We are the people who like "high energy dogs" like Min Pins. We have one very energetic Min Pin. She weighs only 8 pounds but she goes for a walk twice a day for about one and a half hours total. Even after the second walk, she could go for another walk. I bet she could walk for 5 miles easily.
Needless to say, we like our dogs this way. But I could see it would drive some people crazy to have a dog like ours. We are also fortunate to be able to give enough time and attention to our dog. Some busy families would not be able to spend one and a half hours walking a dog. Cesar is right again, you need to choose the right dog for your family life style.

Hi Jolene,

I'm not familiar with what dogs are less energetic than others, but I do know all dogs crave the company of their humans.
Getting two dogs to keep each other company would be providing a safe place to eat, sleep and get proper health care.
But, their emotional and physical needs may never be met. Dogs are social animals.

I can see you have a good heart and want to do what's best and since you've asked for opinions; yes, it probably would be best to get a goldfish.

Having said that, I would rather see two dogs who would otherwise not have any kind of home, have a home with you.

I hope I've come across with understanding, because I really mean well. :)

I have a dog that came from a rescue group. When I met her, she was very laid back and attentive to everyone who came to her crate. Then when I got her home, after a few weeks, she changed. Gone is the quiet, ladylike little dog. Instead, I now have a very hyper, easily distracted dog. I walk her once a day, and she's free to roam on our quarter acre lot for at least several hours a day.

My concern about our compatibility is not so much her unexpected high energy but our personality differences. I'd like to have a loving, friendly dog who pays attention to me and wants to be around me. She seems more interested in staking out her territory and doing her own thing. We train nearly every day and I reward her with encouragement, positive physical contact during the sessions, and she seems fine with that. But aferwards, I'd like to spend more time touching her, say at leat a few minutes, but her reaction is to simply walk away after a few moments. Honestly, my cats are more affectionate than she is.

I remember the dogs I had as a child and we really liked each other. I'm feeling rather disappointed with this new dog and unsure what to do about it.

MDW - the best chance you have is to give her a reason to want your attention. Learn how to do canine massage, then start on her slowly and carefully. As you get better, she will begin to enjoy being touched and that should help a lot. Most likely, since she is a rescue, she has never had an opportunity to learn how nice it is to be touched and petted. Massage is a good way to teach her.

Thanks for the tip about dog massage.

MDW...the other thing you need to start doing is walking your dog on a leash and the dog needs to be either next to you or behind you at all times. This is the most primal thing that you can do with your dog and he will bond to you as you will establish yourself as the pack leader. Make sure that you dont let him sniff and mark every single tree in the neighborhood as well as walking a good 45 minutes every single day. That goes for any dog you have in your life.

cj... website www.yourpurepredpuppy.com what's good/bad about lots of different breeds. it may get you started.

My boyfriend and I have two dogs that literally found us, both four years old, one a rottweiler/lab mix, and one a shepherd/shiba inu mix. The shiba mix has not been fixed, and the rott has. (the shiba will be fixed within the month) Both are sneaky maniacs! When we are around, they are docile and loving and understand their boundaries, but when no sooner do we close the door and they run to get in the trash or sneak up on the couch (not normally allowed) and jump back down when they hear us coming home.(We've watched through the window at this several times...) Also, since day one, they have been monsters on their leashes. We make time every day to play with them, and they go on (almost) daily walks, but they are bad enough that I have gotten complaints to my landlord (we have a house, we just rent) about "the girl who can't control her rottweiler"! How can we start a routine of them walking behind us?
The shiba mix can be aggressive towards other dogs at times, and is teaching the normally sweet-tempered rott his bad habits. Now both dogs bark like crazy whenever someone walks by the house or their yard. It is obvious the dogs sense our frustration and are establishing dominance, where do we start in curbing this behavior? How do we establish our leadership role? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Leah,
That's wonderful you have taken in two dogs that didn't have a home, I admire that.
You mentioned you play with your dogs, which is good, exept that Cesar recommends walking first and foremost. If playtime is viewed as "affection", then the order is wrong.
Cessar says, 1. Exercise 2. discipline. 3. then affection.

