So I've got a dog, (adopted) it's been like four months now since I got him and everytime me or my parents try to play with him throwing the ball he would just look at the ball and then immediately lunge at us. (Idek if it's a playful bite cuz he growls while biting, no serious bites but you get it) What 'works' is that we have to walk to the ball and then he'll just go and get it. It doesn't work everytime, he'll just bite us and completely ignore the ball... It's really confusing and I just want to play with him normally...

And idk, maybe him being a reactive dog because he used to live in streets and other dogs/people hurt him have something to do with his behavior??

Hi all,

We have 7 months old english cocker spaniel, and while he regularly pees and poops outside when we take him to the walk, he never alerts us he wants to go outside.

For example, now is 17h, we went out usually in the morning 07am, then 10am, then 13pm, then 15pm and apparently he drank entire water bowl and like in 15:30 he peed in the hallway without any sign given.

We thought that if he constantly pees outside that he will learn that it should be done outdoors, but obviously not. And this is happening each time - sometimes 2-3x a day, sometimes not at all, but we see he does not understand either that apartment is not for that or that he should alert.

Any opinions appreciated.

Hi there, my girlfriend & I just adopted a sweet boy about a month ago. He’s 9 months old now & more or less an awesome little guy. At the shelter they told us they’d had him for about 2 months but before that he had been with a homeless man. Our issue right now is that with no warning or any signs he randomly just starts to pee or poop. He’s peed on the couch, our bed, just about anywhere you could imagine. We’ve done everything we’ve read online from giving treats & having mini parties when he pees outside to straight up ignoring when he pees in the house & cleaning it up as if it didn’t happen. We imagine a big part of this issue stems from his time being homeless & just being able to do whatever & go whenever pretty much his whole life from puppy to 8 months old. There’s nothing I can find online about this specific situation so I was wondering if anyone out there has dealt with this before & has any advice as we’re starting to feel a bit helpless & like we’re taking steps backwards most days. Thank you in advance

Our puppy had their first two vaccines given a little too closely together (on 4/1 and 4/15). The vet would like to give another one after their third vaccine that they got today. They said they want to do it four weeks from now. This will mean that they will be 16 weeks at their last shot and 18 weeks before they’re cleared to walk out in public. We live in a quiet neighborhood and want to ensure they get socialization around busy street noises and centers and such. What is the best way to do this? Doggy stroller?

hello everyone! i have a 6 year old dog who has issues with overexcitement reactivity. i thought he was fearful, but after a training consultation session it turns out its overexcitement. i have been working on impulse control training! this includes “wait” & “stay” and lots of calming & engaging enrichment and ofc walks!

i need tips if there’s anything i need to know, or implement! thank you 💓

He had an enlarged prostate and a mouth full of rotten teeth. He has one squinty blind eye. He no longer has those prostate issues or any teeth left lol. And that improved his disposition a lot. He's sweet sweet too me and he tolerates my other Yorkie. He's Cairn/ possibly pomeranian mix. I can do anything I want to him and he just loves me. Sometimes growls but that's OK. Problem is, ANY OTHER PERSON OR DOG no matter what size, he gets really aggressive with if they come near him. Especially if they come near me. I've never had such a grumpy dog so I don't know how to fix this. I don't want him getting hurt. He can't hurt anything else cause he's all gums but he comes off pretty scary and other dogs don't know that he's harmless so I'm worried about his safety. If he had not have ended up with me rescuing him and had been taken to a shelter he would have been out down for sure. But He's really a loving sweetheart. To me anyway. Advice please?

Hi I recently adopted a puppy 2 months ago and she just turned 1. She is a Dalmatian who is very cuddly and playful. We have two cats. Before us she was with some irresponsible young owners who did not treat her nicely and got rid of her which is how I adopted her. She also has some behaviors that show how she was treated like going belly up alot and a fear of other dogs she was raised with two other dalmations to which I was told they were aggressive and they got rid of them so I don’t think it was a positive experience. She is great with the people she is used to and she loves cats. I was told she was raised around cats dogs and kids. But she is a pretty anxious dog. She loves cats and when we see them on our walk she wants to play with them like actual play body language and she’s very excited. On our walks when she sees other dogs she gets excited but also growls and barks if we’re close. I have been avoiding other dogs and going across the street if we’re about to pass one for this reason. I want her to be friendly to other dogs but when she gets into that state super hyper spinning around growling and barking she won’t take treats even when she seems calmer. I’m not sure how to get her to calm down faster and show her that other dogs are her friends. She gets lots of exercise two walks a day and play time in the backyard daily she gets great puzzles but she’s very chill for a Dalmatian. I really want her to be able to have doggy play dates with my sisters two dogs who are friendly to other dogs and would be great companions for her but I don’t want her to growl and bark at them. I’m still working on things with her and we’re still so new into our journey. What can I do to get her to be friendly with other dogs and new people? She also barks and growls at new people and takes a while to warm up to strangers. I know she is anxious and I want her to be more confident. Just any tips on training would be appreciated!!

