QUESTION Toffee my Cocker Spaniel has two six month old puppies which we would like to keep. This may not be possible because she is attacking everyone who comes into our house or garden. Jim Williamson.
 ANSWER I asked Mr. Williamson to let Toffee out from the area where she was with her two puppies in the garden. She ran up to me and I completely ignored her. We then let the two puppies out and I continued to ignore Toffee and her two pups. I showed no threat to any of them and Toffee was not at all interested in threatening me in return.
Toffee had a habit of running up and down the garden fence, barking at anyone walking on the other side. I asked her owner what Toffee was being fed on. He said she normally ended up eating the puppies complete dried food. The protein level was much too high for an adult dog and was making Toffee hyperactive. I asked Mr. Williamson to make sure that Toffee was fed separately and was not returned to the puppies until they had finished eating. I asked about the exercise the dogs were getting. It seemed that most days they would not get a walk as they had a large garden. It was agreed that they would all get a good run off lead at least once a day so they could divert their excitement to the run rather than to chasing neighbours and friends out of boredom! Toffee and her pups are now much more relaxed about friends and neighbours popping in.
QUESTON Fifi, my 5 month old Yorkshire Terrier, has separation anxiety. She follows me everywhere, barking and screaming all day long. I can’t even go into another room and close the door without her barking constantly. It really is getting me down. I can’t cope any longer and need to have Fifi rehomed. Sarah
 ANSWER This was quite a serious problem as it was continuous and had got Sarah down 24 hours a day. I discussed sorting the problem out for her but it had got so bad that she had already made up her mind that she wanted to bring Fifi in for rehoming. So that was that. Fifi arrived a few hours later and she followed me around barking or screaming constantly. I could see how this had frazzled Sarahs nerves! I put a soft fabric lead on Fifis collar and every time she barked I checked the lead and said ‘no’. I held the lead for one minute without looking at Fifi and without saying anything. I then dropped the lead and walked away. I continued this throughout the day. She barked a few times during the night and I went downstairs to give the same correction. Fifi was a gorgeous fluffy bundle, but I had to ask all visitors to the house not to make a fuss of her while she was undergoing her training as she had to be demoted within our pack and realise that she would only be made a fuss of when we decided it was the right time. After two days Fifi had changed from a barking, stressed, panicking dog to a quiet, relaxed, happy one. She then went on to a lovely new home where she is very happy.
QUESTION Hardy, our one year old Westie, becomes very aggressive when we ask him to get off the furniture.
 ANSWER Even though Hardy had been taken to obedience classes and indeed had earned his ‘silver medal’ he had not been disciplined enough at home. By getting on the furniture he felt that as he was physically higher in his home he was psychologically higher in his ‘pack’. He had been allowed to get on the furniture when it suited his owners, but when they wanted to sit down he was asked to get off. Hardy was so confused. One minute it was his territory then it was being taken over by James and Clare! I explained that rules with dogs must be consistent and if they didn’t want Hardy on the furniture when they were in the room then he should not be allowed on it at any time. I then went on to ask his owners not to let him walk through doors in front of them so that he would be demoted within his pack. Hardy should also eat after his owners had finished their food. After a few days Hardy soon became a much more relaxed, happy dog, knowing the boundaries within his home and learned that once a rule had been made he had to stick to it. James and Clare could then spend the evenings together on the settee without being forced off by an angry dog!
QUESTION Leyla is a two year old Dobermann bitch which we got from a rescue centre a year ago. We have only been able to let her off a lead once or twice and now cannot let her off at all as she chases everything that moves, particularly birds. As soon as she has her freedom she dashes off out of sight and we cannot get her to come back. John and Audrey.
 ANSWER We let Leyla off the lead and sure enough she raced off so fast over the horizon and out of sight. I asked John and Audrey what they would normally have done at this particular moment. They said they had a squeaky toy with them and they would normally squeeze this and call Leyla. Sometimes she would come back, but not without several attempts. We turned back without Leyla and after a few minutes she returned without being called. I taught John and Audrey everything about pack leadership and then took Leyla in for a days training to work to the whistle as we needed to get her back immediately if we needed to. Leyla now runs free every day and she still enjoys chasing birds as they are flying above her but she comes back when she is asked.
QUESTION Charlie is a four year German Shepherd dog who is generally well mannered but pulls on a lead. We find it difficult to control him as he is a large, powerful dog. Kay and Steve

ANSWER I put Charlie on a half check collar and corrected him when he pulled. Within a few minutes he was walking beautifully by my side. I then went on to do some basic obedience training with him, teaching him to sit, lay down, stay for a few minutes and the recall. I also taught him to walk close to heel off the lead. Showing dominance over him meant that he then was happy to walk on a lead next to his owners side without pulling them along.
QUESTION Taz is a 3 year Staffordshire Bull Terrier Cross who has spent two years of his life in rescue kennels. We cannot rehome him because he is aggressive towards other dogs, he chases cars and he cannot be let off a lead because he runs off and does not return. Michelle Baker of Arc Rescue.
 ANSWER I took Taz out in the field while Michelle handled Griffon, my German Pointer. We had both dogs on leads. I walked Taz past Griffon and sure enough he lunged forwards to challenge him. As he did this I sharply pulled him back and asked him to ‘leave’. After a few minutes he took no notice of Griffon. I then got two more large dogs out and we went for a walk with Taz and the other dogs running free. I used the same training method when he chased a car. He chased the first car that came along. Once I asked him to ‘leave’ he wasn’t interested in chasing anything else that came up the road and was walking along very nicely on a slack lead ignoring all traffic. I put Taz on a long training rope and let it out to see if he would come back from a short distance when I called him. He did. That was a good start! Let’s go for it, I thought. We will let him off and see what happens. I asked Michelle not to speak to Taz at all during the walk. After two or three minutes we turned direction and walked the other way. This took Taz by surprise so he followed us. We gave no verbal commands. We were out for 45 minutes and Taz stayed near us throughout the walk. He had to keep an eye on us and keep track of where we were. Michelle now takes Taz out with her other dogs and he is quite relaxed and happy.
QUESTION I have an 11 month old Poodle which has already been spayed at the age of 11 months. She barks constantly in the house and always when I am preparing food in the kitchen. I am at the end of my tether and am seriously thinking of rehoming Molly because of her bad behaviour. Mrs. Hardcastle.
 ANSWER Molly had been given so much fuss and attention since she had lived with Mrs. Hardcastle at the age of 7 weeks. She was sleeping in the bedroom and was always allowed on the furniture. It did not take her long to learn that if she barked she would get the attention she was looking for, even if it was being pushed away and being shouted ‘No’. I asked that Molly be brought to me straight away at 8.30 that morning as she was in fact due to go back to the breeder for rehoming that day! I ignored Molly all day, even when she jumped up and scratched the kitchen door when I left the room. I took her for a nice long walk and returned her home at 7pm. Before taking Molly into the house I asked her owners not to speak to her, touch her or look at her. They were absolutely amazed at the change in Molly and Mrs. Hardcastle even managed to prepare the dinner without Molly barking! I spent some time with them, giving them instructions for Molly not to be allowed in the bedroom or on the furniture so that she would be demoted within their ‘pack’. Molly is now a very well behaved little dog who does not bark unless someone comes to the door and of course she is not going to be rehomed!