I‘ve been at the dog park for all of 15 minutes and I’ve already seen two dog owners looking at their phones while their dogs were pooping. Neither person noticed their dog defecating so neither cleaned it up, absolutely infuriating me. What do you do in these situations? I fear that confronting people won’t go well, but I also don’t feel like I should have to clean up other dogs shit. Suggestions?

edit: I feel like a lot of people who are like “It’s easy! Just say something!” have to be men, who are generally listened to and respected in society. Almost every single time when I confront someone about 1) picking up after their dog or 2) keeping their dog leashed unless at a designated off-leash location, I’m made out to be the aggressor and I’m honestly just tired of it.

Introduction

1. Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

• It will be my first personal dog, but I have experience working at a boarding kennel and occasionally lending a hand in obedience training family members’ dogs. I also have pet-sitting experience, and while it wasn’t my own personal dog, I helped my grandparents raise a Shih Tzu (trained, fed, played, walked, brushed her).

2. Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

• No major preference, but a well-bred dog would be nice for temperament’s sake. I don’t want to take a risk with reactivity to smaller animals, so if I would get a shelter dog I’d make sure they’re cat-friendly.

3. Describe your ideal dog.

• (Highly) Trainable, sociable with their family, cat-friendly. I’d like to have a dog that could hang on the couch with me, or be down to explore the city—maybe hike on rarer occasions! Mostly, though, I’m looking for a mellow cuddle buddy that can also learn cool tricks. A dog that can play, but knows when to settle down or be gentle around smaller animals. I work from home, so separation isn’t a huge issue, but I’d like to avoid one prone to destructive tendencies/separation anxiety when left home alone for several hours. I’m perfectly fine with crate-training as well. Cat-friendly is a must, since we have one feline resident already with another on the way this upcoming month.

4. What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

• Both my partner and I are fans of medium-large sized breeds. Breeds I’ve been looking into are Rough/Smooth Collies, Golden Retrievers, and Eurasiers. I love other Spitz breeds (such as Chows and Samoyeds), Borzois, and have experience with Dobermans (my favorite breed) but am unsure if they’d be an ideal fit for our lifestyle as of now. My partner’s favorite breeds are Basset Hounds, Labradors, Shar Peis and Golden Retrievers, but I’m trying to avoid Bassets/Shar Peis for the meanwhile due to their health issues. A small breed isn’t a dealbreaker, but we’d like a dog that could be roughhoused with during playtime.

5. What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

• I love teaching dogs obedience training and “neat tricks” in general. I might be interested in agility work but am not 100% set on it. I’m wanting a dog that will obey commands, so biddability is huge. Optimally, I could find a breed that will take well to Service Animal work, as I’m disabled—again, not a dealbreaker, but it could be a huge bonus.

6. Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

• I’ve taught a good handful of dogs obedience commands over the years and would like to hone in on that ability via my own dog. I have no experience in agility but think it could be fun to get into!

Care Commitments

7. How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

• I’d like to interact with my dog for most of the time that I’m home! I prefer having a lap animal as opposed to one that doesn’t want anything to do with me, but if a dog just wants to lay near me on the couch that’s fine too. Ideally I’d want to dedicate an hour or two each per day to training and playing, though I’d be available for a bit more time on the weekends.

8. How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

• By the time we’d get the dog we could very well be living in another residence with a yard. For the time being, though, we live in an apartment with a dog park nearby. Otherwise, neighborhood walks, occasional hikes, and fetch.

9. How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

• I’d be comfortable with everything but trimming hair! I’d go to a professional for that. I don’t mind brushing at all since I’ve lived with a Shih Tzu before.

Personal Preferences

10. What size dog are you looking for?

• Medium-large size

11. How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

• Shedding is no problem. Slobber isn’t my thing. I can handle some barking, such as “conversing” with me through barks, but I can’t handle excessive barking at 3 AM, or anytime a neighbor walks by.

12. How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

• Not very important

Dog Personality and Behavior

13. Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

• I wouldn’t mind a bit of both! I love cuddly dogs but am fine if they want to do their own thing here and there. I don’t want a dog that wants nothing to do with me or my family, but I have a cat or two to keep me company should the dog want their own “me-time”.

14. Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

• Eager-to-please would definitely be great for training, but I really don’t mind independence, either—I’m a cat owner. I get it.

15. How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

• An alert bark or two is fine if they’re coming up to the door, but I’d prefer them to stay calm upon someone entering (though, that typically comes with training, of course). Whether they’re aloof to strangers or come right up to them doesn’t matter to me.

16. Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

• I’d rather not. I would like to live in a multi-dog household eventually, and I have a few family members wanting “doggy playdates” once I do get a dog.

17. Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

• I want to avoid separation anxiety and animal aggression entirely. In the future, I hope to own other animals, and want to keep conflicts at a minimum.

Lifestyle

18. How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

• I work from home, but go out just about every other day. A standard amount spent without humans present would maybe be 4-5 hours when I’m out?

19. What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

• We’ll be splitting pet care 50/50. My partner likes dogs that can play hard but have an off-switch, and enjoys “goofy” dogs in general. Dogs that act silly and are perhaps lacking a few qualifications in the thinking department are his favorites—really, he’s just looking for a buddy to watch TV and tussle with. Happy-go-lucky.

20. Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

• I have a dog-savvy cat! He came from a foster home with several dogs and got along just fine with them. I have another cat on the way, who is also from a multi-pet household. Eventually, a good bit further into the future, I’d like to keep reptiles/fish/insects.

21. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• Not planning on it. Though, there are children in my family, should I ever want to bring my dog to a social gathering or should one of my relatives bring their kids over. Being able to tolerate older children at the least would be a plus.

22. Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

• We’re renters! By the time we get a dog, we may very well be living in another apartment, as mentioned above. Since we’re not planning on getting a dog now, just assume there’s no restrictions! Just looking for suggestions, after all :)

23. What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

• USA resident here! There are no cases of any breed bans in my state or city.

24. What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

• The weather here is fairly moderate. Average summer days are 70-80 F, with the hottest of days MAYBE approaching 90. Winter days are are a bit harsher, being anywhere from 30-40 on average, and 10-25 on more extreme days.

Additional Information and Questions

25. Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

• Emphasis on the not getting a dog now part!! There will at minimum be another year before we get one.

26. Feel free to ask any questions below.

• Anything you wish you knew before owning a dog? Any tips for introducing a dog to a feline household? For any of the aforementioned dog breeds, is there anything people neglected telling you about the breed before you got one?

What's the best dog breed for a single guy

Introduction

1. Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs? No, he’s had dogs all his life, all have been well mannered animals.
2. Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder? No preference.
3. Describe your ideal dog. Friendly, companion animal with a short single coat.
4. What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why? Frenchy, or other small dogs, he wants a small dog but not one that’s fluffy or the typical personality of a chihuahua, he hats them.
5. What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do? Sit, stay, come, basic commands.
6. Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport? No.

Care Commitments 7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day? Would be sitting with it for hours a day, probably won’t want to take it on walks, but would play for an hour or so in the house. 8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park? Just playing fetch in the house, or tug of war, my mom’s pocket pit is friendly and playful and would be quite attached to it. 9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly? Minimal, and not wiling to pay for grooming other than a monthly trip to the groomer. Personal Preferences 10) What size dog are you looking for? Small, below 20lbs 11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle? Shedding is okay, short coat, slobber is not an issue, preferably not prone to barking. 12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area? Moderately high. Dog Personality and Behavior 13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space? Extremely snuggly, would be his personal heater year round. 14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please? Clingy and eager to please. 15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors? Excited, but not aggressive or hostile. 16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs? No. 17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid? Aggression in general, must be friendly with the young grandkids and their friends as well as other dogs. Lifestyle 18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone? Minimally, would be going with him in the semi. 19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog? My mother, she would be similar as far as wanting a cuddle companion as well as her dog, generally spend most of the day cuddling eachother. 20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they? There are 2 very skittish and shy cats, as well as a pocket pit (age 5) who is very dominant and also very affectionate. My dogs would be over often as well, pit lab mix (age 3) who is submissive gentle and playful, as well as a German shepherd (age 2) who is similar in temperament. 21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly? Yes, 3 grandchildren ages 1-7 with another one coming soon, also nieces and nephews over often. 22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease? No. 23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds? USA, yes. 24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live? Summer, 70s, winter, 30s. The dog would only be outside to use the bathroom. Additional Information and Questions 25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant. My dad generally doesn’t like most small dogs, he cannot stand the aggressive and defensive manor of most of them. He often talks about wishing he could find a small dog that would love him unconditionally as well as being friendly with others. Small fluffy dogs are a very hard no because my lab/pit was attacked by a flock of off leash yorkies as a puppy and now he is extremely defensive and aggressive with them (the only time he’s ever that way). He is extremely friendly with other small dogs as long as they don’t resemble a yorkie. This dog would be very babied, and coddled. Spend 90% of its time inside unless it’s ideal weather outside. He really just wants a cuddler.
He used to have a dachshund mix that was his sweetheart, she passed away 3 years ago and he’s missed her ever since. He just got through cancer this year and he’s been quite the depressed homebody since then, which has made him miss her much more. Oh ya, he doesn’t like pugs.

