I want to preface by saying I love ‘my’ dog. I put ‘my’ in quotes bc my parents actually got her as a puppy in their home, yes, but I am living here too. She was a surprise one day and then a lot of expected responsibility was put on me. My mom works from home so she thinks that’s enough for the dog bc she’s “not alone all day” even tho when my mom is working she’s not giving the dog attention. This baby needs lots of socialization. I’m a masters student and simply don’t have time or energy to come home to play w her. AITA for resenting both the dog and my parents for making this irresponsible decision? She wakes me up by jumping on me. If I close my door she barks at it. She whines all the time for attention when I’m trying to concentrate on homework. My parents are in Lala land and barely do anything w her, they have the busiest social lives. It’s so damn annoying and I feel bad bc she’s a good dog but just requires a lot of attention she’s not getting from the 2 ppl who CHOSE to get her. Has this happened to anyone else? Can anyone resonate w this feeling? I didn’t asked for this dog and of course I love her now that she’s a part of my family but it’s showing me that I absolutely do not want the responsibility of a pet when I move out.

I loved you more than words can properly describe. I loved you like as my son. I cradled you like a baby every single night for months when we first met. I could literally not believe that you were my dog. I was 19 and in college. A kid really. In my first apartment building, with roommates who were unsure of your arrival, seeing as you were only a puppy and I’m not sure you could be described as potty trained. Forget that the landlord hadn’t allowed dogs, once I’d seen you there was no way you weren’t coming home with me.
I’ll never forget that cold day with snow on the ground, walking in to see you and your litter in a small, gated area. I’d had my heart set on a girl dog, having only ever had boy dogs in the house as a kid. But when I got to the gate and started watching how the others played, you calmly walked over to me and just stayed right in front of me, attention on me and not your brothers or sisters. I picked you up, you started to sniff my face… I looked at those eyes that had so much soul in them… there was no turning back. We took a picture that I’ll cherish forever, and we were on our way to a wonderful life together. You moved in with a kid, young dumb and full of… stupidity let’s call it. I had no clue what I was doing but I knew that I was going to show you more love than you’d know what to do with. You lived on my lap as a puppy. We watched so many of hours of tv and sports on the couch. My roommates would make fun of me and be disgusted when you’d lick my face. I could not have cared less… you were my boy… and that’s how you showed your affection for me… I never stopped loving your kisses. Over the years you and I grew up together. We went on vacations, adventures, and simply lived alongside each other… kindred spirits and bonded forever. You saw me make bad life decisions, and loved me through them. You provided the comfort and love a young man needs, but often can’t express their need for. I’ve never been great at dealing with hurt, but I honestly don’t know what I would have done without your cheeks and forehead to kiss and your neck to scratch. On days that I felt I could not be alone, I never was. You were my constant companion for more than 13 years. These past months without you have been like relearning how to live in so many ways. I miss our daily walks. I miss so much your appreciation for my return from any sort of absence… even if it was just a 5 minute trip to the convenience store. I know that in many ways I was your entire world. I could see that every single time you said hello to me. When I had to leave for a couple of days for work it would kill me to hear how you’d be upset… returning home and seeing your euphoria… it never got old and I would pay anything to have that even just one more time. I miss our conversations… during Bears games especially. You never saw that championship… but you always tolerated my crazy yelling spurts and even offered what solace you could after a particularly loud outburst.
I miss your incessant begging for ANY sort of food. And I miss your always being there to help me finish the meals that I never will. My eyes will always be bigger than my stomach… and you were my favorite little helper for those leftovers.
There are so many things that I miss… but I’m trying to get better at appreciating and focusing on the days that we had together. You saw so many positive things happen… so many important milestones in my life. You were here to meet, and love Megan. And then you were able to meet and have a relationship with Colton. That will always mean the world to me. You were SUCH a good boy with him. You were always daddy’s only boy… and wow did you have to adjust. But you did so with grace and dignity as the senior dog you’d become. You and I still had our evenings together… and again, what I wouldn’t do for some of those back. I’m sorry if you ever felt like you had been pushed out of the way… but I know that you knew every single day that I loved you. We always had our night time snuggle sessions… More than 13 years of them. It can be hard to sleep without you. Saying goodbye to you was easily the most difficult thing that I have ever done. I hope that it stays that way for a very long time, because that days was impossibly hard. You were my best friend Tucker. You were my first son in so many ways. You were the only one who stayed by my side through maybe the most important growing up years of my life. You were… indescribably important to me. Truly. And I miss you with every single ounce of my entire being. As we bring a new puppy into this home, I have feelings of guilt and loss that can’t be avoided. You are not replaceable in any sense of the word. You will always be my best friend, we will always be bonded, and you will live as long as my heart beats and my lungs draw breath. You Tuck, are such a good boy.
I will hold you again, kiss your face all over like I did when you’d get sleepy and not mind my 50 kiss sprees that I’d sometimes (often) bombard you with. I’ll hold you and we will sleep in the same bed once more someday. Until then I know that you are with me in my spirit and in every ounce of my being. We grew up together, and you will always be a part of me. Thank you so much for being the best friend, dog, brother, son… that I could have asked for. Thank you for everything Tuck. This is not goodbye… I just wanted you to know.

