Category: Top Dog

It's not humoristic post, really. I'm wondering what's wrong with him. Since i have him (8 weeks, now he's 8 months) he is unable to rest inside of crate (been crate trained, stops working randomly throughout a week without any changes in routine) he screams, whines etc., outside of crate too, he keeps pacing, walking, laying down, standing, jumping onto the table to snatch just about anything the most random stuff like a card he can't see from the floor, or poop bags (we try our best to not leave food on the counters), he jumps the counters, will steal anything small enough to fit in his mouth no matter if it's food, or nicknack, will steal socks off the laundry crack, or run to the bathroom to steal toilet paper roll or whatever else, he's not picky, when he's tethered to either me or a nearby furniture when i cook he's not happy, he whines, barks and stuff.
When he's outside he lays down and falls asleep on a spot or just runs a little and then falls asleep. I want to spend time with my puppy but i can't if he can't behave. We did everything with the help of the internet from the beginning, the calming protocol (without success, for 3 months), we train self control, as long as it's training it's fine, outside training, not working, he isn't interested in kongs or really in any type of chew that takes more than 4 minutes. We take mainly calm sniffy walks because every time i hope he will chill out after, and we sometimes play with other dogs.
I'm losing my shit i just want him to live with me. We never played inside, we sometimes train new stuff inside but rarely.
I don't need comments "it's teenage phase" he's been like that from the beginning.

HELP i don't even know who should i look for in terms of help. Trainer, behaviorist, vet…

Hi! I have an 18 week old puppy and live in a large apartment complex that’s extremely busy. We spent the majority of our time indoors (besides socialization) bc he was not fully vaccinated.

We started with indoor pee pads, then turf on the balcony and now Doggie Lawn fresh grass on the balcony.

Now that he’s fully vaccinated, I’ve been trying to transition him to go potty outside.

I know he has to go when I take him outside, but every time, he insists on holding it until we’re back inside, so he can relieve himself on the balcony.

Ideally I’d love to be able to keep the balcony option for early mornings/late nights since we live on the higher floors.

Do I just continue taking my puppy out on walks so he builds his confidence and is able to relax enough to potty outside? I want him to be able to go potty in both places.

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions/advice!!

I have a 9 week old Golden Retriever, and in preparation to get him I did a ton of research and planning for his breed and needs.

We’ve been pretty successful so far in a lot of ways! I got him when he was 8 weeks old, and so far he knows how to sit, recall, potty outside, and is crate napping on a routine! Buuuuuut of course the puppy blues still showed up 😂

I’ve read a lot about how hard the puppy blues can be, how long they can last, and that they will subside, but if you’re willing to share I’d love to hear what it’s like on the other side! ❤️

I have fallen in love with this dog who has been at my Airbnb for three days now he sleeps outside my house and he won’t leave us alone. I I am really thinking about bringing him back to Canada with me. Has anyone experienced doing this? If so, please give me feedback. I’ve looked into it and I think I could get this done. I have people here who could watch him after his shots since I am going home in seven days.

Hey, I am just looking for advice on how I can get ready for owning a Shepsky.

I have 2 kids I have 50/50 with their mum, I work from home with 1-2 days in the office. I have a big long house with a long garden which would be perfect for a dog to run around. And I have a lot of good parks and long walks nearby.

I want a Shepsky because they seem to be complimentary breeds they are family orientated from the German shepherd and playful from the husky. They also seem to negate some of the negatives from both breeds where they are less if an escape artist but also not as reactive.

I'm aware that cross breeds aren't always predictable but from what I have read they seem to fit what I want. I am also aware of their high exercise needs and have watched lots of videos about training a working dog. I am wanting to have a dog that needs lots of exercise because I am into fitness and want to do more of it, perhaps running with the dog using one of those leads that go around your waist.

I'm asking how will I know if I'm ready and I'm not willing to find out the hard way that I'm not a ruin a perfectly good dog. I read that both Huskies and German Shepherds are not good dogs for first time owners. But I'm 38 now, by the time I'm not a first time owner I'll be over 50 since I don't really think I have time for 2 dogs in the next few years.

So in summary, I feel like I have read enough to know this is the right dog breed for me and the lifestyle I want. But how is there anything I should be doing to make sure I am ready to take this dog on as a first time owner?

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend and I recently adopted a 4-month-old Border Terrier less than 72 hours ago. For some background, I’ve wanted my own dog for as long as I can remember. Ever since my boyfriend and I moved into our new apartment, I’ve been begging for us to get a dog.

I suffer from chronic depression and anxiety, and since my boyfriend works long hours, I thought having a dog would give me companionship and comfort while he’s gone.