Walking high energy, large breed dogs is vital. It's the best way to establish yourself as the pack leader. When walking them, shorten the leash and keep them to your left side or behind. When they try and get out front, give a quick "yank" on the leash to put them back in the right place. Don't give them alot of room on the leash. And project a calm assertive energy. Dogs pick up on the energy we're projecting.

I would also recommend getting Cesar's DVD, "People Training for Dogs", and his book that is due out next month.

If you're getting complaints, then there might be trouble ahead, but all the problems you've discussed I've seen Cesar correct.

Good luck and let us know how things are going. :)

Leah,
Sarah is right about everything she said. If I can
change two 80-pound 4 & 6-year-old dogs just by
establishing myself as pack leader and watching/learning
Cesar's techniques, then anyone can! You can too!

Emily,
Are you exercising (walking on leash and play time) your
Boxer? If he's spending a lot of time in his crate, and
then just being let out and hanging around inside the
house with the family, he's not burning off any of that
energy. A one-year-old dog is still a puppy. Regardless
of age, all dogs need daily exercise. Cesar's #1 rule:
Exercise, discipline, then affection will probably solve
your problems. Your expectation should be that he will
stay that way "forever" unless you get him to burn off
that energy, and set rules, boundaries and limitations.
It sounds like his is bored. He needs stimulation and
challenges, plus leadership. I had an 18 y/o Lab who
was high-energy up until the very end -- she had to be
walked 45 minutes a day, or she was bouncing off the
walls.

Somewhat OT: anyone get Cesar's book yet? I understand my pre-ordered copy is waiting for me at Barnes & Noble. Can hardly wait to pick it up after work today. Woohoo!

Within the next week or so I will be taking on what my co-worker calls a "challenge from hell". She recently acquired a husky-elk hound mix pup after her border collie/collie mix pup had to be put down because her liver wasn't growing with her. He is almost 5 months old. She has only had him about a week and a half and is ready to get rid of him. I told her I would be glad to work with him, but she also has to be involved and consistent with what I teach her(not the dog). The first time I met this puppy, he was dragging her across the parking lot to see me. I caught ahold of the leash when he got to me, gave him a sharp tug, a "shhh" and finger snap and he sat down and paid attention! I was sure my co-worker was going to drop over when she saw this.
My husband is all for me working with this pup because he knows that since we can't have our own dog(yet), that I want to make sure that other people are happy with their dog(s)and that their dog(s) are happy, too. I will be taking this pup into our home for as long as it takes. My co-worker will be "visiting" to learn what "structure" and "dicsipline" mean. Calm, assertive pack leader will also be included in these lessons!
I believe that if she decides to get rid of him, the next person will not be any more educated than her. He is already displaying dominant aggressive behavior toward her, her boyfriend and her pomeranian. He will only get worse. At some point he will probably bite another person(God forbid a child) or dog and end up at a shelter only to be put to sleep. I want to head this off right now. With a little education and "tough love" I know he will turn out to be a wonderful companion. And if in the end she does still decide that he is too much dog for her...I know I can persuade my husband that he belongs with us!

Thanks you all for the links (and the corrected link too - dang it I wish we could go in and correct our mistakes - g)

Leah - I note the age and the breed of your dogs. One thing Cesar has emphasised is that "playing with the dogs does not count in his mind as exercise/disapline. Nore does going to the dog park. He considers them rewards/affection. (Sigh - rats, I only had to watch the episode about parkparks three times before I "caught" that understanding!)

The other think he keeps saying is that with the walk - he advocates 30 minutes minimum (and sometimes as long as an hour) for high energy dogs. Also your dogs at 4 are at the prime of their life (like mine). I just can't take a whole hour, nor more frankly do I have the stamina right now so what I do instead which has worked FABULOUSLY is to "walk the dog" by riding on my bike and turn that task into a job where first he pulls me (being right by my side so I still lead, then when he starts slowing down, I pedal as fast as possible to keep the speed up before the cool down where he is just trotting on the return home (my spin on Cesar's rollerblading walks.)
Hope some of these thoughts help!

