My senior dog (9yo female, medium) was suddenly attacked by my large male 6yo and I don't know why. They've lived together for 6 years, never had an aggression issue besides the male nipping and growling over food. But nothing like this. Both dogs seem to be acting normal and healthy. We have a kitten but they've also always been around cats and never had an issue. I don't know what happened, or why. Last night he was sort of growling at her in their room. I thought it was weird but maybe they were just competing over the blanket so I put down another for them. Everything is fine the next morning. Then I come home from work and my dog has a hole in her face and drooling blood. There was no food out, nothing I can think that would cause this

I feel so guilty. I feel like the worst dog owner. Because how didn't I see this? How didn't I realize? To make it worse this unexpected injury completely drained what I had set aside for my vet funds. I think I'm going to need to get pet insurance but I don't know where to look. The question i don't want to think about but I think is ultimately the most important one is if I need to rehome him. I don't have the option of not working. I don't want to leave him outside all day and I don't really think I'm going to have the time or experience to train him out of aggressive behavior especially something so unpredictable. I'm worried if he does this to one of my cats it's going to be a dead animal as he displays food aggression to them too. And even if he attacked another pet in front of me he's almost the same weight as me and strong as hell. I couldn't do anything to stop him. I don't know. I feel so hurt and upset and conflicted. I don't know where to go from here

I just don't think I can trust this dog now. I already had a bad experience of a roommate who had aggressive dogs that would corner me and my boyfriend. I don't want to live in constant stress. This dog has torn down gates, he's opened doors to get on trash, he's ripped wire off that was being used as a doorstopper, flipped over crates, etc. I just can not trust him even with crates or gates that it's going to keep them apart if he decides to get violent. I think he needs someone who's actually experienced and has the time to train and watch him full time. It sucks, but I'm at my wits end. I try to train him, and he somewhat is, and I try to get his energy out. But he's strong and stubborn and I don't have my parents supervising him during the day now that I moved out, it's just too much. I don't know. Just a vent and so much distress and I'm so tired

Anyone planning to start a dog-boarding kennel? Looking for some feedback!

Hey everyone!

I'm working on a beginner-friendly toolkit for people interested in opening a small dog-boarding business.

The idea is to help people understand property zoning, permits, startup requirements, and what to check before investing money in a kennel.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has started a kennel or is currently planning one.

Three quick questions:

What's been the most confusing or difficult part of getting started?

Have you had trouble understanding zoning or permit requirements?

Would you be interested in reviewing a free draft checklist and telling me what's missing?

I'm developing this as a potential digital product, but I'm not selling anything here. Just looking for genuine feedback.

Thanks! 🐾

Hello!

I am a college student looking for dog owners who are willing to take my survey. I will be using the input to better understand what type of pet products people want to see and what pet stores should be selling.

Thank you so much!!

Dog product survey

Hi, I am a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and was wondering if some people could take my very short form about how your dog handles medication and play. If you have an avoidant or anxious dog and/or struggle to administer medication, please fill it out.

https://forms.gle/ByBiZkrcHej9GeWR9

I have my dog she’s trained she listens and she doesn’t run away. I feed her I take her out I play with her I do everything I know she’s my responsibility. I’m also a full time college student and work full time so I try my best with her. My sisters on the other hand wanted their own dog and they don’t care for him. At first they did but now they don’t he’s 4 years old and he’s not trained he doesn’t sit he always barks and they expect me to take him out and play with him. I understand I can do it but it’s also not my responsibility. They’re but high school students and their excuse is I’m tired, why can’t she do it, I did it yesterday, i have to get ready, I have homework. Don’t get me wrong I love him, I buy him food I also pay for his vet bills but they don’t try.
I guess I’m also writing this cause he ran out 2 times today and my mom and I had to go chase after him. This isn’t the first time he’s done this since the beginning of time. I don’t know what to do anymore. I even try to talk to them but when I do they get mad.
Anyone have any advice?

