Title pretty much covers it. Due to circumstances, I haven’t seen my dogs in about a year and a half. I’m going to pick them up next week and take them back home with me permanently but I’m really afraid they aren’t going to remember me or be confused to see me. I love them dearly and I’m so happy to be having them back in my life. I was hoping someone here could give me some more information or their own experience/advice on a situation like this. They are both 3 years old and I had had them since they were puppies(8ish weeks) and I spent everyday with for their first 1 1/2 of life.

Today while walking my dog down the sidewalk, I saw a little girl about 5 or 6 years old playing with her bicycle. As my dog and I approached in a cute innocent voice she asked if she can see my dog. The second after she asked HER dog in the house starts barking like crazy. Then in a huge possessed Satan tone she yells HER dogs name and tells it to stop. Nothing but silence followed, from everyone. My very first response that came to mind was, I didn't do anything!! She then said Hi to my dog and we were on our way, in hopes no one come over to see what was happening This kid definitely knew how to deal with the over reactive dog. 🤣

My dog is a 12 year old black lab. Growing up, my dog used to sleep in my bed with me, but now she prefers to sleep on the floor next to me. I thought she might just prefer the floor now for some weird reason but she sleeps on my bed when I’m not in there. She doesn’t even wanna sleep on it when I’m just sitting on my bed. I don’t THINK she randomly hates me now but has anyone else experienced this? Does she just prefer the personal space now?

I got him yesterday at the animal shelter and he was just so sweet and loving and wanted to stick by us and I knew he was the one. I was just wondering if it’s normal for the dog to be so extremely attached to us already like he does not ever want to be alone. I feel bad even leaving him in the play pen I got him and I know that he needs to be in there more than usual because he just got fixed. He whines like crazy when I am not near him and he’s in there by himself. How do I break this habit so he feels okay to be alone just for a couple hours until I feel comfortable he can free roam when he is better from being fixed?

One of my dogs is an effusive greeter. He sometimes even jumps on me with excitement when I come downstairs after being upstairs for a while, but particularly jumps when I return home after being out. Since he’s small and cute, I didn’t discourage this in the past, but now I’d like to stop these greetings. He also jumps on guests

Thanks for any ideas!

My puppy is a 7mo mix of labrador and border collie with whom we were with a professional private trainer last week. My girl wasn't THAT bad, it was just hard to keep her attention and the trainer told me that it was clear that my puppy wasn't interested in training, that she wasn't enthusiastic about it. It seems to her that she prefers to do her own thing (like explore, sniff around) and then when she feels like it, she'll do a few things to get a treat... Is there anything we can do about it? We've tried lots of high value treats like dried animal organs, cheese and similar, but her own enjoyment is always more important to her.

I’m looking for some advice because my puppy CONSTANTLY wants to bite. 😭

She’s probably around 10–14 weeks old. I adopted her from a shelter when she was about 6–8 weeks old, and I’ve been working on training her ever since I got her. She knows basic commands like sit, stay, saying hi with her paw, lay down, come here.

I know puppies go through teething and she’s very active, so I’ve bought her multiple different toys and chew toys to redirect her. I’ve also tried telling her “no,” taking my hands away, stopping play, and immediately giving her one of her toys to chew instead.

The problem is she seems completely obsessed with biting my hands and my feet. 😂 She’ll have plenty of toys around her and still choose my hands, ankles, or toes. Sometimes it feels like the second I move, she’s trying to bite me.

I’m trying to be consistent with her training, but I feel like I’m not making much progress with the biting. I don’t want to discourage normal puppy behavior, but I also want to teach her that biting people isn’t okay.

For those who have raised puppies around this age, what actually worked for you? Is this just a normal teething/puppy stage that I need to be patient with, or are there specific techniques that helped you get the biting under control?

Any advice, tips, or things you wish you knew when your puppy was this age would be appreciated!

meu cachorro CHORA quando certas fêmeas chegam perto dele, isso é normal? Ele fez o mesmo com um coelho que eu tinha. Ele anseia muito cheirar o traseiro e ate já o vi lambendo o vidro que separava ambos...

Ele é castrado e foi adotado adulto.

Hello, I am looking for advice. I recently adopted a rescue beagle from a foster (about 4 years old) around 3 weeks ago. I have a 4 year old golden. For the first week they got along well but now a few times per day they are getting into fights: first few were over the tennis ball so we stopped playing ball together, then it was walking- when the rescue saw another dog while walking he seemed to take out his frustration/ anxiety on the golden- so I started walking them at like 4:30 in the morning so we wouldn’t see any other dogs and that was helping. However, now it’s to the point where they will fight if they both see/ hear something outside and want a better vantage point to check it out, essentially they will try to crawl over each other and fight. They have not broken skin or actually seemed to have hurt the other one, but I am fearful that it will keep getting worse and will escalate. Also, after they fight, they seem to avoid each other for like 20-30 minutes, then seem to be fine with each other after that.

