Category: Top Dog

Hi all!

So I (22F) got a puppy back in August. My first dog that I'm raising on my own since coming to college! She's a Border Collie x Catahoula mix and is a little over 8 months old now. Before I get comments about it, yes I did know what I was getting into getting a mixed breed dog that is two very high energy working breeds. I have wanted and been researching working breed dogs for myself as an active companion and sport dog for about 3 years before I got her.

My issue with her is, I feel like we haven't really clicked and bonded the way I'd like. I love her, and she is super cute and SUPER damn smart (almost too smart for her own good sometimes), but I don't feel super attached or close to her. I am coming here wondering what I can do to build a better relationship and bond with her. I do all the things with her, playing her favorite games (tug and fetch), scattered training sessions throughout the day, I take her on outings once or twice a week, but something just doesnt feel right.

I don't want to get rid of her. I love her and can tell she is gonna be a super super fun dog the more we work on training (and socialization, which she had a severe lack of before coming to me and is taking awhile) and as she matures. I just wanna see if there's stuff out there to build a better relationship with her that I haven't tried. I am so so dedicated to giving her the best life I can and I think building a better relationship with her is part of that. Physically and mentally I am super happy with her, I can fulfill her even with my busy schedule and at her last vet check my vet told me he is super happy with her condition and told me he wouldn't have guessed its my first time raising a puppy. That felt so good and validating to hear (because my mom was the worst example of how to raise and own a dog I could've been exposed to) but again something just feels missing with her and I feel so guilty over it.

TIA! 🙂

I brought my puppy home a little over two weeks ago now, she’s a 12 week old border collie. I’m having real trouble with nighttime and in desperate need of some advice.

On her first night home, I’ll admit I made a HUGE mistake in having her sleep in my bed, she really struggled to settle in at home at all let alone during the night and it felt like an easy fix. As soon as I let her in my bed I knew it was a mistake I would pay for (and I am!). I got her from a farm where she was staying in a barn stall next to a pony so I can only imagine going from that to a warm house with cuddles and attention was a big change for her.

After that, her crate was placed in my bedroom at the end of the bed, adjacent to the foot of the bed. I quickly learnt that she would panic when the crate door closed (something she is now improving with, as I have been putting time aside each day toward crate training – some days are a lot better than others). She won’t sleep if the crate is completely covered, so even now the sides and back are covered and the front is uncovered. She also won’t sleep without being able to see me before she goes to sleep. At first, I had to sleep on the floor next to her crate with the door open and gradually moved to quietly closing the door after she’d been asleep a little while.

About a week ago, I moved the crate downstairs to the living room as it was impractical in the bedroom and I was also hoping it would help prevent any separation anxiety issues before it got too severe. Since then, I have been sleeping on the sofa. This is because she still won’t sleep at night if she can’t see me, and I have to sit next to the crate until she falls asleep otherwise she won’t sleep. I’m typing this while waiting for her to go to sleep so I can close the crate door and sneak over to the sofa so I can sleep myself. Strangely, she naps regularly in the day whether I’m there or not, and doesn’t seem to care if I’m even in the same room as her during the day. She only has this problem at night.

Daytimes were going quite well and she was opting to nap in the crate (which was huge progress for her!) until a few days ago. I live with a friend who has been off work recently with the flu and the other day brought her duvet downstairs for a duvet day on the sofa and had pup on the sofa asleep with her all day. A day or two after I watched on the camera as my puppy managed to get herself onto the sofa for the first time while home alone. Since then, she often cries in the night as though she needs the toilet but instead runs straight over to the sofa because she’d rather sleep there. Obviously I take her out for a silent potty break then place her straight back in the crate.

Long term, I’d have no issues with her having free roam of the living room at night, like she does in the day, and sleeping on the sofa if she wishes but she isn’t fully toilet trained yet and has had accidents in the living room within the last few days.

I really need advice on how I can get her to sleep independently at night, other than it being good for her to gain that independence, I’d really love to sleep in my bed again. It’s worth noting also that at night, the living room door is kept closed as I also have a 7 month old kitten who, in true older sister fashion, loves nothing more than tormenting my puppy who just wants to chase after her and play.

Any help would be hugely appreciated – I had a sprocker spaniel previously and I know that each breed and each dog is entirely different but he was the easiest puppy in the world in comparison. I’ve had a lot of comments from family members/friends about anything I’m “doing wrong” or not doing, but I have to remind them that I am caring for her completely on my own while they all had partners/other family help with their pups and I seem to have a very sensitive puppy. I’m at a loss at what more I can do and after only two weeks I already feel like I’m failing my pup.

Hi All,

Basically I have a 6 month old cairn terrier and seemingly overnight he's entered his teenage phase. He's barking and crying more, mouthing more and settling less. Is there anything else I can be doing? For some more information. He sleeps in a crate at night, he now sometimes cries and barks for a bit before he settles, he never did this before. He's never been a huge fan of his crate but doesn't mind it. I usually get him in there with a treat or two but he has never opted to go in on his own despite introducing the crate early on and him being in there through the day early on. (I never force him in).

I work from home a lot in the winter so I'm always around most of the time. He gets 2 walks a day and plenty of play and mental stimulation. He's now taken to barking in my face which I ignore. Trying to mouth me again which had tapered off and is now worse, he used to know it was a no go to bite while playing but today he leapt and bit my arm (timing him out is seeming to work).

Basically I'm wondering if there's anything else I can do, I sometimes I worry I'm not doing enough and I want to work hard to have a well rounded dog.

When it gets to summer I will be working away from home for some weeks here and there and I just want to make sure I have a well behaved dog for when friends and family look after him. I haven't dared to leave him more than half the day with family yet as he's a handful, dragging things around the house, tearing up stuff he shouldn't, barking and crying in people's faces, mouthing, grabbing trousers or shoes when people are walking around the house etc.

Sorry this is long.

TL;DR have people got any useful advice for training general teenage puppy behaviour so I can make sure he gets through this phase and ends up a well rounded and behaved dog.

Is it normal for a 9 week old pup to attempt to pee again after peeing in order to get praise or reward or to try show me that she’s really done? She pees normally then I keep her in her potty spot a few minutes longer to make sure she’s emptying completely and doesn’t need to poop. That’s when she tries again and dribbles just a bit more out or nothing at all. Any advice or thoughts?

I am a first time puppy mum & it has been hard. The first few months have really tested me & my patience. We have a mini schnauzer called Betty and I really was beginning to think she didn’t have an off switch. We have been consistent with enforced naps since about 12 weeks but she would never settle outside of the crate on her own But she is now almost 6 months old and as I write this she is fast asleep in the footstool at my feet. And she took herself into her crate for a nap this afternoon.

So for all those who are in the trenches at the moment, it does get better. Just stay consistent

I have a 11 month old poodle. He is generally pretty sweet, and the trainer said he seemed more people motivated. I don't know a lot of people and have a problem with anxiety, so I avoid people anyway. He has been okay when strangers approach him outside of my apartment. I say okay, but theres jumping up, twirling, and peeing. When maintenance comes into the apartment, he gets barky and will sit off in a different room and just bark.

My concern is due to emergency, my uncle is coming to stay with me for a little more than a week. I am not sure what to do to ensure a good introduction. I didn't have the heads up to do small intros or anything.

I'm not sure if I can be pointed to resources or any advice for this situation? I'm on my way to pick up my uncle now. Lol.

Was telling her potty outside for 15min as soon as we come in starts to shit thankfully I grabbed her and was able to run outside every time we go potty she just wants to eat snow