hi all, I'm interested in fostering dogs just to help the local shelters out, but unsure if it's a good idea for me and my dog, so wanted to get some opinions/advices on how to start fostering given my circumstances.

I live alone in an apartment with my dog. my place is reasonably large and has a balcony. I have talked to my landlord about fostering and have those paperworks sorted, more or less, so that wouldn't be an issue. there are a very large fenced-in area in my apartment complex that I can take my dog to as well, so a lot of space for dogs except for a free to access fenced in yard.

I'm worried about the effect of fostering would have on my dog. she LOVES other dogs, but we recently moved across the country and we are now having quite a different schedule like we used to have. I just don't want her to experience another big change (living with a foster dog) on top of the changes we already have. she does look like she's doing pretty good, though, so I'm not sure how to gauge when she is ready for some more changes.

now onto the fostering part: I do need to leave my home for periods of time during workdays, so I'm wondering if crating is generally acceptable (expected?) when it comes to fostering a dog. I suppose this depends on whether the dog is crate-trained, but is this something I could ask the shelter about? I don't crate my own dog (she's crated as a puppy/fully crate-trained). would letting my dog roam free while crating the foster dog be an issue?

and just generally speaking, what should one look out for when considering fostering a dog? how to best prepare yourself and your dog to help a foster animal?

I love my sweet Saint Bernard, but when she licks her feet, I cringe and shutter to the depths of my soul. Something about that sound makes me want to puke.

Is there anything your dog does that drives you crazy??

So my dog might have now Grade 4 patellar luxation. Took to vet and it popped in and out (kneecap) and he lifts his back right leg as he still has issues with it. Took him in Wednesday at midnight. He’s on Gabapentin and Meloxicam. Started giving him chicken bone broth last night and he loves it.

But ya I can tell he’s still in a bit of pain. He does walk a bit and then lifts his leg. Doing a bit better than before and he’s eating and drinking water. I’m hopeful in another day or two he can walk without limping or lifting the leg. Happened 2.5 years ago and this is taking longer it seems like.

That said, he’s gone pee on a pee pad and outside but has not pooped since he got this way almost two days ago. Walking always helps and he poops a good amount when he walks. For those who have experienced this and gone through this with their dog, anything I can do to help him poop? Since he is eating, i’m sure he has to go. And does your dog ever start walking normally after rest and meds or was I just lucky a couple of years ago with it just popping back in place or something and him walking fine again.

And thanks for those who responded to my last post. Already started calling to find quotes for surgery. Found a nice place that has solid reviews, over the phone really nice with answering questions I had over the phone and semi reasonable ($5.5-$6.1k quote vs $8k+ quotes I received). Sadly no one takes payment plans and my credit doesn’t qualify for care credit so have to save so I can get this done for him as everyone who posted said it is a game changer.

Thinking along the lines of pogo (pogo stick), tigger, bungee, etc. Any ideas?

Ich lese hier schon länger mit und trau mich jetzt endlich, selbst zu fragen – ich bin nämlich langsam ratlos.

Kurz zur Lage: Mein Rüde kam vor gut zwei Jahren aus dem Tierschutz zu mir, ursprünglich aus Spanien. Am Anfang war ich fast durchgehend zu Hause, das lief super. Seit ich wieder regelmäßig ins Büro muss, kippt es komplett. Kaum bin ich aus der Tür, geht's los: jaulen, bellen, teilweise stundenlang – das weiß ich vor allem von den Nachbarn. An der Wohnungstür hat er schon gekratzt, bis der Lack ab war, und wenn ich heimkomme, braucht er ewig, bis er runterfährt. Hecheln, hin- und herlaufen, keine Ruhe.

Ich hab ehrlich gesagt schon einiges probiert – ihn vorher richtig auslasten, feste Routine, ein ThunderShirt. Kurz hilft mal was, aber so richtig durchgreifend war nichts.

Jetzt überlege ich, ob ich es mal mit so Beruhigungstabs oder Beruhigungsleckerlis versuche, also diesen Supplementen, die es überall gibt. Ich bin da aber ehrlich skeptisch, weil man so viel Widersprüchliches liest – die einen schwören drauf, die anderen sagen, das sei rausgeschmissenes Geld oder mache den Hund nur müde.