I’m going to Uni in a year, currently I live with my parents in a small and hot country where it’s very humid. So to not over exert my dog we always walk her in the morning or late night when the sun is gone. We live in a condo in a quite large apartment where can dog can roam around freely and we bring her down every 4hours to pee.

Here’s the dilemma since I’m going to Uni, I want to bring my dog along to give her a sense of a world where it’s cold and changing weather, along with large plains in the country side since there’s no country side in my country. I’ve looked at a few Uni where they accept dogs in their facilities but the rooms, I feel is too small for my dog. There’s barely space for her cage, bed, food, water, and her. I’ve looked for shared houses but so far only found 1 where they accept dogs.

Another thing is that if I do bring my dog along, it’s stop travelling for me as there would be no one that could take care of her for free and bills ( I plan on working) would take all the money I have.

So I was wondering if I should take her along and continue my search for houses and ways to bring my dog along, or if I should leave her with my parents.

Introduction

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

• I trained my family dog(Lhasa/Shi Tzu) in childhood, and he became relatively obedient, but have not owned one myself.

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

• I will likely be getting my puppy from either the SPCA or a nearby farm.

1. Describe your ideal dog.

• Laid back, medium to large sized, cold tolerant, and reasonably trainable.

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

• I'm looking primarily at livestock guardian breeds, retrievers, and standard poodles, but I am not beholden to any specific breeds.

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

• Basic obedience commands, recall.

1. 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?

• I have as much time as I need for training any puppy I get, but my workload is seasonal, so I become very busy over the winter and would probably have an hour a day in Nov/Dec/Jan(though my wife will be around during the day to let it outside and such, it's going to be my dog and I will be planning on doing at least 80% of the work. She prefers cats.)

1. 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?

• 1 hour a day split into two walks, plus some fetch in the yard. I have 8000sqft on my lot so plenty of room to play with any dog. 9 months of the year I can do more, but during my busy season only the above.

1. 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 am fine with weekly grooming, but would prefer not to have to brush out my dog daily. As for professional grooming, we currently take our cats twice a year, and I would plan to do the same with any dog.

Personal Preferences

10. What size dog are you looking for?

• I would prefer a medium to large size dog

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

• Shedding is fine, though less is better. My wife dislikes slobber quite strongly. I would prefer a dog that doesn't bark constantly, but will react to people passing by my back yard.

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

• Nice to have but not mandatory.

Dog Personality and Behavior

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

• Snuggles are fine but not necessary, don't have a strong preference.

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

• I'd like a dog that's independent-minded, even if it makes training a bit more difficult.

1. 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 am okay with a dog that is cautious around strangers, and in fact would like one that would not let random people in the back-yard.

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

• I'd prefer not to but its not a dealbreaker.

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

• Howling at night, anything too smart(my aunt had a 1/4 coyote 1/4 wolf 1/2 mutt and the intelligence was a huge pain in the ass. Was capable of holding grudges and formulating plots to get back at people sneakily), can't have anything that'll chase the cats.

