Category: Top Dog

sorry I'm posting to this reddit a lot!! i have a 5m old chihuahua and he is a brilliant little boy. I live in an apartment and controversially I've actually been happy for him to go potty on a pad sometimes (only when i let him, i dont have it down all the time) and we've worked out a system that works for us. we've been doing a combination of outdoor and indoor, some days he is 100% outdoor potty and some days he has a mix depending on if our routine has changed (e.g. the below issue) and im working towards entirely outdoors but im not putting the pressure on massively, mainly because of the following issues. for nearly a full month we've had no accidents at all, he's always going on a pad or outdoors, so i consider it a half success for now

the problem is, i didnt realise until now how rough my area is that i live in. i take him on a minimum of 3 walks a day, and the 6am walk is usually fine, no one else is up yet round here other than other dog walkers

the lunchtime walk is hit and miss – a lot of people have reactive dogs around here that lunge at him and they insist on trying to "let them say hi" and i have to be firm and say im teaching him neutrality but they always say "what's that". i also seem to get the weirdos come up to him and try and pet him which he hates, and i have to step between them. safe to say, neutrality training is going awful because of this, despite colourful "DOG IN TRAINING" harness and leads. he's started pulling to smell people passing which is not what i want at all

the biggest problem as of recently is a new neighbour who lets their very big and very badly trained breed run around in the carpark/street, off lead. we were on a walk and the dog came right over and i was shouting for the owner. i picked my boy up in a panic which elevated the situation. the owner eventually came out and i asked several times if he was a friendly dog and he didnt reply, just was screaming for the dog to come back, so i assume not. he said the dog keeps breaking through the fences, but when i looked his gate was literally wide open and no holes in the fence so i think either the dog has worked out the latch or they arent vigilant at closing it. This dog is a major problem in our area and everyone who walks their dogs in the nearby green patch has been heard screaming for the neighbour at some point this week to come and get the dog, one lady walked it back holding the collar and informed the neighbour it had gotten out again but he didnt seem fussed, and one man was so angry as his dog was having her first season and this neighbours dog is unneutered. its incredibly irresponsible and has caused me a lot of anxiety now.

im scared, to be honest. its his favourite potty place and i feel like i just cant risk taking him there anymore. my plan is to take him the opposite direction, but what is the best way to handle the moments that the dog approaches? was picking him up wrong? im seeing the beginnings of some fear-based reactivity coming out in my boy and have booked in for some puppy classes to try and nip that in the bud, but walking him at night in the dark has become so fearful for me that tonight i put his pad out for him in fear of the dog being out there in the dark. am i being silly?

I'm 17M and my parents are giving me a dog for my birthday. The breed will be a dachshund, minature or standard (undecided) and around 12 weeks old. I've heard puppies need constant attention and surveillance which will be no problem since I do online schooling.

I have a few questions concerning how I should care for the dogs hygiene and well-being listed below:

1. Where should I put my puppy's play pen and should I have it sleep in a crate or an open space within the playpen?

2. Should I buy something like a heating pad for my puppy (winter in a few months) it can get around 5°C at night.

3. What age do I start brushing their teeth and what's a good australian dog toothpaste brand?

4. When do I start bathing my puppy and how often, warm water I'm guessing?

5. Should I visit the vet immediately after getting the puppy or wait a few days?

6. What can I do with my backyard to make it a safe space for my dog?

7. I've heard puppies can be pretty destructive how can I minimise the damage?

Thanks for reading and do not worry I'll be asking my vet a TON more questions I just wanted some general advice and info from puppy owners.

I’ve had this puppy since last Friday. He’s an H1B Cavapoo and will be turning 11 weeks tomorrow and while I love this dude, I can’t deal with this screaming anymore.

It’s been the same story since I got him and it hasn’t gotten any better. I’m trying to get him into using the crate but the problem is if he’s in the crate and I leave he turns absolutely irate and starts this mad screaming to the point where it looks like he’s going to hurt himself. And I don’t mean leave the house, I mean if he’s next to me in the room and he’s in the crate and I go to the bathroom he starts up. He’s been sleeping in bed with me at night but this is not the first time he’s slept in the crate before. I just took this video a few minutes ago as I’m laying in bed right next to him and he going crazy as if I’m not there.

https://streamable.com/lngswu

I’ve tried putting him into the playpen and he moves the fucking playpen! He’s 4 pounds! I tried to run to the supermarket on Wednesday and I set him in the playpen and set up my ipad with a pet security cam app so I can watch him and communicate with him and he moved the playpen to the point of knocking it over.