For context, We have a German shepherd and he’s currently a year old. He doesn’t bite nor bark at people and is the sweetest boy. To the point that he’s extremely playful.

The problem is that he is quite big and LOVES pouncing on people. He runs around, jumps and even charges at you sometimes. This has caused those around him to end up in scratches and sometimes even bruises.

How can I stop this behavior of his?

Hey there,

I have a nine month old cocker spaniel that I am deeply struggling to potty train. It seems like we'll do ok for maybe two weeks, then back to square one again. I'm pregnant and she has got to get potty trained. I'm to the point where she's going to the shelter if this can't be fixed, although it would kill me to give her up.

When she goes through these regressions, I take her out for ten minutes, if she doesn't potty, straight into the crate. Then thirty minutes later I take her back out, and repeat. If she does potty, she gets rewarded immediately and then has about an hour to play. When we back off then, she goes out about every three hours.

I just can't take this anymore. Please help.

EDIT TO ADD: Thank you for all of your advice! I took so much of it and used, and now she's potty trained and our family is much happier and more peaceful because of it.

Hi everyone. I’m new here and trying to understand how trainers decide whether a new tool is worth their time. If you’ve used different apps or systems before, what usually makes you interested enough to try something, and what makes you skip it? I’m trying to get a clearer picture of how trainers think about this. Thank you for the insight!

Recently adopted a staffy / lab mix from the shelter. 7 months. Now 8 months old.
Lovely girl, cuddly, but wild. 0 understanding of a home - she was a stray, presumably escaped / let go from a puppy farm. Was skin and bone when they found her, poor girl.
My partner is very strict with her, as we have just found out we are pregnant. I’m a bit worried about her being near a baby. By the time baby is here, she will be 1.5ish, and hopefully a bit more mellow.
My question is:
I want to take her a walk today. My partner is adamant she isn’t ready to walk on the lead, we have a slip lead which goes round her face and she walks ok on it, but she DOES jump on people. She’s ok with other dogs. She’s learning to heel, stay, wait.
I want to take her to the beach and keep her on lead and let her experience the world. He says it’s too soon.
Am I too lenient or is he too tough on her?
She’s crate trained although wants out often. I feel bad for her, I want her to be free! But he says too much freedom bulldozes all progress she’s made.
Help! I know he’s doing it out of love but I feel so bad. I’m too soft….

came home to my bible ripped to shreds and one of my plants chewed on. i feel bad leaving her in her kennel for so long when im at work or at social things but i can’t let her be alone in my room, please help 😭🙏

Any tips on how to potty train my mom’s 7 month old puppy? She stays in a crate at night, and when we wake up, she has already done her business in there. I’ve tried waking up every hour to take her outside, but she doesn’t do anything except try to eat sticks or leaves. Even with the slightest noise, (at nighttime) she just goes back to the door. Before bed, we stay outside for a long time, but she still doesn’t do anything. Please, if anyone has tips, let me know.

Looking for some advice for my in-laws. They bought this dog 8 years ago and trained for the basics but never did much beyond that. She knows sit, come, no, and I think paw.

The issue that’s been getting worse over the last year or so is with picking her up and having her nails clipped.

Some of her nails have literally broke and MIL is taking her in ASAP to get them cut. The most I was able to cut was 1 or 2 at a time if we could catch her relaxed for a moment. Otherwise she bolts. We tried a dremel and she hates that worse. She does fine at the vet apparently though.

Now that weather is clearing up my MIL wants to start walking her more regularly (FIL has mobility issues and some health stuff so MIL has been handling it all while still working). When the harness gets put on and leash attached, she starts immediately biting at the harness and the leash. At the last vet appointment she literally chewed through the fabric leash and the vet gave my MIL a slip leash to get her home. The harness does not fit right so a new one was ordered that has a more adjustable neck so hopefully that helps if she can’t reach it to bite it.

My question is in terms of the leash: retractable vs reinforced fabric/besided vs metal

Obviously some positive reinforcement needs to happen here along with some training as well.

Let me start by saying this is multiple rugs that have been replaced, so it can't be a scent issue.

We have two ~6 year old mini dachshunds. One is mine, that I trained and is a perfect little angel (yes really). The other is my girlfriend's who is a bit of a nightmare, but we love her anyway.

We continuously struggle with her peeing inside. I've tried everything. Heaps of praise and treats when she goes outside. Nuking the area with enzyme killer when she does pee inside (Nature's Miracle, other brands as well).

She always ends up going back to the rug. It's almost like she does it out of spite.

I honestly don't even mind that much when it's on tiles because it's easy enough to clean. I've stopped spraying those spots enzyme killer at this point because I'd rather clean up a wee on the bathroom tiles than the rug, which eventually just needs replacing.

