I was wondering what the best place for a dog to sleep at night is. I’ve heard so many differing opinions on whether your dog should be allowed to sleep in bed or have to sleep in a crate.

I have a 3 year old female Aussie that sleeps in bed with me every night. She usually cuddles up to me and I’ll wrap my arms around her. It seems that we both find this very comforting and I don’t really see anything wrong with it.

My husband thinks it’s funny so he took a picture of us sleeping like this and sent it to the family group chat. I am now getting lots of messages about how it’s unsanitary, or that it’s bad training to allow her in my personal space like that because she won’t respect me, or how it’s just plain weird.

So Reddit, what do you think? Should you let your dog cuddle with you in bed at night? Or should they need to sleep in their own bed on the floor or in a crate?

I adopted my boy “B” about a week ago, I knew going into it that he had a lot of anxiety and phobias and that doesn’t bother me, it’s something I was definitely willing to work on with him.

The main regret is coming from taking him from his foster family. When he was dropped off, his foster mom cried and said they really thought about adopting him, and he was doing so well with them and loved playing with their other dog. The rescue listed him as not needing another dog in the home but ever since he’s come home he just seems depressed. I think he really does need another dog to help teach him how to actually be a dog. He walked just fine with the other dog, but when he’s alone he gets so terrified and it breaks my heart. I feel like we’ve done him a dis-service moving him again, I have no other dogs and am not in a place to be able to handle that right now.

I’m obviously going to give it a bit more time before talking to his foster mom about it, I know he’s still adjusting but I just want what’s best for him and I feel like taking him away from that home has caused such a regression in his progress I feel so guilty. I love the little guy and just want him to be happy and I have no idea what to do, and I know the longer I wait the harder it would be if he does end up going back to his foster family.

Any advice on a situation like this??

We had to put our boy Boomer down today. He was only 7, and he fought hard but it just became too much. This is the first time I’ve had to do this and it’s so weird to be home without him.

So love on them a little harder, tell them I said they’re good boys & girls.

Any help appreciated. Thanks

Hey everyone, I’m hoping to get some advice for my Jack Russell who’s really sensitive to every little city sound especially at night time— sirens, traffic, construction, you name it. I’m thinking about trying soothing music to help calm him down, but I’m not sure if that would actually work. Has anyone had any success with music or found other ways to help their dog cope with city noises? I’d love to hear your experiences or suggestions!

As the title says, Kasper is really up there in age. He was a rescue so we don’t know for sure, but around 16-17. He has a lot of trouble with his balance, and recently the stairs seem to be his worst enemy. Our house is divided into three floors, each with only a room or two. This means 3 staircases, and constricting him to one floor with doggy gates would mean he’d have very little space. All of our staircases are carpeted, so nothing can be done to help with traction. Kasper also moves around like he’s 10 years younger than he is, and is constantly moving from nap spot to nap spot. I could theoretically pick him up and carry him up and down, but I’d have to follow him 24/7 and he doesn’t exactly let me know when he wants to go someplace, he just go. He’s a big fan of walking down a staircase into a room, looking around, and leaving on loop. He also hates being carried, and tries to wiggle out - which makes me worried I’m gonna drop him halfway up. The stairs are also very narrow, to the point we have to walk single file on them, so any alterations to them (adding a ramp, for example) would make them dog exclusive.

It doesn’t seem like the issue is strength or anything - he gets up the stairs just fine, and at quick speeds. He often tries to kill me by sprinting up between my legs and past me when I’m on them. I really think it is a balance issue - he had old dog syndrome a while back, and has some residual issues from it. He is also a little blind and a lot deaf. With carrying him, the big issue is how much he hates it. He isn’t a huge dog, but I’m no body builder. I really need his cooperation if I want to carry him, and it will never be graceful. I am nowhere near strong enough to hold him against his will, and I really don’t want to end up dropping him down the stairs.

He’s fallen down the stairs twice in the past few weeks, always walked it off near immediately, but I can’t help worrying he’s going to break his neck one of these days. I just don’t know what to do - really, I need him to start acting his age before he ends up splat.

One morning, my dog Rex saw a pigeon and decided that this was his chance to become a hero. He escaped from my arms and ran across the park straight to the children. Rex sat down in the middle of them, wagging his tail as if he had always been their friend. The children circled his paws with chalk, decorated them with a “crown”, and he received cookies. Someone filmed it and posted it in a local group. The next day, everyone recognized Rex, and now every store gives him a treat. He did not catch the pigeon.