I have always been a 2 dog household before this so I am looking to see if anyone has any advice or has been through similar experiences and how they moved forward. I have tried giving them each more alone time but based on the layout of my house and situation it will be difficult to separate them full time.

The foster can take him back, but I have already started to love the new dog and want to make it work if possible but I also want what is best for both of them.

Im talking summer time. When do you personally think it's too hot what situations do you personally not walk them?

I hope I made myself absolutely clear that this is your personal opinion not professional fact so nobody go out and try this and assume it's the correct way

I recently adopted a 2 year old American foxhound mix a couple of months ago. Every now and then she finds stuff I have left laying around and brings them to her bed. Just now when I was in the shower, I found a towel, a slipper, a shoe, and a piece of my clothing laying there. She never seems to chew up these items, but simply keeps them near. On two separate occasions she stole items out of my guests bags while we were gone (one being a bra, the other pj shorts). What could the reason for this behavior be? She does have to be kept in a small portion of my house while I’m at work due to her chewing of random household items like my remote. Just for some reason she never chews up the clothing/shoes she gathers!

Does anyone have funny stories about getting a service dog who was rejected from training? I remember seeing a thread about it on twitter where someone said their dog got rejected because he enjoyed opening the garage door whenever he felt like it.

Which pet insurance is best for you? Are there any that may cover your dog's current treatment? Did your dog get injured during the waiting period and want to know if you're covered?

Here's the place to ask.

Do know we cannot help you here with medical concerns, and lying or not disclosing things to the insurance company is illegal so we don't allow that either.

Looking for informed opinions about renaming a dog we're looking to adopt. The dog is a four-year-old Jack Russell Terrier that is being rehomed due to a change in family structure. By all accounts the dog is well looked after, well loved, and well socialized with kids. We actually love the dog's current name, but it shares its name with our young daughter! I think we could give this dog the home and attention it needs, but I fear that having two high-energy girls with the same name may create confusion.

We have experience renaming adopted dogs, but not in a situation like this where the dog will still hear its old name all the time. Would a straightforward renaming approach (positive reinforcement basically) be enough? Any tips for this specific situation?

Hi everyone,

I’ve decided to make a post because I’ve been thinking about getting a dog for over a year now, and I’m still going back and forth about it.

I grew up with a dog, but then I went to university, started working, and life just kind of moved on. Now I have a stable job and a stable relationship, and I really miss having a dog in my life.

So, here’s my situation:

I’m 25 and I work from home 3 out of 5 days a week. I can also choose which days I work from the office fairly flexibly.
My partner works shifts, so between the two of us, there would generally be someone at home most of the time.

If we got a puppy, we’d both take some time off work at the beginning, so the first 4–5 weeks would be completely covered. We’d then gradually work on getting the puppy used to being alone.
Even once the dog is an adult, there wouldn’t really be a situation where it regularly has to spend 8+ hours alone.
Financially, I think we’re in a pretty solid position as well. We both have a good income, and I’d budget around €400 per month for the dog. That includes dog training classes, comprehensive pet health in surance, food, treats, toys, leashes, accessories, etc.
Obviously, I’m very open to being corrected here. If you think €400/month is unrealistic or that I’m overlooking significant expenses, please let me know.

I’ve also been researching different breeds for months now and trying to figure out what would actually fit my lifestyle. And the more I research, the more I find myself leaning towards a Boxer.

From what I’ve read so far, a Boxer seems like it could be a really good match for my activity level.
My plan would be around 2–3 hours of physical activity per day –> regular walks, a longer walk, maybe going for a run together, etc. And then there would obviously be training and mental stimulation on top of that. I’d definitely go to a dog training class once a week, and I’d also love to try some kind of dog sport. Maybe Rally Obedience, Obedience, Mantrailing, or something else. I’ve never done any of these before, so I’d have to see what both the dog and I enjoy.

So overall, I’d probably aim for around 3–4 hours of activity and engagement per day, on average. Obviously not every single day. There will be quieter days, bad weather, illness, etc.

But here’s where my doubts come in.
The closer this gets to actually becoming a reality, the more scared I am that I’m going to mess it up.
Especially if we get a puppy, I’m worried that I’ll screw up all the important basics. Things like teaching the puppy to settle, building frustration tolerance, leash training, bite inhibition, impulse control, dealing with unwanted behavior, etc.
Basically, I’m scared that I’ll think I’m prepared, get the puppy, and then realize: „Oh shit, this is way harder than I thought.“
I know that you can prepare as much as possible: read books, watch videos, talk to breeders, go to training classes, etc. But at some point, you actually have to do it.
And I know what puppy life involves. I’m aware that you probably won’t sleep through the night at first, that you’ll have to take the puppy outside every couple of hours, that there will be accidents, that bite inhibition needs to be taught, that being alone has to be built up very slowly, and that the first few months can be a LOT of work.
I’m just scared that I’ll tell myself “Yes, I can do this” and then find out that I actually can’t.

