Category: Top Dog

Maintaining a list of dog related items

  • Possible Issue

    Hi! So my dog has been doing this thing like once a day for the past couple of days. She will wiggle on her back and pant while putting her paws over her eyes. I can't attach the video right now but it's been a bit concerning. We don't know if this is just a thing she does or if we should seek medical attention for her. We adopted her a month ago so we're still getting to know her.

    I've already sent an email to our vet with the video I took so we are waiting to see if they tell us to take her in. Just wanted another perspective.

    submitted by /u/SarcasmSpeaksVolumes
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  • On a plane with a puppy Oregon to NY – looking for travel tips please

    I'm picking up my puppy in a couple weeks. We have three flight legs. All things working perfectly we fly out at 5 am for 2.5 hours – 1-hour layover, 3.5-hour flight – 2-hour layover 1.5 hour flight and home

    She's tiny. Will easily fit in a carry-on "crate" under the seat.

    What should I bring? I mean, she's a baby so chew toys will be kind of big for her and so new to her as to be useless. I probably want to with hold food? Save water for layovers.

    Anything I can do to make the experience as peaceful as possible?

    According to the airline there's an extra charge? $150. When do I do that? I need to call the airline tomorrow haha.

    I've read many many posts but most of them are years old.

    Any tips would be appreciated. Thank you!

    submitted by /u/maichrcol
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  • My dog is able to get past the cone

    I don’t really post on reddit, but my family’s dog ripped out a toenail on her front paw three days ago and i’m overly anxious.

    we went to the vet and everything and they gave us a cone and advice: covered with a non-permeable barrier when outside, and then leave open to air with no covering indoors.

    They said the cone was the right size for her, and we have it attached to her collar so it’s a little stiffer, but this dog is able to push the cone in a way where she is still able to lick.

    She already hates the current cone and gets frustrated so i think a larger one is out of the question, are there any other solutions out there?

    (I don’t think this falls into veterinary advice but if so I will take the post down)

    submitted by /u/Vanillama_
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  • Community FAQ

    Please read before posting or commenting

    This FAQ exists to clarify how this subreddit works, why certain rules exist, and what we expect from participants. Everything below is already reflected in the subreddit’s About, Rules, and Posting Guidelines sections.


    What kind of community is r/dogtraining?

    r/dogtraining is a support forum focused on dog training and behavior using a least intrusive, minimally aversive (LIMA) approach.

    This is stated directly in the subreddit’s Welcome section and rules.

    That means:

    This is a defined scope, not a judgment of individuals.

    Why aren’t all training methods allowed? Isn’t this censorship or an echo chamber?

    No. It’s scope + safety.

    This is a support forum, not a debate stage. Dog training advice affects real dogs and real people. Allowing aversive or force-based methods in a general advice space creates several problems:

    • High risk of misuse by inexperienced owners
    • Conflicting guidance that confuses people who are already overwhelmed
    • Normalization of techniques with known behavioral fallout

    Because of that, this community limits advice to methods that are:

    • Evidence-based
    • Least intrusive
    • Appropriate to give safely at scale

    Philosophical debates about training styles belong elsewhere. This subreddit exists to help people train dogs, not litigate methodology.

    Why is moderation so strict for a dog training sub?

    Because dog training spaces are uniquely prone to:

    Moderation here exists to:

    • Prevent unsafe or harmful advice from spreading
    • Keep guidance consistent with current science
    • Protect dogs and owners from avoidable fallout

    Moderators are volunteers doing ongoing triage, not enforcing ideology.

    Why was my post removed or held for review?

    ALL POSTS CREATED ARE MANUALLY REVIEWED. When you create a new post, your post will be placed in our review queue. Yes, it can take up to a day to review a post. Your post will receive a comment from our automod bot with a link to the approval guide. if you do not complete the approval guide instructions, your post may be rejected.

    Common reasons your post may be rejected include:

    • The question is already addressed in the wiki or pinned resources
    • Required information was missing
    • The advice requested falls outside the LIMA/force-free scope
    • The post didn’t follow posting or flair guidelines

    Posts may also sit in review during high-volume periods, holidays, or emergencies. That’s a capacity issue, not a personal one.

    Why am I expected to read the wiki and guidelines first?

    Because effective behavior change requires context.

    Dog behavior depends on:

    • Environment and management
    • Learning history
    • Reinforcement patterns
    • Stress, health, and daily routines

    The wiki exists so advice doesn’t start from zero every time. Reading it helps you:

    • Ask better questions
    • Understand the advice you receive
    • Avoid common mistakes that slow progress

    Why isn’t the community more “hand-holding”?

