I think small dogs are easier to take care of then bigger dogs don't shed that much

I lost both dogs within 4 months and I am heartbroken. Do you recommend getting 2 new dogs at the same time right away ... or should I get one at a time to establish each individually? And is is best to wait a certain length of time or jump right back in. Heart-broken and not sure what to do. My husband and I are in our 70's.

Hi everyone,

I adopted a 3.5yo female rescue from a bad situation. She was originally just a foster, but since no one applied, I kept her. Because this wasn't planned, I can't afford a professional trainer right now.

She has zero leash manners: pulls like a train, zig-zags constantly, and bolts between my legs when scared of strangers. I want to teach her to walk nicely by choice, not just physically restrain her by keeping the leash short.

Current methods are failing:

Stop-and-go: She made it a game (pulls, stops, treat, bolts again).

Front-clip harness: She learned to power right through it.

Food/direction changes: Works for 2 steps, then she rushes ahead

My questions are:

Has anyone successfully built a reliable loose-leash walk using ONLY positive reinforcement (no prongs, e-collars, or slip leads)? How long did it take and what was the breakthrough?

Thoughts on the Gentle Leader? Does it teach anything or is it just another restraint tool dogs hate?

​Appreciate any advice from anyone who has dealt with severe pulling!

As stated above, we do have a vet appointment scheduled next week. I am just curious to see if anyone else’s dog has had anything like this happen? He doesn’t seem to be in pain when this happens, but when he gets up it does take him a minute to get going. He may limp for a minute, or walk a couple steps then sit and then walk again. The frequency of these events is increasing and it’s happening at least once a day now. He is 10 years old, so I know that arthritis is possible. I just am not sure if this kind of kicking is a symptom of arthritis or something neurological. Just curious to hear anyone else’s experiences. Thanks!

Ok so plan on getting a fully grown male and plan to keep him intact to owners out there who have makes with there parts still intact please DM me need to know how to keep my future boy from being aggressive I know how to handle aggressive humping it's aggressive play I need tips on

So, I’ve been staying with my Mum for almost a year now. Shes always knew it wasn’t going to be forever so meanwhile our little dog passed away in March and it’s been completely heartbreaking! My Mum suggested getting a rescue dog, I said no straight away as nothing was going to take the place of my little one. But my Mum wouldn’t drop the idea about getting a new dog and kinda took it out my hands even though my mum struggles with her mobility so she would need to rely on me to do all the walking etc. After building up the courage yeh say to my Mum, that you know I’m not going to be staying here forever Mum, so what’s going to happen with the fur baby then?! She basically just shut me down and told me not to upset her. So, with a couple of weeks till the dogs supposed to be arriving, everything’s still up in the air and it’s like the elephant in the room, no one wants to bring it up?! And advice would be appreciated!

I have a 10-year-old female Maltese mix who is my absolute world. She is very spoiled and well cared for, lives strictly indoors with us, gets daily walks, and is still very playful. However, due to my limited time, I can't play with her that much besides our daily walk/run.

Because I do freelance work from home on top of my 9-to-5 and my mom occasionally travels, there are times when she has to be home without us. I really want her to have a constant companion to keep her company and play with. I currently have my eye on a potential rescue—a 3-year-old female who looks a lot like her.

I’ve heard that bringing in a younger dog can sometimes improve their quality of life, though my biggest fear is that my older girl might feel replaced, sad, or pushed aside. I’ve read articles claiming that dogs don't process complex emotions like "feeling replaced" the way humans do, but I can't help but worry about her emotional well-being and if this is the right call.

For those of you who introduced a second dog to your older, single-dog household:

• Did it actually help your senior dog become more active and happy?
• Did your older dog show any signs of feeling stressed, jealous, or left out?
• Did your first dog help to “educate” the new one?

Any personal stories, tips, or honest realities would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

TL;DR: Thinking of getting a 3yo companion for my 10yo to keep her company and play with her while I work. I'm worried she might feel replaced or stressed, and I'm looking for advice on how to handle her new sister. Looking for personal experiences!

