Category: Top Dog

Hi friends, I could use some advice. Myself (25F) and my husband (25M) finally took the plunge and got a puppy in time for the holidays! He is an 8 week old mini doxie named Jax, and we love him to pieces…but potty training is not going well. The breeder told us he was pad trained (mostly) when we got him, but we don’t want to rely on that. The problem is we live in the Midwest and it’s kind of cold here right now. Every time we take him outside, he shivers and cries and does not go to the bathroom, and then when we bring him inside, he goes on the floor. As soon as you pick him up and put the leash on, he starts shaking. We have a little jacket for him to wear, but he’s so small that he wiggles right out of it. I know I can’t expect him to just know how to go out the very first day we try, but I’m worried I’m doing it wrong or that letting him use pads at first totally screwed him up. This is my first time having a puppy of my own and I’m terrified I’m doing something wrong all the time! Do you have any advice on what worked best for your puppies? We’ve probably taken him out twice an hour since 7am this morning, only for him to just pee and poop on the floor inside. I’m afraid it will be like this forever!

We are getting an 8 week old puppy and are spending some time at home before going back to work, but we both work full time. We plan to have someone stop in every few hours when we can’t. We bought a pen that we intend to use during the day so he has a little more room and will put a bed in there for him to nap, but we also plan to use a crate for sleeping at night at least until we feel confident enough to bring him in bed with us.

We would connect the pen to the crate but we don’t have enough room in our main living space for both, so we were going to keep the pen there so he can get used to us in our daily life, and the crate in a different room.

Do you think using both the crate and the pen separately will be confusing for him?

Every broth I see at the grocery store has onion and things. Even the low sodium broths all have onion. My pup doesn’t really like the pet store ones so what brand does your dog love?

I think I’ve successfully crate trained my 16 week old pup. I have his crate inside of a playpen, and he comfortably goes into both on his own. Doesn’t give me any issues to go to bed either. I put him in bed around 9:30-10 and he wakes up at 4:45am to use the bathroom. I take him out, I put him back in the crate and he’ll go to sleep for maybe 45 minutes total. He’ll bark for 5 minutes, sleep for 15mins. and do it all over again. Today I actually took him out and left him in the playpen area instead of telling him to go in the crate. He immediately slept on the bed in his playpen and He slept with no issue until 7:30am. I’m lost on what to do going forward as I don’t want him to regress in crate training (if that’s even possible, IDK)

Is it ok if he’s in the crate from 10pm-5am, and in the playpen area from 5:15ish-7:30 if he sleeps better that way? Should I put him back in the crate?

hi guys, i recently i noticed my puppy gets in these spells of heavy panting and sticking her tongue out coupled with excessive thirst. she won’t be doing too much physical activity but somehow starts getting like that. she’ll breathe super hard while awake and then asleep. i took her to the vet today and she told me not to worry, since her energy levels and appetite have not changed.

i have noticed she’ll get tired a lil more easily after pottying though. im super worried. has anyone else had this happen with their pup? 🙁

I have a few charities I donate to for Betty White’s birthday. She was such a big animal advocate, and her death inspired small donations that made a big difference. Does anyone else still donate in her name?

I wrote this on a long plane ride yesterday. I was a bit in my feelings:

New crate, puppy food, and toys Excitement for anticipated joys I can’t wait until A dog lives here

I pick her up and she licks my face I take her home to our new place I tell her shes a good girl and now A dog lives here

Potty training and teething Watching her sleep making sure she’s breathing My heart’s way of saying A dog lives here

Tug a war that I pretend to lose Chewed socks and shoes It’s becoming more evident A dog lives here

Hair on clothes and floors Scratch marks on all my doors Life has changed because A dog lives here

Her eyes see through my mood and bad day She simply gets a toy and wants to play I begin to learn unconditional love because A dog lives here

Shared sofas and bed Begging for food like she’s never been fed When guests come over it’s obvious A dog lives here

Years pass as time flies She’s suddenly older than I realize I’m preparing for a day when I can’t say A dog lives here

The day comes when I say goodbye I tell her a final “Good Girl” with a tear in my eye I return to an empty house thinking A dog lived here

After mourning I remember and reminisce Who thought her snoring is something I’d miss The deafening silence reminds me A dog lived here

I begin to heal and realize there’s a part Where she will always occupy in my heart It’s comforting to know A dog lives here

Then a lost pup comes along and claims me New crate, puppy food, and toys New memories honor old ones because A dog lives here

Which pet insurance is best for you? Are there any that may cover your dog's current treatment? Did your dog get injured during the waiting period and want to know if you're covered?

Here's the place to ask.

Do know we cannot help you here with medical concerns, and lying or not disclosing things to the insurance company is illegal so we don't allow that either.

I have seen multiple adds for cushions/seats to help dog with anxiety but it is overwhelming and I want to get the one that will actually work! Any of you have success with any? He does have a high one but won’t relax in it at all.

im lwk tweaking out right now. how do i bring this up to them???? Their old dog who is about 14 has had it kinda sticking out for a bit (since yesterday when i noticed it) and ive been googling it all day (i have a girl dog i dont know anything about this kind of thing) and it is the only thing i can think off. he is in fact neutered. They come home tomorrow. I don't think i did anything wrong? I've dogsit for them before and they're on their medications and everything. Please help, if nothing else how do i tell her??

Edit: I told her and she said it was normal. Thank ya'll so much for the advice!