I have had huskies previously for 18 years, but now that I am a bit older, and my last husky was challenging with having epilepsy and related behavioural issues, I am looking at a Golden Retriever puppy in May/June.

Is there anything in particular I need to be mindful of when considering this breed? I know that they are gentle and good family pets but some are bred to work etc. I am just looking for one that is happy in a family setting with some hiking trips etc. Are they ok off the lead and easy to train? Any known health problems? Any advice/experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Hello all! My partner and I are doing our research into breeds we are interested in. Open to responsible adopting or rescuing. This is not an anytime soon decision as I know ethical breeders have a long waitlist and there are no borzoi breeders in my province.

I am a dog groomer and love doing research into dog breeds and every single bit of information about them. It is very important to me to know breed standards for health, temperament, and environmental requirements to have a thriving dog. I have always had American Labrador Retrievers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and Shih-Tzus. My partner loves dogs though is more a cat person. I also love cats more than life but have always had both, and so has he.

He and I both LOVE borzois. I’ve researched their history, standards, everything. I think they are beautiful, stubborn, and driven dogs. Unfortunately, they are extremely uncommon where I live and I’ve never had the privilege of interacting with one. I will be reaching out locally to see if I can arrange to meet any if they are around and there are any willing owners.

My concerns lie in prey drive and exercise requirements. My dream dog is an Irish Wolfhound, but unfortunately I do not trust their prey drive. We have cats and will always have cats and their safety is our priority. Our cats are confident and well-versed around dogs and grew up with them. I know raising a dog from a puppy can be a very important factor but I know genetic temperament predispositions cannot be disregarded.

1. How is your borzoi around small dogs and cats? We do not plan on having any small pets or birds but do plan on having Shih-Tzus.

2. When did you desex your dog? Did you opt for the gastropexy surgery? Any other health conditions you have dealt with in your Borzoi? I know they have specific health concerns which we are prepared for. I do not plan to desex until they are between 12-18 months, or even closer to 2 years old, since I know any large or giant breed is prone to joint dysplasia. Bloat is also a huge fear of mine and I’ve heard many good things about the gastropexy surgery. My last Shih-Tzu had a single enucleation and was blind in her remaining eye and she had CCD at the end of life. One of my Bernese had lymphoma. I am not a stranger to medical costs and sudden complications.

3. What forms of exercise does your dog love and/or require? I have received mixed responses. Some insist their Borzoi is lazy but I know that is not a breed standard as they are sighthounds. Others state they are low to moderate energy levels. I know it depends on the dogs, as most dogs do adjust to their owners activity levels, but I want to make sure that if this is the breed we have our hearts set on that we meet their needs. We are not runners, though we do love hiking and I enjoy bike riding. We have a fenced in backyard and my parents live nearby on farmland so there is somewhere for them to run unleashed safely.

4. What mental stimulation does your dog enjoy/require? I enjoy training and enjoy watching and learning about dog sports but have no need to enter into anything like that. I plan for basic training like potty training, sit, stay, recall, loose-leash walking, etc. Scent walks are something I’m interested in.

5. How is their temperament around other dogs and humans? I’ve done a lot of research into socialization. My sibling’s BMD rescue is non-aggressive reactive so I’m well-versed in that, but I have not dealt with aggressive reactivity outside of client dogs. I’m against dog parks and doggy daycare because I don’t trust other owners and I know there are so many body language signals and different personalities in every dog.

TLDR: Age at spay/neuter? Exercise and mental stimulation needs? Temperament with cats, small animals, other dogs, and strangers?

Thank you! If there’s anything else I have missed, please let me know.

We adopted a sweet girl 4 weeks ago and we've quickly found that she's a very tough chewer. The "tough" chew toys from Pets At Home (UK) got torn apart in a matter of hours. She likes her Kong knots bear and I've ordered more but I'm struggling to find similar tough toys for her.

We've got a lot of puzzle toys, balls, rubber sticks, but she gets bored quickly with them.

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

How do you guys handle the potty situation at work if your pooch that has a severe bee sensitivity?

My husband has been coming home at lunch to let our pup out, but can’t keep doing it forever. We were thinking of putting a tunnel from the doggie door that leads to an enclosed area, but does any one else have other ideas?

