Category: Top Dog

hi, i have a 12 week old puppy and is potty training indoors since she’s not fully vaxxed yet. i live in a dog friendly apartment in a busy city without a balcony so dont want to risk taking her outside to potty. i live in a studio apartment and i know puppies love the rug/carpet feeling so been putting pee pads on there but i really want her to potty elsewhere so she doesn’t get used to pottying there all the time. also she plays with her toys on the pee pads which i don’t want her to do since the rug is in the living room. do you think it’s worth putting the pee pads closer to the door/in the bathroom so it’ll be easier for her to transition or would it confuse her more?

my dogs and i were on a walk this afternoon and my newer dog (7 years old, adopted ~1 month ago) pooped and then tried to eat it while i was opening the poop bag. i know this is a thing some dogs will just try to do, but is it something i need to mention to our vet? never had this issue with my first dog so i don't really know how to react.

i don't think she's doing it because of boredom/stress or to seek attention. we get plenty of exercise and enrichment. she was a puppy mill mama before being in rescue and then ultimately coming home to me, but she has had recent bloodwork and testing done at the vet so i don't think it's a medical issue. she has not tried to eat other dogs' poop if we come across it on a walk, just her own today.

So, every time I go to the airport, I always see, without fail, larger dogs trotting around! All sizes from pretty small to very tall and large like a 50+ pound dog. I don’t understand because every single airlines I’ve checked (well, from the main airlines) say your dog needs to fit in a small carrier and fit under the seat in front of you. How are all these people bringing their larger dogs? I always tell myself I’ll just ask the next owner I see of a larger dog in an airport, but I sort of chicken out. I have a beagle, he’s like 30 pounds and not that big but just kinda misses the requirements to fit in a carrier small enough to fit in the seat in front of me… so how are these people doing it?! If you’ve ever brought your larger than 20 pound dog on an airplane please let me know how!!!

We have an almost 6 month old pitbull puppy and she is not potty training well. We take her on 2-3 walks a day, one being 30-45 minutes long, and let her in the yard every 35 or so minutes and she will NOT pee or poop on walks. She will get home and pee in the yard. She also pees in the house all the time. I’m talking up to 5 times just in the evening. She rarely poops outsidetoo. She is good about not peeing in her crate and will pee immediately on going outside after being in her crate. After she pees in the house she is at the point now where she takes herself to the door because I always put her outside after sternly saying “no!” After she pees. Tell me, how am I messing up?

Where are the single puppy parents!? I need some motivation!

My 11-month-old Rottie/GSD is HORRIBLE outside. Her ears turn off the second we leave the house, and getting her attention is next to impossible.

Her walking is the biggest problem. I have tried all types of harnesses and collars, and have been training her to walk nicely since she was four months old, but she is still extremely reactive. She will almost rip your shoulder out of the socket to chase after a leaf, or try to greet a person/another dog, even if that dog is on the other side of the road. While on a harness, she will even pull hard enough to stand on her back legs, trying to say hi to children.

I’m incredibly embarrassed she still hasn’t learned to walk nicely. I’m starting to dread walk time. Training methods I have tried include stopping, walking in the other direction, and walking her in a circle every time she pulls. I have also tried being a treat vending machine, using high-reward treats, and trying to get her to focus on me while passing others. No matter what I do, she will immediately begin to pull again.

It’s getting to the point I’m worried I may have to rehome her, as she is already able to drag me around and she’s not even a year old.