Category: Top Dog

I actually foster rescue dogs, and a lot of them I end up having them longish-term.

Of course, 99% of the time, I don’t know these dogs’ histories or what triggers them, so I’m learning on the fly.

But so many of them have quirks or fears, or are just weirdos where I can’t have people over without going through a list of stuff like, “we can’t watch any shows with Gordon Ramsay, or he attacks the TV,” or “make sure you don’t touch his left ear,” or “he has to ride in the front seat if we go anywhere or he’ll bark thé whole ride.”

I mean I love these idiots, and some of their quirks are downright charming, but it’s exhausting debriefing anyone who meets them.

Am I the only one who goes through this?

Hey there! I hope everyone is well! I am looking for dog toy recommendations. I imagine there is no such thing as an indestructible dog toy but has someone found anything close? LOL. Is that even a thing? Even just dog toys that lasted long/longer than expected. Creative ideas welcome too lol. Got a puppy recently and just tryna figure it out. Would love to hear y’all’s experiences 🙂 thank you for reading!

I need some input from dog behavioralists and experienced trainers.

For additional context, this is a very inbred French bulldog that has an obsession with marking and smelling pee, and he does have a trainer working with him. I think he might have the dog equivalent of OCD, but that’s me making an educated guess. I work in a doggy daycare.

This Frenchie has attempted to mark me on 3 separate occasions. He has also marked other mainly female dogs. I do like this dog and I’m pretty sure he’s fond of me too, but I have no clue why he tries to mark me. The trainer thinks he does it out of insecurity in general, but she says my guess is as good as hers when it comes to marking people and dogs.

Does anybody have a better answer or is this dog just a weirdo?

My greyhound lurcher regularly gets under the cover with me but I haven't figured out how she manages to breathe under it. It's not an issue I'm just curious

I'm doing my best here. I ignore the dog until the dog calms down. But once I pet him he goes nuts.

I'm going to start calmly walking outside and then pet him once he chills outside. Will that work? He's three years old. I'm also thinking about introducing new people, and having them calmly go outside before petting.

He's a cute dog. But he's a roommates', and I'd like to live in a house without worrying about dog urine.

My dog, 9 years old has recently in the last week or so has started to refuse to outside. We live in a town house with no backyard so we take him to the grass by the road and we’ve been doing this for over a year since we moved in but recently he’s decided that holding his pee for 12+ hours is a better idea. We have to physically (gently) force him down the stairs or carry him down the stairs to get him to pee and even then he often will just turn around and stand at the door till we let him back inside. This is a new thing and I don’t understand, we take him outside multiple times a day. Also to add in the middle of the night he will occasionally ask to go outside and then will just stand on the porch, sniff the air and walk back inside and go to bed. Some times he will do this multiple times a night and every time we take him outside AND THEN in the morning I sometimes find a puddle of pee in our spare bathroom next to our cats litter box. I just don’t get it, he’s never had potty issues and this is starting to feel deliberate. Help please! He’s my soul dog but I’m starting to hate him for this ;(

Sorry if this is written wrong or something, this is my first time writing in on Reddit and I’m typing on my phone.

Hey everyone, I’m new to dogs in general so please forgive any ignorant responses to these questions as I do not know all the nuances of being a dog owner below I’ve answered all the questions from the sidebar. I appreciate y’all’s help in advance.

1. ⁠Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

Yes it will be my first dog.

1. ⁠Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

I’d like to go through a breeder but I don’t know if I’ll have the time to train a puppy every single day so I’d be willing to rescue as well. My main concern is health issues, I want a dog that will be healthy because it would make me quite sad to see my dog in pain or sick.

1. ⁠Describe your ideal dog.

Chill most of the time but also willing to play and exercise with me.

1. ⁠What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

I’ve been looking at labs and would like a medium to medium-large sized dog. I’ve seen good things about English labs because they are usually not as full of energy as American labs.

1. ⁠What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

The basics at first, but eventually I want them to follow me off leash and learn to come to the sound of my voice with one command.

1. ⁠Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

No I don’t want to compete I just want them to be a good companion who likes to participate in activities

Care Commitments

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

I would say an hour to 90 mins I’m very busy but I’ll always have time at the end of the day when I get back from work

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

My apartment has a dog park connected to it and I have space behind my unit as well, I’d say that the 90 minutes at the end of my day would include training as well as exercise.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

I would be willing to basic grooming at home but for more advanced grooming I’d take them to a professional

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for?

Medium to large but not too big like a Great Dane or mastiff

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

I’d like minimal of all three but I understand that’s a dream scenario the most important is minimal barking because I live in an apartment

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

Very important

Dog Personality and Behavior

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

Snuggly

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

Eager to please

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

Calm but be open to meeting new people when they come to my place.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

I’d rather not

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

The main thing is that I don’t want them to be aggressive to people and other dogs. I understand this can also be trained out of them

Lifestyle

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

I’m in college and go to class as well as work so it varies, but I’d say on average it’s about 5-6 hrs a day

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

I live alone.

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

No

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

No

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

I haven’t seen any restrictions on my lease

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

I live in Mississippi and no

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

Very hot summers with highs in the 90s and mild winters with Lows in the 30s

Hey all, I know there are a lot of posts like this, but I’m really struggling with a decision and could genuinely use some outside perspective.

I recently adopted a dog, and she’s honestly incredible. Gentle, patient, and just an all-around beautiful dog. I’ve grown really fond of her already, which is what makes this so hard.

Since adopting her though, I’ve started to realise I might not actually be in the right place in life to give her what she needs. I went into it thinking I was ready, and I have been trying to make it work, but it’s been a lot more overwhelming than I expected. I’ve been losing sleep, feeling constantly on edge, and finding it hard to properly relax, even when I’m at home.

I work in aviation maintenance, so being mentally clear, well-rested, and focused is really important. If I’m tired or distracted, things can get rushed, missed, or overlooked and in this kind of work, small mistakes can have serious consequences. Recently I’ve noticed the stress starting to follow me into work, and it’s becoming a real concern. My boss has even pointed it out.

Because of the nature of my job, as well as my age and personality, I feel like if this doesn’t improve very soon, I won’t be able to keep her. I can’t afford to be fatigued or mentally off at work, and right now having a dog has been a major source of stress.

On top of that, my schedule isn’t ideal. I work 5–6 days a week for about 8 hours, and I’m about to start trade school again, which could mean being out of the house for up to 12 hours some days. The more I think about it, the more it doesn’t feel right leaving her alone that much. I feel like she deserves more whether that’s more space, another dog, or just someone around more often. Unfortunately, I can’t really provide that right now, especially living in a suburban place with a smaller backyard.

I’m 19, and I’ll be honest. I think I underestimated how ready I was for this. It’s not that I don’t want a dog or don’t care. If anything, this has made me realise how much time, consistency, and stability they actually need. I also think the responsibility has brought back some stress-related issues I need to properly work through.

I want to be clear this isn’t about being lazy or just giving up. I have been trying, and I do love her. That’s why I’m even considering this, because I don’t know if it’s fair on her to stay in a situation where I’m struggling and she’s spending so much time alone.

Right now I’m leaning toward returning her to the foster agency so she can find a home that better suits her, but I feel incredibly guilty even thinking about it.

Am I making the right call here?