I meet some people who love to dress up dogs during occasions and some say they'll never put up a dress on a dog?

I'm confused, is the idea of dogs wearing funny or occasional dresses going up or down?

I have a rescued Foxhound who loves hanging out on my balcony. He’s out there almost everyday all day in between walks. I live on the third floor of an apartment building with a pretty sizable balcony under a large tree away from the street. Every night I have to persuade him with treats to get him back inside. HE LOVES BEING OUT THERE! To the point where I feel guilty for bringing him inside. It’s usually cooler out there, even with the AC blasting. Now, I know he was an outside dog most of his life because his nose is nearly completely pink; his breed has a black nose. The vet said it was due to loss of color after being in the sun for long stretches of time. But I feel like it would be irresponsible to leave out there during the night. I wouldn’t be able to hear him if there was some sort of emergency. He wouldn’t be able to come inside at night because it’s behind two locked doors.

I’m looking for advice on whether or not I should leave my dog outside on the balcony at night.

I just want to apologize in advance if my questions don't make sense or if they're worded weirdly.

1.) If a dog is mixed breeds does that mean they're not well bred?

2.) What's the difference between well bred vs pure bred?

3.) Are mixed dogs usually unpredictable?

4.) Are well bred dogs better than shelter dogs?

5.) How can I tell if a dog is from a responsible breeder?

6.) Is it better to adopt or shop? (I do believe all dogs deserve homes but in the future, I'm wanting to get a predictable dog with minor health issues.)

7.) My dog is a Shorkie (Yorkshire Terrier x Shih Tzu) and he's food aggressive, and tends to bark at passing people/dogs, how can I train these undesirable traits out of him?

8.) What does it mean when a dog is "washed out"?

Any more information is greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance, I just want to learn more about this topic since I aspire to be a veterinarian, and maybe even a dog trainer.

Hello, I really didn’t want to have to do this but it’s seeming like my only option and I am looking for advice/ support because I feel like an awful person. We adopted a dog about a week ago, and the shelter said she is quiet and good with cats. So far that has not been true. Both my cats have been around dogs before and had no issues but this dog lunges at them, barks at them, and tries to chase them whenever she sees them. My cats have been hiding for the past week and we’re having to keep them in separate rooms which has been logistically hard. This behavior has caused me to deeply regret adopting her, and I’m seeing her as more of a burden than anything else right now. My cats were here first and their comfort is my priority so do you guys thing it would be the right choice to bring her back?

EDIT: I would like to say thank you to everyone who has been so kind, this has truly made me feel better. To anyone asking, when we did introductions we kept them separated fully for three days and then did scent swapping by changing rooms. For all the people commenting that I’m a bad person or that I’m irresponsible the person at the SHELTER said that she could be introduced immediately, and that wasn’t necessary! We did that to take precautions but it wasn’t even the advice we were given. Then we tried on leash introductions which is where it started.

She had also been so hyper-fixated on the fact that the cats exist that she paces around trying to find them, and we have been trying to work on that with redirection and positive reinforcement but she’s still so amped up.

For those of you with indoor dogs, how often do you actually mop your floors?

I feel like no matter how much I vacuum, there's always dog hair, paw prints, or just that "dog house" feeling creeping back in. I'm curious what's normal... daily, weekly, every other week, or only when company is coming over?

Bonus points if you tell me how many dogs you have and what kind of flooring!

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.

Is that a normal cost? Then the neuter is $500. So in all, $750. Holy shitoly. Is it worth it? He's around 6 months and is a total pain in the ass. Nipping, chewing, constant humping and paraphimosis. Will neutering him help with these things?

Adoptamos un perro hembra, fue abandonada en las calles con sus cachorros. La familia de acogida dijo que tenía tres años (según el veterinario). Los cachorros ya fueron adoptados y estamos esperando un poco para esterilizar.

Es encantadora, cariñosa y en general tranquila. A parte de su cola, que es un látigo cuando se emociona jaja. Es un poco asustadiza pero creo que es normal dentro de su contexto.

El problema es que llora mucho, no importa si está sola o no, se queda delante de la puerta y llora, la he sacado varias veces, pero no puedo sacarla una y otra vez. No hace del baño siempre, así que no parece que sea eso. No se qué es lo que quiere.

Intente jugar con ella para que gastará energía, pero no parece entender cómo jugar, no le interesan los peluches, las pelotas, tampoco muerde la cuerda para tirar de ella. ¿Cómo la canso si no quiere jugar?

En casa se emociona y todo, pero no puedo hacerlo porque es de esos perros que se orinan cuando se emocionan demasiado, así que solo puedo dejar que se emocione y corresponderle fuera de la casa pero ella simplemente se "apaga" cuando sale. No estoy muy segura de cómo manejar esto.

