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My wife and I are looking at getting a golden retriever (she finally said yes to getting one!). However, the breeder that we want to get the puppy from will have the dogs available in the middle of the summer (late June) when I will be the “busiest”.

camps finish end of Augest. But since I live on camp I could go home every 2-3 hours to take him out for potty and stimulation. But won’t be able to stay for long.

So my question is, is this a bad idea? 😂 and what should I expect the first 2 months of owning a puppy to know if I’ll be able to keep up with the demands of raising a puppy and work.

My thought is, it could work out because I will be having people come in and out quite frequently so he will be well socialized. I’ll also be able to come home frequently to take care of him because I don’t need to be around all the time necessarily.

But he will have to stay in the crate for a couple hours at a time alone. And I know crate training and separation anxiety are hurdles with getting a new puppy.

Any advice?

We just got a puppy a few days ago, and we're really trying to train her well. We have a lot of people over on the weekend, and need our dog to not be so scared/protective when people walk in.

Just yesterday, we had four people over, and she was fine. But today, people walk in and she goes crazy. Walks up to them before barking loudly. It's mainly with men and kids, and she hasn't bit anyone, but I really want to stop anything before it starts. I'm always on edge that she'll bite, and I feel like my fear is feeding hers. Is there any way to get her to relax when people come over? Is this just a normal puppy thing that I'm overthinking?

My puppy (3 months) has been nipping like crazy this past few weeks. I understand that she’s teething so I’m not frustrated or anything with her but it’s come to the point that it kinda hurts and she’s starting to really bite down. At this rate I’m not sure if it’s just teething anymore if this is what she considers playing. It’s become difficult to wipe her face and her teeth

She has a bunch of toys, I’ve tried redirecting but it doesn’t work. I’ve tried yelping but I know that may only excite her more (also I fear I’ve encouraged her and became her favorite squeaky toy by doing that). I’ve tried freezing and ignoring her but in situations where I’m on my way out or trying to do something, it’s not the most reasonable. I’ve read that softly muzzling the puppy with your hand and saying no can be helpful but I feel kinda guilty 🙁

Pls help!!! Potty training hasn’t driven me too crazy but the nipping is driving me NUTS.

Thanks guys!!!

I have a 5 month old rottie and need help on solidifying his leave it command!! now that the snow is melting there’s leaves, branches, etc everywhere and he brings them inside. even some trash with all the wind, then it got buried in snow and is now resurfacing. I even have a crabapple tree out in the front and I don’t want him eating what has fallen. Tips and tricks please and thank you!🙂

Our puppy is about 7 months now. Because I work from home I made the rookie mistake of putting the crate training on the back burner. Other than leash training which we’re currently still working on, he’s learned quite a lot and is well mannered.

I’ve started the crate training and first time I put him in, 11 minutes of solid barking and crying. Ugh my heart I’m such a softy. After a few minutes of quiet I let him out but he was attentive and honestly I’m not sure if that counted as settled or not.

Everytime I put him in there now he whimpers softly for a lil bit but eventually stops but he’s always sitting staring me down when I come back. So I’m unsure if that counts as settling. Now he isn’t starting from scratch. We gave him a good relationship with the kennel when younger so he naps in it, stores his fav toys in there, stores a snack if he’s not ready to eat it yet or jus chills in there but the moment you close that door he hates the kennel. I don’t wanna loose the progress we made but I also need him to be okay staying in the kennel for longer terms (4 hours max only! About 1-2x monthly)

He is being trained to be a medical alert service dog so honestly he’s quite well behaved otherwise. Yes I know, rookie mistake ugh! Working from home really made me mess up. My previous dogs never had issues with the kennel and were much easier to train this, I think he’s jus honestly a tad more attached than my previous dogs specially since I waited so long, or most likely cause I waited so long.

My questions are, is him sitting and attentive when I come back still counting as “settled”?

Will starting this loose progress I’ve originally had?

And lastly, with my previous dogs, I’d put some treats for them in the cage before I locked it and then walk away and come back I’d give them a single treat when I took them out (small training treat) to show that the kennel is a happy thing, and it worked well, but would that hinder progress in this situation?

Fyi he is a large breed Yorkie so he’ll grow up to be 15lbs which I know isn’t your average service dog but as he’s only meant for alert tasks, I don’t care that he’s small and cute 😆😆 (if the breed makes any difference in the answers)

hes getting more and more intense day by day 😭

My seven month old neutered puppy was not crate trained. We tried to the first few weeks when he was 8 weeks old but he ”won” and we gave up. He would occasionally go into his crate when we were training him – totally voluntary and the only time he cried in it was at night. He liked taking naps in it but nights were miserable.

We ended up keeping the crate out in our living room and in the last few days he’s been going in it and taking 2-3 minute rests and then coming back out. He is otherwise totally normal and happy. My partner is worried he’s sick or there is something wrong with him.

Any insights is appreciated!

My 4 mo cavapoo is super energetic and SUPER SMART and she usually gets enrich activities like snuffle mats, treasure hunt or even kongs and frozen licky mats 2-3 times a day apart from her walk. But all of these require food (i train her everyday as well) plus she wont let me clean her ears and face if she doesn’t get food to pacify her so thats more food. and she already is on a 4 times feeding schedule (were trying to transition to 3 slowly) i don’t mind giving her the required food but i feel like she’s overeating? And its also i feel like imp to know non-food enrichment.

Is 6 weeks okay to train or should I wait the 8th week. Right now he is so hyper jumping even if I try to calm him he just jump lunge on me etc so should training start at 8 weeks 2 weeks later

I never wanted a puppy!!!! But I saw a 5 month old online and the rest is history.

It’s night 1. We JUST cleared our house of fleas and confirmed with the rescue that she’d been medicated. They said something crazy is going on with fleas in LA tho 🤷‍♀️ Tonight we had her outside for a bit and we came in and she was sleeping on the floor, and I found effing fleas on her. I feel so bad. The rescue responded right away and said to bathe her and do Capstar tomorrow, and she should have her next flea and tick treatment next week. SIGH. I feel like I’ll never be rid of them now.

Here’s what worked out ok tho, night one with a brand new puppy:

– she peed and pooped inside once. I managed to get her outside mid poop and she waited and pooped the rest outside

– I took her outback right before the emergency flea bath and she peed!

– she threw a fit when I tried putting her in the crate while we were eating, that was a fail. But after a slooowww reintro back to all the coziness she has in her crate, with me laying in front of the opening, with the door open, and after she’d had more play time outback, and the stress of the bath, she is now sleeping soundly in her crate. I am on the couch near her but I’m definitely impressed. Good job little miss. Name to be determined.