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Hi first of all. For everybody that answered on my lrevious posts, many thanks for the constructive advice and tips 🙂

So I read on reddit and the webs that you can use a damped, curled and frozen washcloth or towel as a toy for a pup. I wanna try that too but I wonder how great is the chance our pup will see regular towels and washcloths as toys when I give her old ones as toys? Also with old T-shirts or old slippers?

The thing with the slippers is sometimes our pup is sometimes faster and smarter then us and runs away with it but sometimes i'm like if it occupies her for 15 min, maybe more and i'm tired as hell, just go for it girl. Even though i know it's something i should teach her not to do i know, but some moments are just go nuts with it but if i could give her one that i don't use anymore maybe she stays with that one rather my new ones? 🙂

Thanks in advance!

I have a nearly 15 month old German shepherd/German pointer cross named Piper, and I am reaching the end of my rope!

Don't get me wrong, I love her so much. She's sweet and loving, smart and attentive, playful and so, so adorable. But she's also stubborn, strong-willed, rebellious, and so very loud. Around 8 months old she found her voice, and she has not stopped barking at us since. (We're working on it, and she is improving although the progress is slow and painful.)

The initial puppy stage was a tough transition with lost sleep, clinginess, fear of other dogs/people, and the potty training. But we adjusted fairly quickly and settled into our new routine. It's the lengthiness of the adolescent stage that is really beating me down.

She is the second dog that we've raised since puppyhood, so we were prepared for some of the hurdles. And our now 4 year old dog is such a good girl, so we have a light at the end of the tunnel for sure. But I personally think the 12-18 month stretch is the hardest. This was the time with our last dog as well that I really started to wonder if it was worth it. Because the adolescent stage hit around 6 months, which we were ready for, but it lasts so long! It feels like you'll never come out the other side. And by the time they're over a year old and still haven't chilled out, you want to throw in the towel.

Based on the trajectory of our other dog (who is around the same size), I expect her to start calming down in a few months. And on good days, I can see the amazing dog I know she's going to be. But oh my God we're in the trenches right now friends.

Which age range has been trickiest for you to navigate with your pup(s)? And if anyone has tips on curbing the incessant barking, please drop them for the sake of my poor ears!

I just got Mochi October 20th. Her birthday is August 1st, 2025. She’s been using the bathroom inside on a pad but sometimes has accidents off it. So she does pretty well with them. When I take her outside, she doesn’t use the bathroom at all. She waits until we get back inside to use the bathroom. I was waiting for her third booster and rabies shot to start taking her outside. Should I take her out more often? She also doesn’t sleep in a crate and does her business in the middle of the night on the pad. Should I have her sleep in her crate and set an alarm to take her out at 3am-5am? Since that’s the time she usually wakes up.. she’s very smart & learns things quickly. She’s a cockapoo.

They're doing a really good 40% off deal applicable to Rx items (I hate chewy but a deals a deal!)

Too bad you can't use the code unless you haven't ordered within 6 months, and usually sites won't let you use the same full name/contact info for another account but they sure did! Was able to save $95 on my pups meds.

Wasn't sure if someone else had tried it or just gave up like I was going to but just in case anyone needed it! Wanted to share lol

My dog goes to daycare 1x per week to get his beans out. He’s got a lot of them and I have a newborn and can’t keep up as much right now. They post on Instagram stories all day long and he’s using a blast. He’s running, wagging, playing etc. but for some reason when we drop him off he does not want to get out of the car. He absolutely protests and is shaking.

Every morning when I let my dog out in the backyard by herself she ends up just walking to the back and sitting right up against the fence under some branches. She only does this in the morning and then I have to go outside and walk halfway to her and she will come right back in.

Any ideas why? She is a very weird girl

My spouse and I just got a 2.5 month old black lab/golden retriever pup and he's the sweetest boy. We adore him so much, and while we've only had him for 4 days now, he's been such a good boy. He's fine with the crate (for the most part) it's the amount of time we leave him in there. We leave him in there during night except for potty breaks, we let him have about 20-30 minutes of free time before we put him back in and go back to sleep. We both work full time, so he's also in the crate while we're away. He's done fine so far with us at work in the crate, no accidents, no destruction. So if he seems fine with it why do I feel so guilty about leaving him in there for long? I know this isn't forever but I just get overwhelmed with anxiety thinking about leaving him alone. I've helped my parents raise puppies growing up (we had 6 dogs) but this is my first time raising one while not living at home. Just looking for advice to get over this crate guilt.

Hi everyone,

I got my second puppy last December and was quite active in this thread. My first puppy was a lot easier, so the second one (a boy—first was a girl) really threw me for a loop! He was a naughty little bugger… still is sometimes. But now, it’s been about a year and I’ve just been reflecting on that time since the weather is bringing back memories. Wooooo boy we were in the trenches and I thought it would never get better! I remember crying in the shower thinking we ruined our peaceful dynamic by bringing in this little hellhound. Many a night were spent wondering if we made a huge mistake. But now, I can’t imagine our lives without him. We’ve grown to love all his quirks and my connection with him really grew during those hard months, more than I thought it would or realized at the time. So all this to say: it gets better! I’m so beyond happy with our little family, and even though my pup is far from perfect, we are out of the trenches and really enjoying life. Routine is the best thing you can build in those early stages. And my number one piece of advice is forced nap time!!! No one will know peace so long as your puppy is overtired.

I got my puppy (mini dachshund) the very beginning of October, he is now 17 weeks. I have left him home by himself for short periods and he does ok. He stays home with my boyfriend when I go out to run errands. He does fine, but he does mope around some.

We have a work meeting to attend and we will be gone 6 days. My mom is coming to stay with him and meet him a day early. So yes, he will be in his home, with the other dogs (who he is not super close to because they’re old), with his routine.

I just worry because he is SO attached to me… I’m going to leave some of my worn clothes. Any other tips?

I’m just worried and I know I won’t enjoy my trip because I know he’ll be sad 😅