So back story, back in November I picked up a stray and tried posting her and bringing her to the shelter to check for a chip and to see if there were any reports of her being missing and nothing. We quickly started to realize she was pregnant so we kept her so she wasn't giving birth in a shelter. She gave birth to 7 puppies in December.

It took a bit but we finally found homes for everyone. 4 of the 7 went to people we know which is great so I'm not anxious about how they're doing and get updates every so often.

Is it inappropriate for me to ask how the pups are doing and how everyone is adjusting? or maybe a different way I could word that where it doesn't seem like I'm being intrusive. And I'm mad at myself that I didn't mention earlier that if there were any issues they could return the dogs no questions asked (not saying there will be but just in case).

I don't know how breeders do it. I got so attached to these dogs and I just want to make sure I sent them off to good homes.

Anyways, long story short, is it inappropriate for me to send a message asking for updates of the puppies I sold?

I took my dog (Blue) on a short hike by a local river today along with my mom and her new dog (Bayou). We made sure that the dogs were okay interacting with each other a few days before the hike and both of them were relatively well-behaved for their first hike. There were a few hiccups but nothing serious or bad and I can't wait to take them out again!

Breed questionnaire

Introduction

Will this be your first dog?

No, have had dogs all my life

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

I prefer to rescue or adopt

Describe your ideal dog

Big or XL sized dog, gets along with cats, other dogs and children, cuddly,(potential emotional support animal) not need too much exercise but able to go on hikes, likes water and going in the car frequently. be easily trainable in terms of behaviour off-lead. Little to no separation anxiety.

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

I love big breeds like malamutes, Great Pyrenees, newfies, pitbull mix etc. I’ve had chows, German shepherd/golden retriever/lab mixes all my life

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

Basic commands, sit, stay, heal, maybe some fun ones like shake etc.

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

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

I work 8hrs a day on weekdays but do t mind taking time to do some training.

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?

Mostly walking or playfighting, fetch. Realistically up to 2 hours per day in total I would like to take it on hikes on the weekends and have it travel with me in the car to the store, camping etc.

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?

Prefer less but not enough to influence my choice

Personal Preferences

What size dog are you looking for?

Large or XL large

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

Some Shedding is fine, Minimum barking preferred but don’t mind if they are a little talkative, don’t mind a little slobber

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

Very important

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

Very snuggly, Affectionate

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

Eager to please but also happy to roam around outside on its own. No separation anxiety

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?

Calmly, dont mind if the bark a bit to alert that someone’s there

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

No

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

separation anxiety, non-affectionate, aggression toward other animals/children (I realize this can depend on the environment/activity ), I really don’t care for small dogs

Lifestyle

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

I work 8hrs a day but hoping to reduce that soon but need a dog that is okay being a long for hrs at a time bc sometimes my husband and I both work all day

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

Calm affectionate family orientated dog but still playful. Must be OK around other dogs, and cats and children.

Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they? Currently have 2 cats and plan on having at least two dogs

Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

Yes

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

N/A

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

Washington State

What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live? The hottest it gets is around 100 degrees

Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

ESSENTIALS:

MUST like to cuddle/potentially be an emotional support animal

MUST be trainable and reliable off-lead

MUST be a family orientated dog

MUST NOT have separation anxiety issues

Must not need excessive exercise daily but able to travel in the car, likes water, able to go on hikes

TIA!🖤

Hey guys, first time poster been lurking for a bit though. At the moment we have a sick elderly cat no younger than 17, we don't plan on getting a dog just yet but want to start scoping out potential breeders as I know responsible breeders have a pretty long waitlist.
I've wanted my own dog for years and have been doing a ton, maybe too much research. We finally moved out on our own and found a place that allows dogs so wanna get one after my cat is gone as I feel at the moment a dog fits my needs a better. We are going to our first dog show next month and wanna see what other breeds to look at. I may have done too much research and now really anxious my breed choice won't fit our life style, so I would really like to see what other people more experienced than me recommend!