This is insane. How am I supposed to live my day to day life and go to work if he acts like this? I’ll be heading back to the office on Monday and my plan was to feed him and get him to potty, head out at 8:15 and leave work early and be back by 1:00-1:30. Since the playpen is pretty much useless and I can’t just put him in the crate for that long, what else can I do? I can’t be tethered to him 24/7.

As the title says, I got a new puppy that I am struggling to feel attached to.

For context, I am autistic and have difficulty with emotions yet a very strong connection with dogs. 3 years ago I lost my soul dog very suddenly and traumatically. He was a 12 year old Aussie and absolutely perfect in every way. Before he got cancer, I’d gotten another dog that helped bring the puppy back out of him but after he passed, my other dog developed behavioral issues and ended up attacking us years later and needed to be rehomed in January. He’s doing very well in his new home, for anyone concerned.

As for the new puppy, she’s great! I got her about a month ago. She’s sweet, loving, playful, hardly has any accidents, sleeps through the night, and is extremely cute and smart. She’s honestly the perfect puppy aside from some fear of strangers and chewing, though both are successfully being improved.

I know it will take time, but with my difficulties processing emotions combined with the two very different kinds of trauma I experienced with the other two, I worry it’s going to take a long time for me to adjust and I fear I won’t ever love her as strongly as she deserves.

The funny thing is, I struggled to connect with my soul dog for months after adopting him until one day something just switched in my mind and he became my entire world. I hope that happens with her, because she’s amazing and really deserves to be loved like that.

My puppy is 10 months old, I’ve had her for two months. Unsure of her breed since she’s a rescue but assumed to be spaniel/JRT/lab

I’m sure it’s probably breed dependent but how much sleep should they be getting around this age?

Typically after 3 hours of being out of the crate, she starts to become a witch and I put her into the crate for nap time. I just want to hangout with her longer especially on work days when she’s by herself for a big portion of the day.

She probably sleeps for 16-18 hours in a day between crate while I work (she gets a walk mid-day) and sleeping through the night.

She did really well this past weekend, maybe only 4 hours of naps during the day.

Hi everyone! I'm about to have a puppy for the first time. He is a Shihpoo, and he was born 1/13/26, so he's about 10 weeks old. I am beyond excited about this, but I am obviously a bit scared.

I am in a very lucky position right now as a graduate student, and the only time I will have to be away from him is from 7:30am to 11:30am Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Despite having all the rest of my days and nights free, I am terrified to leave him for 4 hours on those days in a crate. I've been reading and watching a ton about crate training, but I know that his bladder will probably not be able to make it for 4 hours, and I don't want him to have to sit in his accident for hours. Any and all advice is appreciated

We only have a cat currently, and my toddler is very interested in dogs when he sees them at the park or in a store. I always want to ask the owner if we (my toddler with my assistance) can meet their dog to give my kiddo the chance to get some time, but I worry it’s annoying for dog owners to be asked that in the middle of whatever they are doing. I would never ask a dog in a vest/obvious service animal. Looking for opinions before I take a social anxiety plunge, thanks!

I have a very beloved French bulldog who will be moving from US to Canada with me, about a 30 hour drive one-way from start to destination. Can anyone recommend a ground transportation service, and/or tell me what red flags to watch out for when I'm looking for one?

Work lawyers say the 60-day post-employment period that visaholders used to have to sell homes, move pets etc is discretionary now, so it seems safer for me to send her ahead overland and book myself a flight on last day of work than for us to road trip together in that post-employment gray zone.

I live in apartment with a dog. I take him on walks and to potty outside. There are sometimes people walking and sometimes other dogs. My dog has suddenly begin to bark at them and want to go to them on leash, mainly because he wants to play. He hasn't done this before. He is almost a year and a half. How to fix this?

Hi! Does anyone know how to fly a dog by itself? It will be from Arkansas to Pennsylvania. I can't seem to find any information online that is making sense to me. If anyone could provide a link or directions that would be great!