    This is not personal. Our volunteer moderators are not playing favorites, and we’re not judging anyone.

    However:

    • Much of the advice here comes from professionals with decades of experience
    • That expertise is shared for free
    • We expect people seeking help to put in some effort by reading, reflecting, and trying the provided resources

    If someone needs step-by-step, individualized coaching or is unwilling to engage with the freely available materials, a public forum is not the right tool. In those cases, working directly with a qualified professional and paying for their time is appropriate.

    This is also stated plainly in the Welcome section.

    Are professionals here trying to “prove” force-free training works?

    No one is trying to win arguments.

    This community uses LIMA/force-free methods because they:

    • Are effective
    • Are supported by learning science
    • Carry the lowest risk of harm
    • Are appropriate for public advice

    The goal is outcomes with minimal fallout, not ideological purity.

    Is disagreement allowed?

    Yes, within scope.

    Allowed:

    • Discussion about implementation
    • Differences in reinforcement strategies
    • Management choices
    • Learning theory applications

    Not allowed:

    • Promoting dominance-based or aversive methods
    • Rebranding punishment as “just information” or “balanced”
    • Arguing against the subreddit’s foundational rules

    Disagreement is fine. Ignoring the rules is not.

    What if this community isn’t a good fit for me?

    That’s okay.

    Not every space is for everyone. You're not going to hurt anyone's feelings by deciding this isn't the space for you. We encourage anyone who feels that the rules here are a hard pass to find other communities that better suit your personal preferences. That said, if you choose to engage here, you will be expected to do so within the scope of the rules. Content that breaks the rules will not be approved, and you might get a rule reminder. We're happy to provide you with education and resources should you wish to learn more about alternatives to using escape/avoidance for behavior modification.

    Bottom line

    These rules exist to:

    • Protect dogs
    • Protect owners
    • Respect the unpaid labor of contributors
    • Keep advice clear, consistent, and low-risk

    Boundaries aren’t about control. Boundaries keep relationships healthy.
    Enforcing those boundaries is our responsibility.

    submitted by /u/Whisgo
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  • I’m completely overwhelmed

    Me and my boyfriend adopted a dog a couple weeks ago from a city shelter. She is heartworm positive and currently on doxycycline. Since coming home, she’s been a little shy but very sweet. Two days ago I left to see my family for Christmas and won’t be back for the week. We had been keeping her in her kennel when we were at work and didn’t seem to have much issue yesterday tho she broke out of the cage and chewed up a couple cords to expensive things and peed on the bed, the next day based on what people were saying we decided to doggy proof a room instead of putting her back in (since she refused to go in on her own) and this time she rips a giant whole in the wall and chews up pretty much all the little corners and things in the room, I feel at a loss as to what to do with her, I just want her to be safe and okay.

    Thank you so much for reading.

    submitted by /u/creepy_gallop
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  • My Havanese is destroying my home and is resistant to training.

    I recently had a stray 1yro havanese dropped into my life. it was unexpected but I have a house with a fenced yard and thought maybe a new dog would be a good thing. so I decided to keep her. I'm at the point now, where I'm looking for a professional trainer, to adopt her from me. I've done everything. consistent training daily. positive reinforcement. she runs every day until she can't stand anymore. I will stand with this dog outside for 20 minutes, bring her in, and before I can get her into the kennel, she's dropped down and is peeing on my floor. I've tried everything. kennel training. potty training. pee pads. heck I even got her diapers. nothing works. training with her is like talking to a brick wall. she doesn't care what kind of treat I have, how delicious it is. she won't even look at me when I'm trying to train her. refuses to give me any kind of attention. "come" falls on deaf ears. if I didn't know better, I'd assume she was completely deaf. she has extreme separation anxiety. I cant even check the mail without her going ballistic inside. she's destroying my house and has cost me hundreds in repairs in just the couple months I've had her. I've had to replace every single area rug I own, as well as my bathroom door. I'm beyond knowing what to do to help her. advice, suggestions, etc. anything will help. but at this point I'm looking for a new home for her. but I refuse to give her to someone who doesn't have the time, kindness, love, and patience I have. the only reason I'm giving up, is because I'm a severely depressed person, and every single day I spend upwards of 3hrs fixing something she's destroyed, and recently I've had issues even getting out of bed and taking care of myself. I have had dogs my whole life and never had one that is this resistant to training, listening, obeying, calming down, etc. I'm just at a loss. please be kind in the replies but really, anything helps at this point. I don't know what to do.

    submitted by /u/Beepboopies
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