26. Feel free to ask any questions below.

I know nothing about about small dogs, I’ve always had large dogs and plan to keep it that way. Am I looking for something that doesn’t exist?

He gets so excited, like hysterical, when we’re going to the dog park. He starts barking and pulling to get in, he just wants to play and he’s great when we get inside, but I can tell it makes other dog owners uncomfortable when we come to the gate. How can I help him calm down?

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.

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.

This thread is where to get emotional support with all things related to death and illness with your dog. This is also a thread where you can seek assistance with deciding whether it is indeed time.

This is not a thread to seek anecdotes with medical care. All rules involving medical questions and anecdotes remains the same for this thread.

If your dog has passed, you can still post here for emotional support or you can create your own thread tagged with one of the RIP flairs. Be sure to review the rules of our flair guide. It is up to you how you choose to grieve.

Title. Basically she loves chasing lizards in the backyard all day but can never catch them cuz she's a bit dopey.

I'm a bit worried this is causing her too much frustration because she never gets the satisfaction of catching her prey.

After I bring her back inside, I try and get her to stay on her bed then throw a high value treat that she can then go find in the house so that kinda substitutes as a "catch" for her but I really don't think it's working.

Any tips?

Edit: thank you anonymous Redditor for the "um what you're a horrible human being and shouldn't own a dog" comment. A r/dogs classic!

I have a 10 year old female golden, and she’s been with me since she was a 3 month old puppy. She’s very caring but she also gets quite jealous and wants attention. Recently, I’ve been looking into adopting a 5 year old male border collie. I hope he will give company to my golden when I’m away, but I’m scared the golden will get very jealous and they won’t get along. Has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so, do you recommend adopting the dog?

I have a Black Lab. She is barely over a year old. I need some things to buy her to keep her entertained. I can't do the snuffle things because her favorite toy is chuck it balls and cut up blankets. She is a shredder and that keeps her from shredding our stuff. I wanted to do a puzzle feeder but I feel bad making her have to work to eat. I know if I was hungry and couldn't get to my food I would be upset. We have no issues with her eating too much/too fast. She has EXTREME separation anxiety to the point where she has to literally be touching me. I get woken up to her try to climb on my chest. I need to find something to entertain her. She has so much energy but will just squish herself in uncomfortable positions to be by me if she isn't playing. And yes, I am aware that is a whole other issue that needs addressed and I am working on it. I still want her to have more than balls and blankets that she will engage with.

I have a rescue husky that was found running around the streets during summer a few years back. We’ve had him for around 2 years and i’m still trying to find a routine to get him some exercise ! it’s like 90 degrees here by 8am (yes even in october 🥲) and it like never cools down at night. during the winter i always get into a great routine of walking him every morning and night, but it just keeps getting hotter every year and im stumped. i feel like indoor fetch isn’t enough for him! any ideas ?

I have two small breed dogs which I walk 15-60 minutes 3-5 times a day.

We had to say goodbye to my 10 year old GSD on Monday. It happened quickly and was definitely unexpected.

We have a 4 year old lab mix and she has been with us since she was a puppy. He was 6 when we brought her home. Honestly, I’m not sure how much they actually liked each other lol but they definitely had their brother/sister moments.