Disclaimer: I’m not here for veterinary advice. For the topic of the post.

Does English ivy irritate dogs skin if they make physical contact with the plant but doesn’t eat it? I want to make our yard as puppy friendly as possible and isolate/remove hazardous plants.

So I didn’t know what to flair this, I apologize, I just wanted to ask to understand her

She usually doesn’t like being handled, she will growl when picked up. Usually, I always have to make sure that I have her permission.

However, sometimes she is just a brat and will not do what she’s told

That has been the case recently, I have been working on digital art on AJ, and I prefer to do it on my Chromebook on my bed because that’s where I’m most comfortable doing it. I have the space to move the Chromebook as needed to get the angles that I want, it’s just where I like to do it

That’s also where my Chihuahua really likes to lay down, and I’ve only recently picked up digital art again, so this is kind of a new thing for her. She’s used to just chilling on there all day.

So anyway, the other day, I’m getting my stuff set up, and she is in the middle of the bed, so I told her to move. She does not. I tell her again more for me, and she still doesn’t move.

She knows what I’m saying, she just didn’t want to do it.

So I picked her up and moved her to the foot of the bed. I don’t mind sharing the bed with her, but she cannot be in the middle of it to where I have no room to sit down

Since then, whenever I have to move her, she doesn’t fuss. She does not growl, she does not give me the usual attitude she once did.

However, if I pick her up for any other reason, she will growl again

So now I’m over here wondering to myself, “How tf does she know why I’m picking her up?” is it the headphones? The Chromebook itself? How does she know? It’s not like she was trained to know.

Random question, but do you think our dogs think that we need walks? Sometimes, when I have to work late, my dog will still get 3 long walks a day, but still wants to go out when I come home, even when someone else has just taken her out.

Ive been dealing with this male middle aged unuttered yorkie since I moved in with my sister, her dog. Very high energy and intelligent dog, but my sister just treats it like a senior low maintenance lap dog. She has never trained it beyond sitting for treats, never really actively plays with it, or has ever given it a walk routine. The dog is very under-stimulated and under cared for, and i feel for it. When this dog was a puppy, I use to chase it around the yard and walk it, like everyday.

Well the dog remembers me, and he is soooo needy with me. He whines and barks at me all day long, specifically wanting me to play with him by chasing him. I have to redirect him at least couple dozens times a day , like sternly, to not yelp bark at me and give me some space. The dog hovers around my feet everywhere i go. I am constantly tripping over him, accidentally knocking into him, and shimming around him. I cannot have the dog even chill out with me in my personal space because my presence just riles him up so much that he cant help himself from barking and whining and literal spazzing and shaking in like excitement and anxiety.

So, this dog is very annoying. I walk him daily at least for 30 mins. Yet, the dog only really wants to be chased, that's it. If I engaged in this type of play, he may unwind for like less than an hour, but it generally has the affect of making him more riled up when i am around bc he cant get enough. Being chased is like crack to this dog. But look, I just want to satiate this dog's need for exercise and stimulus and interaction. I want him to be well adjusted around me. I need some space and peace in my apartment. I am pretty clueless though. I dont know much about dogs beyond broad strokes. Anyone got advice or a reference to give? It's been months of this guys.

I adopted a dog from my local humane society. I registered her microchip with 24PetWatch, got an email confirming that her information is now registered, & I verified my email to create my account (the same email I put down for my dog). However, none of my information is there. My dog isn't on my account, my partner's (& some of my) contact info wasn't there. When I tried adding her to my account, it said I need to fill out a document to transfer her to my account.

I filled out the document, sent it to the email provided, along with the adoption receipt (with my name & her tag number on it), the 24PetWatch welcome paper, & a brief explanation of my situation. They send me an email saying that I didn't provide adequate proof of ownership. I just now sent them my adoption contract, but my Humane Society didn't include my name or my dog's chip number on the contract. Just signatures & initials.

The last options I can think of would be to ask KHS if their vet can write a letter stating she belongs to me, or as KHS to contact 24PetWatch directly. But since her chip's registered under my name & the new name I gave her, perhaps the issue is that I'm not requesting to transfer her info from my own name? Has anyone had to do this? How would I go about it?

I need to make sure my partner's phone number is correct. For some reason, the preview didn't show the last 2 digits.

