Now and then, a dog owner asks me about a quirky problem behavior that they're trying to overcome with their dog and exactly how to solve the issue. They might know my Perfect Dog system inside out, yet somehow they feel stumped on the one particular habit because it's slightly different from common problem behaviors. They suddenly hit a mental roadblock thinking they were never taught how to deal with this one.

This picture is a popular social media post right now and it needs to be addressed. In essence, I very much agree with the sign’s message. Absolutely, please at least have full voice control over your dog before allowing him to enjoy the privilege of off-leash freedom, especially when in public environments, and especially always respect other people’s (and their dogs’) wishes in terms of social interaction (or not) . . .

So, here’s where my additional comments come in regarding the sign. I would love to add an encouragement to all dog owners . . .

When dog owners are having problems with housebreaking training, they can be tempted to allow all kinds of leniency in order to resolve the issues. Nothing is set in stone as to what you should or shouldn’t allow, but you should be mindful that what you allow can sow problematic seeds that quickly, or eventually, grow into new and bigger problems.

My dog spent a week at my sister's house and now my dog is acting a little bit aggressive. What the heck? She has never barked at me unless she was playing. She has been pacing the house and wants nothing to do with me. What do I do?

It depends on the stage of training you’re at with your dog. If you’ve just started training then you should limit the sniffing and the freedom to wander and explore the surrounds because your dog is still learning to listen to and respect you.

QUESTION:

Whenever our two dogs play fight, my puppy likes to bite my Golden’s ears, legs, or anything she can grab. She will pull at them and sometimes shake her head. Is this innocent play fighting, or is this aggressive behavior that needs to be corrected?

QUESTION:

Hi, I have a Mountain Cur. He’s 3 months old. It will be my husband’s hunting dog and my companion. My question is, does your training work for every dog? I do want to have a well behaved, fun dog. Thank you!

After browsing various reviews online, I’ve noticed that some dog owners are trying to cut corners by purchasing just my Command Collar. Hence, it’s important to emphasize that people who try to use the Command Collar by itself (without the other elements of my system) will almost definitely face some struggles and will not realize the fullness of the potential results.

For those who are yet unaware, I have been having issues with counterfeit products being made and sold by knock-off companies and selling them on Amazon.com and other online stores.

Before reading the following, please remember to ALWAYS properly balance your corrections with lots of praise and play as the best rewards for compliance and good behavior. This is the essence of my Nature-Based Discipline, Praise & Play Method™, and it is what makes my Perfect Dog® system so successful.

Before petting a dog, the common societal practice is to slowly hold out the back of the hand for the dog to sniff, offering it up as a gesture toward acceptance or permission to approach. Whilst this is a wise move when in the presence of a strange, untrained dog in order to guard against possible aggression, it’s something I firmly discourage when training your own dog.

Many dog owners have no idea how their weak leadership and uncertainty is impacting on their dog. Lack of confidence can negatively affect a dog’s behavior in many different ways.

QUESTION:

My daughter has an Australian Shepherd. My daughter moved three and a half hours away, taking “Stella” away from two other family dogs. She’s not much of a barker until she runs her in agility trials. Stella non-stop barks through the whole run to the point of not being able to finish the runs. She didn’t do this until they moved. How do they fix this? Do you have training for a dog that only barks during agility runs?

QUESTION:

I have purchased your Perfect Dog system and watched the DVDs many times. I understand and enjoy your methods. My one issue is the potty training. My dog is in her crate and I take her out hourly to her bathroom spot. She doesn’t go potty even if I stand there for 45 minutes. I put her back in the crate and she potties in the crate, never giving me any warnings that she needs to go to the bathroom (and she will happily lay in it). I do not let her see me clean it up and I do show it to her along with a correction, but she still potties in her crate. What should I do now?

QUESTION:

My dog is doing great with your program! One problem: When I play fetch with him, he continues to drop the ball before I can get it. How do I get him to hand it to me?

QUESTION:

Hi Don Sullivan. I see a lot of people and trainers incorporating e-collars in teaching basic obedience commands like Sit, Stay, Down, etc. which I feel is unnecessary – just like clickers. Rather, I only use an e-collar as a corrective tool if Max is playing at a distance and needs correction. Any suggestion or thoughts?

QUESTION:

I’m on day one of training. My 5-year-old Puggle knows the basic Sit, Down, and Stay commands, but I have a question relating to Sit. Whenever I place my dog in a sit position and then tell her to stay, she lays down as I walk away from her. Is this ok?

QUESTION #1:

Have you ever heard of a dog refusing to eat because of separation anxiety? My dog hasn’t eaten consistently for two weeks.

QUESTION:

My dog is a frustratingly finicky eater. Every meal time she nuzzles through her bowl to pick out all of the tinned food that I’ve mixed with kibble and then she leaves all of the kibble scattered over the floor.

The following is a copy of the response I offer people who post unfounded, critical comments about my training system/method. I feel for these people because they are simply in ignorance – brainwashed by all kinds of influences (which I discuss in my book).