Category: Top Dog

My baby girl is 6 month old. Where do you go to help socialize with other dogs? I don’t have many friends with dogs that would be good for this. Could I do a dog park on leash? I do have another dog and they get along.

I also am hoping someone can help me with desensitization with the cat. She barks EVERY time he meows which is hard because he is a chatty cat. They are separated for the most part: cat gets the upstairs when we are awake but we all sleep upstairs and cat can roam free. I don’t have doors in my apartment other than bathrooms.

We have an 8 week old puppy who is great in her crate at bedtime in the room with us. I can place her in there when she's sleepy and she will curl up with her blanket and go to sleep. She stays in there fine overnight as well with a potty break or two.

When she's beginning a nap in the day I can also put her in her crate and she doesn't mind. When I hear her waking up from her nap, however long that is, I'll take her out.

I cannot for the life of my get her to stay in her crate if she is not sleeping or about to be. She will cry, whine, yell, scratch at the corner, teeth around the door, etc.

I've spent a few days luring her in with treats, rewarding her when she is calm, closing the door, walking away 10 ft, etc and seems ok with that. But if I try to put her in there, give her a couple treats and leave for more than 15 seconds she goes nuts and sounds so distressed.

I took a week off work to be with her while she adjusts to her new environment but on Friday I need to go back and the thought of her being so upset for the day (I'll be home on lunch to check on her and take her out) is heartbreaking.

I'm sure (at least I hope so) she will adjust with time/age, but is there anything I can try over the next couple of days to get her ready for Friday?

I have her nap in the crate a couple of times per day, and the others I'll let her nap out on her bed. Should I be doing every nap in there?

Is it safe to leave her in the crate while she is acting that way?

I have a 4 month old puppy (chi x jack russel) and I’m currently experiencing every puppy owner’s challenges during this age.

But there are a few behaviours I want to understand more so I can care for her in the way she needs.

1) She is usually behaved and calm when I’m not there. She doesn’t really bark and is okay being alone. She just goes to her crate and sleep! But when I’m there, she needs to be with me at all times. She’s very barky and bitey. Even if I’m just sitting on the table 5 feet away from her! She just wants me to be on the couch, which is beside her crate.

2) Today I found my cat’s old Christmas costume. When I put it on my dog, she suddenly behaved and just sat for a while compared to her usual barking and biting. I took it off to see if her behaviour has any difference between having it on and off. I put it back on and she calmed down again and started falling asleep while sitting up! Then eventually she just went into her crate and fell asleep, which is unusual. I usually have to close her crate for her to sleep. To make it even weirder, my cat just stared at her for the looongest time. Both my partner and I are confused and amused haha. Can some give some insight? I thought it might be comforting to her, as if she has a weighted blanket on. I never put a blanket on her because when she was 2 months old she would always resist/take it off when I put a blanket on.

Thanks guys!

I’m thinking about adopting my first dog and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. What are the most important things I should consider before adopting, and what do you wish you had known beforehand?

I adopted a dog 5 months ago with full commitment and love. Since then, I’ve tried everything: routines, daily training, patience, and working with a professional behaviorist (remotely). The reality is that the situation is extremely hard. Ongoing behavioral issues, impulsivity, destruction, waking me up at night, and constant hypervigilance on my part. I’m exhausted, anxious, and I never feel relaxed in my own home. What hurts the most is that this is making me feel anger and rejection, and that breaks my heart because I truly love dogs. I had a dog before and it was a wonderful experience. This one is not. My honest questions are: Are there cases where returning a dog is not “giving up” but recognizing a real limit? Has anyone gone through something similar after several months? How do you tell the difference between a temporary phase and a real incompatibility? I’m not looking for judgment or easy validation. Just real experiences and honest advice. Thank you for reading.

Edit: I forgot to mention… this is a rescued dog, he has between 1 or 2 years old, and that is the reason for his behaviour problems. I wasnt advised on the rescue center about this before adopting.

I take me dog on 3 walks a week, i really can’t do anymore because of hip and knee issues, and I was thinking about hiring a dog walker for 2 days a weeks

Hi! 3 weeks ago we adopted a sweet soul from the dog warden. She is starting to come out of her shell, which is great. However, she is young and starting to be destructive. She's chewing on shoes. I bought a lick mat and also one of the bones that have a cup that gets set inside. She doesn't seem super interested in them. I have still been putting kibble in her dish 3ish times a day. Do these lick toys replace meals? I have been spreading pumpkin with a few bits of kibble in the pumpkin. I dont want to over/under feed her.

I'm not sure how, or if I can correct my dog's behavior. He is 11yrs old and almost as stubborn as I am. The issue is he will frequently ask to go outside when he doesn't need to potty. He does this to try to get us to do other things. When he asks to go out we always let him out, to reinforce that is what the behavior is for. If he does not really need to potty he will often just go outside, turn around and ask to come back in. He has even gone so far as to pretend he is peeing and then come back if wr are watching him. When he comes back in he always goes by the counter where we keep treats and sits to wait for a treat. We stopped giving him treats a long time ago for this reason.

Another thing he does is harass us to be fed. Often up to an hour before meal time he will start certain behaviors (such as the above mentioned, whining at us, or pawing at us.) It’s not like we have ever forgotten to feed him. He has done this his entire life but it has gotten exponentially worse. He is not underfed. He is a bit heavier than he should be, but not obese.

He has had a recent vet visit and any health concerns he has are not related to these behaviors (no urinary issues, etc).

Thoughts? Advice? TIA

I live in a complex where there are a lot of dogs and damn, they poop everywhere and you can't walk three meters without there being shit on the ground (and I'm not talking about pooping in the grass, I'm talking about the road, the sidewalks, almost in front of your door) And I hate it, it grosses me out that they take a shit on your way to work and I hate even more the fact that the owners don't pick it up. As a cat owner, I was wondering if dogs can actually use litter boxes ? If not, why?

I’ve been thinking about dog beds lately because our dog bed is basically destroyed. Foam flattened, cover gross, and my dog definitely got comfortable with his teeth and paws.

If you could design the perfect dog bed, what features would it have?

Comfort, durability, chew resistance or something completely different? Would love to hear what you’d include!