**Introduction**

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

* No, grew up with a sheepdog mix and more recently was caring for my parents dachshund/yorkie mix. I was in charge of most of her training and taught her sit, stay, to alert us when she needed to potty, and to come when called. So I have minor experience, willing to learn more! Even taught my and my parents cats tricks lol

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)?

* Mostly looking for a breeder as I never had a well bred dog and wanna see how they differ! This will be my partners first dog so I want something more predictable and to make a good first impression! I'm not opposed to rescues as I prefer an adult dog over a puppy, however our rescues are filled with gsd, huskies, and bully breed mixes which we are not aloud to have nor do I feel we can handle.

3. Describe your ideal dog.

* My ideal dog is an mostly easy to train and friendly. Loves to play but will lounge in the evenings, and willing to learn tricks. I love a dog I make use their brain and nose! I would also love a travel companion, we want to take the dog out to parks, walks downtown, and go hiking for a few hours, so ideally the dog would be little bigger than the average toy.

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

* I've narrowed my searches down to a keeshond, they seem to fit bill nearly perfectly! Highly adaptable, willing to play, go on long walks then lounge in the evenings or on rainy days, smart, easy to train. They are not too big or too small either! My only issue with them is I'm unsure I can handle the barking, some kees bark more than others and idk how easy it is to train a barky dog to calm down after a few barks cause I don't mind barking, I mind barking for hours, especially as I live in an apartment(although a lot of dogs here are very barky). I also worry that maybe they have more energy than breed descriptions say. I know spitz are a little more work and I'm willing to do that. I've had stubborn animals and puppies are hard no matter what, but I feel like some people forget to bring up the bad parts of some breeds.

Also looking into poms, my first choice but wanted something bigger which is how I landed on kees, and recently caviler king charles spaniel as I see them recommended a lot and seem to check all the boxes just worried about them being so prone to health issues.

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

* the basics at the minimum sit, stay, recall, etc, as well as train to use a crate. I want to teach it to pick things up off the floor and maybe open lower cupboards as an assistance thing but its not priority at the moment. I also want to do fun tricks and stuff but also low priority.

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?

* I work from home, and work in spurts. I plan on getting the dog after my current cat is gone so I plan on putting most of my free time into it so probably a couple hours at the minimum

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?

* at the minimum 1-2 hour walks a day. My parents dog was taken out every 4-6 hours for about 15-20 minutes. I would of course go out more frequently for puppies though prefer walks to stay around 20-30 minutes. I would like to do a lot of the daily play inside like playing with balls, pull toys, flirt poles etc. We do plan on taking the dog for longer walks on my partners off days and checking out the local dog 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'm willing to do daily or weekly brushings, cleaning the ears, and trimming nails! Long coated dogs would be sent to a groomer every couple months or as needed for a good deep clean and brushing/trimming depending on the breed.

**Personal Preferences**

10. What size dog are you looking for?

* Prefer a dog between 20-40lbs. Smaller dogs are fine though, just prefer one slightly larger.

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

* I grew up with a double coated dog and fluffy cats. I'm used to hair everywhere! I can handle some barking, I like alert barking but I want to able to teach the dog to calm down, I can't handle dogs that bark for hours. Prefer as little slobber as possible.

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

* Not very, I live in a apartment. I plan on teaching recall regardless, but being off leash is not important to me.

**Dog Personality and Behavior**

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

* Prefer more closer to snuggly but don't mind a dog that also wants personal space, I'm use to it with cats.

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

* More close to eager to please, though don't mind a more independent dog otherwise I wouldn't go for spitz

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?

* alert barking but friendly. Never aggressive or very guardy, I feel better with an alert dog.

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?

* reactiveness, I really wanna bring this dog out with us so want as little reactivity with people, animals and other dogs as possible.