(Also posted on r/pets)

My dog once saw himself in a mirror and decided to make friends. He chased his reflection for 15 minutes, brought it toys and even tried to bark to invite it to play. In the end, he laid down in front of the mirror and sighed sadly, as if he was offended

It’s day two of having the dog I rescued at home. So far he’s been great. Very lovable and playful. He does however seem a little on edge in the house every once in a while. Every sound he hears he’s a little jumpy towards. He gets a little on edge at night. Seems fearful all of a sudden. He paces and has a hard time relaxing. Is this normal? He’s 8 months old and so he’s still a baby. His early life was a little traumatic. His previous owners left him in a pen outside and never let him in. He was in such bad condition that animal authorities eventually had to intervene and made the owners give him up or else they’d be arrested. Aside from the shelter, he’s never been inside of a house. Will he eventually adjust to all the new sounds and sights he’s around? We’re going to make sure to keep him at home for the first two weeks so he’s not overwhelmed. I just want to make sure this is normal. I had two dogs before him and one was from a breeder and the other was from a family friend surrender.

Our great pyrenees is turning 7 this year and we would like to purchase him a new dog bed. He has been sleeping on Costco beds throughout his life and they have held together well. We considered purchasing him another one but I would love some recommendations for older dogs. Our beast is about 130 pounds so size is important. We are looking for a quality bed with good support that doesn't break the bank. Orthopedic, twin mattress, memory foam, whatever information you have please let me know your experiences!

So first off, I have no connection to Orvis whatsoever. I'm just a guy with a dog who loves this product.

Before I got my pooch, I read all sorts of stories of dog beds being destroyed. And even dangerously, cotton batting coming out, potentially threatening the dog if they were to eat and swallow it. I looked at the different beds, and even most of the supposed indestructible ones generally had watered-down warranties.

But then I found the dog bed by Orvis out of their ToughChew line. They advertise a lifetime warranty on their beds, and you read the customer reviews and they live up to it. If the fabric tears, Orvis refunds your money or sends you a new one.

I got mine before bringing home my pup at 7.5 weeks. She's now over 4yo. And as you can imagine, she's tried biting her bed, digging into it as if she was trying to dig a hole, wrestle with it, everything that you can imagine. There isn't a single tear anywhere in the fabric. Anywhere. (I did have her name embroidered on it, and that she pulled out some of the strings when she was young).

They are not cheap. I think I spent $300-$350 for a smaller-sized one. But they are fantastic.

Anyways, so I'm on their mailing list. And they currently have a sale going on. So if you want to get an indestructible bed for your pooch, they're currently about 30% off, and I think you can get another 15% if you register with them. It's literally the only dog bed I ever bought and the only one I ever plan on owning.

Hi! Just wanna ask if did anyone have this experience with their pets? My dog (shihtzu), 7 months old, doesn't really drool in his sleep. If he does, only for a moment and very few. But today, I noticed he's drooling in his sleep which in my opinion looks unusual at the amount. I tried to see if he's gonna drool if he's awake but he really doesn't. I'm planning to bring him to the vet but it's already closed until tomorrow Sunday :/ Idk if I'm being paranoid that maybe he got poisoned, which hopefully he isn't and this might be just a different phase today. I saw him earlier chewing a used cotton ball so Idk if it relates to that. Besides from that, he doesn't really look lethargic and he still eats whatever I give him. His energy is fine and he's eating alright when I gave him dinner. This started to happen earlier around lunchtime in his nap and right now it's almost 11pm. He started to drool again. Is there anything I can do for the meantime? 😔

Hi everyone!

First time poster in not only this group, but on Reddit.

There is a contest going on with fur responders. We would appreciate it if everyone took the time to vote! My friend’s dog’s are Randy and Din, if everyone could vote 5 stars for them!

You can vote daily but you don’t have to by any means.

https://lightohioblue.org/2025-fur-responders/2025-fur-cat2/

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.

Hi all! My partner and I recently moved in together, and he brought along some floor plants. My mini schnauzer (1) hasn't been around plants much and has gotten curious when we're not home-sniffing around, digging in the dirt, etc.

This has been causing a mess (I often come home to dirt on the floor), but more importantly, I'm worried about his safety. The plant is pretty big, and I'm concerned it might fall and hurt him, or that he could get sick from the soil or plant itself.

I've seen mesh coverings for plants online, but before I commit to buying one, I wanted to see if anyone has other tips or suggestions for keeping pets away from plants. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!