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For anyone on here right now who has just brought home a fur baby and is maybe having second thoughts or losing their mind or just thinking they can’t do this I promise you it does get better. So 3 months ago I brought home an 8 week old staffie and she was the cutest little pup who we couldn’t wait to have, then it started to sink in that bringing up a pup is actually harder than expected. She was chewing things she shouldn’t, biting everything including us even breaking skin, barking at my cats, the lot, I was losing my mind trying to teach this dog how to settle and not to do certain things, it was hard. I went into this with no idea what I was doing, trying to teach myself training through videos and yes certain things were helpful but I realised you have to find your own way of leadership and guide her your own way, not just for you but for your dog as all dogs are different and one way someone may train their dog may not work for yours. It really is all about patience and working together to form a bond, trust me it is so worth it once you start to see the change and feel that bond, I’m actually happy to see her when I get home instead of worrying how she’s going to behave today or if she will listen to me. The more they grow and get out of that mischievous puppy stage is when you start to realise that they are just babies learning the world and need guidance just like any other baby. If there’s any advice I could give it would be – get a crate, a safe space for them I realised is actually really good for them and you. Teaching manners when it comes to feeding, I will place her food, have her sit and wait until I say for her to eat (of course only a few seconds as puppy eyes) teaches them not to be aggressive with food. Now this one depends really but I found no telling off really got through to her unless I told her to go to bed until I tell her she can come back(which also isn’t long). And I would definitely say to sit and give paw are good ones, she loves to sit and give paw for anything toys, treats, even attention. Sorry for the long post but thought it could be helpful for anyone struggling, I wish the best to all new dog owners!

My 4yo JRT and Pomeranian mix started having these evening episodes where he wants to be held all of a sudden and when you hold him he either tenses up or becomes a sack of potatoes. If you leave him to lie down next to you he would not fall asleep and just stare, unless you give him a spasmolytic or probiotic and wait an hour or two for the drug to take effect so he would fall asleep. In the morning he would behave like nothing happened. When we go for a check up at the vet everything would seems fine – no painful stomach and no gas.

I've been giving him probiotics and special gastro kibble divided into four small meals so it would be easier for his stomach. With the new probiotics and kibble the episodes have become more far inbetween. When he experienced one a couple of weeks ago it was after he let out a loud fart and visibly got scared, the weird behavior kicked in and he wanted to be held. So, I was like: does he just get super anxious because he has gas? Well, what can I even do about that? My other theory is that it happens when he hasn't had enough exercise because of either the weather outside or because he has grown bored of our games, so he reaches a point in the evening where he doesn't know how to calm down and the anxiety kicks in.

It only happens in the evening. During the day the behaves normal, as well as during our walk after a get off work. As a JRT mix he needs a lot of play (normally till at least 10 pm), so even in days when he experiences an episode he would play and run a lot in the early hours of the evening. But when he needs to stop playing for a bit because we have to sit down and eat dinner or I have to go to the bathroom he would all of a sudden start looking for comfort, trying to force his way into your lap or scratching at you to pick him up with ears back and tail between his legs.

I'm at my wits ends and I don't know how to approach this anymore. Has anyone else experienced something similar with their pooch?

Edit: The title was supposed to be "Is this anxiety OR a digestive issue".

Hi everyone, Looking for some advice because my 1-year-old, 10-lb dog has suddenly changed her behavior over the past week and a half.

She’s been semi–potty trained for a while. We work dueling the day and she’s always been okay at home alone. She has tons of enrichment (new toys, a snuffle mat, etc.), and we watch her on camera. When we get home, she gets a long walk. She used to have the occasional accident inside, but nothing major — and we’ve never punished her for it since she’s small and can’t hold it forever.

Recently everything changed. She’s suddenly becoming really destructive: ripping up decorations, having multiple accidents during the day, and even peed on our couch. On top of that, she’s started barking at us every night. After her walk and our dinner, when we’re finally settling on the couch, she stands in front of us and barks nonstop. I used to give in and play with her, but I realized I was reinforcing it. Now I’m trying to ignore it and add more structured playtime earlier in the evening.

My boyfriend thinks she shouldn’t have free roam anymore and wants to switch her to a playpen during the day instead of letting her have the small living/kitchen area. Our apartment isn’t big — she already only has access to those two rooms — so I’m not sure if moving her to a pen will even help or if it could make things worse.

Has anyone dealt with a sudden shift like this? What could be causing it, and is reducing her space during the day a good idea? Any insight or suggestions would be appreciated.

I got this dog about three months ago. He’s perfectly trained and a great dog, but the only issue is that he howls every night no matter what I do. I’ve tried taking him on walks before bed, giving him toys, bringing him into my room, and working on separation-anxiety training. He’s also fully awake when he howls, so he’s not dreaming. It’s just something he does. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop this?

This may be far fetched. We have a small romanian rescue chihuahua that needs a home but unsure of where to advertise her.

In england does anybody know any good places to post her?

Dogs get a bit older and has a few droplets here and there. I bought a bed cover/blanket recommended here but a bit worried about its chemical makeup. Says it has a TPU coating to make it waterproof. Doesn't sound the best. Others on Amazon claim to be polyester or fleece but not quite sure as these companies seem to come and go rather easily.

Does chemical caring owner know of any good pet cover offerings that are safe? Thank you