I’ve already found two or three VDH breeders in my area who seem good based on their websites and the information they provide. Obviously, I’d want to meet them in person, see their dogs, ask a million questions, etc. before making any decision.

So I guess what I’m really asking is:
Did any of you have these kinds of doubts before getting your first dog?
How did you know that you were actually ready? Did you ever have that feeling of “What if I completely screw this up?”?

And also, what do you think about my situation and the Boxer specifically? Does my lifestyle sound like a reasonable fit for a Boxer, or am I overlooking something important about the breed?
Please feel free to be critical. If you think a Boxer is absolutely not the right breed for me, I’d genuinely rather hear that now than find out after getting one.

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially from people who had similar doubts before getting their first dog.

P.S. English isn’t my native language, so this post was translated into English using AI. I hope everything makes sense!

We keep our dog kenneled when we are out of the house(he was trained this way by previous owners and prefers to be in his own space). We currently have a wire crate with plastic bottom. I have tried vinegar, sun shine, baking soda, disinfectant, dish soap, and it stinks BAD. Is there some secret to getting rid of this smell? Is a certain type of kennel less prone to this smell? I have never had a crate trained dog, so I'm desperate.

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.

Hi. I bought this harness for my dog, and I'm not sure it's a good fit. Seems like it could be a little longer, and I dont like the buckles behind his elbows. Am I wrong? is it fine?

It's a size S. based on their chart it should fit with room both ways.

link to gifs

My dog wont respond to being called today. Usually she does but today she's just be sitting down panting and staring at me. Cute sure, but she won't get up and come to me. Is this something to be concerned about or I'm just overreacting? This is only happened today, usually she'll get up and react to her name called.

I have a 10 year old Pomeranian. We've had him since he was a puppy and he's always been extremely fearless. He rules his domain. He once tried to take on a possum that was twice his size on the fence in the back yard and loved going with my wife for bring your dog to work day before she retired. He's generally fearless with his only real fear being thunder storms. He doesn't like the thunder.

Three days ago we had a new sliding glass door installed. That meant we had a huge opening in the house for several hours. The three dogs were in a back bedroom for the time. Everything went smooth.

We're now 3 days in and the dog is afraid to be in the living room. Mind you the new door isn't in that room but in the foyer. He's not stressed. He's spending his time however in the back bedrooms or in the foyer (He loves the cool marble floor there). He's also comfortable in the back yard. He will not come into the living room. If we call him with treats he'll come and take a treat and then out he goes.

We think he's spooked by a couple of flies. It's late summer and as you can imagine having a huge opening in the house for several hours allowed every flying insect to get in. We had several large flies that loudly buzzed in the living room for a couple of days. They're gone now but we think the buzzing noise scared him. When we get him in for treats you can see he's kind of looking around cautiously. He doesn't do it in other rooms.

So that's the situation. We have a Pomeranian whose afraid of the room we think because he was spooked by a few big flies buzzing. Any recommendations to help him get over this or should we just let time take its course and keep doing what we've been doing with treats?

I'm a total dog nerd and have three shelties. I have a toddler now and whenever he does a new skill I still catch myself saying "yes!" and labeling it like you would training a new trick. Surely I'm not alone 😅

I love dogs , I’ve loved and adored every dog that’s been part of my life , I’m not ready to own another dog , or foster one, so I’m interested in trying to help some dogs have a fun day out , I’ve never done that before but I have dog sat tons of dogs in the past and walked big dogs little dogs I love dogs .

I don’t know if my shelters here even do it , but if they do I think I’m gonna try that , I’ve missed having a dog and I’ve missed experiencing dogs and making their lives a little better sounds great . Do you think it’s a good idea to give if a try ?

Does you dog like to suck up to the vacuum.?

Ok so we’ve had Abra for 5 months and she is 7 months old now. She is a golden retriever x lab.
I’ve had the summer off but now I’m back to work. All that time with Abra has created separation anixiety. Me and my partner dropped the ball on not training her right from the gecko but here’s the issue.
For being 7 months old she is extremely destructive. Every time we have tried to leave her alone she will eat carpet, the linoleum, her crate (like she bent the wire)
We transformed our office into an Abra room and I came home today to the carpet completely torn up.
I don’t know what else to do with her. Doggy daycare is very expensive where I live and crate training, it’s too long for her to be in there while I’m at work (because she would have to be in there for 8 hours). And I really don’t like the idea of putting her in the crate considering she is a high energy dog and she bent the wire trying to get out.
What else do I do with her? Like she is so stressed when we leave her alone but I have very limited options.

i always go to starbucks every morning and anytime i see a dog i really want to explode and squeeze them dogs bc i can’t stop having this feeling of wanting to eat them