Lifestyle

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

• 4-5 hours while my wife is at work, more days than not. Rarely more than that.

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 wife will be home at times while I am at work, and can make sure the dog is checked on, let out to relieve itself, etc. But I will be putting in 80% of the effort here. She has no preferences besides a lack of drool, and an affinity towards Blue Heelers because that was her childhood dog.

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

• We have two one-year-old Turkish Van Cats. We dogsat for a friend as a test and they did alright.

No other pets are currently planned.

21. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• No

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

• Nope, own my own place

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

• Canada, specifically Northern Saskatchewan

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

• Winter: Average temperature in coldest month of -17C. Average min temperature of -24C overnight.
• Summer: Average temperature in hottest month of 18C. Average max temperature during day of 24C.

Additional Information and Questions

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

• This dog will be mostly in my yard during the warm months, and then when the temperature dips below freezing will be kept inside. I have a huge problem with homeless people transiting through my yard, depositing garbage, breaking the locks to my fence to do so. A large dog should dissuade them. They tend to go to ground over the winter so I have few problems then. Consequently, whatever dog I get needs to be okay with being outside most of the time, but also okay being inside lots.
• Where I am, availability is very consistent for all manner of working dogs, retrievers, and livestock guardians. I consistently see litters that are mixes of collies/shepherds/retrievers/etc. What I have been considering most strongly is a Golden or Lab crossed with a Great Pyrenees, as they seem to be readily available and match my needs reasonably well. I don't have the ability to get any particularly rare or out-there breeds, I'm simply too isolated. I looked into a Bergamesco but the trip out to get one would cost me over two grand including lost wages...

This summer I discovered my pup loves cherry tomatoes. Due to circumstances (autumn) I hadn't bought any for months. Until today.

I took his food bowl to the kitchen and cut some up for him. He excitedly followed me when I put the bowl down. I was expecting him to devour them and love me for thinking of him.

Instead he examined them, let out a snort of pure disdain and walked away without even looking at me. I felt that.

Hope this post is allowed, I believe I’ve seen it talked about before. Vacuums specifically for pets with larger canisters and better filtration. Wife wants a new vacuum for our 3 long hair pups. Can I get some recommendations?

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.

I moved to another state where I do have friends but no family. This week I got extremely sick with the flu. My dog did not get the care she needed because I felt like I was dying and could barely get out of bed. I had no one who could come help me, plus, to get a dog sitter, my apartment requires me to go to the front to check in guests, and i literally couldn’t make it that far. If I had the money, I would have gone to the hospital in an ambulance, that’s how sick I was. It’s really setting in how alone I am in my new state. I feel so guilty and like a horrible mom. I hate seeing my baby in pain and knowing it’s my fault. Raising a dog alone is extremely hard sometimes, something you might not think about until you’re in this situation. ): I wish I had a partner to help me. I just needed to vent because I am extremely anxious about this. Please be kind, I am already really hard on myself. We have already started the medication to treat this.

We have an extremely obedient and intuitive dog! She picks up what is acceptable to do in the house very quickly. We told her one time to not sit or sleep on the couch and she doesn't. We can point to her bed and she goes to sleep there. She never acts impulsively with food. She never begs or grabs it from us. She has a very low key personality until it comes time to swim or play with other dogs at the dog park. I am wondering how else i can train her beyond what I have told you? What else would be fun?

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.

I’ve had my rescue dog Athena for 2 years (she is 4). She is my first dog, and we are very attached to each other. She is very human-centric in general.

Like many dogs, she responds differently to different people - for example, she’s more naturally trusting of new females than new males. A lot of dogs have things like that.

But she also seems to “sense” my deeper feelings about individual people that should, on the surface, seem the same to her. Sort of like how your 7-year-old just “knows” which sister is your favorite, despite you being quite sure you’ve never talked about that.

Have other people experienced this? In your opinion, is it possible that my dog (or all dogs) are that intuitive? Can their reactions - which sometimes seem unpredictable on the surface - tell us more about our own minds?

