Category: Top Dog

Hello! I will be picking up my mini dachshund in a month and am looking for your puppy must haves (besides lots of patience lol).

Because my boyfriend sometimes has allergies to dogs, we will be starting off with the pup sleeping in a crate right next to our bed. I WFH so I will be crate training throughout the day in hopes that he will love being in it come night time.

Other than the obvious necessities, what are some must haves for a smooth as possible transition for us & the dog? I will be getting the heartbeat stuffed animal & over the shoulder carrier as additional things I’ve heard have been great for new pups.

My cart total has skyrocketed with all different things so any input on what saved you in this phase would be a huge help 😊

TIA!

Title says it all. My boy is 4 months old. Doesn’t pre anywhere except at home. Will he grow out of this naturally? I want to take him on a road trip this year

Hi everyone,

I' d love some advice on leash training and attention training for my puppy. She’s a Border Collie mix (adopted dog, we think around 6 months old- today she lost all her puppy teeth) and she’s been with us for about 7 weeks now.

She’s very very smart and learns quickly at home. She knows quite a few cues, her stay is good indoors, and she clearly understands what we’re asking most of the time. But outside is a completely different story.

On walks she pulls a lot, zig-zags, and gets very distracted by literally everything. When we call her while she’s focused on something, she often just ignores. We are trying not to repeat our commands, which were not so good with it in the first couple weeks? Heel only lasts a few seconds. Attention is very hard to keep once we’re outside. I know these are normal for a puppy, but I want to make sure I train her well and don’t build bad habits.

She’s also socially curious with other dogs. She invites them to play, but when they come close she sometimes runs behind me or wants to be picked up, then tries to chase them behind. So I think shes excited but a bit unsure. We will go to the dog school in 2 months.

What helped you most with:

• loose leash walking & heeling
• building reliable attention outdoors
• positive socialization with other dogs

Any training methods that made a big difference for you?

Thank you 🙂

Help me to find 2 dogs in Ras Al khor Dubai.

Hi all! I (22f) adopted my pug in December of 2024. he has been my pup the whole time and nothing too drastic has changed in my routine in that time. I have another pup, a 12 year old pom, who we have had his whole life and I grew up with.

Now to my issue. My mum and I live together, but I live in a bungalow in the backyard and she lives in the main house. I only moved out here late october/early November and until last month he always slept with me, at least until I fell asleep, and then he would go inside. Since around mid January my mum has been sick (shes better now but it lasted over a month) and my pup has been obsessed with her. at first it was sweet, my little boy was looking after her, but since she got better he is still clinging to her, following her around and sleeping in her bed.

When it comes to pet care, we share it evenly. We take the boys to the park a few times a week, she does morning feeds and I do night feeds, we always give them a treat when we leave the house, and during the day, when I hang out with mum, he will lay on me or near me, its just around bed time or just time in bed in general that he prefers to be around here.

I guess what I am trying to say is that not much has changed in our routine but he has gone from being my dog to being hers, with no real reason behind it. How can I have him be my dog again and sleep with me? My old boy still sleeps in my room with me, but he prefers to sleep in his bed, and I miss my pup sleeping beside me on his pillows.

TLDR: My dog is suddenly obsessed with my mum and acts as if he is her dog, not mine. how can I win him back?

Looking for some training advice.

Dog: Corgi / heeler mix

Age: ~7

Weight: ~30 lbs

Background: Rescue we got as a very small puppy

During the first month we had him, my wife had to be gone a lot, so he bonded very strongly to me. That attachment has never really faded.

Now we have a young child, and it’s starting to create some problems.

What he does

• Constantly wedges himself between me and our kid • Pushes our child aside to get closer to me • Follows me everywhere • No aggression, just very pushy/clingy (except if his tail gets pulled) 

Nighttime is the biggest issue

He starts every night in his bed next to our older dog. At some point during the night he jumps into our bed and curls up next to me.

If we tell him to get down, he will listen — but then he stands on his hind legs next to the bed and whines until we let him back up.

If he sleeps with us, he’s quiet all night.

If we crate him, he whines from about 2–5 AM nonstop.

We offer to let him outside when we wake up, but that doesn’t seem to be the issue.

Things we’re considering

• Going back to crate training • Being stricter about the bed • Trying to reduce how attached he is to me 

Using his undershirt at night as it does calm him down when he gets locked out of the play room

Main questions

1. Is this just over-attachment / velcro dog behavior? 2. Is crating the right move even if he cries for hours? 3. How do we stop the “push between me and the kid” behavior before it becomes a bigger issue? 

Any advice from people who’ve dealt with herding breeds or velcro dogs would be really appreciated

My westie x poodle mix is over 6 years old, but has no experience with the snow because she's always been an inside dog due agoraphobia. She's not housebroken and doesn't go on walks outside in winter.

Today, we got a lot of snow in our balcony for the first time in years. My dog has no interest. She looked and then walked back to her bed. I just grabbed a bit of snow, put it in some tubaware, and put it on our floor. She sniffs it at least.

Is it a moot point trying to get her used to the snow? She also hates water for what it's worth.

So we're going on vacation this summer to a local national park that allows dogs and of course that means I am taking my dog but I want to reach out for advice on what to pack for her. Usually we board her during vacation so she's not home alone so I'm not sure what to pack for her (other then basics). Any advice would be welcome as I want to make sure she can enjoy the trip to.(It'll be an overnighter)

We have a 14 week old puppy who we adore. Between wiping up accidents and eating bully sticks on a blanket, items like rags, blankets, and soft toys become quite odorous. Our usual ALL Free & Clear detergent isn't removing the smell. I bought a scented Arm and Hammer detergent but the scent is so strong, artificial and bothersome to the humans in the household. That can't be good for our pup either. It feels like it was simply masking. We don't mind a scent as long as it's lighter and not so artificial. What laundry detergent works well to remove doggy smell???

Hi everyone,

My husband and I have a 6-year-old English Cocker Spaniel. We used to live in a tiny apartment, but around Christmas we moved into a new house that we had been renovating for about 5 months. During the renovation process we brought her with us often so she could get used to the new place.

We’re now fully living in the new house, and her behavior has really changed.

When we go to work, she barks and whines so much that by the time we get home her voice is almost gone. Last week she pooped and peed inside almost every day. She has had occasional accidents before, but never this frequently. She’s also started scooting/scratching her bum across the wooden floors, leaving poop stains. On top of that, if we accidentally leave cardboard boxes around, she’ll tear them up.

At first we thought she just needed time to adjust and find her place in the new home, but it’s starting to feel out of hand. When she gets into what seems like a panic/crazy mode, it’s really hard to snap her out of it.

Has anyone experienced something similar after moving? Is this likely anxiety, regression, or something else? Any advice on how to help her adjust would be really appreciated.