoop?

Laura Sharkey: Poop eating is a pain! The best thing to do to give you time to scoop is to teach a fantastic "off". Reward the dog with something better than poop, (your dog is saying...what could be better than poop??? ) and ask for a great off while you scoop. If you aren't right there though it can be a challenge.

_______________________

Takoma Park, Md: Hi Laura. I have an 11-month-old hound mix that has been acting weird in the morning around her food. We've always fed her once in the morning and once in the evening. Our routine in the morning has been get up, let her out, bring her back in, feed her, and walk. Our feeding routine is that I bring her food to the crate, have her sit and stay, put the food down, and release her. The past couple of weeks, she's been really hesitant to release and has started whining. If I put the food near her, she eats slowly and reluctantly. On our evening feed, she is completely happy to eat (and sometimes sprints into the crate to wait for me there) and does her normal food-vacuuming. Do you have any thoughts what's up? We have been giving her much less crating -- she's free during the day and hasn't been sleeping in the crate for a couple of weeks. But this behavior did not coincide with changes in her crate routine. She also may have finished a growth spurt -- should we think about feeding her once a day?

Laura Sharkey: I would try feeding her once a day. I am not sure why she would whine in the mornings. What I would do is put the food down, release her to it and walk away. If she doesn't it, fine, take it up after 10 minutes and just feed her normally in the evenings. Don't wait around in the morning to see what she does. Give her food and let her eat or not, then take it up. She could be associating the food with you all leaving, or she could feel like she's supposed to eat even though she doesn't want to. Take the pressure off of her eating and see what happens. Most hounds I know will eat when they are hungry!!

_______________________

Laura Sharkey: I am so sorry I could not get to any more questions but my hands are about to fall off from typing!!! Please feel free to call us at WOOFS! and we will be happy to help you. Also I would be delighted to come back and answer more questions in the future! Thanks so much for everyone's participation!!!

Happy Training!

Laura

_______________________

Bethesda, Md: Do you actually train dogs or just own this training center? You are telling the people whose dog wakes them up at 5 a.m. to put the in the crate and give it some sort of treat?!?! Are you kidding me? The dog will not learn to stop waking them up, it will simply learn that it gets a treat when it wakes them up. This is the WORST pet chat ever.

Laura Sharkey: I am sorry you disagree. If you read carefully my advice is to ignore the behavior and then give the dog an alternative thing to do. It is completely sound advice. I train hundreds of dogs a year, most with very positive results. Thanks for your follow-up.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.