Or am I just high?

Well, I guess it’s not really an either/or.

It just occurred to me that dogs evolved to crack marrow out of bones for their nutrition. Obviously that is bad for their health now, but I can see where chewing in that sense is satisfying for them. I know and have been following the rule that anything that doesn’t indent from my nail is too hard for my dog to chew BUT:

Is there a way to give my dog the satisfaction of cracking a bone without ruining his teeth?

I have an almost three year old Bull Terrier. My girlfriend and I are breaking up.

I work 3pm-140am for 5 days, and have 4 and 5 day weekends. I plan on finding a neighbor to let him out around 8-9 pm on my work weeks.

He mainly sleeps in the daytime, and gets some energy bursts at night, but he does excellent in a crate. Sometimes he won’t ask to go potty and it’s been 12 hours (usually from evening-early afternoon time).

I would let my girlfriend take him but she does not prioritize walking and behavior training like I do.

I guess I’m looking for input if having a dog walker is still okay. This is a stressful time and my boy means the world to me.

Edit: usually I only walk him a mile a day which takes about 20 mins. If this breakup goes through, I plan on doing a solid hour or so walk daily before I go to work.

** Hey everyone! I’m looking to get a puppy in the next yearish and I’m totally overstressing about what breed to choose lol. I grew up around a dog that had a lot of issues and it caused a lot of stress and heartache so I’m just feeling really strongly about making sure I get a well bred and good tempered dog. Any advice from y'all would be so appreciated! **

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

* I grew up around a dog but this will be my first time owning a dog and being responsible for it. I’m familiar with dogs and dog training.

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)?

* Definitely want to go through a reputable breeder. It’s really important to me to get a dog that is predictable.

3. Describe your ideal dog.

* I want a very small, friendly lap dog. I want a dog that will snuggle with me and sleep in my bed. I want it to be cool with lots of walks and can come with me everywhere. I want it to be friendly towards people and at least neutral around other dogs. I definitely want a girl dog. I have a 1 year old cat who is my first priority since she’s already here, so I want to be careful to do whatever I can to make living with a dog easy for her and not lower her quality of life.

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

* I have really fallen in love with long haired chihuahuas. I love how tiny and portable they are and I think they are super cute. I know looks aren’t the most important thing when choosing a breed but I can’t help but care somewhat lol, as much as I hate to admit that. I’m a little concerned about the temperament of chihuahuas though. I’m seeing a lot of conflicting info online…some saying they are super sweet and friendly and others saying they are one person dogs and don’t like strangers. I have also taken toy poodles into consideration, but I don’t love their look as much (I know, I shouldn't care) and I’m not sure I’m up for the grooming. I would definitely be keeping it in a short cut. Papillons are another on my list but I’m worried they might be a little too sporty and high energy for me. I went back and forth on cavaliers but ultimately decided the health problems are not worth it for me with them. Breeds like Shi-Tzu's and Maltese seem to have the right temperament but again, the grooming, and I'm also not crazy about how they look 😬.

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

* Pretty much just basic obedience and manners. Maybe some tricks for fun.

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?

* Like 4+ hours? I work in the late afternoons through evening so I’m home more than not. 

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?  

* I could probably do an hour or so. No dog parks. Planning on doing lots of walks and play time indoor and outdoor. Maybe an easy hike here and there.

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’m fine with brushing everyday. I’d rather not get a breed that requires full haircuts. I don’t really want to take on that additional cost of paying a groomer if I can avoid it. I don’t know how good I would be at doing that myself lol. I’m totally fine with regular baths and brushing, trimming nails, etc.

**Personal Preferences**

10. What size dog are you looking for?

* Small. Think purse dog lol.

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

* A minimal to moderate amount of shedding is fine. I already have a cat so I’m used to that. I don’t want like husky level shedding though lol. I’m okay with reasonable barking like barking at the door. I’d prefer they not be barking constantly for no reason. Minimal slobber, please.

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

* It would be nice to be able to but it’s not a big deal for me. I'm fine with using a long line instead.

**Dog Personality and Behavior**

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

* Very 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?  