**Lifestyle**

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

* I work from home so very rarely, especially as a puppy if we get a puppy. The most the dog will be left alone is a couple hours on shopping days every other week. The longest being around 4-5 hours when I'm visiting parents if I can't bring my dog, but that's once every couple months and I don't plan on leaving a puppy that long. I worry more about separation anxiety cause I'm home so much.

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

* This will be my partners first dog, only stipulation is she don't like mustache dogs(I love mustache dogs) and anything with tight curls like a poodle. Don't like the texture I guess. She would be taking care of the dog with me, though the dog is mostly for me. She will take the dog out in the morning before work and before bed at the minimum.

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

* While we plan on getting the dog after my current cat is gone, we don't plan on never getting a cat. I also keep several invertebrates and plan on getting a couple reptiles in the future, while I never intend on handling with the dog in the same room accidents happen so prefer a low prey drive dog on the rare occasion someone escapes. I know my dog can still eat an escaped gecko or spider regardless though, its just a dog being a dog.

21. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

* nope, but child safe and friendly is preferred. Nother reason I want a slightly larger dog.

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

* yes, for the foreseeable future. My apartment doesn't allow anything over 60lbs, as well as pretty much all bully and mastiff breeds as well as gsd, huskies, malamutes, chow chows, and akitas.

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

* I live in Michigan, USA. Nothing that I'm aware of.

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

* winters are typically between 15-30f with summer being around 75-85f average.

**Additional Information and Questions**

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

*

26. Feel free to ask any questions below.

So I’m a college student living with an ESA, a 13 year old Maltese/Shih Tzu mix. She’s doing great in college (she loves all the attention she gets on campus), and has adjusted to dorm life really well. However, I live in an old dorm building. I keep my dorm really clean and dust biweekly, run an air purifier almost all the time, and yet I still get dust. For some reason, it always ends up in her water bowl, which seems like it makes her less likely to drink (which worries me since it can get a little stuffy in the dorms) Has anyone tried a drinking fountain for dogs? I think the running water will prevent the dust buildup. I know some people do it for their cats, but I’ve never heard about it for dogs. If you have tried it, do you have a suggestion for a specific brand?

I’m finding I’m always cleaning my golden retriever’s paws when it’s wet outside as she’s an inside dog. I find I’m wrestling her with a towel to do this several times a day.

Not sure if this is a normal thing to do or if there is a better approach?

Hey everyone I have a question. What are thoughts on adopting German shepherds at the age of 7 months? I know they are very structured dogs but I truly love dogs and have came across a shepherd at a shelter. This is very unusual to see as I’ve never seen a shepherd at a shelter. Let me know some thoughts

As background I am a stay at home mom, so I am home to take care of the dogs. I dream about having a lot of dogs, but I am unsure if sustainable with the logistics with walks etc.

Anyone have 3 or 4 dogs with school age kids and care to share?

Firstly, I acknowledge that this is a fairly minor "problem", but I'm open to any suggestions from the community.

My 5 year old lurcher imprinted on me pretty strongly when we got her at about 18 months. She already knew a bunch of commands, including "wait" that will stop her in her tracks even if there's a strawberry on the floor, and "leave", with which I can take anything out of her mouth with no resistance whatsoever.... Inside the house.

As soon as we go outside, all bets are off. Anything I throw for her, she will not give back. I've tried using the same toy that she'll give back inside the house, but that makes no difference. Every game of "fetch" becomes a few minutes of pretending to throw it, making her wait at range before coming (at speed: lurcher) to sit at my feet for a (pretend) throw. When she's exercised, I then throw the ball, she doesn't give it back, and she gets led back inside to her crate where she drops it.

I understand the concept of finding something more appealing. The problem I think I have is that inside the house I'm a 9/10, toys are maybe a 6. Outside the house, it's the other way round! Even a second toy doesn't distract her from the one she's got. Food doesn't work either.

Do I just need to be more interesting in the garden?? How?????

