Category: Top Dog

Good evening everyone Recently for a Shi Tzu puppy at 4 months. We started initially crate training at night and that is going well with mild yelling at night til she falls asleep.

We’ve been training her on puppy pads in the house, one in central part of the house and one by the patio door. She’s been getting better letting us know she wants to go outside whether to explore or potty. I take her straight outside every morning until she goes potty.

What we’ve noticed is that during the day she is peeing on the pad once or twice, but then immediately starts peeing in different parts of the house and even pooping in different locations.

On top of all that she’s eating her poop, or at least playing with it and smearing it.

I give her praise and treats when she goes outside or on the pad and am working on putting her on the pad regardless if she gets it right. We’re getting worried she’s regressing or just doing whatever she wants.

Don’t get me started on the puppy biting.. but one thing at a time

Thanks!

October of last year, I got a puppy. He's around 5-6 months now. I don't know the exact age because he was a stray.

Everything with the puppy is going great so far. He's been with me for around 2 months now, and as I'm typing it, I'm realizing it feels like so much longer actually. He's been to the vet a couple of times already, he's in good health. I potty trained him, accidents around the house are getting rare now. He's a great puppy, really. Has a lot of energy, but he listens to basic commands.

The problem is, also last year in august I got a kitten. And I love her to death. She spent all her time with me, scratched at my door whenever she wanted in and I wasn't in other parts of the house. Cuddled a lot, played a lot, napped a lot. Ever since I got the puppy I've been carrying this guilt with me that she hates me now. She doesn't act all that different I guess, but I've noticed she stays in my bedroom less now. Her and the puppy are getting along pretty great actually, they're both close in age so they're both energetic and playful. The problem is I don't get any alone time with her because the puppy jolts up at the sight of her. That's why I began separating them.

Another thing is, I live in a big house and on the other side of the house which I don't use lives my brother. And because I've been busy between training the puppy, working, doing things around the house, hosting christmas and new year, she's been spending more time with him. He loves her and gives her attention because he simply comes back from work and spends all his free time in his part of the house. So he's got a lot of free time. In a way, he's been helpful but I also feel like she hates me now because I've been neglecting her. And maybe it's selfish but I'm afraid she'll start liking my brother more than me. Maybe I'm jealous a little.

Does that make sense? She doesn't act much different, she is just more cautious because of the puppy when she's around my place. She still loves to cuddle and play, she greets me when I call her, but at times it feels like she stays away and avoids me? Maybe I'm just too stressed out about it. I love the puppy but she is my baby and I don't want her to feel left out. It's just that a puppy is so much more work than a cat.

My whole life I've been around cats and it's easier for me to deal with them, but this is the first time I've had to train a puppy, both potty and simple commands. He's also pretty jealous so there's another thing we have to work on.

I don't know, it's like 2 am as I'm writing this, I'm overworked and overwhelmed and I need someone to tell me I don't have to worry about it too much, or that I'm too paranoid and she doesn't hate me. I'm just so stressed out about it, I've been crying every time I start thinking about her hating me.

Lastly, I will start spending more time with her, I will make adjustments and will work on getting more alone time with her. Even if you people of reddit do come to the conclusion she does, in fact, hate me, will she start liking me again if I spend more one on one time with her? Please help before I lose my mind over this.

Edit: as I'm rereading the post I realize it's all over the place and I apologize if you've read this far, I'm simply sleep deprived and stressed out to the point of losing sleep over this conundrum.

Just as the titles says. I am feeling super discouraged over potty training. We’ve had our King Charles Spaniel for about 4 months now (he turns 7 in January). I have tried everything to get my puppy to be potty trained but nothing seems to work. I’ve tried rewards after every break, taking him out every hour for 15 minutes, walking with him with a leash.

I’ve also tried putting him in his crate for about 15 minutes after his break (when he doesn’t go) then taking him back outside. He still does not use the restroom. Even after all of it, giving him enough to use the restroom the minute we bring him in he pees

Nothing seems to work he refuses to go outside.