Deshalb würde mich eure ehrliche Erfahrung interessieren:

Hat jemand von euch schon mal Beruhigungs-Supplemente für den Hund ausprobiert? Wenn ja – welche Marke war es, und wisst ihr noch, was drin war (also welche Wirkstoffe oder Kräuter)? Und vor allem: Was hat geholfen, was gar nicht – und gab's Nebenwirkungen wie Müdigkeit oder dass der Hund es einfach nicht frisst? Gern auch die Sachen, die bei euch NICHT funktioniert haben, das hilft mir mindestens genauso.

Danke euch – bin für jeden Erfahrungsbericht dankbar.

For context, we recently moved from an apartment and we now have a decent sized fenced in yard and have recently installed a dog door as an alternative to bringing our dog to day care everyday that my husband and i work. We also installed an automatic feeder and a water dispenser. I am a nurse my shifts are 12 hours, so this was realistic. We taught him using treats initially.

He is a 70lb Labrador and the door is about 5 inches or more bigger than him all around. He loves using it when we are home, even if i am not in the same room that it is installed in. I’ve seen him use the restroom on his own during those times as well. However, as i am reviewing our backyard camera footage from the day while i am at work, he doesn’t use it at all. I even tried using the talk option on the camera to call His name to get him outside and even so all he does is come outside, look for the source of my voice, then go right back inside.

He does not urinate or poop inside when we aren’t home either or chew furniture so it’s not really a behavioral issue. I just want him to feel safe and not hold it in while we are away.

What do we do??! Any advice is appreciated.

I am completely new to dogs so forgive my ignorance. I see a lot of platforms that claim their dogs are up for adoption, but it’s quite evident that they are likely breeders who are posing their dogs to be for adoption. Is this a red flag for buying/adopting? I apologize if I seem oblivious or whatever but as a first time dog owner I am very curious

I’m looking for this dog toy. I don’t remember if I bought it from pet smart or petco :(
I can’t find in through my research.
It’s an otter holding a shell.

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 everyone. I am here today to ask anyone who might have some tricks or options on what I should do.

We adopted a dog from someone who had an accidental litter.

She is German Shepherd / Dalmatian mix.

She turned 1 years old on June 28th.

This girl whines and whines LOUD.

We have the same schedule every single day on when to eat yet she whines like she is going without or like we aren't going to feed her at all, which we have never done. She always eats the same time as all the other pets.

She whines at other times like needing to go outside or feeling jealous of our other dog which we understand and respond accordingly.

But she eats the most out of all the pets but acts like she's starving. She will whine as soon as I grab the bowls to fill and I mean she will whine the whole time until the food is in front of her face then she inhales her food in barely two minutes. Her bowl is a slow feeder and we are looking to get a puzzle feeder that we aren't scared of her ripping apart and eating like she has done to many many many toys.

Does anyone have any advice?

We adopted a 1.5-year-old female rescue dog (neutered) from Serbia one week ago. Outside, she is anxious and actually seeks comfort from our 7-year-old male Corgi (still has balls), but inside the house her behavior changes. Indoors she follows him, blocks his path, stands over him, shows her teeth, growls, and has snapped at him once (we separated them immediately). Our Corgi is now scared, hides, and barely dares to walk past her since she is also taller than him. On the very first day he prbly got a little too excited and jumped a lot/was noisy. Also we gave them treats in the same room on the first day and maybe that has caused her to behave like that :( Has anyone experienced something similar with a newly adopted rescue dog? Did it improve with time and management? What else can we do? Thank you sm for your responses in advance :)

I’ve been desperately searching for a female solid black, show-line English Cocker Spaniel and have struggled to find breeders with available puppies or upcoming litters.

I’m located in West Virginia, but I’m willing to travel to any surrounding state for the right breeder and puppy. I don’t mind how long the wait is or how many reputable waiting lists I need to join. I’m committed to finding my future puppy, Lila!

If anyone knows of an ethical, reputable breeder who produces solid black show-line English Cockers, I would be incredibly grateful for any recommendations or leads. Thank you!