I took him to the vet so abruptly Monday AM and came back without him and I’m not sure if my lab is grieving or not. The only noticeable thing is that she is not eating as much as she normally would. Otherwise, she’s behaving like herself.

I don’t know, I guess I’m worried if I’m missing something or if a delayed response to him not coming back is going to happen and the best ways to support her.

Does anyone have any enrichment ideas for dogs that either complete puzzles/mats/kongs super quickly, (I’m talking like 5 minutes on an activity that everyone says keeps their dog ‘occupied for hours’) or get stuck on a puzzle, get bored and forget about it and then go and find mischief somewhere else. Or maybe some sort of game that involves me physically playing with her- she’s big and LOVES things like flirt poles, fetch she’s not so interested in

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.

This thread is where to get emotional support with all things related to death and illness with your dog. This is also a thread where you can seek assistance with deciding whether it is indeed time.

This is not a thread to seek anecdotes with medical care. All rules involving medical questions and anecdotes remains the same for this thread.

If your dog has passed, you can still post here for emotional support or you can create your own thread tagged with one of the RIP flairs. Be sure to review the rules of our flair guide. It is up to you how you choose to grieve.

My partner and I are looking for a dog but could use some advice when it comes to breeds, we greatly appreciate any help!

Introduction

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

• I had a family dog that I helped to train/raise, but it will be my partner's first dog.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?

• Reputable breeder

3) Describe your ideal dog.

• Intelligent, loyal, trainable, and gentle. A dog that can thrive in a family suburban environment, with both weekend hiking adventures and relaxing days at home. Mid-sized, anywhere between 35-75 lbs.

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

• This is where we need some help! So far we've mainly looked at Shepherds and Retrievers. My partner and I are drawn to breeds like Australian Shepherds (or MAS) and Duck Tolling Retrievers, as we've met some we really like, and they seem to be the right combination of size, friendly temperament, and trainability.

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

• Primarily obedience training (allowing for things like traveling together, camping, going various public places without concern), but my partner is also interested in agility courses.

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

• No, but my partner is interested in agility sport, just not competitive.

Care Commitments

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

• At least an hour walk/play each day, along with 30-60 minutes of training. My partner works from home and I work close to home so the dog would rarely be left alone for more than 4 hours.

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

• One hour, minimum. We have extensive trails and an off leash dog park nearby.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

• Weekly brushing. I don't have any experience grooming. We could take the dog to a professional groomer if needed but that's not preferred (at least regularly).

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for?

• 35-75 lbs. Not super small, not super big.

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

• Shedding: Can handle medium shedding, like that with average double coat breeds.

• Barking: Excessive barking is a concern. Alert barking is fine, but barking which doesn't stop could be a problem.

• Slobber: Average slobber is fine.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

• Extremely important. We are looking for a dog we can trust off-leash.

Dog Personality and Behavior

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

• Either is fine, or a mix of both! Neither is a dealbreaker.

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

• More on the side of Eager-to-please.

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

• A bark to alert is good, but then once I acknowledge and respond it would stop. I would prefer the dog is cautious/alert but friendly to strangers.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

• No. We have hundreds of dogs in our neighborhood and need a dog that can get along with its neighbor dogs. It will have plenty of dog-friends!

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

• Overly-reactive behavior, destructive separation anxiety, excessive (beyond normal) barking.

Lifestyle

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

• 3-4 times a week the dog may be left alone for 4-5 hours. Partner works from home so most days someone will always be home.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

• Both partner and I are dog lovers, and are both committed to doing the required work (feeding, cleaning, exercising, training, etc).

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

• Planning on getting a cat eventually.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• Yes, we plan to have children in the future, I have young relatives, and there are children in the neighborhood.

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

• No, I own my home with a sizable lot with plenty of room for the dog to run.

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

• Minnesota, USA. No.

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

• Hot summers , cold winters (Minnesota, USA). The dog would need to be able to go on walks in the snow in the cold.

We brought home a new puppy named Koda. She's a silver lab and sooooooo beautiful!! I love her already! 😌

We just put in an electric door to help a small dog we just got in and out of the house and it’s worked well for that. U fortunately my bigger older dog, who’s quickly learned how to use the door, didn’t wait for it to open all the way before he starts going through. He almost wants to help it open.