* I don’t really mind if they bark when someone knocks or approaches the house. I want them to be friendly with people. They don’t have to be best friends with everyone but I want them to be very okay with people.

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

* They don’t need to love playing with other dogs but they need to be neutral around them. I’m definitely trying to avoid aggression of any kind.

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

* Aggression towards people and my cat are big ones for me.

**Lifestyle**

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

* There is almost always someone home, so not very often at all. At the most, 4-5 hours.

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 with family who wouldn’t care too much as long as the dog wasn’t large or super disruptive. I would be the caretaker of the dog but my mom would be happy to help with potty breaks and stuff if I was out and needed her to. She could also pet sit if I was gone overnight but I would prefer to just bring the dog with me.

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 young adult cat. She is curious and playful.

21. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

* No kids in the house right now but I hope to have kids in the next 10ish years? I know that’s a bit of a range lol. So the dog would likely be well into adulthood by then. I do want it to be okay with kids. I know small dogs are more delicate so I would be careful to make sure kids were gentle with her.

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

* N/A

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

* I live in the US south. No bans that I am aware of.

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

* (Farenheit) summer is in the high 70s to 80s and winter is low 50s down to 40s.

**Additional Information and Questions**

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

* I’m sorry for the long answers lol. I’m definitely overthinking and stressing about this, but I just want to be careful to make the best choice that I can. Thank you for reading my yapping! lol

26. Feel free to ask any questions below.

Hello everyone! How do you get over grief over your dog, especially when he hasn't died yet? I have my dog Pufi, who should have been 13 on the 1st of December, and I am 25 years old, so it's my childhood dog. He has a very large prostate cancer (i mean very large from the x-ray, it cannot be seen otherwhise) and a little something on his brain. For the last week, his health has been declining rapidly, he is very tired all the time, cannot stand for more than a few minutes and we went to the vet to see what's happening, where the doctors found the prostate cancer and a very severe anemia. They hospitalised him daily from 10:00 to 18:00 to have some transfusions made but he is not getting better and i have been advised that it is time for the injection. I'm crying non stop, i cannot comprehend him dying, he is my best friend, my angel, my sweet little heart, i cannot accept he is leaving me. Don't get me wrong, i will do the injection for the sake of him this weekend so he doesnt suffer anymore, but i cannot believe this is happening to this poor little baby. If my state is like this now, before him dying, i dont want to know how it will be after him passing away.

So please, how did you people get over the grief, or at least this big griefing stage, without forgetting your little angel? I cannot see myself looking at his urn with his little picture on top of it and not cry 24/7 missing him. I have 2 more dogs whom i love the most aswell and i want to be hard for them too, hoping they dont get the same grief as me.

EDIT: I will leave here a small video with photos of Pufi and his brother and sister for anyone interested. Video

Introduction

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

• It will be my first dog but not my partner’s. I have experience living with and helping train a husky puppy, but she was not my dog.

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

• Slight preference towards working with a reputable breeder as we have a cat and I would like to instill good boundaries from puppyhood. I also want to ensure I know the background and breed of the dog (ie no terriers of any kind) due to prey drive concerns.

3. Describe your ideal dog.

• An intelligent dog with interest in hiking, learning tricks, and agility, who would be predisposed to live well with a cat with proper training. I would also like a dog who is comfortable with traveling or with occasionally being watched or boarded for trips they could not attend. I work from home and would be home with the dog at most times.

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

• I am interested in herding dogs due to their intelligence and demeanor, but I would want to ensure a dog would be a good fit before taking on a responsibility and worry that some herding dogs would not do well with pet sitting or boarding.

I have also considered retrievers as from my research they seem to be fairly adaptable, confident, and good with cats.

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

• I would like to train the dog to have good recall, as I live near an off leash hiking trail. I would also like to continuously train tricks for bonding and mental stimulation.

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 would love to try agility even without needing to compete. I don’t have any experience in this but would like to work with a local training facility to learn. I would be interested in obedience competitions as well.

