Category: Top Dog

After over 12 years with two small boy dogs (a Dachshund/Pom mix and a Dachshund/Maltese/Yorkie mix), we just adopted a 4-month-old mystery puppy who looks like she could be a Chinook (which seems crazy given how rare they seem to be), so we’re eagerly awaiting her DNA results.

She’s already a very different experience from our previous dogs, and it’s dawning on me that raising a larger breed comes with its own set of considerations. For example, I’ve learned that larger breeds need to wait longer before engaging in high-impact activities due to growth plate concerns, which was new to me.

We’re planning to crate train and use clicker training like we did with our previous dogs, but I’d love to hear from folks who’ve raised both small and large breeds. What differences should we be aware of in terms of training, socialization, exercise, or general care? She’s still waiting on her final DHPP dose before we can socialize her, and she was spayed when we got her. It’s been over a decade since we’ve had a puppy this young, and we've never had a girl dog or a non-small breed, so I’m all ears for tips, insights, and things you wish you’d known when transitioning between sizes of dogs. Thanks in advance!

My 5 month old mini aussie was getting so good at going to the bathroom outside. We have a 24/7 open doggy door, and he goes outside, goes potty and comes back in.

But randomly (like today) he'll just pee inside or poop (and eat it, but im aware that's rather normal for puppies and they'll grow out of it). We got him to free roam the house at night, and had zero accidents, and would go outside when he needed to.

Any idea why he goes to the bathroom inside AND outside randomly? Any tips on how to encourage him to ONLY go outside? (Our other aussies were a bit older and pre-trained; we never had an issue till now)

My boy Enzo is about to be 11 months old and seems to be having a regression in his potty training. We got him when he was 2 months old and did the crate training and had I’m in the crate and pen until he was about 6 months old and then opened up our apartment to him. He did well over. I would come home on my break and walk him for about 20 mins on my lunch break and he never had any accidents. We recently moved to a home and have a lot my space. We have had countless accidents for about 3 weeks with upset stomach and soft poops in the same spot. I believes they were due to his bully sticks and once we took that away no more number 2’s in the house for about 2 weeks. But all of a sudden this morning he pooped twice and it was healthy and even peed on the rug which he has never peed in the house. I don’t know where to start with re training him. My ideas are to walk him in the morning for about a half mile, he gets let out an hour later then my wife and then my mother in law takes him out at lunch time in t he back yard, and then my wife walks him about 2 miles in the evening. Should I crate him again and then slowly open sections of the house? Could I avoid that and just maintain my walks? I’m lost help!!!!

Hi everyone,

I really need some honest advice. I have a 6 month old mini poodle, and I’ve been her sole caregiver since she was a tiny puppy. I love her, but lately I’ve been feeling completely overwhelmed. My life is already chaotic with work, personal responsibilities, and travel, and adding her care on top of everything feels like a constant source of stress.

She has AKC STAR Puppy training, and I’ve tried to implement routines and training consistently, but nothing has really improved. I’m happiest when she’s in her crate asleep. When she’s not, I’m constantly on edge, waiting for her next accident. She barks at thin air, sometimes acts aggressively or whines, and jumps up on the gate while I’m trying to work or do things around the house.

Two weekends ago, I spent my entire birthday weekend deep cleaning her crate and bedroom after back-to-back accidents, even though she hadn’t had crate accidents for months prior to this. It’s exhausting and emotionally draining.

This past week I’ve been sick with a respiratory illness, and it’s really made everything feel ten times harder. Just managing my symptoms while trying to take care of a puppy has completely exasperated the stress of being a dog owner. I’ve found myself feeling irritable and angry in ways I normally wouldn’t, constantly on edge, and it’s making me think about the long-term reality of this responsibility and whether I can realistically keep up with it.

I’ve spent thousands of dollars on her adoption fee, vaccines, boarding, and daycare costs. I did my research for years and wanted her for a long time before finally getting her, and I actually quit my job partly to focus on her, helping her adjust and training her properly. I was unemployed for the first four months I had her, but even then it felt like I had a full-time job. When I did start working again, it’s remote, but it still feels so hard.

I’ve been thinking about rehoming her, and the thought makes me feel really guilty and honestly like a failure. At the same time, keeping her feels like I’m always responsible for someone else, and there’s something extra I always have to plan for. I also know rehoming might give me some breathing room and freedom in my life.

I’m not neglectful. She’s healthy, vaccinated, is scheduled for a spay next week, and has had basic training. I’m just unsure if I can realistically continue giving her the attention and care she deserves.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? How did you know it was the right choice to rehome your dog, or to keep going despite feeling overwhelmed? I’d really appreciate your perspective.

Thanks so much for reading.

I’ve been thinking about getting a puppy, and leaning more to a mini dachshund over a cavapoo because I feel it has more personality although a cavapoo seems to be more manageable. I live in a 1BR flat and I work 9-6, but my girlfriend usually works from home. And boy, didn’t realize that these puppies cost quite a bit – considering adopting but didn’t have the breed and didn’t want to go through all the adoption “drama”.

Thoughts?

After over 12 years with two small boy dogs (a Dachshund/Pom mix and a Dachshund/Maltese/Yorkie mix), we just adopted a 4-month-old mystery puppy who looks like she could be a Chinook (which seems crazy given how rare they seem to be), so we’re eagerly awaiting her DNA results.

She’s already a very different experience from our previous dogs, and it’s dawning on me that raising a larger breed comes with its own set of considerations. For example, I’ve learned that larger breeds need to wait longer before engaging in high-impact activities due to growth plate concerns, which was new to me.

We’re planning to crate train and use clicker training like we did with our previous dogs, but I’d love to hear from folks who’ve raised both small and large breeds. What differences should we be aware of in terms of training, socialization, exercise, or general care? She’s still waiting on her final DHPP dose before we can socialize her, and she was spayed when we got her. It’s been over a decade since we’ve had a puppy this young, and we've never had a girl dog or a non-small breed, so I’m all ears for tips, insights, and things you wish you’d known when transitioning between sizes of dogs. Thanks in advance!

What’s a day in the life like? I run for 45 minutes a day anyway, so exercise is no problem. I have an okay, fenced yard, but not a great one. It doesn’t have all that much grass. Some videos will make it seem like you have to spend all day giving mini poodles mental stimulation, because they are so smart and intelligent. For miniature poodle owners, how high maintenance are they? Are they so high maintenance that I won’t be able to get any work done? By the way, I work part time from home. Either way, thanks in advance for any input? I’m thinking of putting down a deposit for a 3 year old one that I think I love already. Thanks in advance!

So I have beagle puppies, 4 months old, and the other one I can tell when she’s about to pee. She circles at the door, and it’s usually after waking up from a nap or sleep, or after eating and drinking water, or halfway through playtime. Or after playtime. When she circles, I just know she needs to go potty.

The other, I don’t get him. He has peed on my sofa, I thought he was already tired and ready to sleep, he peed on my pillow right beside my face, he peed on the bed.

No health issues. I’ve also cleaned everything with enzyme cleaner.