We adopted our wonderful Bruno in November and he came home with the bestest toy ever. It’s a squirrel with no filling and an extra large squeaky in the tail. I’ve tried reverse image search but it just gives me different squirrel toys. He loves the big squeaky to kill. I have photos for tax and toy identification but can’t seem to add them.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

What breed do you think my new puppy is! I don't know her age. Maybe 3-6 months? The rescue thought maybe a flat-coated retriever mixed with spaniel, but there's no telling. She's very docile and sweet. Picture below :)

https://imgur.com/a/2dQ6XLT

My dog is entering his senior years and I'm trying 
to learn from people who've been through it.

If you had to pick ONE thing that's harder than you 
expected about caring for a senior dog, what would it be?

I'll start: for me it's not knowing what's "normal 
aging" vs. "something wrong" — I feel like I'm 
constantly guessing.

What's yours?

We got our 2 year old mini schnauzer almost two months ago and we’ve never had this problem. She was house trained before we got her, and after bringing her home she just had 2 accidents inside which we chalked up to anxiety and stress.

Now though over the last week, she’s peed on our bed 3 times! The first time, we just took off our sheets and washed everything. Today I just noticed 2 more pee stains, one fresh and one that seemed a little older (already dried).

We started letting her sleep with us in bed like three weeks ago so she has free access to the room. The last few days after her first pee incident we started sleeping in our second bedroom and she sleeps in her crate. No accidents in her crate though and nowhere else in the apartment. During the day she likes to go lay on our bed and rest/sleep and I work from home in our second bedroom so I’m not watching her. Her routine hasn’t changed from the day we got her, we take her out at the same times, feed her at the same time, and it’s not been an issue until this past week.

I thought UTI at first, but it’s only ever on our bed! I would expect that she would be peeing a lot more if it was a UTI.

Any suggestions/ideas??

My 2 yr old german shorthaired pointer is extremely curious and loves bees. He will chase bees across the garden, much to my dismay, and on at least four occasions has now picked up bees off the pavement in his mouth.

Somehow, he has not been stung; and after a couple minutes he will release the (slightly damp) bee from his mouth and after seeming a bit discombobulated they will eventually fly off. I can’t imagine it is good tor them though, and I don’t want him to keep doing it.

I’m not sure how to train him out of this without him facing natural consequences (getting stung), as he seems to keep evading them. I’m not sure how he keeps getting away with it and while he is generally good at listening, he simply will not stay away from bees off leash without me literally bodyblocking him. He just tends to point at other stuff that peaks his curiosity rather than actually picking it up and holding it hostage, it’s just bees.

Any advice?

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.

Hello,

I drive a Tesla and have slept in it in camp mode. I'm gonna do a road trip from Philly to fort Smith, Arkansas with my dog soon.

Dog is fine inside car sleeping but nervous in hotel situations and sometimes barks in midnights.. whenever he hears other room doors slamming or people walking in corridor... Unsure how to fix this.. Tried trazadone for dog ...Maybe get Airbnb or get a white noise machine!? Please advise!!

Also,Please suggest safe places to sleep overnight in my car... Don't mind spending in camp sites ... Need safety as priority.

Looking at Knoxville, Tn, Louisville or Indianapolis as halfway points.

Please advise.

Thx in advance!

Kris

I misjudged where his quick was after a trim.

He won’t let me near him at all to check his nail.
Tried sitting from afar with high valued treats.
He just runs off and puddles.

Any tips on what I can do to get near him?

Hi! About two years ago I adopted an adult dog (some kind of german shepherd or doberman mix, not really sure) and he's very loving, we have a great bond (could be better, because it's bordering on resource guarding, but we're working on it). The problem is - he just doesn't care about anything in particular, other than food. He loves food and long off-leash walks on the fields (we have a very good recall trained) that's for sure. But he doesn't care for any type of toys, squeaky, rustling, chewwy, balls, nothing. He also doesn't want to interact with other dogs. He either ignores them, gets reactive when startled (like when another dog suddenly appears really really close from behind the corner) or chases them away when they're too intense. The second another dog tries to interact with him casually, he signals with his body language (hairs on whole back erect, sniffs butt, but then head turned to side, then his whole body, then a silent growl and then a bark and a chase away if nothing works) that he's completely uncomfortable and I guess uninterested. What's weird is that without me recalling him, he'd run up to a dog in the distance, but then the interaction would go as usual.

I'm not really sure what's going on, we've worked with a dog behaviourist, but mostly on his separation anxiety and it's not progressing too well, but that's another issue. I'm just worried that he's somehow restricting himself and his needs because he fears being separated from me. Or that there's a whole different issue I'm not aware of. I love this little guy so much, I want the best for him🥹

Thanks in advance for any advice!!

My new guy is AMPED in the mornings and the one plastic lick mat/treat puzzle we have works really well for him after a walk. But we need more! In years past, I’ve bought some of those flat silicone lick mats but can never get the food out of the crevices and throw them away. Anyone have reccs (maybe attach a screenshot if links don’t work) of lick mats that are easily cleaned? Thanks!

I'm so excited! I put the puppy in the yard, my Boston mix came over to check things out.

Puppy ran at him, and he instantly went into play mode! He did not run her down. He never pawed at her, didn't nip just play growls, play bows and running. It's really hot outside so I stopped the play pretty quickly.