I am just feeling discouraged and have no idea what to do. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

I think I'm just looking for reassurance. We have an 8 month old black lab, who is a big goofball with a loud voice. Loves everyone and every dog is his new best friend, but has a problem with understanding that not everyone/dog wants to play with him.

We have been working on him barking at other dogs (not aggressive, wants to run up to them and play). Has never attacked anyone, and actually is the first one to back down when there is an assertive dog. I've essentially never had to worry about him being aggressive. He is not neutered yet, and we are going with our vets recommendation at 12 months for his health

We are regulars at our local dog park and we've never had problems with any of the dogs that come by. We're at the park today, and he's having a great time and he barks at this older gentleman coming in with his dog. I'm trying my best to calm my pup down when the guy yells at us to shut up. I understand, it's annoying.

What happens next was so fast. I'm not sure what exactly went down. Another dog comes in the park and this dog and my puppy are barking at each other and suddenly they're going at it. I get in to pull my boy out. In the middle of it all, the old man from earlier yells at us to get my "aggressive dog out of the park!" I'm leashing up, and walking away and the whole time the old man is yelling at me, "how old is your dog? How come he's not neutered yet? That's not good for the park."

He wasn't a park ranger, he doesnt work for the park, and he wasn't the owner of the other dog. But because I'm so shocked, I don't say anything and walk away while crying. My puppy is ok, nothing bleeding and hes not limping. Still his bouncy goofy self. But now I feel like I'm failing as a dog parent and I feel like we can't go to any of the dog parks anymore.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. Just emotional right now as I pet my goofy bear next to me.

Recently the family dog (miniature schnauzer) will unprompted go up to anyone who doesn’t have shoes/socks on and lick their toes. It’s like a guarantee, if you’re barefoot in the house he’ll try and get at your toes and you’ll have to shew him away. It’s just really weird and I’ve never seen or heard anything like it in dogs 😭 Is there a way to stop it?

Ok, question for everybody. My dog has been prescribed and needs Visbiome. I got a quote from the vet, using VetCove overnight (because it has to be refrigerated). It was $70 something plus $25 shipping. I decide I will go pick it up and save the $25 shipping. I get there and exact same thing was $148. They said they can’t guarantee it wouldn’t be cheaper straight from VetCove. I got home and looked at the Visbiome site online and it was $67 plus shipping. Anybody else see this?

My beagle got sprayed beginning of December, since then he’s been washed using the dawn/hydrogen/baking powder mixture, and the store bought skunk shampoo. For the most part the smell is gone, except when we get really close to him. I bathed him again today using the skunk shampoo, and he’s back to reeking. Any advice on how many washes it will take to get rid of the smell fully? We don’t want to wash him too many times to not irritate his skin but he’s had 4 baths since beginning of December atp!

Guys help my dog sheds like cray cray and it gets embedded in my clothes and it’s starting to drive me nuts a little bit. Even directly after taking my clothes out of the dryer I can shake off a bunch of her hair. It’s in my towels. My sweatshirts. My leggings. It would take me forever to lint roll everything.

I’m constantly wearing her fur 😭😭 do we have any solutions? I’ve been looking at hair traps for the washing machines but they don’t have great reviews…

Any advise is much appreciated 💗

I feel like I have been exhausting internet search engines attempting to find the optimal way to relocate my fella. He has extreme car anxiety so I’m looking for other options maybe RV/Train/Plane does anybody have any recommendations?

Tonight we had to put our baby dog down, she was 15 years old but for the last few years she's been so unwell, heart failure, kidney failure, tumors on the brain.

We were so blessed that she made it passed New Year's. She turned 15 at midnight Sat 10th January, we waited until then to let her go.

Millie was a wonderful beautiful dog. I will forever love her.

I know she is no longer in pain and the look in her eyes said that she was ready to go but it really does hurt for me. 15 damn years and now she's gone.

How do people cope with this?