Hi Cesar and everyone. I need serious advice. I have a 5 year old Chihuahua that is always calm submissive. Three years age my pitbull had to be put to sleep due to failing kidneys. My pitbull was always wonderfully behaved around the chi pup and never had any problems with her. I really miss having a dog that I can take fishing and do activities with, my chi won't participate as she always shakes or gets stressed on fun outings. So I am getting a Rottweiler pup. I live naer a dog park and a beach so I can exercise and train the pup. My worry is that the rott pup may chase my chi. I have tried rescueing shelter dogs but they were older and verry aggressive with her. How do I introduce the pup without having havoc on my hands and how do you show a puppy no touch when they are so playfull? Any advice would be helpful. I have alot of exp with large dominant dogs. Maybe I am worrying too much.

Jolene,

You might consider adopting a senior dog - 7-8 years of age for a large breed, 10+ years for a smaller dog - and of a "couch potato" temperament. S/he will still need exercise, but not to the extent a younger/more active dog would. Many senior dogs are content to nap the day away and snuggle up on the couch with you in the evening. There are also younger dogs of a temperament that would suit your lifestyle - I have a 4-year old American Bulldog boy who doesn't mind spending the days alone, as long as he can snuggled up next to me in the evenings. He enjoys a daily walk, but doesn't require any more activity than that to be content.

I think you can find a dog that fits your lifestyle, if you are patient and persistant in your search. I recommend you check with local rescue groups - both purebreed and all-breed; even if they don't have what you're looking for at the moment, they will keep you in mind and let you know when they get in a dog that would be a good match for you.

Good luck!

This is a huge pet peeve of mine. If my 120 pound Rottweiler was allowed to act like some of these little dogs do, people would have a fit. These people who own these little dogs and let them act this way anger me so much. Certainly size plays a factor in how much damage a dog can do when they are out of control, but the one underlying fact that remains is both little and big dogs can do damage. Bottom line, have your dog under control 100% of the time, regardless if the dog is big or small!

Carol,

Cesar recommends when getting a second dog to make sure the second dog has the same or lower amount of energy and the same amount or lower amount of submissivness.

Cesar says when we get a large breed and espically rotties we better know how to handle these dogs from "A to Z". Since you have experience with large breeds, I'm sure you know the A to Z components.

Cesar has done at least one show on introuducing another dog to the pack. He recommends walking the new dog first before he's "invited" into the home. Are you familiar with the proper way to walk a dog?

You say your chi is always calm and submissive, so I'm wondering why she gets stressed and shakes on outings?
We have had two chis, one passed in Dec., sadly but both love going places with us. Our dogs should be able to exhibit the same behaviors outside our homes as they do inside.

He also recommends the dogs meet on neutral ground.
Are you aware that Cesar says dog parks should not take the place of exercise, espically the structured walk? He says to walk the dog first, before entering a dog park and I'm sure the same applies to a beach.

Walking our dogs is the best way to become the pack leader, never allow your dog to walk in front, but rather at your side or even better, behind. Do not let the dog exit your home first, the leader exits first. If the dog does then he's walking you and taking over the role of pack leader. I hope I'm not repeating the things you all ready know...sorry, if I am. I mean well :)

I hope you'll consider getting Cesar's DVD, "People Training for Dogs" and his book due out within days.

I have a special place in my heart for chis and I would be extra careful of bringing in a large powerful breed into my home. I would only do this if I was sure of how to handle the breed and had the proper training on how to deal with two breeds and making SURE they understood I was the pack leader.

Good luck.

Aha! I just read Cesar's blog about transmitting
fear energy. It now makes sense! My dogs freak
out about the one particular neighbor/family because
the dog they once owned was constantly making people
and other animals afraid. The dog has been gone for
months, but the yard, house and people are probably
still associated with fear. Very interesting!