For context; My Alaskan Malamute Xena had 3 litters before (I’ve kept some and the rest are thriving in their new homes). One of her puppies that I’ve kept is called Nambi and she recently had her first litter of puppies.

Throughout her entire pregnancy, Xena hasn’t left her side and has been incredibly protective over her. Now the babies are here I keep the other dogs including Xena away from Nambi and her babies.

For safety reasons females dogs cannot be around other females puppies as they will eat them. I’m responsible for them so that’s a risk I will not take. (Even if the dogs got into the room they’re safe in a closed area)

However… Xena has not stopped shaking, panting, crying, howling and whining throughout the day and night since they’ve been born.

This is my first time dealing with a situation like this, has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know why they do this? Advice?

Thank you!

I am searching for a dog breed that is super affectionate and cuddly, loves being in nature and at home, absolutely adores cats and cuddles with them, the breed is healthy with relatively very few health problems.

On my list of breeds that I am considering at the top are Beagle and Vizsla, I’m also considering between Irish Setter, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Whippet, Greyhound, Italian Greyhound, French Bulldog, Boston Terrier, Maltese, Labrador retriever, Bernese Mountain dog and Basset hound.

Please fill free to recommend any breed (espeacially lesser known breeds or breeds that love cat company but are not known for it) that fits the description but is not listed above.

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

We have had a couple of dogs of different dog breeds before.

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

A breeder is preferred.

3. Describe your ideal dog.

Being goofy/playful, super affectionate, loves other animals especially cats (sees them as part of the pack, adventurious, is friendly, eithet clam or exuberant but never agressive at all (that does not mean no barking), a dog that loves to cuddle all time, that love being outside and exercising and exploring while on the other hand does not mind laying on the couch while I’m working from home, a dog that is content with animal company besides human family since I’m a but of a loner. A dog that loves to talk but is not annoying in doing so - nows when to stop.

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

The breeds that stand out to me the most are the beagle and the vizsla because of their super affectionate nature. But it can be any other breed.

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

Sit, stay, heel, stop, etc.

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?

3+ 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?

1-2 hours each day, running buddy, long walks, running beside while I’m cycling,…

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?

Once a week - brushing, everything else when it is needed.

Personal Preferences

10. What size dog are you looking for?

Medium size are preferred although I wouldn’t mind smaller/larger breeds.

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

No preference personally regarding shedding and barking, slobber must be minimum.

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

Very important for the dogs mental and physical well being.

Dog Personality and Behavior

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

A dog that loves to cuddle no matter what I’m doing, and I don’t mind a velcro dog personallly I would love that.

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

Eager to please is preferable otherwise I don’t mind either way.

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?

Non agressive, but I don’t mind some barking.

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

Absolutely NOT.

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

Jumping on people should be avoided since not everyone likes that.

Lifestyle

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

Not for long (2 hours at most), at least one person is always home and I work from home mostly.

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

Three other adults beside myself, they would prefer a breed that sheds minimally. Mostly feeding walking, playing.

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

Yes, I have a dog and more than a dozen of cats.

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?

No.

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

Europe, no.

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

Betwen 35 to 70.

He's a perfect pooch otherwise, but he just stands and pees, no leg cocking or anything. Getting really tired of having to constantly clean him. He's white too which makes it so much more obvious while we are out

My 8yr bichon just gave birth to 7 puppies (dad was a poodle) but sadly passed away. Our family is planning to take care of 2 puppies and give the other ones away or sell them (it was unwanted pregnancy. The seller of my dog said that it couldn't get pregnant and they lied, we cant take care of all 7 dogs.). Should i get 1 male and 1 female dog or both males? Thank you in advance.

Hi! I have a heeler mix puppy. I just brought him home a few days ago, and he's gotten super comfortable and when he's riled up, he nips at absolutely everything. I'm using firm "No"s and redirecting his attention to his toys whenever he does it. What more can I make sure I do when he gets crazy to help him learn?

