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Hi all! My husband and I are picking up our puppy this week. We feel decently prepared, we did all the research, got the set up and necessities. I’ve read up on training techniques and consistencies. This is our first dog together, also first dog we’ve owned as adults. We’ve both had dogs growing up.

But the tips and tricks only get you so far.

If you’ve been a dog owner for a while. If you could go back, what is something you would change if you went back? What’s something that was totally missing from all the advice posts? What would you tell a first time dog owner?

Thanks so much!!

For the record, the pup is a small breed. Currently 10 weeks old. Male. 🙂

hello! we just moved into an apartment which has a lot of regulations so I’m stressed about this. my dog is a parson terrier and is very vocal and needy. When we leave and come back he bark/cries so loud it’s distressing. we have to keep him in his crate when we leave otherwise he will pee on rugs and trash things. we have tried the dont pay attention to him until he’s calm method but he can cry for hours it seems like. no amount of ignoring until hes calm works bc he will not calm. Just yesterday he was at the park/on a walk for a total of 3 hours and when we got back we left to the grocery store. As soon as the front door closed he was doing his crying/barking/howling. when I got to the car I could hear him from the parking lot and I realized I forgot my grocery bags and went back and his voice was echoing down our hallway. and now he’s doing it even when one person leaves-not even in his crate. Any ideas of what to do??

We have a 13 year old chihuahua. He always takes our shoes and puts it in his sleeping couchion. I wonder why our dog does this?

My dog is getting pampered and groomed in 2 weeks. Getting her nails cut, washed and dried after her grooming. This local groomer rocks. I take her there every 4 months. She'll feel so much better. She's a senior Shih Tzu terrier. It's good to get it done. Especially after winter. I'll post a picture after! ❤️

I had her out in the yard with me while I was spraying weeds with a mix of vinegar, salt and dish soap. I noticed she was following behind me and sniffing therefore I’m sure she licked too. About 10-15 minutes later she threw up. She’s fine now, and has been fine all day. Is it safe to assume it was the vinegar? She’s a 70 pound dog.

And YES I realize I should have left her inside while I did this- my initial thought was well the ingredients aren’t toxic and I’m only spraying under the fence line- not in the yard itself where she roams and lays. Vinegar or not this won’t happen again. Thank you for kindness!

Hi all,

I'm looking for recommendations for a crash tested carrier for my pomeranian that doesn't require the use of a shoulder belt or harness (he's currently too small for the smallest harness I could find).

We can't use a shoulder belt because the carrier needs to go in the middle of the back seat and neither of our vehicles are new enough to have a shoulder belt in the middle seat. Our human children currently occupy the seats that have shoulder belts.

Is there even a carrier out there that fits this requirement?

My wife and I are getting a shelter dog tomorrow (Jack Russell Terrier/pug I believe the breed description said) and I have no idea what to expect. Is there anything I can do now to prepare for him? What should I get? ECT.

Hi everyone! I'm debating collars for my Red and Rust Dobie boy, Forrest. He's 7 months, so I'm working on finding a more permanent collar for him.

Im trying to decide if I want to do a collar with engraved info on the collar vs a tag, and what kind of collar I want. It will be specifically for off leash and public outings. I'm struggling on colors, material, and which of the two I want. Please comment suggestions!

My dog is one and half year old I got him pretty late I love him and want what’s best for him. I have tried EVERYTHING in my book to get him to like going outside. I got him when he was already 4 and half months. I don’t know his previous life I manage to be patient and at first he wouldn’t even like leaving the apartment just walking outside would make him want to rush inside. After months and MONTHS! If it I finally manage to have him enjoy going around the apartment but it feels like there’s no progress anymore. I know i can’t pressure him to walk further away cause it’ll create even more negativity with it but I am so lost and disheartened I have no idea what to do anymore. It’s Been MONTHS! And months and he refuses to go anything past around our apartments. And even then he’s super skittish, I’ve been wanting to socialize him more but when there’s dogs nearby he jumps and tries to run away. And I keep trying to give him treats to walk further but nothing works. He only walks to the treat and wants to run back home again. He’s still a puppy and I try to play with him a lot but I really want him to enjoy the outdoors. Playing inside can be a. Hassle and he obviously has high energy and I want him to enjoy being outside so that energy can be dispersed. Please if anyone has any tips or ideas anything I’ve tried all the tricks the ideas but maybe there’s something. Again he only walks around the apartment anything pass it he 10000% refuses to move. I want to take him to dog parks and dog meets but he doesn’t even enjoy going into the car let alone a near park or area. He’s completely hard stuck on being home no matter what and I feel horrible trying to force jim into the car or into a park cause I feel like it’ll just create more anxiety and fear of the outdoors

Hello,

TLDR; Can I train my puppy at 9 weeks or too early? Why does Graeme Sims say to not train until 6 months?

I have a 9 week old Chihuahua pup, I have read Graeme Sims The Dog Whisperer (Not Graeme Hall – but is he any good?), I am also reading Sue Ailsby's Training Manuals – I have bought both, and Dr Sophia Yins – How to Behave so your Dog Behaves.

My intention is to train her (Mouse is her name) to be an assistance dog – to remind me to take my medication and other memory based things such as paying for parking when I park the car and if possible some triggers when around my Diabetic son as I struggle to remember things I need to do.

I understand to just start with the basics so it will just be working through Sue A's levels slowly. I have got her an In Training patch for her harness (the harness is a little large even though it's an XXXS).

Graeme Sims says do not start training AT ALL until 6 months old. But… how do I take her to the park or anywhere at all if she cannot walk on a lead or sit. She is quarantined until she is 14 weeks anyway because her last jabs are still a month away. So I want to train her now to sit, come and walk on a long line.

The other two books above do not agree with his 6 month rule so I have started with sit and she is making great progress. She is a tiny baby so I don't want to stress her out but she seems very excited and willing – we only do a little bit each day and we cuddle and praise her all of the time.

She has access to half our garden (the patio part) which is safe enough for her pre-jabs, she wears her harness on the patio and also when I take her out I carry her in a little sling on my front and she wears her harness for practice there too. Everything is rewarded if she is unsure about it, play, toys and kibble. She is very relaxed and happy.

So is that okay? To just start her training now? I end up going round and round in circles if I hear conflicting advice. So I decided to just start on the Sue A and just trust those, they seem to be well respected.

Thank you 🙂