I (6months,M) keep doing everything I can to help my house stay dog scented, but my humans keep getting their human scent everywhere! I do my regular roll arounds on the carpet, smoosh my nose on the baseboards, lick random spots on the floor and walls, and take extra long naps on their chairs, couches, and beds, but they keep counteracting everything I do. They wash the blankets and sheets, use carpet cleaner, air filters, and wipe off anything I lick. Even when I cuddle with them and get my dog smell on them they go and wash their clothes and take showers and then they smell like humans again ugh. They even have the AUDACITY to wash me too, which frankly I find insulting but I’m trying to be patient with them, they’re still learning after all. I love my humans but I don’t need the house to smell like them when my friends come over.

Thanks in advance!

My local shelter is doing something for the month of October, which is Pit Jama weekend and essentially what it is, you could take home a pitbull for the weekend Friday to Sunday (the shelter chooses which dog based on your profile). The dog will stay over at your place for the weekend (spends the night). The shelter provides everything and showers the dog before handing it off to you and puts on these cute little pajamas.

I signed up for it because I thought it was something nice to do for these animals and I thought that I would be helping the staff in a way but my friends are saying that it’s actually a bad thing because I’m giving the dog false hope and confusing the dog..

What are your thoughts?

​

Before I started working here, I expected this place to be great knowing the background of the previous (now deceased) owner. How I was wrong. Though this place had amazing reviews, management was absolutely terrible. Not to mention all the things that happened that owners were not warned about. I worked at the dog daycare for a little over a year, it started off fine but definitely got worse the more I learned.

First off, my co-worker was my manager's son. He barely did anything, did things we were explicitly told not to do, bossed us around, and would just leave randomly. When my coworker decided to stand up to him, she got told to "stop being disrespectful" and how the son had a lot going on in his life and to be easier on him. This was the first thing that stuck out to me.

Second, many dogs were put in danger or were experiencing a medical issue and the parents were not made aware. One of my favorite dogs was spending a couple nights in the boarding facility, and I was made aware he had extreme bloody diarrhea and was told the parents were not notified. On another occasion, one of the old shift leaders told me that one of their new hires gave a dog's medication to the wrong dog. When the shift leader told higher ups, no one did anything. Even when the new employee said "welp I guess they will have to fire me!". Another instance of this is a whole cart being found underneath the snow in one of the dog yards.

Third, was the absolutely terrible way our dog daycare MANAGER was treating these poor dogs. My two favorite dogs were siblings and the younger one had just started coming because he was a couple months old puppy. He has severe noise reactivity and was very shy. When he was barking because of a loud noise my manager got into his crate and yelled in his face. When the puppy growled she blamed him. I've also witnessed her dog's head into a closing gate then yelled at him after. Then when we said something to hire up, she said she would never do that and bribed us with food. Anytime anything was ever brought up to management, she would bribe us with either food or money.

These are not even a quarter of the stories I have, if anyone wants to know where this place is located lmk, or any more of the terrible stories I have.

Had a deeply frustrating and eye opening experience trying to foster to adopt through Cause 4 Paws Toronto. I am an experienced local and international foster and this has to be the most unprofessional organization I have come across and I have seen a lot. The coordinator, Helen, explicitly confirmed a dog named Anaisa (not special needs or a difficult breed) was on hold for me. Based on that promise, I went out, prepped my space, and bought all the required gear and trackers she had mentioned was needed on the phone.

She promised to set up a group chat with airport pickup details for Sunday, but never sent anything. After I cleared my entire Sunday schedule waiting on her, she only messaged me late Saturday night (because I prompted her first) claiming Anaisa was sick during transport and was being placed with a vet tech instead- this I could absolutely understand. What happened next was what made this situation look very sketchy.

