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I just got my 12 week old Samoyed puppy and he is absolutely terrified of the crate. The breeder said he slept in the crate at night with a sibling but was never a fan of it. He was in a crate for 3-4 days in transport on his way up here. I've been feeding all meals in there with the door open, leaving treat dispensing toys in there for when we have to leave him in there, and trying to reward with treats if he was quiet for a few seconds. He pays no mind to the treats and just keeps crying the whole time even if I'm sitting there with him. He will also eat his meals but come out after a few bites to make sure the door isn't shut. If I shut the door he stops eating and cries. He's not just crying either, he's pawing and biting at the gate. Any and all advice welcome! I have to leave for work today and I'm dreading it 😭

I've been working on tethering too, he also just cries the whole time if he's nearby but can't reach me. It's worse if he can't see me

I think I know the right answer here but looking for reassurance.

13 week old puppy has started really losing it – howling, barking etc after just an hour of sleep in the crate. She can definitely hold it, doesn’t need to eat – I think she just wants out. I should just ignore this right and let her work it out and calm herself down? She goes in fine and falls asleep ok, this is just waking up barking well short of the 2 hour nap goal.

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!

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?

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.

For context, I have a female Boxer beagle mix that just turned around a year old. Of course, she is very high energy and I’d expect nothing less considering the breeds she is mixed with. Overall she is a wonderful dog and is very well behaved besides the occasional mishap of ripping up a roll of toilet paper or card board we accidentally leave out. My main issue with her though is how she interacts with my cats. I’ve had her since she was 3-4 months old, unsure of the exact age as she was found starved on the streets and extremely malnourished. From the day I’ve brought her home I already had multiple cats in the house and she was able to interact with them. I’m unsure if it’s because of her high energy levels, but she is constantly playing very rough with the cats. It’s definitely not aggressive or prey driven, as I’ve dealt with that behavior before, but she does like to jump on the cats and put her mouth around their heads. My cats are not afraid of her, and usually just let it happen, but I worry one day she is going to accidentally injure one of them. I’ve tried redirecting with treats, toys, and verbal commands but I have had no success. I try to take her out of the house multiple times a week to interact with other dogs and go on long walks to burn some energy but nothing seems to be working. Thankfully despite all of this, the worst thing my cats have experienced so far from her rough and tumble play is a slobbered coat. What should be my next steps? I’m tired of feeling anxious every time she interacts with them.

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?

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 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

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.