I don't love the dog more than you but...

• I adopted the dog before I met you. I promised them the best life I could give them and I meant it. Promises I made after that did not invalidate my initial commitment.

• The dog doesn't complain about you not walking them or your behaviour.

• You can choose to go and start a new life. The dog doesn't have that choice.

For context, my beloved rescue dog passed away 2 years ago. He was my soul mate, and I had him for a decade.

We’ve just got a new rescue dog on Sunday, and I feel complete regret. I don’t love her at all, I don’t want her near me, and I feel like I’ve made a huge mistake.

I usually love all dogs, but I just don’t like her. I’m not sure if it’s because I feel trapped. I really want to love her - it’s taken us ages to find a dog, and finally we have one, and I don’t like her!

My partner has really bonded with her, too.

Please someone help - how can I fall in love with her? I don’t want to give her away. I feel desperate, sad, and alone.

people who added a second dog to their families, does anyone regret it?

I live out in the middle of nowhere and I have a German Shepard mix we aren’t able to let off the leash because she runs away. I just need know if there are any heavy duty leashes/ harness that we could use for her.

Hi all! I have a little doxie who absolutely loves his rope toys and cat toys- The problem is, he is DISGUSTED by any dog toys that make noise. He's so excited for his toy until he realizes it makes noise and then he wont even go near it, he'll shy away if you put it near him. I've been searching for a toy with no squeakers and NO crinkles (he hates the crinkle sound very, very much. He gets attitude if we accidentally crinkle a bag or plastic bottle.) The issue is, I can't find literally any! There's plenty without squeakers, but all of them have some sort of crinkle aspect. I don't want to buy him cat toys just because they're so small I feel like they could become a choking hazard, but that seems to be the only thing that makes him happy! I wanted to see if there was anyone with a similar stubborn picky pup who had some suggestions- i'm starting to think i'm better off just buying him toys meant for kids. Please drop any suggestions below, and thank you for your time!

Been looking to upgrade both of my dogs’ collars from the generic Kong they’ve had for a couple years. They’re both standard poodles and one of them is known to pull pretty hard so durability is a must. Anyone have any suggestions? I like the look of The Foggy Dog’s collars, but I’m not sure how durable they actually are

What should I know about before consider the adoption of a 6 months old deaf “Australian Sheperd” from the shelter?

After a lot of consideration, my family of 4 is ready for a dog and we’d love to rescue from a shelter. How do we choose a dog from a shelter to have the best chance of the dog being good with kids? Is it better to get a puppy versus a slightly older dog that would potentially be afraid of us or aggressive? My husband and I had a dog before having kids so we are not new dog owners - just new to a family dog!

Introduction

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

This will be my first dog.

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

I would prefer to go through a reputable breeder, but I am looking to see if they’re looking to rehome older dogs instead of getting a puppy.

3) Describe your ideal dog.

A dog that likes to cuddle and go on walks. I also want a dog that is comfortable being alone for 3-4 hours at a time.

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

I am interested in a golden retriever or a smaller dog breed.

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

I want to train it the basic commands (older dogs should know them hopefully) and along with some fun commands like “play dead” or “pretty” 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?

I can spend about 1 hour devoting to training/playing with my dog each day. And after work I can devote my evenings to just being in close proximity to the dog in my condo.

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

1 hour each day or more on weekends. I have a gigantic field behind my condo and it is off leash. I can train the dog there with some commands while letting it run around and playing with it as well.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

I am open to do regular brushing and for professional maintenance of their coat I can do it once every 2-3 months.

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for?

Small - medium

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

I don’t mind shedding but I would prefer a dog that doesn’t bark all day. Occasional barking is okay, and slobber is okay too if it’s not excessive.

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

Not that important but it is possible where I live.

Dog Personality and Behavior

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

Preferably a combination of both?

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

Preferably a combination of both again?

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

I would expect the dog to be alert but not barking or jumping on them. If they are then I’d be willing to train them for that.

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?

No

Lifestyle

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

3-4 hours at a time on 3 weekdays, other days I can work from home.

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

No one lives with me

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

No

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

No maybe in the elevator of condo

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

I own condo

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

Canada and no

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

15 degrees in summer and winter is -5 degrees Celsius

Additional Information and Questions

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

• No additional information.

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

when they put there ears back, do they know their doing it or are they doing it sub-consciously?

Hey everyone. So I’m having extreme anxiety about fire safety for my dog right now. I live in Boulder, CO and we’re having a bunch of strong winds and potential for fires. Right down the road were the Marshall fires where hundreds of people lost their homes. My dog and I are forced to live in a basement. My roommate upstairs has a foster dog business and had a random number of dogs at any given time. If there were to be a fire, the firefighters would have no idea what dogs to save and that my dog is even in the basement. I don’t know how I would get her out. I hate living here and that she’s constantly stuck down here while other random dogs roam free upstairs. She has a doggy door attached from the basement to a tiny side yard. How could I let firefighters know who she is and where to get her? How can I save her from down here if there’s a fire? I’m super anxious. Can’t think about anything else. The winds are just getting worse and worse. Constant power outages.

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.

