Category: Top Dog

My puppy is nearing 4 months old and she’s been with us for about 3 weeks. I know we are in her critical window of socialization so I’m concerned about her fear of other dogs.

We’ve done two sessions of puppy class and at the end of each class we do controlled play. All the other puppies love playing with each other, but when it’s my puppy’s turn she cowers under the bench as soon as the other puppy gives her any attention. Luckily, there was a really calm puppy today and she did end up giving him a little sniff back but then ran away and hid.

She has no problem with the other puppies during leashed class time and enjoys watching them while we are training. She just gets super scared when the other dogs have the ability to get close enough to sniff her.

We will continue puppy classes but they only meet once per week. How do you go about finding friendly dogs for good exposure? We don’t know anyone here with a dog that would give her a positive experience. She did have a foster brother that was like 70 pounds and she loved rough housing with him so I just assumed she’d love other dogs too.

My last dog was extremely reactive to other dogs so I know I’m projecting some anxiety on making sure she doesn’t end up that way too.

this is the second week since i got her and i am not sure about anything anymore , i wanted a dog who's at least a year or older but ended up getting a puppy because the shelter told me she was compatible with me and my living situation , this is going to sound very superficial and i feel extreemely guilty and angry at myself when i get this thought but i didn't choose her , she dosen't look like the dog i imagined i would get as my first dog .. it's stupid and disgusting way of thinking but i actually wanted a male dog from a different breed , but souldn't say no because i felt guilty that her former owner also returned her to the shelter .. idk what to do , everytime she makes an accident or keeps crying this thought pops in my head .. she is currently teething an i am struggeling , i can't sleep ,eat , or do any activities in peace . should i just return her? or should i keep her and things will get better? she is so sweet and gentle and i hate myself for typing this post but i am not sure what to do … anyone been in the same situation? did it change for you?

He’s a year old mini poodle. Super stubborn, playful, cuddly and wants to be all over me. Normally I’m completely obsessed with him, I’ve posted about him and commented on how great he is before.

I just herniated my back and I cannot deal with him rn!

Every little thing he does, especially on a leash sends me shooting pain. I can barely walk, I’m hobbling. I’m still trying to walk him for a few blocks a day but holy fucking shit I’m so annoyed!

Putting everything in his mouth and he’s pretty good with a leave it but the other 5% I’m having to get down quickly and take it out. If you have ever herniated your back, this freaking hurts to move that quick and to bend on top of it.

I’m crying the whole time. I have to take breaks to pull myself together. Or he’ll all of a sudden catch a smell and dart to the side which jerks me too. It’s only a foot or 2 but it hurts

The past few days he has just refused to poop during the day. Only in the morning or his last pm potty will he go.

He’s totally fine! Hasn’t eaten anything bad, he just goes outside and fucks around. I have an enclosed patio so he still gets outside time. I take him the dog park everyday to play fetch to supplement but no long walks. He gets 2-3 block long walks a day on top of all that. I can barely even train since I have to bend to give him a treat but I’m still doing it!

He’s begging to go outside for a couple hours and will demand bark at me. I very slowly get up, in pain, take him out. I can barely stand and he will not go. I’ve taken him out 3 times in the past hour or so and nothing. Just fucks around.

I’m so mad yall. He’s in his crate right now, I can’t look at him, I don’t want to deal with him. I’m so mad.

I have never felt this way even when he was a puppy with massive behavioral issues that we worked on. I love him to death but now? Just his presence annoys me. I’m just so fucking mad, I can’t stand him right now.

I always feel bad for a little bit after. He’s not getting as much pets from me since then he’s all over me and jostling me hurts. He’s been good in other ways, walking slower and checking in. But then he does some other thing that gives me pain and I’m pissed all over again. Idk what to do and I know he’s picking up on me being outright pissed at him all the time suddenly. He’s sensitive

I can’t afford a walker, I’m all alone. It’s just me caring for him

Looking for some perspective to make sure I am on the right track on crate training with our 11 week old golden retriever puppy!

Our Sam sleeps through the night with no issues in the crate. He goes right down for bed and sleeps without a peep. But in the morning, after he has decided he got enough sleep, he will bark excessively to be let out. So of course we let him poop, pee, drink water, eat, poop and pee again. But if he is not tired, he will not return to the crate without crying.