Only had the door for about three weeks and I can already here that something is wrong with the door. Seems like only a matter of time before it breaks.

Any idea whether I can train my bigger dog? Do I just take her to the door, hold her, then let her in once the door is fully open…over and over again?

I adopted a Maltese dog about little over a year ago. His previous owners threw him out and he was in a pretty rough shape, but now he’s doing ok health and nutrition wise. In the beginning he w as pretty difficult and anxious and a very picky eater, which took a few months to resolve but now that everything is fine he seems bored all the time.

I suffer from depression myself and work from home so I don’t go out much. But I take him on a walk at least once a day and aside from that he doesn’t do any other activities. He is not interested in toys, does not like treats and does not like sitting idles next to me on the couch for more than 5 minutes.

I don’t know what to do to entertain him. He just walks around the apartment all day. Sometimes when I’m playing on my PS he just walks around the room in circles. While I’m working he sleeps under my desk jumping up on my knees every now and then for some attention.

It just breaks my heart to see him like that. To the point that I thought of giving him up for adoption but I’m afraid whoever takes him won’t be ok with his anxiety. Can someone give me advice?

Ps: I live in Egypt and I don’t have the luxury of doggie day care :(

TLDR: my dog is so bored he walks around in circles and I’m depressed and don’t take him out much

Update: I walked my dog twice today, one 15 minute walk in the morning to do his business (that’s the one walk I mentioned earlier) and another longer walk just now (around 45 minutes) and that seemed to do the trick. I let him sniff around all he wanted and he even got to chase a stray cat and play with her, now he’s happily asleep on the couch. I have also ordered some toys that were suggested in the comments to see if they’ll work.

I just wanna make it clear that I love the dog and definitely want to keep him. I try as hard as I can to not let my issues affect him and at some point feeding him and caring for him was the only reason I got out of bed. And now that I am doing a little better, I want to make his life a little better too which is why I asked for advice.

Another concern that people had in the comments is that I don’t let him out to go to the bathroom enough times which is not healthy, I want to clarify that I have a designated bathroom for him in my apartment which he uses throughout the day, and then I clean it at the end of the day. So he’s definitely not holding his pee for extended periods of time.

My dog has a tub of toys that he can take toys out of as he pleases. I usually leave about 10 toys in there, and I rotate them every week or so, and wash the ones that need it. He does play with his toys a lot, but by the end of the day, most of them are all over the house. I end up collecting them and putting them away. He is a fairly smart dog, so I am wondering, since he knows how to take the toys OUT and he sees me putting them back IN, would I be able to teach him to put his toys away?

I adopted a 7 year old dog who had severe anxiety. She was neglected and abused heavily, but over the past months she has blossomed into a confident and loving dog. She has slight separation anxiety, but nothing terrible.

I’ve moved into a new home today and she is a mess. She took some of her high-enrichment treats, snuggled on the familiar smelling couch, and is making an effort to control herself. However, she’s panting, she’s drooling, she cries her eyes out if I leave the living room (her safe spot right now). She’s scared to death of tile floor and won’t touch it (luckily only the kitchen is tile). She absolutely will not go into another room.

Please tell me it gets better. I’m so excited to be providing her a larger home and fenced in yard for her to play (in addition to her normal walks), but I’m feeling so guilty and sad about her anxiety issues. She’s totally shut down right now.

Introduction

1. Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

It will be my first time owning a dog

2. Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

I prefer rescuing but I also would be open to using a breeder

3. Describe your ideal dog.

I’d prefer a medium sized dog, not prone to barking or too energetic given I live in a small apartment and easier to train if possible

4. What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

I like Boston terriers and corgis, I would be interested in looking at other breeds of similar sizes

5. What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

I think just listening to basic commands and obeying, not looking for anything too complicated

6. Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

No

Care Commitments

7. How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

2-3 hours. I currently have to work in person full time but looking to change that

8. How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

2 hours but hopefully more in the beginning. Dog parks and going to the park

9. How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

I’d prefer to go to the groomers not more than monthly or a couple of months

Personal Preferences

10. What size dog are you looking for?

Small to medium

11. How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

Shedding and slobber is fine, I’m sensitive to noise so minimal barking

12. How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

Not super important but would be nice

Dog Personality and Behavior

13. Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

In between! I’d like to snuggle sometimes

14. Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

Again, in between

15. How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

I would like my dog to be calm when greeting strangers

16. Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

No

17. Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

Extreme aggression

Lifestyle

18. How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

5 hours or so but I plan to get a dog walker so maybe less then

19. What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

I live alone

20. Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

No

21. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

No

22. Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

rent, there are no restrictions. Many people in my building have dogs of all sizes.