I'm single, a workaholic and have two dogs, but I also have a well fenced in 2 acre piece of land. To Jolene who's wondering goldfish vs doggie I'd say, if getting a dog is your dream and you have the space, go for it. But if you're just renting.. I'd say go for the fish. You really need some time to establish boundries and limitations with your pet before going off and being a workaholic. I work 11 months of the year and I had at least a month to work with my dogs before getting all busy.
My dogs see me off to work, and when I return they get play time on nice days and time to rest on their pillows in the evening. But their job is to protect the property.. keep away preditors of the 2 and 4 legged type. I'd say my dogs are balanced beings. They know the rules and they don't expect a whole lot from me. Both were pound puppies. I have a 7 year old who gives them a good run about the yard... they follow him.
I'd say it's about time and space. If you have the time to research breeds and then set the rules for your home, and the space required for them to run around during the day, then go for it.

LoraLye try to crate train. Sounds like the little guy has controll of the house. Also is he neutered? If not, he may smell a female somewhere in heat and he is marking. Also have your vet check for a urinary tract infection cause that will make him pee everywhere. Hope this helps. Lots of luck!

Hi, I too am interested in this subject because after years of having larger dogs we have acquired a Toy Fox Terrier puppy. I am teaching him not to bark at other dogs or strange sights and he never, ever gets to be held in my arms and behave inappropriately.

I think that one thing that people need to consider about a lot of toy dogs is that they bark more readily than bigger dogs in response to similar stimuli, at least in my opinion, so training out the bark takes more time and determination than a lot of big dog (and small dog) owners realize.

I also wish that more little dog owners would take the time to discourage rude little dog behavior and encourage good little dog social skills. My little guy heels and has done so from the first. He is used to walking on all four legs and gets lots of exercise. Sometimes I do put him in a bag for convenience sake, but he spends very little time there.

Another thing to know about putting small dogs in bags is that they can actually get spinal problems and other problems from lack of good posture and lack of muscle development that they would get naturally by walking and playing on the ground.

I have an 11 week old long hair chihuahua that has two major problems... he is petrified of strangers and he will fight and snarl if you try to touch the top of his head or the back of his neck.
My vet suggested finding a treat that my pup likes and keeping it with me for strangers to give him, but my puppy is not food driven... when a stranger approaches he dives into the crook of my arm and I wrestle him away from me, hold him gently and offer his side to the stranger to pet (never his head, I do not want him to snap at them out of fright), I stay calm and allow him to return to my arms and his comfort zone after the stranger leaves. The biggest problem is that he has snapped at two Vets, the first time my husband dove to his rescue and hovered over him nervously(which is a major no-no) the second time I had my husband sit down before the vet entered and when the pup went to snap I put him on his back with a firm "no" he calmed and stayed on his back while the vet checked his eye (he had run eye first into a tree and had bark in it) then let him stand and the vet even got a wag out of him when she petted him. (he was cringing and looking at me constantly but allowed it). What can I do about this people socialization problem? He has no problem with other animals, but people terrify him. I take him everywhere I can with me and remain calm and confident but to him a stranger means danger.
The other problem is the head and neck thing... we work on it all the time both in training and in play, every time I barely touch his scruff he tucks tail, snarls and bites and I put him on his side, give a firm 'no' then gently scruff him... the first times I did this I got some nasty bites, he still struggles now but gives in much faster, but every time it is a battle. If I go to touch the top of his head it is the same thing... I can play with his ears, I can play with his teeth and tongue and that never causes troubles... any suggestions?
He starts puppy kindergarden in a few days... though he was housebroken from the start (8 weeks old) and never had an accident and already knows how to sit, release toys on command and has for the most part mastered the command "steady" (comes in handy when he is weighed or his temp taken at the vets) holding still until the "ok" command is given. The only time the "steady" command fails is when it comes to strangers, when he goes frantic, and when it comes to the top of his head and the back of his neck.
Thank-you,
Penny