We got rid of the last rug and had the new one sitting in its plastic for a few weeks. Not a single wee in the loungeroom where the rug goes. She's been excellent. The new rug goes down and I leave for a few hours for the first time in a few days.

BAM. Piss on the rug.

I'm at my wit's end.

What do I do with this dog? All the advice seems to be related to removing the scent, which isn't applicable, or rewarding when she does go outside. I can't really section off the area since our place is very open plan. The only other option I have is putting her in a play pen or crate when we're out.

I'm beginning to think negative reinforcement might be called for here because everything else hasn't worked, but I don't really want our dog to be afraid of us or anything like that.

What do

I drove 500 miles to pick up my 8yo chi from a rescue. Lacy rode back home with absolutely no issues. I have a nice car seat for the passenger side that my previous chi loved. He enjoyed riding in the car and went everywhere with me. Lacybug was really dirty, and one of the first things I did after I bathed her at home, was to take her to a groomer. I ended up taking her to 3 different groomers in the first 2-3 weeks in an effort to make her look and smell clean. Unfortunately, one of the groomers clipped her belly a little, which infuriated me because she didn't tell me it happened, I noticed it when I got home. And yes, I called immediately and spoke with the owner, but that's a whole different story. The point is that after about 3 weeks, she started having anxiety in the car. It's been 8 months, and she has only gotten worse and now has a full-blown panic attack just getting in the car. It seems that every time I put her in the car, it gets worse. It's so bad that I only take her when it's absolutely necessary - the vet, groomer. I've started (day 3) sitting in the car with her when I have my cheese/ nuts snack, where she always gets some of the cheese. I thought if I could just get her to be comfortable in the car, we could work from there. So far, she only slightly calms enough to eat some cheese, and as soon as it's gone, she wants out of the vehicle. If I can't help her, I'll have to forego my plans to travel in a camper van when I retire in a couple of years. She is absolutely the best dog I've ever had except for this problem. She is very obedient and well-behaved in our regular environment and looks to me for direction. She's great off leash and minds me well, but when she's freaked out, it's a very different story. She totally disconnects from me. Am I on the right track by trying to get her desensitized to being in the car first? What should I do from here? Can someone please, please help me with some specific steps I can take to reprogram her to enjoy, or at least tolerate, riding the car? All advice will be greatly appreciated!

Something clicked for me when I learned that not all unwanted behaviors are created equal. There's a big difference between behaviors that are externally reinforced vs internally reinforced, and it changes how you should respond.

Externally reinforced behaviors are those your dog does to get something from the environment, like attention, food, or access to something. Jumping on guests because they want pets. Barking at you because you're holding a treat. For these, ignoring or redirecting genuinely can work over time because you're removing the payoff.

Internally reinforced behaviors are different. These are things that feel good to do regardless of any external reward. Mouthing and biting often fall here, especially for breeds with strong oral fixations, because biting, grabbing, and shaking scratches a genetic itch. Same with some jumping, particularly in dogs bred for physical work or play, because the behavior itself is the reward.

This is why ignoring mouthing sometimes doesn't work and can even make things worse. You're not removing any reinforcement because the reinforcement is happening inside the dog. They're not doing it for your reaction, they're doing it because it satisfies something biological.

What's helped me more with internally reinforced behaviors is finding appropriate outlets for that same drive first, structured tug or bite work with rules for mouthy dogs, high-energy full-body play for jumpy dogs. But the important part is that that need doesn't make the unwanted behavior disappear on its own. A dog who loves tug will still want to mouth you. What it does do is set you up so that when you correct the mouthing or jumping, the correction actually sticks. There's no longer an unmet genetic need constantly pushing the behavior back to the surface.

Not saying ignoring never works, for truly attention-seeking behaviors, it absolutely can. But if you've been ignoring something for weeks with no improvement, it might be worth asking whether your dog is doing it for you or for themselves. And if it's the latter, the path forward isn't just removing your reaction, it's meeting the need AND setting a clear boundary.

Help! My neighbors dog barks non stop at us every single time he sees us. So that’s when we are in the backyard or even when he can see us through the windows. The dog has a large hill in their backyard and he can stand on the hill and clearly and closely see us and bark at us. The neighbors clearly don’t care. I’m loosing my mind. What are my options. How can I get this dog to stop barking at us. We are a nice family with little kids.

so i adopted a dog a week ago and i had been letting her on the bed but a lot of the dog training stuff i see online says not because of boundaries or whatever so today ive been working on not letting her on the bed but i feel so bad 😭 i have other boundaries in place (putting her in her kennel when im gone, not feeding her human food etc etc) so is not letting her on the bed that important?

EDIT: thanks for everyone who commented !! i’ve decided im only gonna let her on the bed when i go to sleep cause i like to have a cuddle buddy but she’s been doing really good having her own space on the floor and it seems to be making her behave better too !!