23. What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

Canada

24. What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

Can be humid in summers and very cold winters

Additional Information and Questions

25. Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

• No additional information.

26. Feel free to ask any questions below.

**Introduction**

Hello everyone I will be moving to Arizona soon and are wanting to get a dog in a couple months. It would have to be hypoallergenic since I do have a small allergy to dogs.

1. Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

* It will be my first dog. My wife had a few dogs growing up.

2. Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?

* I do not think starting with a puppy is a good idea so adopting a rescue would be my preference.

3. Describe your ideal dog.

* A chill dog that can either be satisfied by being in the back yard or relaxing inside, is good around kids and can be left home while I am at work.

4. What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

* I have been looking at like Maltese, shih tzu, bichon frise, Havanese, but am open to other types. Hypoallergenic is my biggest want in a dog. (Yes I know they aren't fully hypoallergenic but they aren't as bad).

5. What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

* The standard sit, stay, wait, place, and recall.

6. Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

* No

**Care Commitments**

7. How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

* A few hours before work and after work depending on my schedule.

8. How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

* A 30-60 min walk. Dog park possibly I am unsure if there is one around us (I would assume so).

9. How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

* We would be able to brush a few times a week depending on the type of dog. For the rest I would leave to a groomer.

**Personal Preferences**

10. What size dog are you looking for?

* I personally like smaller lap dogs, but my wife is more of a medium sized dog so either or works. We do have a doggy door in our bedroom so preferably small enough to fit through it to go outside when ever it wants.

11. How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

* Very little to no shedding, barking is ok but would prefer little, and no slobber.

12. How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

* Not that important

**Dog Personality and Behavior**

13. Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

* Snuggly

14. Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

* Eager-to-please

15. How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

* Barking is ok when someone is at the door just calm down when we answer it. Over all calm if I am calm when meeting strangers.

16. Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

* No

17. Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

* Overall no aggression specifically to children as I will have a baby.

**Lifestyle**

18. How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

* Could be up to 8 hours, but may not be that long all the time. This will only be during the week.

19. What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

* Either same level or even more care for the dog as she is more experienced taking care of them.

20. Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

* No

21. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

* Yes

22. Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

* No

23. What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

* We will be in Arizona and I am not aware of banned breeds.

24. What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

* Summer: 78 °F - 106 °F Winter: 41 °F - 67 °F

**Additional Information and Questions**

25. Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

* No additional information.

26. Feel free to ask any questions below.

My girl has been diagnosed as diabetic. On Monday, she had clear, bright eyes and now, 5 days later, right eye is very cloudy and the left is catching up. Fast. She trips on things a bit more often, but I can tell she can see what's right in front of her. Just no more peripheral.

I know she will do alright being blind, but I want to give her some good experiences while she can still see. She likely has about a month, maybe 2 months of retaining her vision left at the rate she's going, according to her vet.

Edit: I know that dogs don't rely on vision very much. I'm not lacking information in that department. She's losing a sense, however small a part of her experience it may be and I want her to experience that sense while she can. Just because I don't primarily rely on my nose to get around, doesn't mean I don't like to be able to smell.

I'm in the divorce process and will be keeping both dogs (5 and 10). It's only been a week since my ex left and one of the dogs is regularly peeing on the bed while the other is guarding my ex's office door.

For anyone who's gone through something similar how long did it take your dogs to adjust? And did you have any issues with dog bathroom behaviors?

Would asking my ex for something that smells like him ease the transition on the dogs?

We recently adopted a 13-week-old rescue puppy- black mouth cur and perhaps boxer mix- and he's down to three toys because he keeps tearing the other ones up. So far the only ones to hold up to his little needle teeth are the chuckit ball and stick. Our three year old dog has plenty of toys that we have to keep put away so they don't also get destroyed.

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.

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.