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We just got our sweet boy on Nov. 22nd. He is 3 months old today and is a Havanese puppy. My husband has never had a dog and I grew up around dogs that were already housebroken. All that to say, we have no idea what we’re doing.

My husband and I have full time jobs but we’re putting him in doggy daycare until he’s housebroken and confident enough to be left home alone for extended periods of time.

We have been working on pottying outside. We got him to pee on a pad on our balcony (we live in a third floor apartment) and we are getting a turf pad for the colder months. He will pee outside but he won’t poop until immediately after we come inside. We’ve used the enzyme spray to clean it up and followed it up with the “No More Marking” spray. I even tried the method where we take him out for 5 minutes and then come back inside for 2 minutes before going out and trying again.

We purchased some of that “Go Here” stuff and sprayed it on the pad and on a tree root outside our apartment door, but he keeps holding it until we get inside and pees or poops in the entryway. I fully acknowledge it has only been 3 days, but I need some encouragement and some tips.

We do have a clicker and treats for him. We reward him with 15 minutes of playtime and treats when he does go outside. We’ve been taking him outside every 30-45 minutes, after he naps, and after he’s eaten or had water. He does have a crate, and between potty sessions he is in there so he can learn to hold his bladder. We close the door when he has an accident so we can clean it up without him eating his poop, but we open it back up right when the cleaner has dried up (unless he’s fallen asleep then we let him nap). We plan to transition him from crate to a regular bed when he stops having accidents and is a little older.

I know it takes time, but I really hope we’re doing it right. Any advice is welcome!!!!

Hi everyone, our little Australian shepherd girl is extremely food motivated, which is great for training. But when it comes to “leave it” it’s still a work in progress.

We have a big yard in the country for her to run around in but we still have to leash her because she constantly is looking for acorns, rocks, leaves, deer poop, ANYTHING to eat (even right after meals). It’s an extreme frustration in our house because we can’t even play with her outside without her leaving toys to just sniff around and munch until one of us is pulling random things out of her mouth.

Any advice on this? We’ve considered muzzle training but unsure of good brands/replacing sizes since she is still so young.

Hey everyone,

Three weeks ago I had my 1-year-old female mixed terrier neutered, and this week her behaviour suddenly changed. She started escaping from our fenced yard. She normally lives outdoors and has a large space to run and explore, but now she keeps finding ways to get out. I found some weak spots in the fence and fixed them, but she still manages to escape somehow.

What I don’t understand is why she suddenly started doing this. I’m assuming the holes in the fence were there before, so something in her behavior must have changed.

She also started barking at nothing, which is new for her.

I’m worried because when she gets out, she can’t find her way back into the garden. She ends up sitting in front of the door waiting for us, and there’s a street nearby where she could get hit by a car.

I know the fence needs to be fully secured, but I’m trying to understand what could cause this sudden change in behavior after being neutered. Has anyone experienced something similar?

Before reading this keep in mind I am not a professional trainer nor really a dog person (although I do still love my dog obviously) but yesterday I got my dog Little John (mut, named after the character from robin hood) one of those bone chew things he loved it and played with it for a solid few minutes throwing it around then going and catching it again but then he started digging and burying it (I genuinely thought they only did that in cartoons) I figured I'd leave it there for the day but a day has passed and he's just gone back to walking around again he seems to have completely forgotten about it do I get it for him or leave it there hoping he remembers it

I got some unexpected news and I'll be hosting a few guests over for the holiday. The problem is my girl is a sweetheart but she's so reactive around new people. I can picture the chaos so I need help with finding a good trainer in the area. I need a place in Ch⁤evy Ch⁤ase that offers 1 on 1 sessions. So far, Mol⁤ly's Dog C⁤are ticks all those boxes but are there other spots I should look into and why

I adopted/fostered my about to be 4-mo puppy a month ago. She was recovering from parvo and needed extra care (that’s how I started fostering) then she had Giardia and we worked hard until her labs were clear. I’ve paid for all expenses and vaccinations.

Just added that so show how committed I am to the welfare of this little life. Her littermate’s owner posted her DNA results (I get my puppy’s results in about 2 weeks) and it was a surprise!

She is a committee of several smart working dog breeds (I thought she was a retriever) she is Pyr, Catahoula, Husky, and Chow.

I am concerned that as someone who is middle aged with chronic health conditions that I won’t be able to meet her high mental and physical needs and I cannot afford the type of care enrichment activities that would make this breed combo happy – I am really debating returning her to the rescue.

I can’t rehome because she is not technically mine (although I paid fees) until she is spayed next month so I am kind of a grey area.

She is the sweetest dog, she has a gentle temperament and soulful eyes in a strong and agile body.

Have you ever changed your mind about your ability to raise a dog because of the breed needs? I really love her but I have health issues that make me wonder if this is the best home for her.

She is so gentle, I am concerned that because of her breed mix she’ll go to a home where they use harsher training methods – I think I can do it! And then I remember I need breaks, travel for dr appointments and very limited energy – the only positive is that I am disabled and able to be at home with her all the time so she is doing great with routines and training so far (with the normal puppy shenanigans)

Anyone have any advice or encouragement?

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Sometimes when sleeping my dog will whimper and jerk her paws like she’s running. I assume she’s uncomfortable with a dream she’s having. She presumably also has pleasant dreams, but no obvious indications. I gently pet her until she wakes up. I pat her some more and she goes back to sleep and there is no whimpering. Are other people noticing such a behaviour with their dogs, and if so what do you do? I can’t see anything in particular going in that would make her distressed when she’s awake, that maybe I could change.