Blog

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 😭😭😭

My boyfriend (22) and I (20) moved out of my parents house into a 1b 1b apartment its cute and cozy. I always knew I wanted my own dog or at least a pet but I am 100% regretting this decision. We had less than a month in this apartment alone before we decided to get a puppy about two weeks ago now. I brought up the idea first which he shut down but then he said it could be a good idea. My thing is I wanted to adopt an older dog from the shelter or foster homes. He did not want to do that and wanted a puppy from a breeder and I should have listened to my gut. I’ve always wanted a pitbull from the shelter bc I have had them my whole life with my parents. He specifically wanted a golden retriever something I have zero experience with. I was naive and helped us find and connect with a breeder. I just wanted my own pet for once and rushed into this decision with him. My boyfriend does roofs and sometimes does not get home till 7-9 PM, I get out of work around 5 so I usually have the puppy on my own and it is horrible. I had one day to myself at this apartment where I had nothing to do, no unpacking or cleaning and I feel like this was a big mistake. I do always take care of the puppy preparing him freezebones and enrichment etc but the thing is we live on the second floor and have steep stairs I’m not able to carry him outside a lot as he is already almost 30 pounds at 3 months old. With my boyfriend being gone a lot its hard for me. I don’t think we can handle this puppy because for some reason my bf has the mind set that if he takes the puppys water away at 7, that he shouldn’t have to bring him outside in the middle of the night mind u this whole time he never has done that and I’ve had to resort to waking up myself and bringing him to the puppy pads. In the mornings my boyfriend rushes to go to work and leaves me to feed the puppy play and have him go potty on the pad bc he won’t take him outside since he’s in a rush. I also have to get myself ready for work too. I don’t know what to do at all and I just want to have my freedom back. I work full time to save money to open my own beauty suite and now having a puppy I feel I’ll never be able to accomplish that. Its hard to work on potty training and training this puppy on my own and him not taking the puppy outside doesn’t help at all. I also do most of the cooking and cleaning. I’m not saying my boyfriend is a bad person by any means but I think we are both overwhelmed and its putting a strain on our relationship. When we are both home with the puppy its a lot easier but thats not realistic when he works everyday and weekends I have off so I have the puppy all day myself. So even on my days off I’m not able to do anything at all. I do love and care for the puppy but I miss my life and I just moved out and already have to care for another human being essentially. This puppy also came to us having giardia from his breeder which is another thing to add onto stress.

Hey r/puppy101 !

I run a community focused on dog psychology and solving common behavior problems, like separation anxiety, fear of strangers, and general stress.

Dogs don’t misbehave out of spite. Every bark, chew, or panic has a reason, and understanding their emotions is the first step to building calm, confident pups.

In our Skool community, you’ll find:

• Mini-courses on anxiety, fear, and confidence-building 🏡
• Practical exercises to try at home 🐕
• Progress journals and community support for sharing wins 🎉
• Tips based on real canine psychology, not guesswork

Whether your dog is shy, anxious, or just testing boundaries, you’ll find support and actionable strategies here.
We will add new content every few days!

👉 Check it out and join us: Dog Psychology LINK

Let’s help our dogs feel safe, confident, and happy, one step at a time.