But the puppy blues hit me harder than a truck. I’ve been terrified to leave her in her crate at night and feel like I have to watch her every second. I’ve had multiple emotional breakdowns — sobbing in my closet, feeling like I can’t breathe, and desperately wanting an escape.

The hardest part is that she’s actually very well-behaved for a puppy. She’s sweet, calm, and already starting to get attached to both of us — especially my boyfriend, who’s completely fallen in love with her.

But since I’m a full-time college senior, I’m the one caring for her most of the time. I've already started to fall behind on my school work as well. I texted the breeder to ask about returning her, and although I feel like I’ve already made up my mind to do it, I’m in a constant battle in my head — feeling like an absolutely horrible person for even thinking this way.

I love her, and I can tell she’s starting to trust us, but I’m scared because I haven't been able to balance school, my mental health, and her needs at the same time. I have a schedule made for her, but I just can't seem to follow it.

Has anyone else gone through this? How did you cope or make peace with your decision? I’m really struggling and could use as much advice and perspective as possible.

Hi, I currently have had 2 job interviews, one of which is for a small board and train facility, I would mostly be doing cleaning when each of the dogs are out of their kennel and also yard cleaning, and playing with dogs when/if necessary. I have 4 years of experience with dogs, ive been working at doggy daycare and boarding facilities, as well as briefly as a dog bather. I have the experience, im not worried about dogs at all, my only question is that I don’t really have the knowledge of train and board facilities. I have heard good and bad things about them. Is it ok if i take this job? I don’t like working at places that participate in unethical/abusive practices, my first animal job i had to leave because dogs were being neglected left and right due to high turnover rate. Under the impression that I get this job, do i go for it? I mean if anything, if i find that i don’t like the way that these people practice their profession I could always tap out in a few weeks/months, but im asking FIRST, do i do it, is it ok?

My parent’s dog is quite possessive and it’s making me concerned about behavior escalating. My dog, Moz (7 year old lab mix) and I are temporarily living with my parents. My dog is well trained and relaxed, and is often by my side or close by. My parents’ dog, Cal (4 year old Bernese Mountain Miniature Poodle mix) is not trained and is very vocal aka barks incessantly. We’ve had problems in the past with Cal going after Moz for reasons we can’t understand. I’ve been bit twice by Cal when breaking it up-didn’t break the skin. Moz will just run and hide by me and doesn’t fight back. I don’t want him to become reactive so I’m on alert to keep Cal away. In the last month, Cal has stopped this but he has become more possessive of me. If I talk to Moz, Cal will growl/bark/get up from across the room to try and get between Moz and I. The same goes for when I’m petting Moz or when Moz has a toy. I’m at a loss for what to do and am concerned about the behavior. My parents’ think he just “loves me” but I know this is possession and not safe behavior.

My wife and I are at our breaking point. We got our puppy on September 22nd. She was born June 23rd, 2025, and is a mini Aussie/Chi mix, about 4.5 lbs now. From the start, it’s been rough. The place we got her from sold her to us with tapeworms and giardia. She spent her first 1–2 weeks with us isolated and having constant accidents during treatment. The parasites are gone now, but the potty problems never stopped. She poops or pees in her crate or playpen with zero warning—no crying, no pacing, no noise—and then stomps through it and licks it. We’ve caught it on camera more than once. She’s extremely anxious and fearful; our nanny cam shows her micro-pacing back and forth before or after she goes. Outside, she often doesn’t “go all the way.” She’ll poop a little, then minutes later go again, sometimes outside, sometimes inside right after coming back in. Other times she refuses to go at all, just lies in the grass eating leaves or grass, and then tries to poop or pee inside her crate or on the floor as soon as we come in. We’ve spent thousands on supplies, vet visits, and training attempts: Smallest crate possible (18 inches) for her 4.5 lb size Tried covered vs. uncovered crates, playpens, and short free-roam periods Enzymatic cleaners, dividers, bedding, puppy pads Strict feeding and potty schedule Multiple alarms every 1–3 hours overnight and motion-sensor cameras so we can take her out the moment she stirs Even on “good” days—just one or two accidents—it’s constant vigilance and little to no sleep. On bad days it’s five to ten accidents, multiple baths, and mess everywhere. She’ll go outside, but never consistently or completely, and it always feels like one step forward, three steps back. We probably should have returned her when we found out she was sick, but we didn’t want her ending up neglected. We’ve done everything we can think of, but it’s wearing us down. Has anyone dealt with a puppy like this—severe anxiety, no warning before accidents, incomplete bowel movements, constant crate soiling—and actually seen improvement? Is there something we’re missing, or is surrendering her at this point the only option? We have already had one local trainee tell us she will never be fully trained based on her behavior and refuse to take her.