Care Commitments

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

• This is flexible as I work remotely, but I want to ensure I do not take on too much responsibility in case I ever needed to work in the office. If I were to work in an office, I would likely be home and awake for 6-7 hours a day and could probably devote 1-2 of those to exercise/training specifically.

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?

• 1-2 hours a day. This would include hiking on an off-leash dog trail and walking in a neighborhood. I do also have access to a dog park and I would be interested in participating with a local agility gym.

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 am open to doing some grooming at home, but would take a dog with more needs (like a rough collie or other dog with a long coat) regularly to a groomer.

Personal Preferences

10. What size dog are you looking for?

• I would prefer a medium to large size dog, but my priority is finding the right fit with the cat and temperament.

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

• I am used to handling extensive shedding. I prefer less barking and slobber if possible for harmony with the cat.

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

• Very important.

Dog Personality and Behavior

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

• Somewhere in between.

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

• Eager to please for recall training. I loved my time living with a husky but I know owning one is not a good choice for off leash hiking and living with a cat.

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 prefer a confident dog who is comfortable with all of the things. I feel confident working on general reactivity but would not like a dog that is predisposed to greet strangers with aggression, particularly if I ever wanted to use a dog walker or dog boarding facility. I am not concerned about some barking to alert but would prefer not to try to work against a dog’s instincts to constantly keep them quiet.

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

• I would work with a trainer if this were the case. Because I have a cat, I would prefer to adopt a puppy and work from an early age on socialization. I would prefer a dog that is not predisposed to fighting other animals.

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

• Fighting or attacking other animals.

Lifestyle

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

• On a typical day, no more than 2 hours. I work from home and will be with the dog at all times other than running a quick errand.

On the weekend after the dog is an adult, this timeframe could be longer depending on the dog’s needs, but I would prefer that they could be left alone occasionally for 6-8 hours if we ever wanted to take a day trip or had a lot of errands to run.

I would also like a dog who is confident and adaptable enough to occasionally be pet sat by family/friends/or a professional or be boarded so we have the option to occasionally take a vacation that isn’t dog friendly.

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 partner will be home in the mornings and evenings and will help with both of these routines and dog walking, as well as training. My partner prefers large dogs.

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

• We have a 7 year old cat. She has interacted well with a husky, border collie, and a Great Pyrenees. She did not get along with a doodle who played very aggressively with other dogs and her.

No other pets are currently planned.

21. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• ANSWER

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

• We rent currently and cannot have many large breeds and breeds with high prey drives, including huskies, malamutes, akitas, pitbulls and other bully breeds, malinois, and German shepherds.

We are not given a complete list or weight limit in the lease and would confirm with the landlord before proceeding.

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

• USA, no breed bans where I live.

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

• Winter: snowy winters, 30 degrees Fahrenheit

Summer: hot dry summers, 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit

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.

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.

So I have a lovely, sweet as anything, 8 month old Black Lab/Great Dane mix, foster failed her about a month ago. She was a farm dog before that, and potty training has been...trying. After her initial few days settling in we started in on establishing a routine, effusive praise and treats when she was peeing outside, setting up a doorbell for her to associate with pee time, and I think we were 90% there (with peeing anyway, poop was about 50-50). She was asking to go out reliably, had a designated pee spot in the backyard, accidents inside were totally understandable for a puppy but trending downward.

We had one day of heavy rain where she was too scared to go outside at all, and it's all gone back to zero. I understand potty training is a series of progression and regression, but she's absolutely refusing to eliminate outside at all; not on walks, not in the yard, not when our other dogs go. This morning I was cleaning up her poop in the hallway which woke me up, so I let her out...and while I was cleaning she snuck up behind me and peed on the floor. When I finished doing that and took everything outside, she pooped inside again. It's baffling, and frustrating, and I can't stop feeling like I'm failing her somehow.

We've tried taking her out at thirty minute intervals, giving her baths to get her used to water (which is odd because she loves water and played in the rain before), like I said the training was going well, I've tried timing her from drinking water to peeing and scheduling going outside around that... I'm just out of ideas, and 6-10 accidents inside a day isn't sustainable and I'm sure causing actual issues in her development. The group we adopted her from has a trainer, and when I asked her, she just shrugged her shoulders and said she didn't know either.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated, she's extremely sensitive and become a bonded pair with my other youngest dog (2 ish year old Staffy).