I have just found this blog site after searching the net for Cesar's show times. I think Cesar is amazing! Since getting our little maltipoo 2 months ago, I try to watch Cesar anytime I can for info. This is our first family dog and I must say I'm a bit disappointed! We love our little guy dearly, but he gets aggressive and doesn't listen sometimes. For the most part he's a good little dog but we want him to be a good little puppy all the time! First of all, he was my 9 yr old daughter's bday gift, yet he doesn't seem to care much for her. Seems to me that he sees my husband and I as "Mom & Dad" and my daughter as "big sister" - he loves her sometimes but gets annoyed and aggravated by her at other times. The problems are: he gets aggressive toward strangers. he snaps at my daughter if she is trying to remove something from his mouth that he shouldn't have and he does this to me sometimes also. He's even growled at her for picking him up, etc. (He doesn't do this to my husband at all anymore since my husband slapped his nose, which I'm not sure is appropriate, though it worked.) He also fails to listen sometimes while he is outside pottying, and last he will not stop barking even when he tell him to stop. We haven't taken him walking yet (I researched the maltese breed and they required little daily exercise which is one of the reasons we chose him, however after learning of Cesar's #1 rule of walking we are going to start that). I'm also concerned because my parents are getting a new pug who is 2years old and we spend a lot of time together, therefore we want these dogs to get along! Does anyone have any suggestions or advice for me? Also, one last thing: other day a neighbor's small dog came running into our yard, I remember Cesar saying not to snatch the dog up and "overprotect" so I just sat there and watched them. Well all of a sudden the other dog starts to bite our puppy so then I did snatch him up quickly. What am I supposed to do in this situation? We love our Tiger dearly and will do whatever it takes...

I have two little yorkies, one 6mos, and the other 12mos. My 6mo. is perfect, she is potty trained and loves interaction with other dogs and people. On the other hand my 12mo old is scared of everything, when we ride in the car she shakes uncontrollably and sometimes salivates so much that she soaks us and herself. But the biggest problem with her is her potty training. Her biggest mistake is that she will always urinate in her bed or any where she wants to lay. If I turn my head she gets on our bed and makes a "nest" of sorts by rearranging the blankets, she then urinates on them and lays down. What is going on? Please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you.

I M SICK!!!

Hi! I have an 8 month old lhasa apso named Rocco. He has some behaviors I am kind of concerned about. He only cares to follow me around and my kids want to play with him but he just grabs his toy(s) and walks off when they come near him. I do make him sit and let them pet him but how do I make him not be jumpy with them? He is also extremely stubborn and I've been trying to work on sit/stay but he will not stay because he feels he must see me! And the whining...how do you make a dog stop whining?? He sleeps in the laundry room (can't be trusted at night to sleep somewhere without wandering off and going potty somewhere, otherwise he is usually ok, but i keep an eagles eye on him all the time) and will whine to no end. I say "no" and "shhh" but he just keeps whining....Oh the stresses of doggy training! Thanks for any advice :)

I have a great dog who loves everybody except one person, my neighbor - a little old lady who loves dogs, has one of her own and would love to be friends with my dog as well. The day I brought my 'rescue' Yorkie home she came over to greet him; she often carries bags when she shows up on the scene as she did that first time and they got off to a bad start - he barked & growled. We've tried different approaches (she brings him a treat which he'll begrudgingly take but the next time it's growl central again. He really seems to dislike her - any ideas?!

"Rocco's Mom says:

And the whining…how do you make a dog stop whining?? He sleeps in the laundry room (can’t be trusted at night to sleep somewhere without wandering off and going potty somewhere, otherwise he is usually ok, but i keep an eagles eye on him all the time) and will whine to no end. I say “no” and “shhh” but he just keeps whining….Oh the stresses of doggy training! Thanks for any advice"

Well, Rocco's Mom, it is never to late to start crate training, it sounds like Rocco is king of the roost so to speak. Crate training is not cruel, the crate will become his "safe place" when it is time to go to sleep and if you have to leave the house for any extended peroid of time (not to mention that you will not find any suprises when you get back). He will not like the crate at first and will complain, but stick with it... he will soon see it as his den in the home and will even seek it out when he wants to sleep in peace.
As for the other issues, I would suggest an obedience class for Rocco, and bring the kids along, they can learn how to work with him the right way and he will learn that in the pack, they are above him and not to be ignored. He is ignoring the kids because he sees them now as inferior, if he saw them as above him he would seek them out for attention and recognition.
One thing to remember... play and praise only comes after work, just because he decides that it is time to play doesn't mean that is so, you and your family are in charge... you decide when it is time to work and when work is done, not him.