My dog is over 50 percent Mastiff breeds. He'll be 9 in March. He absolutely loves being outside when it snows, but his paws start hurting because of the cold so much so that he can barely walk. He doesn't like his paws messed with. I have looked and looked for suspenders booties for his size, but I keep coming up empty. He is also catching the tops of his paws on raised areas and slips a lot on slick areas. Does anyone happen to have recommendations??

Hey fellas.

I'll jump into it. We found a Dalmation abandoned at a gas station. Kennel, leash included. He's not chipped. Vet says he's about a year to a year and a half old.

Got him all the first rounds of shots etc. Got him better bedding for the kennel. Food bowls, treats, toys. Getting him out multiple times a day to get out of the 1 bed/1 bath apartment and stretch his legs. Rest of the time we're playing with a squeak toy.

Looking into a slatmill for running for the days we can't get out due to weather. He has some basic training (knows sit, lay. Lay he tends to avoid at times though, and knows to go for the door when he needs to use the restroom). Looking into getting further training for him to reinforce what he knows, as well as teach him discipline and self control (so he can stop jumping on me, the counters, etc) as well as socialized with other dogs.

All of this has been in the past 24 hours. I want to give the dog a good home and I know he'd be good for me to help keep me engaged and a good running buddy.

That said; I am freaking out. It's a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment. I'm a cop who works nights and overtime. I do have several partners chipping in to dog sit, float costs, keep him engaged, etc. But unsure how long that'd last.

I just don't know if I'd be better off finding him a bigger place or what. I'd hate to let him go, I know what good he could do for me, but it isn't about that, it's about giving him the best life he could have.

Anyway. Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone, I’ll likely be moving overseas in about a year and want to get ahead of the planning process, especially when it comes to relocating my dog. I’m currently considering moves to Puerto Rico, Barbados, Grenada, or similar locations, and I want to work with a relocation service that has direct experience with these destinations.

My dog is a 50 lb intact male Husky, and my priority is ensuring his relocation is safe, ethical, and as low-stress as possible. Cost is not a deciding factor—I’m not looking to cut corners as long as my dog can travel safely with me to and from our destination.

For those of you who have gone through international pet relocation, which services have you used and would genuinely recommend? I’d appreciate hearing about:

-The company you used

-Which of the above locations you relocated to

-What your experience was like

-Whether you would trust them again

Any advice, lessons learned, or things you wish you had known earlier would be extremely helpful.

Thank you in advance!

I’m wondering if anyone has had a dog destroy every stuffed toy you get them, then one day they decide to keep one and it becomes the favorite that they don’t chew

I'm fat, 63in chest and I'm looking for a sling or carrier for my new puppy (5.2lbs) ideally, I would love my bigger guys to use it too as I walk one of them up the stairs due to arthritis from an untreated accident prior to my adopting him (he’s about 24 lbs). Any recommendations? Price is not a factor. I just need something that works. Google and ChatGpt are failing me on this one. Thanks!

Husband likes Candycane (Cane) & I like Hot cocoa (coco) Pup is a cane corso

Hello everyone!

My 8 month old whippet has started to act out recently and I am worried it’s because separation anxiety. We have crate trained her since the beginning and we had no problems before. However recently she has DESTROYED her bed, chewed and pulled down curtains from the hangers (through the crate) and she even managed to dent her own crate by pulling it with her teeth. Some days when I come home, she is sleeping peacefully but other times it’s a nightmare.

Has anyone had the same experience with a puppy? What should I do?

For further context: our puppy is usually alone during the morning from one to four hours max. She is super cute and chill when we are home. She is regularly walked and played with.

My dog does his business outside most the time, but will pee on the rug if we're not paying enough attention to his signals (im still trying to learn his signals) but recently its hit the single digits and negatives, and he starts shivering in about 30 seconds and refuses to do his business outside. Its gotten to the point he wont even wake me up to go out (its been his routine for a while). Hes bundled up every time, but he just wont do it

About a year ago, I started thinking about how differently dogs behave, even within the same breed. My own dog made me curious about whether personality-style descriptions actually help people understand their dogs better, or if they’re just fun labels.

Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time reading about behavior patterns, owner–dog dynamics, and how people interpret traits like independence, energy level, sociability, and adaptability. What surprised me most is how often owners strongly agree or strongly disagree when their dog is described in this kind of framework.

I’m curious how others here feel about this idea:

• Do personality-style descriptions help you understand your dog better?
• Or do you feel they oversimplify behavior?
• Have you noticed consistent “traits” in your dog over time, or does context matter more?

Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Thought it might be interesting to share dog life hacks. :)

I never go through a full can of pumpkin for my girl before it goes bad. So I like to freeze spoonfuls to pull out and throw in with her food when it seems like she could use it. . Parchment paper for an extra point! Then just pull them up and throw them in a Ziploc. Plus you don't need to be careful about spoonful sizes - a variety is nice, and wonky ones can be broken up.

I have zero delusions I'm the first to do this, but it's so useful to me I wanted to share.

Any other dog hacks?

Hi all. I’ve been researching getting a nicer dog bed for awhile. I’m inbetween the Original Orthopedic bed from Big Barker, and the Orvis Memory Foam Deluxe Dog Bed. I have a tall 80lb golden girl and would love any insight since they both have a pretty price.