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

This will be my first dog. I volunteer at an animal shelter.

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

I lean towards rescuing but would consider either.

3. Describe your ideal dog.

Intelligent, easy to train, active, loyal, enjoys cuddling, and friendly with other animals and people. I also prefer larger dogs.

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

German Shepherd - Loyal, active, and extremely intelligent. Labrador Retriever - I have seen they are commonly recommended for first time owners and matches closely to the ideal dog I described. Golden Retriever - Same as above.

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

I will train obedience primarily. Beyond that, tricks and very simple tasks.

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?

For training, I would aim for at most one hour per day. For playing and interacting, I am okay with several hours per day.

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?

1-2 hours daily. The exercises would include lots of walks and playing 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?

Needing to brush and groom my dog doesn’t really matter to me. I am okay with doing as much that is needed. I will take my dog to a professional groomer if necessary.

Personal Preferences

10. What size dog are you looking for?

Medium to large.

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

I would prefer not excessive barking but slobber and shedding aren’t dealbreakers.

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

It’s not extremely important but this is something I would want to train to make sure they are safe.

Dog Personality and Behavior

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

I want a snuggly dog.

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

I want an eager-to-please dog.

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?

For responding to someone knocking or entering my yard, I would expect barking. For strangers and visitors, I want my dog to not approach strangers unless they ask to interact my dog.

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

Yes but I would highly prefer not to.

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

I would aim to avoid having an aggressive dog.

Lifestyle

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

Twice a week I work in office. I would stop by home on my lunch for a short period of time before leaving. So the dog would be left at home for about four hours twice on those days.

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

No one else.

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

I am tentatively planning to have both dogs and cats in the future. I do not have any other pets currently.

21. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

No, but it is plausible that I would have a child in this dog’s lifetime.

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

I plan to rent in the near future. I am looking at apartments with little to no restrictions. I have noticed German Shepherds are generally one of the restricted breeds.

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

Lincoln, NE, USA. I am not aware of any laws.

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

The hottest days of summer can get up to around 105°F, the coldest days of winter can get down to as low as -5°F.

Additional Information and Questions

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

No additional information.

My partner and I are looking for some recommendations for a type of dog that will fit our lifestyle! We currently own two cats, and have previously cared for a senior rat terrier who passed away this year. All 3 animals coexisted fairly well. Obviously, we want to do things properly so all animals can live together in as much peace as possible. Rest of the info is below.

**Introduction**

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

* As mentioned, we had a mini rat terrier who passed away in October.  My partner had owned him since he was a puppy and was very well behaved in his younger years.

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)?

* Open to either

3)	Describe your ideal dog.

* Couch potato, affectionate, good with cats and people

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

* Basset hounds, we've read that they're very good with cats and are generally affectionate.  Our other options are Cavalier King Charles, Rat Terriers, Corgis 

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

* Basic tricks and good recall, nothing intense.

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?

* We both work full time and are off Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday.  We'd be spending a good portion of our nights and days off with the dog.

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?  

* Two walks a day, training sessions, backyard and indoor playtime.  At least an hour, maybe two hours of active time a day.

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?

* Yes, with the occasional visit to a professional 

**Personal Preferences**

10)	What size dog are you looking for?

* Small to medium.  Generally under 30 pounds, but we know Basset Hounds can get bigger than that.

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

* Whatever man.  All of that is to be expected, lol.

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?

* Either

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?  

* Either friendly or indifferent.

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

* it depends on the situation.  No, but if it becomes an issue, we would manage it.

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

* Jumping on people, aggression towards people and cats, 

**Lifestyle**

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

* 6 and a half hours, 4 days a week (my partner comes home for lunch on her workdays and will let the dog 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? 

* Not applicable 

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

* We have two cats, ages 6 and 7

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?

* Not applicable 

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

* United States, no laws in my area

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

* 80 degrees in the Summer, 30 or below in the Winter

**Additional Information and Questions**

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

* No additional information.