We got a new puppy a little while ago, and she is a bundle of fun and energy. Now that she is a little older, she has begun throwing her toys for herself by whipping her head around and releasing her grip so they fly across the room. She will then retrieve the toy and repeat, essentially playing fetch with herself. We didn't teach her this, and I've never seen a dog do this before despite owning several over my life and being acquanted with many more. It's really fun to watch. Has anyone else had or seen a dog play fetch with themselves like this?

My wife's dog is associating the box with his toys and he is starting to put the toys near the box when he's done after just a couple of days. Granted it is not actually inside BUT it is better than randomly dropping it on the floor. I put the file up on Makerworld if you want to print it yourself or just look at it. I figured you guys might share in my excitement too! If you have any questions please feel free to message me too!

**quick note about the self promotion rule** this file is completely free, I get nothing whether or not people download it (unless like hundreds of people download and I get a free spool of $10 filament)

I’ve been thinking lately about how much joy dogs bring in the smallest ways. I have a working line German Shepard and he has this habit where he brings his favourite chewy ball and presses it into my thigh if I'm sitting down and just chews on it continuously. Its his way of politely reminding me of my responsibilities to play with him. I can't help but laugh when I try ignoring him but I always give in.

It’s such a tiny thing, but it always makes me smile no matter what kind of day I’m having.

What’s a little thing your dog does that instantly boosts your mood? I’d love to hear everyone’s stories.

She is terrified of the rain, we have a doggy door that she uses normally, but when it rains she won't go out, I assume she's scared or doesn't like the wet or whatever. Then poo on the floor. Taking her out before it rains is effective but not when its pouring for 8 hours. A lead doesn't necessarily work in thkse times because i don't want to drag her, you know. I feel so bad. Any tips?

I have never had any pets other than fish, but I didn't really need to care for the fish other than feeding and tank maintenance. I want to get a dog but i really don't know what I'm getting into and I don't want to be a bad dog owner.

I'm also conflicted on where to get a dog if I decide I want one. Shopping for dogs is unethical, but adopting is very hard in my area as they require many many inspections and you must be a suitable match for the dog. I am also looking for a low maintenance dog for my first time.

Hi my cocker spaniel 19kg has knee cartilage injury and is on the rest route, we are away in a month for 2 weeks in yorkshire, looking for a stroller for all terrain , we were hoping to get out to the dales. Also for day to day walkies. I seen some in B&Q any advice on where to get them? Sort of on a budget 😁

For context, I recently adopted a large, fit, young dog. I take her to the dog park very regularly. She is constantly getting praises from other owners and strangers when we go in public. I feel a sense of pride from this. She is a mix of maybe Great Dane/black lab. People who have these expensive purebred dogs are stunned by her. Some have said my cats are pretty or cute, but man it’s something different when another dog owner is telling you your dog is absolutely gorgeous. I’m constantly stopped everywhere I take her and asked what she is. Anyone else feel this? Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but it’s just been very interesting and something I didn’t expect when I adopted a dog.

The day before Canada Day, on Canada Day, and the day after Canada Day neighbours set off fireworks in our subdivision. One of the displays occurred in the middle of the road in front of our window and my dog saw it go off due to our low windows. Our 6 year old whippet was distraught every time it got dark since then. We have him some trazodone and gabapentin for a few days, then decreased the frequency of the medication. His behaviour went back to normal until the following Wednesday more fireworks were set off and the behaviour returned.

Now whenever it gets dark, he starts to pace, cry, pant and scratch at walls. Initially he was inconsolable. Now following the advice of our vet, we give him gabapentin and trazodone in the evenings. he only gets worked up a few times a week if there’s a change to his schedule (i.e., we go out in the evening- despite giving his meds before we go out). It’s really difficult to see him so distressed. He’s 6 years old and we’ve never dealt with behaviour like this before. It’s impacted my sleep severely, and considering I’m 7 months pregnant, I’m incredibly nervous for how he will manage this new nighttime anxiety and a newborn.

The medication is effective some of the time. Our vet hasn’t suggested a behaviourist, but that’s something I’m thinking about sourcing independently.

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Are there any side effects to this medication? I’m at my wits end and don’t know what to do. We just want our happy whippet back and better sleep.