Category: Top Dog

Solutions for a continuous tail chaser?

Their ears are so sharp—whether I’m having a meal or just tearing open a snack wrapper, my pup immediately runs over, climbs onto my lap, and stares at me with big round eyes. But there are some things she really shouldn’t eat… How do I say no to those longing puppy-dog eyes?

Hello, I am looking for some indoor-enrichment activities for my 10 mo Bichon pup and stumbled across scent games. Unfortunately, I don't really get it and I feel like I'm missing some obvious information.

Judging from reddit posts and google searches, scent games basically involve hiding some scent around your home and having your dog go sniff for it. However, I don't get how people signal their dogs that there are scents to be found and that the game begins, so to speak? Are they expected to just pick up on it on their own? Could it be that my dog is just not very good at tracking stuff with her nose? She often takes a good 30-40s for her to sniff around on the otherwise empty floor and find a treat that has been tossed right next to her..

What I also don't really get is what kind of scents people use. It seems that there are kits being sold that basically contain essential oils? Why are dogs interested in those? It seems to me the only scents my dog is interested in are those of treats and human food. How does a dog know which scents are part of the game and which aren't?

Are scent games supposed to be a supervised activity, i.e. I follow my dog around until she finds the random scented object and reward her with praise and treats, or is the object itself the reward (because it's a treat or a toy?) And do you typically only hide one scented object or several? Is a dog able to tell when the game is over because all scents have been found?

We did try and hide a treat inside a towel or a cardboard box and she picked up on that, although I wouldn't really say that the appeal in the game was in the sniffing rather than in the shredding of things to get to the treat.

Also, what do you do with the scented object once it has been found? It's not like the scent just goes away – how does the dog understand that the scented object being tucked away in a box or a shelf is not just part of the game?

That also brings me to the question of good hiding places. Where do you hide the scents? Are closed cupboard doors off-limits? What about hiding something under a bowl or a box? What does hidden exactly mean to a dog?

I'm sorry if the answers to these questions seem obvious to you, but I really don't get it and would love for someone to shed some light on this so that my girl can have more fun at home and not go crazy during the cold winter months 🙂

Hej alle.

Jeg får en gravhundehvalp i foråret og har fået anbefalet at lave “crate training” om bl.a natten. 🐾

Jeg er dog i tvivl om, hvorvidt dette potentielt skaber øget angst for hvalpen, eller om nogen har erfaring med, at det er en god måde at skabe tryghed, ro og tilvænning hos hvalpen i den første tid? 🐶

Good boy

Currently: I have a 10y male cat and a 3y female Pyrenees/husky. We live in quadplex with a small and narrow backyard but a large yard in front. I work at a pet hotel and I bring my dog with me pretty much every day (excluding the few times we are packed which is usually just for holidays) and I take my dog hiking or on nature walks at least twice a week(every off day). My dog is mostly off leash trained but we are still working on her stay close/heel command.

I have been planning to get another dog for my birthday for the last 7 months but as it gets closer I get more hesitant.

I’m mostly worried about training and hikes because our frequent trails have narrow spots. I plan to take them separately to start with(except for when we go to sniffspots) just so I can continue to perfect my current dogs off leash and start the new dogs general training and make sure they are still bonding to me(another BIG concern). But I also know I’m most likely going to feel guilty during the outing because the other dog is at home in their crate. I also don’t want them to get jealous of each other because of that or just when I’m giving them general affection.

I also always thought you shouldn’t have more pets than you have arms in your household (in case of emergencies) but if I don’t get another dog I want to get a ferret(which comes with a whole other set of anxieties 😭😭) so I’m trying to get that out of my head.

Lastly I almost adopted a husky about 5 months ago but didn’t go through with it because a Lot happened during that month but I still can’t get over him :(( I feel like I made a big mistake even though logically I made the right choice. I worry I’ll keep comparing them for a while after I get the new dog or I just won’t be able to get over that husky even when I’m happy with my two dogs.

I guess I just want some advice that you guys found helpful or what you wish you knew before brining in another dog when it’s only you? Do you ever regret getting your second dog? What were things you didn’t account for? Give me it all 🙏🏽🙏🏽

I have an almost 12 week old Spoodle who jumped up from the ground and landed awkwardly a few days ago.

After going to the emergency vet and being told there was no fracture, we went to our normal vet the next day who took X-rays. They couldn’t see anything obvious but sent it off to a specialist radiologist who has said he has a small chip fracture in his rear hock joint. They have said it is too small to reattach.

We are now waiting for an orthopaedic surgeons opinion on treatment but it may be next week before we hear back from them.

Has anyone’s puppy had a similar injury and what was the treatment? We are struggling with crating such a young puppy for most of the day and hoping that won’t continue for too long. We are obviously concerned about the impact of extended crating on his physical and social development.

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to share something that always makes me smile about my Australian Shepherd aged 1yr. Every time I open a snack or even just rustle a bag, she comes running like she’s on a mission, jumps onto my lap, and stares at me like I’m the only thing that matters in the world.

Even when she’s tired or grumpy, those big puppy eyes melt me every single time. It’s kind of amazing how much personality dogs have and how they can completely turn your day around with just a look or a little wiggle.

I’d love to hear about little quirks or habits your dogs have that always make you laugh or smile.