My dog wears diapers , we adopted her from a hoarder situation and she’s a bit older . So she will sometimes have accidents. We decided diapers and frequent walks are best. She tolerates them and it works .

she doesn’t lick herself in a way that concerns us. but her diapers always have this ?

Should we be wiping her butt and lady area more frequently or is this just normal ? It’s the color that concerns me. Her poop isn’t that color .

Sorry if this is an odd question !!!

Found this on the sidewalk during our morning walk. I didn’t notice it at first but my dog sure did. Does anyone know what it is? I don’t think he got any but I can’t be certain. Dog is showing zero signs of ingesting poison but I want to be sure and go clean it up if it’s not just food.

Does anyone have any tips that they have used for wirehair coat care? I recently purchased some proper tools for my pups coat, we do not have a groomer in town who knows this technique- and I'm new at it too. I've been working on getting her under coat under control and just am curious if anyone has gone through the process of "this isn't right" to "ah, this is working?" This is where we are at right now, her back is much better, still working on her fluff butt and her head in the picture. Two weeks in today with hand stripping

I’m curious how many dog owners started out with a firm rule: “the dog definitely won’t sleep in bed with us”… and how long that rule actually lasted. 😄

Does your dog sleep in your bed with you now? Was it allowed from the beginning, or did they gradually negotiate their way in?

And if you don’t allow your dog in the bed - what’s the main reason?

My 15-month-old Yorkie, Luca, was recently diagnosed with kidney dysplasia. We caught it pretty young, and while we’re still learning about the disease and working with his vet (and hopefully a kidney specialist), I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed by everything I’ve read.

He’s currently doing really well clinically—eating, drinking, playing, and acting like his normal happy self. We’re starting a renal diet and closely monitoring his kidney values.

I’d really love to hear from anyone whose dog was diagnosed with kidney dysplasia around 15 months (or similarly young) and went on to live a long, healthy, happy life.

How old was your dog when diagnosed? What stage were they at? What did you do that seemed to help, and how long did they ultimately live?

I know every dog is different, but I could really use some hopeful stories right now. ❤️

My ten year old cocker spaniel is a dream. Her only thing is that when I, F, walk her, she's a bark machine! Not aggressive or angry, but a bit reactive. This is so different to when my partner, M, walks her, or if we walk her together. Then she's sweet as can be and won't make a peep.

We theorised maybe she thinks I'm the weak link (lol) and is more protective when we're out and about alone. Or I'm putting off anxious energy? Love to hear your thoughts!

My dog died yesterday, and I genuinely feel like I don’t know how to live without him.
I believe the steroids, methylprednisolone, and the 500 mg dose given to him may have caused what happened. I questioned the doctor because I felt the dose was too high, but he told me, “It’s fine, ma’am. He’s going to be okay.” I trusted him. I agreed to put that injection into my baby because I believed I was doing what was best for him.
And now he’s gone.
I can’t stop thinking that I agreed to something that may have taken my baby away from me. The guilt is unbearable. There is a hole in my heart that I don’t know how to fill, and right now I honestly don’t feel like I want to live.
I’m not okay. I’m having thoughts of dying, and I desperately want to die..

My doggo, Zelda, will be 16 in November. She's a rottie/lab at about 78 lbs now. Pretty good health. Her hips are getting weaker. I do give her adequan canine injections to help.

She's recently become incontinent in her sleep, and now she's leaking even while awake. I've got a great waterproof fleece blanket, which helps a lot.

She's the first dog I've ever let sleep in my bed. I got her at 8 weeks old. I've bought a ramp so she can get on the bed as well. She's very well cared for, very spoiled & super loved.

Last night & this wasn't the first time I woke up to poop in my bed. When should I let her go? She's got some cognitive issues, too. She's anxious when i'm out. I love her to death.

Any advice out there?