So my 4yo beagle started developing a habit that he wants to be watched while eating. He usually is a good eater and as long as I feed him on time he doesn’t throw a fuss and devours his food. But lately he started eating slower than usual and sits by the kitchen and looks at whoever is on sight with puppy eyes and when we prompt him to eat while watching him he does eat but also looks at us if we leave him be, he stops eating and plays around and tried to guilt someone to watch him eat. I do find this funny but also I understand this would become a habit if not corrected.

Just note that he isn’t really left alone he just wants someone to literally stand beside his dog bowl while he eats. He also doesn’t have abandonment issues. His vet said that health wise there is nothing wrong. I’m guessing my dog just has a personality.

Hi fellow dog lovers!

I'm about to welcome a new puppy into my home, where I already have two dogs. To ensure a smooth transition and a harmonious multi-dog household, I'm on the lookout for courses or books that offer guidance on managing multiple dogs. If anyone has recommendations for resources that have helped you or others in similar situations, I would greatly appreciate your advice. Thanks so much in advance for your help!

Introduction

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

• Yes, have never "lived" with a dog, but have taken care of cats for 5 months~

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

• No

1. Describe your ideal dog.

• small to medium sized since i live in an apartment, low shedding, not too much barking because i dont want to constantly be annoying the neighbours and not requiring very high exercise.

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

• Was looking at poodles, bichon frise and sausages, all are low shedding and i think not very active

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

• Basic commands like stay, sit, come to me

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 work from home so I will be spending most of the day near the dog, I am available to take it for a walk 3 times a day but my lifestyle is not very active, thats why i would not like to get a breed that requires a lot of exercise.

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?

• About 30 minutes a day, no dog parks around so it will be mostly walks and going to the beach in the summer.

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 have never done it so I really have no idea how to do it and how hard it is, I am willing to pay a professional to handle it.

Personal Preferences

10. What size dog are you looking for?

• I live in an apartment and will most likely continue to do so, so I am looking for small/medium dogs.

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

• I have lived with cats in the past and cannot handle the constant hair on everything. So I am looking for a low shedding breed. Barking won't be a problem as long as its not excessive, I dont mind barking when someone rings the doorbell or something similar, but constant barking will be a problem since I am living in an apartment.

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

• Not important.

Dog Personality and Behavior

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

• Something in between probably, more on the snuggly side.

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

• Either would be fine

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?

• Some barking is okay to alert me that something is going on, but when told to stop I would like him to do so, I am fine spending time training in order for this to happen. For visitors i would like the dog to be friendly.

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

• I would not like that at all, since I will be taking the dog with me on trips/coffee shops/restaurants.

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

• There will be times that i will need to leave the house for some hours without the dog, I would like that to be possible without him barking until i come back, I suppose this is also a part of training and crate training which I am of course willing to do.

Lifestyle

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

• Only when something happens that the dog cannot attend or both me and my girlfriend have to go to the office. First part would be an event or a gathering that the dog cannot attend so I would say 1-4 hours but rare occurance. The second could happen once every two months or so and would last for 6-8 hours of alone time. Oh also in case of vacations I would be leaving the dog with a friend or relative.

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

• My girlfriend has no experience with dogs whatsoever but has repeatedly mentioned getting a dog. She is very caring and I believe she would love any dog, and the dog would love her too. I think she will be even more excited if we get a dog even than me because of all the training opportunities since she is a teacher and would consider training the dog like training a small kid.

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

• I don't and don't think i want more.

1. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• No, unless me and my girlfriend decide to have a kid someday.

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

• I am renting right now and possibly continue to rent.

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

• Greece, I don't think there are any bans on dog breeds here.

