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?

Hi all! I’m hoping you can help me come up with some ideas for high value treats that are super smelly but don’t contain any poultry. I need it for a scent training class I’m doing with my dog.

I’ve tried freeze dried salmon, but it wasn’t very smelly, and I don’t want to use anything overly processed like hotdogs.

Do you think cooked angus beef steak would be appropriate?

Thank you for your help!

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??

Hi everyone! We have a situation at home and I’m a bit baffled, so I wanted to share this with you, maybe get some opinions. My son broke his leg a week ago and he has a leg in gypsum. Evidently he cannot walk on his own, so my wife and I have to help him move a lot. Whenever we do this, our dog, a 2 yo Cocker Spaniel, starts being agitated and comes to our child all excited, tail wiggling and so on. This happened from the first days sice our son got the plster on his leg. But lately we noticed that when we move our son, the dog starts limping. He has the same attitude, gets a bit agitated and he is limping in a very dramatic way, he lifts his paw up, shaken, leans on the “good foot” etc. At first we immediately thought he is hurt, so the first night we gave him some extra care and attention. In the morning, he was completely fine. When we helped our son again, the dog started having a limp again. We checked his paw, his whole foot actually. He doesn’t mind checking it. Other times when he was hurt, he was really defensive when we tried to check his injuries. So this happens for a few days now, he is limping then not limping, and we are pretty sure he is faking it, but we cannot come to a consensus on why he does it. I want to believe he does it from sympathy for our son, my wife says he just wants attention. Did anyone observe a similar behaviour with their dog? Is he actually hurt? PS we are taking him to the vet on monday, just in case

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.

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!

My boyfriend’s family has three dogs. He loves two of the dogs but doesn’t like the third. He thinks it’s weird looking, smelly and doesn’t want to be near it. He never hits it or yells at it, but just says poor remarks about it sometimes like “yuck”. He loves the other two and misses them a lot when he’s gone. He has a ton of photos of them on his phone. His other siblings are the same way towards the one dog. I brought up how I find it weird/sad how they treat the dog (the dog isn’t neglected - it’s well groomed, fed, and trained, and loved by the parents, just never given attention by the siblings). He said it’s just always been a thing and never thought it was abnormal. In his family the dogs kind of belong to certain people (like their pug is considered his sisters dog) so he doesn’t see the dog as his own and therefore doesn’t have an emotional connection to it. He said he would never treat a dog he personally took care of like that but it kind of makes me anxious to raise a dog with him. Is this a bad sign?

TL:DR: boyfriend and his siblings doesn’t like on their family’s dogs and says mean things about it

My Franco is very smart. But I don't know how to communicate with her that I don't want her to jump up on me. Ive tried turning and ignoring her. I've held her arms to keep her up, but she shifts her weight to her ass and I can't keep her up. Ive also tried keeping a leash on her at all times and correcting her when she jumps up. Im not quick enough to correct her so I'm worried continuing to try it this way is also going to fail. Does anyone have a difference way to teach her not to jump? I open to all suggestions.

Any help appreciated. Thanks

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.

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!

Hello everyone,

I have a 7 year old shih poo (Binky) and he loves other dogs, he acts like a puppy and so, i want to go for a second dog 😊 What is the best way to introduce a new dog (puppy) to Binky? How did you introduce a puppy to an older dog and how are they now?

Thank you in advance!

I adopted my dog 7 months ago, and she’s about two years old. From the start she would follow me around everywhere in the house, and her tail would be wagging any time I spoke to her or looked at her. She would always be laying at my feet if I was on the couch, or laying next to the bed while I slept at night. I took her camping with friends and she would be anxious whenever I left, and would jump up on me when I got back. The last 2-3 weeks her behaviour seems a bit different though.

She might hop up onto the bed when I first go to bed, but will leave a few minutes later and has started sleeping in the living room. Sometimes she will come back to the bed sometime in the night, other times she spends the whole night in the living room. She doesn’t follow me from room to room like she used to, and she doesn’t really seem to like me petting her like she used to.

However, she does get excited when I get up in the morning. She’s excited when I get home from work, or when I pick her up from daycare, and she’ll have a few minutes of being really cuddly. I walk her off leash (there’s lots of empty wilderness here) and she’ll run ahead, but then constantly run back to check in on me. Her behaviour outside doesn’t seem any different, it’s just when we’re at the house.

Just before Christmas she had her ovaries removed (missed during her spay). I don’t know how this might affect her behaviour. I have given her a few baths in the past month (which she hates) and accidentally quicked a nail a few weeks ago. I also had to drag her hard away from someone’s garbage bin that she was trying to dig under to get at some animal that was living under there. Are these bad experiences enough to make her nervous of me? Is she just settling in where I haven’t had her very long? Does she just see me as her boss? I don’t know how to feel!

Edited to add: she has never been a cuddly dog, and is fairly aloof. But she used to always have her tail wagging, and would usually come to me for scratches, even if she only wanted attention for a minute or two.

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?

I often take the train into the city with my dog to do things. A new park, a walk around downtown, some dog-event, etc. I avoid eating and drinking as much as possible for the sole reason that I have no idea what the bathroom situation would be.

Option 1: Tie his leash to something outside a public bathroom.

I don't trust leaving my dog outside leashed to a pole or something while I run into a Tim Horton's to use the bathroom.

Option 2: Ask a stranger to hold his leash and keep an eye on him.

At the same time, I also don't trust grabbing any stranger and saying "Hey, can you watch my dog for a second". It's just too scary to think of someone walking off with him.

So ... what do you guys normally do?

He's not a small Pomeranian or Maltese either - I have a Labrador that is pretty big. So It's not like I can just put him in a bag or carrier and leave on the bathroom sink while I do my business...

I've never done this but I assume the safest thing to do would be to go to a nearby pet store. A Pet Smart, for example. Leave him with the staff there while I take a piss. The only downside is, imagine being at a Lakefront park and then having to pay for an Uber to a PetSmart 2 miles away just to take a quick dump. Seems so cumbersome..

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.

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, not sure if it’s been asked but I was wondering what the pros or cons of using videos of other dogs to work on training my dog to get used to seeing other dogs, if anyone has done this what did you do to implement this I’d appreciate tips and tricks. I know nothing can replace the real thing but I’m hoping I can use this my advantage I take him to the park as well but wanted to see what else I can do. He’s not aggressive reactive more he just wants to play and still puppy brain he’s barely 1 years old. Thanks in advanced. Also if I’m in the wrong sub could you direct me to the correct one.

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.

I’m graduating in May and i’ve been thinking when i move out of my current place that i want to get a cat so my dog is not lonely. I currently live with roommates who have pets and our animals are pretty bonded. However, I might be moving to another city (not sure yet). I know my dog is good with cats but I’m not sure what a good timeline for getting one would be? Do i introduce this cat to her in that new space and then it’s just like a lot of newness for her or do i get the cat a few weeks before I move out and let them get to know each other and bond? I also don’t want to stress this cat out by letting her adjust to my current home and then moving it across country.

Does anyone know of one? Ty.

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.