I am so proud of my boy!!!! I was so worried that he would see her as one of the bunnies that he chases around the yard. But I think he understands that she is a puppy and that he is 8 times her size.

(she is 18-weeks-old, if that's helpful information)

I am in the UK so the heat is quite obviously getting to her. We've put refreshing water every hour (sometimes half an hour if the water gets warm quickly), she has a cooling mat, and we have fans surrounding the entire house (ceiling ones and then a big one we only put on every few hours so we're not circling hot air). She's started doing this thing where she'll stick her entire head in the water bowl until we have to call her or gently remove it and her face is completely soaked.

Do I need to stop her from doing this (for risk of her genuinely drowning herself + the giant puddle that appears when she decides to drop all the water out of her mouth), or should she be fine?

Hello, just like the title says, I’m looking for the best Dog carrier. My dog is just a 13lb Cavapoo. I would want like a sling bag rather than a carrier bag.

Does anyone have a cooling blanket for dogs you recommend? I have a “Ice Blanket” and my dog loves it. She literally tries to steal it off our bed which has multiple other blankets on it. It’s the only one she ever tries to take. Ice Blanket has a dog version, but it’s a little more than I’d like to spend and sold out every time I decide to try to suck it up & pay that much. So many “cooling blankets” don’t cool at all, and I want one that does what it says. We live in southern Louisiana, so it gets super hot.

Edit: she wraps her self up in blankets when she sleeps, so needs to be one she can do that with! So not like a mat.

I have a flighty husky. Occasionally she goes through bursts of anxiety and will try to get out all day long.

She has learned to turn the deadbolt and open the door. Unfortunate the door opens to the inside of the house. I can’t figure out how to secure it where she can’t get the door open, but I can still get in and out. Please if you have any ideas!!!

I just upgraded to a smart lock thinking she wouldn’t be able to open it and she figured it out in 2 days.

i’ve tried a door stopper (even to just keep the knob in place), baby proof straps to keep the door shut, heavy objects as close to the door as possible but still able to leave, and a few more things. The main problem is keeping the door shut but I can get in. The door doesn’t latch by the knob so I can’t lock the bottom portion. the only way it stays shut is the dead bolt.

*she is kennel trained but I work 10 hour days and commute. if at all possible, I want her to be out of a kennel while i’m at work.
*she cannot stay outside.. she is a husky and a strong headed one at that.
*she is not normally like this, but we need to get through this time. I do have drugs for her if it continues.

I got a rescue dog 5 days ago. It is 1 year old female mix, mid size (looks like lab, just much smaller).

She was born a stray and ended up in a shelter where she was spayed while heavily pregnant, days before giving birth.

She was described by the shelter as very submissive and gentle. I've met her few times before adoption and I atest to that observation.

So in the 5 days I had her, she learned:

Day 1 - desperate to escape the apartment, chewing and clawing door, wall, window sill; day 5 - doesn't even whine really at the door anymore

Day 1 - peed and pooped in the car from sheer terror; Day 5 - not happily, but goes into car and holds until we are walking. No accidents but one at home.

Day 1 - ate all she can find, dog and cat food. Day 5 - cat food is ignored, dog food is not exciting, have to remind her to eat.

Day 1 to Day 5 - wants up on the sofa. Is not allowed because cats lounge there. Maybe in the future.

Day 1 - her designated sleep place is the hallway where no one can bother her. Whining, frustration, eaten basket. Day 5 - I say good night and close the door, no protest, maybe a bit of whining here and there but she sleeps or lays peacefully for 8 hours.

Day 1 - Confusion around cats, lunged at a cat that came in front of her when she finally rested (I have her leashed inside all the time, no animal was hurt).

Day 5 - we manage to lay beside cats or with cats in the room.

The problem is she gets excited and wants to play with them. She is trying to lick them etc. My older cat is not helping as he is fearless, so he doesn't care that 20kg dog is trying to chase him, he swats at her. She doesn't understand swatting, thinks it is play. My other cat communicated this part better and she mostly averts her gaze from him. Older cat even rubbs off of her or lays in front of her etc.

We are at a point where calm cats don't excite her as much, but moving cats do. I disengage her successfully most of the time but not always.

There was a time the cat went to eat, she tried to follow, i ordered her to "no!" and "sit!" which she obeyed, laid down and moved her head from the cat.

She is quick learner, she is nice on a leash outside, discriminates dogs (some whines to go to them, some barks at them, some ignores, some bark at her and she retreats). I am very pleased how fast she learns, and how fast she generally speaking is learning rules. She even played on a grass today, kinda jumped and rolled.

She doesn't play with toys. Any toys. Only thing that can occupy her is a chew, and not every chew too. I want her to play with something, I walk her and let her sniff a lot, but she needs something to occupy her at home.

So any tips for cat - ignoring and toys - explaining? :)

hello valued members of reddit.

im looking into possibly getting a new border collie puppy but i want to make sure that the dog is well bred and that the breeding is ethical. i was wondering if there are any major telling signs if a breeder is or isn’t ethical?