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

• summer average is about 30C winter is about -10

Additional Information and Questions

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

1. Feel free to ask any questions below.

Good day everyone, I would like to know what's the best for for older dogs. I have a 10 year old Maltese and he has some health issues. In the past year, he became very slow and his mobility became limited. I know that this is mostly due to his age, but I really believe that a better food could give him a positive impact. I've been feeding him kibble in the past and I feel like it doesn't provide all the needed nutrients and vitamins. Any recommendations are welcomed!

Hi! We are experienced dog owners but I was kinda shaken up last time I went I to my vets office. They have "The World's Most Expensive $5.99 Dog Toy" on display. Let me explain, the dog toy costs $5.99 but it nearly cost a dog's owners their dog's life, and about $10k in surgery and treatment. The nylon topes were chewed up, while the dog was being supervised. Then, strings became hooked around teeth, which then shredded the nylon. While they were trying to free the dog- more nylon frayed. Dog ingested the nylon. They hoped it would all come out the back side. It didn't. Dog needed surgery. They have the toy on a shelf, a picture of the dog and its family and the story printed out and framed. The point I am getting at is- is there a dog toy safety organization? Is there somewhere I can get get a list of toys and enrichment tools that vets actually recommend because they don't have to ever remove pieces of the toys from patients? I have twice tried posting in a pet group on Facebook about it but they keep declining my post and tell me to use the search bar but all that comes up is large breed dog food since I'm looking for large breed specific toys. Do you guys have favorite toys or companies that you trust? Is there a regulating body for toy safety for pets?

Hi! I’ve just adopted a new dog and I think I’m having puppy blues (does that name fit if the dog is 1yo?). I’ve had dogs my whole life, but never by myself before - nor in an apartment, which is the case. She’s a little mutt and super cute and while I don’t regret the adoption, I feel anxious all the time. Like I’m not good enough for her, or she’s bored, or going to be bored and unhappy, and if I’m honest there’s this little awful feeling of giving up complete freedom - which I was aware of and willing, so I didn’t expect to have negative feelings.

Has anyone experienced that recently? I read through old posts, but talking about it felt like it could help.

Thanks :)

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Hi all! I am going away in a few weeks from Friday-Monday. One of my best friends is going to be watching my two dogs for me. She lives about 5 minutes away, so I told her she can stay here if she needs alone time (she lived with her parents) or she can pop in a few times a day. The dogs don't need to go on walks (we have a huge backyard that they enjoy and I don't want her to have to do too much work), she just needs to let them out a few times a day, feed them twice a day, and of course give them a lot of love. They are very low maintenance dogs that she is comfortable with. I have no idea how much to pay her! I don't want to cheap out but I was thinking $150-200 range for the three nights. Is this too little? Too much? We have never had to have someone watch them before because one of my siblings or parents will usually just stay the night. I appreciate any insight on this :)

Hey! So I've never had a dog before and my wife brought one home because he was going to be put down so we have adopted him. With that said he just kind of does whatever he wants and I don't know how to stop him or really train him as I've never had a dog. Like I've had dogs in the house while growing up but I have never had a dog so other than petting and giving attention I never had a part in training.

He absolutely devours my cat's food and I can't get him to stop. The feeding areas are on different sides of the house and he will eat the cat food even if he has food in his bowl. The dog and my cat are about the same size so I can't really just put a cat door on the cat's feeding room. Is the solution just putting the cat's food in a place unreachable to the dog?

He sort of kind of looks like a cavalier but we aren't sure the actual breed.

I’m looking at puppies on the AKC marketplace and I was wondering what the puppy starter kit is that some puppies come with? Does anyone know?

Our 17 year old miniature dachshund Misty passed away almost a year ago and my step-dad is looking for another female purebred miniature dachshund. He's already been in contact with two scammers, one of which actually got money from him, and I don't know where to look to find one. He refuses to get anything other than a female miniature dachshund puppy just like our old girl. I'm looking for links to any legit sources because I don't know where to look or trust.

Hello everyone,

Just joined the community as I've been a dog mom for three weeks now. I have a 3-month-old Pomeranian mix who's incredibly cute and smart.