I have a 10 month Dalmatian. She is very small only 29 pounds. She is a jumper, can literally jump to my eye level at 5'3". Twice I have had guests over and in the course of playing with them has cut their lips. They and I thought that it was a matter of "she jumped up and they bent over and they hit heads". She never barked, growled or expressed anger, but both times their lips were cut or bruised. I recently fly her home and while she was jumping around my mother's legs it happened again, but this time when my mom straightened up from bumping faces with the dog, my mother's lip was severely severed. She and I thought they bumped heads until my mother moved he hand from her mouth. The dog never growled, snapped, or barked. My mother doesn't think the dog meant it and I love the dog, but now there is a pattern and I don't know what i did wrong or what to do. Please help.

We've been having difficulty with our Cockapoo, Joey, that we "rescued" when he was 7 months old from our granddaughter's home. They have a 3 year old son, live in a second story condo, and have no yard. They had no time for a dog.

We have a dog door that all three of our dogs use but Joey will mess in the house from time to time for no apparent reason. I have also discovered that he has wet here and there but I don't discover it until it's too late. Sure wish we lived in LA.

We've seen Cesar's programs where he stresses exercise. We have 10 acres and our Lab goes out with my husband when he feeds our horse and chickens and never runs off but if we let the little ones out of the fenced yard, they run. My husband walks them when the weather permits but he's found an even better solution.

My husband has discovered the treadmill. Yes, he uses it but so do our Pekinese and our Cockapoo. Two days ago, he put both of the little dogs on their leashes and the three of them got on the treadmill. The Cockapoo was a little spooked but the Pekinese took right to it. After the third time, all he has to do is walk up to it and they climb right on. Boy, did they sleep good last night.

I'm hoping that it will make a difference in Joey and his "marking" habits. Any suggestions you may have for this problem would be greatly appreciated.

One thought about Cesar's comment regarding small dogs being carried around in a purse. Sometimes it is because the owner likes carrying their dog in a little bag like a pack of potato chips, but sometimes it is simply the only way they get to enter a building with us.

More and more stores are no longer allowing people to stroll in with their dogs...even hardware stores...that our choice is to leave the dog home or stick them in a doggie "purse" and bring them along.

I have such a bag, which is also airline-approved, just so my toy dog can accompany me on the weekend's errands. She walks much of the time, goes for several walks and potty-breaks during the day's rounds, but instead of being left in a car (can't do that this time of year because of the heat), she comes with me into the stores.

Personally, I would much rather be able to just walk into stores with her on lead, but enough irresponsible owners abound that priviledges for the rest of us are being continually revoked. Am I the only one who finds that frustrating?

I wish everyone who owned dogs would abide by a few simple rules of responsibility:
1. Pick up your dog's poop. Every time. No exceptions.
2. Keep your dog under control. Always.
3. Socialize your dog, so it doesn't bite, snarl, jump on, scare or injure other people or pets. Ever.
4. Of course, give proper food, water, exercise and medical care to your pets. Always.

Failure to follow these simple rules is why so many "No Dogs Allowed" signs are appearing with increasing frequency. I have not done a formal survey, but personal observation indicates that rule number one is most often broken and most often the reason for banning pets (from beaches, parks, apartments, hotels, etc). My own view is, if someone isn't willing to do all of the above, then they are really not yet ready for the responsibility of pet-ownership and perhaps would be better served if they just got a plant.

my best friend has a jug and she is 1 years old and i train the dog i feed her and walk her 7 times a day and she still has so much energy Cesar wat shud i do i read ur books and watch ur shows tell me wat to do p.s i am only 13 years old

Descriptions of poker pubs their atmospheresnxb

I have a 11 wk blue female pitbull. when i got her the guy said this is the first time she's been outside. when i picked her up she was in a dark basement. However, i take her outside on the hour and for walks with my other pitbull thinking she will follow his lead she dont at all. after a long walk and sometimes being outside for 5-20min she do not use the restroom she waits til she gets back in the house. when shes outside she just sits in the grass and lay down. i get really madd. what should i do to stop this?