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  • How are we helping our puppies learn to self settle?

    My 6 month old German shepherd can't self settle when I'm home. With my husband she does better, chill and able to relax without constantly asking or needing attention. We are making great progress on her listening and her skills which is awesome but she follows me room to room, barely laying down until I put her in her crate forcing her to. I tried sitting with her while she's attached to her leash but that turns into tug of war and her pulling me and the chair. We do offer things like the treats wrapped up in a tied towel, kong toys filled with food, good exercise and walks. Is this just age appropriate for what an active working breed is like? We do our walks/outside time primarily when she comes out after a nap, should it maybe be more focused to her before nap time? She does great in her crate when I put her in. She's out for 2/3 hours then nap for 2/3 hours.

    My previous shepherd was pretty chill and didn't require half as much so I feel like a novice shepherd owner this time around.

    submitted by /u/Practical-Beyond-567
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  • My mini dachshund doesn’t care about pleasing me

    This is causing problems with training. He will do things for treats but he doesn't respond to praise. He will not come when called or do anything that doesn't involve him getting food. When he does something right, I make a big deal praising, petting, etc., but he doesn't seem to care about that.

    The only other dog I've had that was this stubborn was a Jack Russell terrier.

    My pup is only 5 months old, so I'm hoping this is just a phase, but I really need some advice on forming a closer bond with him.

    submitted by /u/No-Penalty-1148
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  • Dont make my mistake

    DO NOT USE Bark Box. THIS COMPANY IS A SNEAK. THEY ARE A CHEAT AND THEY WILL TRAP YOU INTO SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES. YES, TRAP YOU. Recently, I tried to cancel my subscription due to the economic changes. However, their subscription packages are only available for YEARLY ONLY. This isnt Netflix or most subscriptions where you can cancel anytime. No this is like the magazines of the 80s and 90s where you are on the hook regardless. Please do not buy ANYTHING from bark.co, that includes the super chewer, bullybox and the aforementioned barkbox

    submitted by /u/ToldU2UrFace
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  • Walmart + pet benefit

    I have a new puppy and I've been trying to figure out the best insurance for her and I happen to notice that my Walmart Plus subscription included free Pawp, which is like the online vet service that chewy and other pet services have but it also carries an option for pet emergency insurance. It's not necessarily the best coverage but for $19 a month per animal, it covers up to $3,000 a year for emergency visits. This is all I really need as I can handle routine care and Non-Emergency stuff, but the best part is no annual deductible and it's the same price for my puppy as it is for my senior dog. Many years ago my senior dog found some gum that he helped himself to which contained a fair amount of xylitol, and that emergency itself was nearly $3,000.
    Hope this info can help someone, even if just for the free online vet consult service.

    submitted by /u/fyrdancr
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  • Megathread: Why Does My Dog Do That?

    Does your dog turn his head when he hears an odd noise? Does your dog bury their food with your pants? This is the thread to ask why.

    Please keep this thread to non-medical issues only.

    submitted by /u/AutoModerator
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  • Collar falling apart

    I wish I could add a picture of my beautiful girl. She passed away almost 2 years ago and today I came across the bag with all her bits I kept. Her little jumpers and coats, the only ball she would play with, her bed and her collar. Everything still smells just like her and it made me miss her all over again.

    Her collar was already missing some of the stitching, and it's made of a leather/fake leather material. It's gotten really stiff now and the bits that were already cracking before she passed are starting to get even worse. Does anyone have advice on how to preserve it/restore it somewhat? I'd hate for it to completely fall apart😓

    submitted by /u/awholeasszoo
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  • Need help — trying EVERYTHING with crate training but my 6-month-old mini dachshund takes 2+ hours to settle at night

    Hi everyone, I really need advice because I feel like I’m doing everything “right,” but my puppy is STILL struggling.

    I have a 6-month-old miniature dachshund who refuses to settle in his crate at night. It takes him at least 2 hours of whining, crying, digging, or shifting around before he finally falls asleep. I haven’t gotten proper sleep in 4 nights and I’m reaching my limit.

    We did make a mistake earlier — my husband wanted him to sleep in the bed with us, and I gave in. It only lasted a short time but unfortunately it made his separation anxiety so much worse. Now we’re trying to undo it, and I’m committed to sticking to crate training consistently.

    Here’s what I am doing: • Reinforcing crate naps in the daytime (he will nap for about an hour in there with no major issues) • Positive reinforcement every time he goes inside • Not opening the crate when he’s whining • Doing calm potty resets at night if it goes on too long • Putting old socks/shirts in there so it smells like us • Covering the crate • Keeping a consistent nighttime routine • Ignoring attention-seeking behavior • Making the crate a “positive place,” not punishment

    But even with all this, nighttime is still a disaster. He gets so dysregulated, and I’m just confused why daytime naps are fine but bedtime is such a struggle.

    I want to do this correctly, and I’m willing to be consistent, but I really need help creating a solid schedule or routine that makes sense. If anyone has experience with nighttime crate anxiety, dachshund stubbornness, or transitioning a puppy from co-sleeping back to independent sleeping… PLEASE help.

    Any tips, schedules, routines, or advice would be appreciated. I’m exhausted and want to set him up for success. Thank you ❤️

    submitted by /u/RevolutionaryBeat338
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  • Puppy bites hurt a lot

    Hi!! So I have a 10 week puppy (she's a mix, her mother is a german shepherd) and she bites way to hard. I don't mind playing with her, or the biting (because she is a dog) but my arms are covered in cuts from her teeth. I don't have a lot of experience training dogs so I am doing my very best. Whenever she gets too excited I scream with pain and I wait for 10 seconds to interact with her again but she just keeps biting hard. Any advice? Or should I just let time pass? I remember with one of my other dogs I taught her to bite on food gently and I used that for her to bite me gently and it still works but she was way calmer than my new puppy is.

    submitted by /u/millon_fleur
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  • Training sessions – how often?

    We have a five month old hound/potty mix. She’s a smart little girl and responds well to positive training. How often should we be doing appropriate length (15 mins or so) training sessions with her? She has access to a fill fenced half acre yard and a GSD older brother to play with, so she gets lots of exercise. Our objective at this point is improving recall, leash skills and things like leave it, drop it, off. I feel like she is not making enough progress.

    submitted by /u/Working_Career_6254
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  • Dog is afraid of fence

    Hello! I posted awhile ago about my dog not wanting to go out on a lead and having to be walked all the time, I was able to pull the money together for a no dog fence and we installed it yesterday. But it’s like she’s terrified to be in it? I don’t know why. She loves the dog park when we go but she’s resistant To going in this fence and spends the time looking for a way out. I tried treats and running with her to get her excited ( she has not gone potty in it either. ) what should I do? I stay out side and in the fence with her the whole time we are out there in hopes she knows I’m not leaving her. Things I have running in my head to help:

    Go out every hour in the fence and hang out for 15 min. Walk her on her leash inside the fence Bring a toy out to try and engage her ( she’s not a very tot of war dog or fetch )

    We rescued her from a shelter about 4 months ago and I guess idk if she was kept in an outdoor pen before then for long periods of time or something? So I’m worried bringing her toys out there would make her think we are moving her out there.

    submitted by /u/Frequent_Jelly_8256
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