One major challenge with puppies, as you can imagine, is potty training. After about two weeks of consistent effort, my puppy has learned to pee outside during walks. He tends to pee randomly outside, but when he really needs to go, I notice him sniffing around or after a nap, and I take him out without any specific cues from him directed to me.

From the beginning, I've been using pee pads for training, which he picked up on quickly, but sometimes he still misses them, especially for peeing. I've switched to fake grass inside, which he uses consistently for big business, but peeing is hit or miss. I've tried putting urine on the fake grass to encourage him, which has helped somewhat.

I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong, if this behavior is normal for his age, and how I can transition him to exclusively going outside (without using a crate). Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you so much.

As the title states, a Weimaraner on the same floor that I live on has tried to attack my 30 lb dood on numerous occasions, and I fear it has ruined him. For the first year of my dogs life, he has had minimal reactivity. The biggest issue we had to deal with was some minor leash pulling to say hi to other dogs. After the first close call with the Weimaraner, which occurred when my dog was about a year and four months old, my dog became reactive to that dog only. After the second close call (both happened as we were entering elevator and the Weimaraner was exiting) a few weeks later, my dog is now reactive to any big grey colored dog, and sometimes other big dogs. I've spent 10-15 hours researching the best methods and feel like I COULD make improvement. The problem is there are a LOT of big grey colored dogs in my building, mostly huskies, that he is now extremely reactive to. So as soon as we take one step forward (ie. not having any reactivity for a day by treating and waling around or away from large grey dogs), we'll end up bumping in to one on our way into the elevator, or coming out of our building, and we take 5 steps backwards. This has been going on for 6 weeks, and I am losing my mind.

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I know the solution is to bring in or visit a trainer weekly or semi weekly for as long as it takes, but my big concern is from everything I've read, if the dog is above his threshold and has a reaction, all of the training build up is "reset". I don't want to be stuck in a situation where I am paying $200 a week for training, only to have us run into big grey dogs unavoidably 3 or 4 times a week in our elevator or small main lobby. I would love to hear advice from anyone who has dealt with similar, and also advice on a good Boston based trainer. Please help promote this post, as I have not seen a solution to my apartment conundrum.

I am adopting a German Shepherd Lab puppy, and I have been looking into which type of food is best for the dog. I haven't found much on the mixed breed for which type of food is best, but from what I am reading, German Shepherd's diet needs to be more strict to help prevent more diseases later on in life.
I am thinking of just sticking with a German Shepherd puppies suggested dog food. Is that the right thing to do?

He will be 10 weeks old when we pick him up what type of food should we be giving him at that age, dry or wet food?

Hi there, my dog has been with me for three years of undergraduate and we’re about to finish our first year of law school; I’m doing internships this summer and am looking for ways to keep him enriched! I’ll be gone from 8:30-5:15 Thursday, Wednesday, Friday and want to make sure his days aren’t boring and mundane; he’s a border collie mix. Thank you for your suggestions!

So for a bit of context, I have an 11 month old chocolate Labrador retriever. He's my first dog that I've owned on my own, but I've always grown up with dogs. My family had a variety of different breeds growing up and I've never met a dog as obsessed with fetch as he is. Every single time we go to the backyard he brings me his ball and he seems to really enjoy it. I never played fetch for too long, but afterwards he seems pretty exhausted and mentally stimulated. He will usually gets a drink of water and pants for a bit, maybe nap if it was for a longer time but he seems content. We still give him walks one to two times a day, but he usually gets daily fetch time. I was disappointed when I looked up if fetch was a good mentally stimulating exercise since he seems to have it so much and to my surprise, a lot of people are saying it's dangerous and not a good way to play with your dog or give him exercise. (Risks of injury, too much adrenaline, etc.) Is this true like do I need to stop doing it every day? He's a retriever so I know he's bred to do stuff like that. Any thoughts?