Category: Top Dog

I know it's largely me at fault for being too accommodating but I woke up and realized my life revolves around this dog. He chews the bed sheets so I'm currently sat on a bare mattress without a pillow. He demand barks. He digs. He has all the exercise and enrichment but it never seems enough. He has an opinion on everything and isn't shy to voice it. He humps and bites me every night. My home has been completely stripped back from anything that makes it soft and cosy because it's an immediate drawn to him. He has separation anxiety so I can't even leave him to nap I have to be with him and since he digs the sofa it means I'm sat in a cold kitchen or a bare bedroom while he sleeps.

I spent 3 months crate training but for whatever reason it did not click. He barked the entire time and couldn't do it to my neighbors anymore.

I'm constantly just tip toeing around this dog. I thought I was following best practices managing and habits, positive reinforcement but it feels like it's just giving in and my life and comforts are shrinking as a result.

This doesn't feel normal and I don't know how to break the cycle.

We have a 10 month old cavalier/poodle cross. With us since 3 months. Crate trained. A generally great puppy and very good and obedient.

Routine for the past few months – around 8pm take her for evening walk, does business, relax on couch from 9 to 9.30 when we tell her “bedtime” she takes herself into her crate, and we go to bed, no issues.

Starting 2-3 weeks ago – she has started barking in the mornings to be let out of her crate.

Usually we get up around 7.30am weekdays, and 8.30am weekends. When she first barked, it was around 8am on a weekend, and we thought maybe she just needs to go outside, no issues.

It’s now happening every morning, and it’s getting earlier.

Last week it was around 7.15am every morning. For a few mornings, I went down to her at 7am before she barked hoping it would stop the habit. But this weekend, she started barking at 6.45am both mornings.

All advice appreciated, thank you!

Hi All! I have a 4 month old Spoodle who thinks chasing and ‘attacking’ our cat is a game.

Our cat isn’t super bothered, she occasionally hisses, swipes or just hops the fence, but I am really wanting help with curbing this behaviour.

Our pup thinks it’s play but it’s getting out of hand and I’m finding it hard to control the dog when the car is around and gets riled.

Any suggestions would be amazing! Open to anything.

My 15 week old schnoodle has started barking for attention with increasing frequency. We do play with her a ton, give her enrichment toys, chews, lick mats etc. She is still 3 weeks off being fully vaccinated so can't go for outside walks yet. She takes frequently naps as well but the barking tends to come in short bursts when we are occupied with other stuff eg cooking dinner and she becomes bored with or finishes whatever chew/toy/etc she had to occupy her.

My question is is it better to ignore the barking completely or redirect somehow? My concern is any form of redirection would involve some kind of play, toy, or treat so it feels like giving in. Therefore I feel like ignoring is the best method but I have read conflicting advice online. I don't want to crate her as a punishment or time out. She is learning to "go to her mat" but still needs treats as encouragement so that also feels like a reward for barking. If we just tough it out and ignore the barking does it stop eventually?

Hello! I have a 17 week old Jack Russell, he came home when he was 7 weeks old (I know it was too early but their owner advised us to take him since mom had stopped feeding them and dad was being aggressive towards pups and had sent two to the vet). When he first came we started crate training him (he never slept in our beds during the night) but he never got used to being in the crate during the day, he will nap there during the day if I take off the top part tho.

Anyways, I’ve always known he’s too attached to me, but I though he would slowly grow out of it but I want to know what can I do to make him more independent. He’s always following me, even when I went to the bathroom he would start crying at the door (he’s stopped doing that a bit and if he cries he stops it after a couple of minutes). Before, I tried to train him by leaving the house for 1 minute, then 5, then 10 and so on, he seemed to understand and gradually stopped crying during the training sessions but outside of that he just starts crying whenever I leave. If I’m not home he usually stays with my mom or sister (and my other dog) but yesterday I went to the market and he stayed with my mom, apparently he kept going to the door and crying (lowly) my mom kept taking him to her room but he kept going back to the main door to whine.

But this is worse when he is left alone with no people, we put him in his kennel because he obviously can’t be trusted with “freedom” but I make sure to take him outside to play and I put toys and a kong with food to keep him entertained (I also leave some relaxing music playing in the background). But this doesn’t stop him from SCREAMING his guts out, he cries like this for around 2 hours and it can be heard even from way outside the house, he just screams like he’s being kicked or something and it stresses out my other dog. I don’t know how to get him used to staying alone??

Also, he doesn’t seem to cry when he’s outside without me. The dog trainer takes him out on his own twice a week and he never complains, she my mom takes him out he also doesn’t cry, and when I took him to the vet for a bath they told me he didn’t cry either. So I want to know how can I make him comfortable when staying alone at home. My other dog wasn’t like this, he whimpered a little but never cried as much as this puppy so I’m completely at lost. And if my puppy has separation anxiety is there a way to reverse it? I know it’s my fault since I’ve been taking care of him 24/7 since he came but I don’t want him to be like this forever.

Puppy fear

My Samoyed girl Zuri is 4 months old now. She used to love walking, I’d take her out 5 times a day to potty train her. 3 weeks ago she heard a loud car noise during our walk and got scared.

At first I tried to force her to walk because I thought she would get used to the fact that nothing is happening to her. Then I saw her get worse and did some research, so now I carry her downstairs and outside, put her down at the end of the road and let her walk home and give her treats when she’s calm. I also play some car noises sometimes at home because my apartment is very quiet and I wanted her to get used to the noise.

I go to a vet uni and I take her with me. She loves uni cos she meets her friends. I carry her to the bus stop and then she’s fine to walk the street from the bus to uni, then I carry her home.

It’s been a few days of this therapy and tbh I haven’t seen much improvement. I let her run around in the uni garden and today she heard a motorbike and got spooked even if she usually feels safe at uni.

Am I doing something wrong? She was so close to being potty trained it’s just so sad to see her be scared of outside when she used to love it so much 🙁

Hi I just adopted a cavapoo 8 week puppy 4 days ago, and she doesn’t seem to be food driven (never seen that in a puppy before – granted the few puppies I’ve interacted previously were labs), but I’m starting to suspect that it’s bc I don’t use any very stinky treats…

We went to the vet yesterday and she was crazy about canned soft cheese, but I recently lost my dog very suddenly (most likely undetected cancer) and I would prefer to start my pups life with healthy foods etc.

So I’m here in hopes there are crazy neurotic ppl out there like me who reads every ingredient on a package, thank you

Hello!! 3 days ago we got a 8-9 week old lagotto romagnolo. Hes a crazy little guy and a sweetheart and is getting out of his shell quickly. Id like to crate train him as soon as possible while he's still young. He sleeps in my room and makes no issues during the night, but I've read about a lot of benefits from crate training, so we got him a crate. Naturally, he's scared to go inside despite my encourages and treats that I put in. I put his blanket in too so he feels more comfortable. Today he poked his head inside to try and get the treat, but backed out and whined. Its too soon to assume anything yet, but i feel like im not doing quite a good job. Im probably just overthinking though because hes tiny, he just got here and everything is still new to him. I also put his food bowl inside (close to the exit) in case that might encourage him. Im looking for some advice, critique or experiences!

I've seen a few posts about a partner or older child coming home with a puppy they have adopted without the other family members knowing.
How does that work? is it different in the US from state to state?

In the UK to adopt a animal you have to have a home check and also pay a fair amount of money and you don't get the animal right away and not at all if you don't have a secure garden, or small children or cats if the dog has not been tested around them. many won't let you have a cat if you live near a main road, or a dog if you don't have a garden.

I feel the UK is a bit too strict but the USA not strict enough, or not?