I hate monthly subscriptions so I was thinking of getting an AirTag? Is there anything else that is better ?

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

No, I grew up with an English Cocker Spaniel (RIP <3 the best!), and a Chihuahua who’s now 17 yrs old, still kicking it at my dads.

2)    Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder].

I'd prefer to rescue just due to how I morally feel, but I would love to have a puppy from a breeder, I don’t think I’m home enough for a puppy though.

3)    Describe your ideal dog.

Loving, wants to snuggle and be pet/loved. Enjoys playing fetch & gets along with strangers (my friends/family/maybe people at a dog park). Potentially also hiking with them! Nothing crazy but max ~10 miles, maybe an overnight if they like it.

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

Beagle, Lab, Cocker Spaniel, Irish Setter, Samoyed, Redbone Coonhound. They all seem like friendly dogs that enjoy your affection and strangers. Not agressive, not too big.

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

Simple stuff, sit, lay down, fetch, nothing crazy. Listen to me and don’t run off into the woods.

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?

Not particularly but I'm not against it.

Care Commitments

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

1-2 hours, more on 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?

~1 hour a day of exercise. I'd love to have a dog that enjoys playing fetch and possibly playing with other dogs. I don't have a dog park in mind but I would be open to using one.

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?

Fine with anything. My floppy eared cocker spaniel definitly started having ear problems as he got older but I'm not sure that was avoidable.

Personal Preferences

10)   What size dog are you looking for?

I would like a slightly larger dog than my ~25lb cocker spaniel, maybe 40-50lbs. But I'm open to any recommendations 25-75lbs.

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

Fine with it all.

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

Would really like it, but I don't live in the woods so it's not super important. I would like to be able to go to the school field by my house without the dog running off into the woods for a squirrel though. If I could take the dog hiking it would probably be leashed most of the time anyway.

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?

Either

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?

Friendly, barking is fine but I don't need a gaurd dog.

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

Yes, but prefer something on the friendlier side.

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

N/A

Lifestyle

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

M-F 8:00-4:30. I am working on getting a remote job but at the moment I work in office.

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 have a parent willing to help but they also work M-F.

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

17 year old Chihuaha, I have lived on my own in the past though and may move locally in the next year where the dog would be alone.

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?

Not worried, saving for my own house at the moment.

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

New York, unsure on any bans.

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

Hot and humid in the summer, relativly cold in the winter (some snow). Typical east coast weather

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.

I have a border collie mix that destroys literally everything we buy him. I read some older posts and my next purchase will be the black kong ball. But he really likes tugging. Is there a tugging toy that won’t easily be chewed to shreds like every rope I’ve bought him thus far?? Thanks in advance for your help!! :)

She has been on puppy pads but I want her to start going outside to use the bathroom..this evidently doesn't work because at 4am she will poop on the floor where the puppy pad used to be. I dont know how to approach this because I'm thaking her to use the bathroom before her bedtime (she goes to sleep at like 11pm) and i take her out more often during the day but it's just not working. She knows there is not puppy pad because she tries to hide it in her bed and when shes caught her gives me a shamed face

for those who've asked, shes a 2 year old(not sure if this is too late for training her) yorkie mix, shes small, I take her out in walks as well as take her in the yard and I've had her since she was 3 months

*also thanks for all the help, I'll take her out more often/more consistently, Ill try to have a better feeding schedule, I'll also try to associate outside with food to help as suggested.

When I got my dog I was working 60 hr weeks but I had a partner who worked the opposite shift so it worked out. I’m down said partner and have changed jobs so I’m working 7 12’s every two weeks, so only 14 days a month.

I’ve hired a dog walker for those days I work. She comes a bit over halfway through my shift to let my dog out to potty and walks/plays with him. When I get home I take him out and depending on the weather we’ll stay outside to throw the ball. If it’s gross out we’ll be inside playing tug of war.

I do more with him on my off days, but I still feel bad on days I work. He has boundless energy so he wants to play for hours but I’m dead tired.

Any suggestions for things I can do on my working days to help my dog get the stimulation he needs?