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Hello! I have two very anxious, easily cold dogs who LOVE sweaters especially when winter starts. I have bought several sweaters from Little Beast and I feel like their quality is not what it used to be and the sweaters are easily ripped/thinner material. I love the turtle neck and long sleeve style and it really seems to soothe my dogs. Where do y’all get sweaters and is there an affordable brand that is better quality? Thanks in advance!

Hi there! Me again my puppy turned 1 recently and gotted spayed recently!! Her energy is still the same which is good and bad, she unfortunately likes to jump and run a lot, while her cone helps limit her running ( her cone blocks her paws from extending completely to run.. lol ) she is still trying to jump when possible which can cause her stitches to tear… any tips on how to limit this? She gets bored easily and ends up misbehaving or whining excessively if we ignore her

Is it a thing to only give your puppy crate and playpen access most of the time?

Currently he goes between crate and main floor access (with closed bedroom doors). But with Christmas coming up, and just the stress in general of keeping an eye on him all the time … I’m wondering if we can get a playpen for him and transfer him into that once he’s up from his naps. He also gets to spend time outside a lot because he LOVES outside.

He’s 9 weeks old now. Would it be feasible to do this kind of setup for a month or two? Or would so much playpen time be frowned upon?

I’m looking for different low-maintenance options because it’s been a LOT to manage.

Also, I want him to learn to go to the door if he has to potty… so now sure how that would work if he was in his playpen. While in his crate he is fully crate trained and whines to go potty. Free roaming he def is not potty trained. Would he whine to go out if he were in a playpen??

We are looking to add a puppy to our family with 3 littles (4, 2 & 1) we are between a corgi, australian shepherd, and a springer spaniel. They will get exercise daily, lots of walks & lots of love! We would love an easily trainable dog that is a good family dog. Shedding isn’t really a big deal but easier maintenance the better. I’ve done a decent amount of reading on each one & we’ve narrowed it down to those 3. Would love to hear real experience with any of those dogs!

Introduction

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

This will be our first dog as a family. My wife had a golden retriever as a child.

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

Rescue/shelter dogs

1. ⁠Describe your ideal dog.

Playful but cuddly. We have a very busy house with FIVE kids (aged 14 to 3), so a dog that does not bark a lot is preferred. We'd prefer soft, not coarse, hair.

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

We're really open to anything.

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

We're not looking for a dog to do "tricks". Following basic commands should be enough.

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?

Nope.

Care Commitments

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

A couple of hours. Our kids will be excited to have a dog to play with, so it shouldn't be starved for attention.

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?

30-45 minutes on weekdays, 90+ on weekends. We plan to take it for walks and dog parks. There's a park with a large field nearby that will be fun once we can let it off leash.

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?

We'd prefer to minimize grooming, but will do what's necessary to take care of the dog.

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for?

Small to large. Don't want one so small we might step on it, nor so large our 5 year-old will try to ride it.

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

Shedding: a normal amount. Not a heavy amount.

Barking: minimal. We have a loud house.

Slobber: minimal.

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

Fairly important for playing and letting outside for the bathroom.

Dog Personality and Behaviour

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

A snuggly dog. This animal will get a lot of love.

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?

Alert and observing but not barking and going crazy.

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

No.

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

Excessive barking. We have enough noise.

Lifestyle

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

During the school year, at least a few hours each day while transporting children to and from school and activities. It's possible to minimize that if bringing the car along or if I'm working remotely.

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

My wife and I have the same preferences.

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

This will be our only pet.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

Yes. We have five children.

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

We own our property

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

We live in North Carolina and there are no such laws where we live.

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

We live in a humid subtropical climate. The mean daily high summer temperature is 91 degrees F/33 degrees C.

Winters are fairly mild with a mean daily low of 32 degrees F/0 degrees C.

Additional Information and Questions

25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

We aren't nervous about being first-time dog owners. Our family can be a bit chaotic at times (again, we have FIVE kids).

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

We have a 4 month old golden retriever puppy. He has a crate and playpen made out of what I assume is the standard black wire-like metal. The crate and the playpen clank so loud any time he moves. No matter where they are placed in the house, it wakes us up at night. He sleeps fine for the most part, but any time he moves, we wake up because of the clanking.

Do you have any suggestions for playpens that don’t clank so loudly?

As the title states im just curious how many people have intact dogs and how thats turned out for them. Thank you.

My 7-month old Cavapoo (F) has been at home for 1 month and she’s just sprained her back knee from… running too fast and crashing into a wall.

The vet prescribed an anti-inflammatory and said she will be fine after 2-3 weeks of no running, no jumping, no standing on her back legs, etc. We’ve already shortened walks to just toilet breaks and minimised the roughhousing when playing, but she still jumps and runs about even when kept in a tiny room. How on earth am I supposed to prevent all that 😭😭😭