During the day, when he is tired after about an hour and a half of structured play/training/calming chew or snuffle mat, he will go down for a nap in a crate. He sleeps just fine for about two and a half hours. But when he is done napping, he will BARK. Even if he's only slept an hour. We make sure all his needs are met, but he won't stay in it or entertain himself unless he is actively exhausted and therefore sleeping.

Is this just because he is a little 11 week old puppy and can't yet calm himself? Is this a wait it out and the work will pay off sort of thing? Or is there something more I can be doing?

Here are things I am doing to help with crate training:

• giving high value treats/meals in crate
• we wait to let him out of the crate until he is quiet and showing signs of relaxation
• crate training sessions when he is not tired, with incrementally longer alone times (he now can last about two minutes alone if he's awake and doesnt want to sleep)
• never forcing him into the crate, he enters on command with treat
• also doing incremental separation training and place training in a pen or mat to help him adapt to being alone and self regulating
• crate is correct size, we have tried with and without cover or blankets, and we have a heartbeat puppy and use white noise/music
• We make an effort to not over-stimulate him or let him get over tired when he is awake. We are on a consistent schedule as much as we can be – but his inability to stay in crate has made schedule a little tough.

TIA!

i have a 5mo lhasa apso mix! i got her when she was almost 4 months from a rescue. she was returned there by her former owners. i am unsure of what her situation was before i got her. i’ve had her for almost two months now .

i know that this breed tends to be very vocal. however she barks at literally everything and nothing. she’s still in that phase of barking at her own reflection. i want to make sure that she’s happy so i am considering getting her private lessons to work on that habit of hers. she’s currently in puppy training class at petsmart.

as for the serpation anxiety she will scratch at my door begging to get out. then she will start crying and barking. my family is starting to get annoyed by this. there are even times where she will cry for me when i’m right in front of her but not giving her attention. i was grabbing something from my closet while she was on bed and she started to cry out for me. i try to ignore that behavior so she can see that it’s not the best way to get attention.

i’ve tried practicing this at home on my own (playing audio of dogs barking at different levels, letting her be in public on leash and rewarding when showing good behavior) are there any tips you can give before i commit to the private lessons?

As per title. So she’s a 18kg half beagle half Irish wolfhound, 6 months old.

Initially slept peacefully for the first two months in her soft crate. Then nowdays it’s almost impossible to get her to settle and sleep in her crate (it’s next to our bed) without 20 mins of her whining.

I very much want her to sleep with us but my husband does not. His reasons are that she will chew on things or take up our space – bed is only king size.

How do I convince him otherwise?

Tips for reintroducing crate at night for adult dog?

Tips for reintroducing crate at night for adult dog?

I have a 3 year old American Eskimo who was fully crate trained at night. Every night around 10:30–11pm I’d say “bedtime,” he’d go into his crate next to my bed, get a treat, I’d cover it, and in the morning I’d open it and leave it open all day.

About a year ago I moved and couldn’t fit the crate in my bedroom, so I stopped crating at night. He’s been free roaming since then and usually sleeps under the bed or on it with me.

Now I’m about to have a baby (any day now), so I bought a new crate to reintroduce nighttime crating. Because of the bassinet, the crate can’t go in my bedroom, so I put it in the room directly across. I’ve had the crate for 2 days and have been giving him treats in it. Tonight I said “bedtime” and he went in on his own, but I left the door open to ease him back into it.

I want to try again at 11pm and actually close the crate.

My concern is making sure he doesn’t feel isolated or stressed, especially with such a big change coming. I set up a camera to monitor him in case he cries.

Am I reintroducing this the right way? Any tips to make this transition as stress-free as possible for him?

Vet said trimming the hair wouldn’t hurt and suggested nail clippers as a safe strategy. Works like a charm, mitigates risk of poking in eye w/ scissors. I’ve seen owners use hair bands to keep hair out of eyes, so this tip could help their dogs, too.

Not as serious as it sounds. My Belgian malinois has ate the same brand food for over a year. Just recently towards evening time he literally winds me with the most diabolical farts. It’s for about 2 hours. Me being newly pregnant, I can’t handle it anymore. I am also concerned about his health, and If this is something I should get checked out.