Category: Top Dog

I’m looking to have my currently 3 month old Siberian husky trained to be a service dog once he has all his shots.

I’m a disabled veteran who qualifies for a service dog under PTSD, however I’m seeing if there a program the VA recognizes someone can point me in the direction of.

Personally I think he would make the cut, he 3 months old and tonight I didn’t crate him because I had to drive to work in a severe snow storm, I’m watching him on my ring cameras and he just calm, no barking, no whining no nothing he just walking around occasionally going to his crate for a toy or to put a toy back in his crate then returns to the living room.

He does not even bark at other dogs, he also doesn’t get overstimulated easily I have legit been bringing him with me to some pet shops heck even a Reef fish store with lots of people around and he stayed so calm heck even one of the employees wanted to hold him and he was just wagging his tail all Happy remaining extremely calm.

I also don’t plan to neuter him because I don’t want him to have risk for joint issues and I also plan to possibly enter him into dog shows in the near future as something to do once I can no longer work in the next year or two because of my on going issues.

I may self suffer from joint issues namely hip issues thanks to Uncle Sam and that’s a fate I don’t want my dog to have to deal with because it just sucks, cold makes things stiffer and more painful to move etc.

I am also asking the same question in other subreddits and I’m getting a lot of suggestions on non profits I should reach out with.

I’m in the upstate NY area I’m within range of Utica, Syracuse, Binghamton. Albany a bit of a longer drive for me however I would be willing to make it once a week if I had too.

I’m a chronically ill college student and I’ve been researching about owner-training a service dog, and after discussions with an awesome trainer we decided to start searching for prospects from shelters (due to financial stuff). I recently started the foster-to-adopt process with the sweetest 6month lab! I’ve had her for about 3 days (super short, i know) but i’ve just been such an anxious mess and crying all day. When/how do you decided if finding another home would be best? One part of me wants to stick it out for 3 weeks and she how she acclimates but another part of me is already so tired and stressed. I’ve been worried on my end about it messing with sleep (which then causes flare ups) and also some disruptive barking/whining she’s been doing while i live with multiple housemates. I am also worried about not being able to give her enough time with college classes and work and then simultaneously resenting her for causing me to be in my house very frequently. Would love any and all advice!

I know this post may get taken down, but as of late I've noticed a trend where the subwill take down/lock any post that has remote negativity towards the OP. Oftentimes, when the advice is blunt, but absolutely needed. There are an abundance of posts about rehoming puppies, and people giving honest/blunt advice, and they lock it due to this being a subreddit for positive discussion.

I get it if there is hatred being spread, but people need the truth, and hiding the truth helps absolutely no one.

I had a post yesterday discussing this topic, and it got locked for quite literally no reason, and there was some extremely good insight in the post.

Perhaps im off basis here, but being here for years now, it's gotten a little bit out of hand as of late, sometimes tough advice is needed, especially when it involves a living creature, and them being mishandled.

11 month old small dog (8 lbs), 3 weeks with us, he goes outside whenever we take him but he has accidents in the house periodically and has no “tell” that he needs to go out.

Before you tell me to train him using a bell or whatever, I need explicit instructions as to how to do this. He’s currently either tethered to us or in an xpen 100% of the time because he’s not potty trained and eats things off the floor constantly.

So how can he learn to ring a bell stationed at the door??

I’ve met one dog in my entire life that was reliably potty trained in any environment and I’m beginning to think it’s not a real thing for most people who just get used to cleaning up pee and poop daily or weekly.

He can hold it all night in a crate so I know he has the ability to go longer periods of time, but I don’t even so much care about that – I don’t understand how we ever transition to letting him roam about.

Hi friends, I’ve been able to work from home for the first 2 weeks of having Rosie (now 10 week old golden retriever). I’d love recommendations on how to plan for a dog walker for midday, and any resources people have used to find a good dog walker. For reference, we’re located in the Denver area. Thank you!!!

Our girl is 2 but still very puppy like – normal for a flat coat! We are having a little parent guilt and are not sure if we are playing with her enough per day. She a 30+ walk (mostly off leash) in the morning and usually sees a dog friend for a quick romp! Then a leash walk for lunch, and the another longer walk in the evening or a run/off leash walk. On top of that, we will sometimes do some play during the day, and usually after dinner she gets a good 10-15 of either play or training. Try to intersperse training throughout the day and she gets two Kong snacks a day. Our problem is she does get pretty demand barking and insistent for attention during the 6-7:30pm witching hour….. so we are feeling like maybe she does need more play?

Our Goldendoodle puppy is 17 weeks old; we’ve had her since 8 weeks old. We live rurally, and therefore taking her out and about (beyond our road) to socialise is a bit more difficult.

She’s good in the car (was scared / anxious at first but has gotten consistently better each trip) and pretty bomb-proof at home. However, I noticed on our walk today – meeting several different leashed dogs and people – that she’s vary wary and unsure of meeting other dogs specifically. She seems to want to, but then runs and hides behind me. (All the dogs she tried to meet were very calm and well behaved). When we encountered one of those dogs for the second time (we looped in opposite directions) she was quite a bit more confident, albeit still shy, and ended up just getting pats from the other dogs owner. She does seem interested, just uses me as a safety measure. (Investigate and retreat, repeatedly).

I’ve only ever raised one other dog myself from a puppy; he’s a golden retriever (still with us, but not up to big outings anymore in his senior years). Senior dog has never met a dog he doesn’t like (he’s met some that don’t like him, and always accepted that easily) so this is new to me.

I’ve noticed her personality in general is much more cautious at first than my senior dog ever was – but with everything else she’s been exposed to, she just needs a little time to acclimatise and then she’s good. Should I assume this is the same and just keep doing as we are?

We currently have a foot of snow and it’s still coming down. My 15 week old Italian Greyhound Puppy (about 6 lbs) is officially on strike and is postponing all progress we have made on the housebreaking until the foreseeable future. We even shoveled a little path for her, but she has decided to pass on that opportunity. That is all.

Hey Y'all! I'm bringing home a new Golden Retriever puppy in the next few months and this will be my first puppy on my own and as an adult. I am hoping to do everything right for it and was wondering what y'all reccomend for traveling in the car. I definitely want a ruffland or gunner kennel down the road when the dog is fully grown but I didn't want to buy an adult sized kennel at this point if it isn't considered safe for a young pup. Should I buy a small ruffland and upgrade over time? Should I do a crash tested harness until they are big enough for a crate? I drive a 2010 Ford Escape for size referencing. TIA!

⁠Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

Not my first dog yes I have experience training

1. ⁠Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

Reputable breeder

1. ⁠Describe your ideal dog.

Lower shedding medium grooming good hiking partner quirky and slightly stubborn I like that in dogs also can be independent for a few hours

1. ⁠What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

Mini schnauzer and mini or small standard poodles because I like their looks and I use to have a mini schnauzer but would like more input on their personalities

1. ⁠What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

Basic training maybe a little bit of real

1. ⁠Do you want to compete with your dog

in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

No

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

As much as needed

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

1-2 hrs I plan on walks fetch off leash runs in a closed area

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

15 minutes a day

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for?

15-45lb

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

Shedding lower barking I don’t mind and lower slobber

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

Not that important

Dog Personality and Behavior

I like quirky funny dogs that have a mind of their own

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

A bit of both

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

Either

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

Standoffish but not aggressive

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

Yes

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

Yes

Lifestyle

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

2-3 hrs at most

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

Family will help with training and socialization

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

No

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

Yes

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

Rent no breed restriction weight limit is 90

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

America

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

It can get around 80s f summers and 20 f