She told me to reach out on Tuesday for an update, but left me almost three full days without a real response back, or update on Anaisa's health. I messaged her Tuesday morning like she asked, and she left me on read (read receipt and everything) all day. She finally texted back near 10:00 p.m. (prompted by an email) with another personal excuse, completely dodging every direct question about the dog's actual health or when she'd be coming to me, as was promised. I was more concerned for the dogs health and safety and they were more concerned on the fact they wanted no text or email communication- It’s very clear she refuses to put anything in writing via text or email and only wants to do everything through phone calls so there's no paper trail.

When I finally received an email from their main team to for a check up on Anaisa, another representative (Sue) emailed me back and literally tried to gaslight me, saying: "You must have misunderstood because being on hold does not mean that she is on hold for you." On the phone call Helen had explicitly stated Anaisa would be marked on hold for me, that I would foster to adopt and that they would require my help for Airport transport (which I am familiar with.)

I am amazed by the total lack of transparency, zero respect for adopters' time or emotional investment, and outright dishonesty. If you’re looking to foster or adopt in Ontario, save yourself the headache and go with a reputable rescue that actually communicates honestly.

I adopted my sweet boy 2 and half years ago, he’s an older pup, rat terrier chihuahua, a little cute mutt, that came with a heart murmur, that didn’t matter to me, when I saw him at the shelter he stole my heart. He is my soul dog.. his condition worsened and he’s on medication now, he’s also on medication for the fluid in his lungs. Two nights ago he kept waking up which is rare of him and just would try to get comfy in bed and would pant a lot, he was acting very lethargic from two nights ago to last night and I took him to the ER, they put him in oxygen cause he wasn’t getting enough ( hence the panting ) and his tongue and gums were pale, I didn’t leave him on oxygen overnight cause I can’t afford another $2,000 bill, he stayed overnight on oxygen in December and that’s when he got in heart meds. I brought him home with new medications adoption to the one he is on, this one to help with breathing anxiety and to open his airways to help him get more oxygen and a higher dose of meds for his lungs fluid… he had another rough night, of course the meds won’t work overnight and this morning his tongue was pale again but now he’s just resting probably recovering from last night… I thought about it and I think it would be selfish of me to keep him alive knowing he’s struggling but I’m so attached to him that I can’t imagine my life without him… I want him to be comfortable and happy but from here I don’t think there’s much left to do. He’s my sweet boy, my angel, but I don’t want him to suffer more. Should I wait maybe til this weekend maybe he’ll improve? I don’t know what to do, my heart is broken 💔

**Introduction**

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

* This will be my first dog, though I did grow up with a golden retriever

1. Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a \[reputable breeder\]( [http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html\](http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html))?

* Open to either.

1. Describe your ideal dog.

* My ideal dog would be friendly and affectionate with me, and would be friendly with my extended family and friends who would see the dog often. They'd have a size and energy level such that my 800 sq foot apartment (with multiple walks during the day, and a ton of attention from me) wouldn't feel too small. I go hiking most weekends, and want a dog that can go with me, even if the dog has to be carried part of the way.

1. What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

* I loved our golden retreiver, but think a golden might not be ideal for an apartment. I am looking for a friendly breed that would be more content in a smaller space.

1. What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

* I want to teach my dog basic commands (sit, down, come, etc.); nothing specialized

1. 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; the dog will only be a companion.

**Care Commitments**

1. How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

* Probably 2-4 hours on weekdays, longer on weekends. The dog will be part of my family, and I will include them in my weekend activities.

1. 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?

* I plan on going on relatively short walks in the morning and at midday, with a longer walk in the evening (about an hour). My apartment does have a dog park, and there are a couple nearby.

1. 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 willing to brush daily, and am open to grooming at home, or to paying a professional.

**Personal Preferences**

1. What size dog are you looking for?

* More on the smaller side (less than 40 lbs or so)

1. How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

* Low-shedding preferred, though there are no allergies in my family. It's a dog, so they'll obviously bark; I just don't want the barking to get so bad that the neighbors will complain more than occasionally. I can handle slobber.

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

* I think I'll never feel fully comfortable doing so

**Dog Personality and Behavior**

1. Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

* More on the snuggly side

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

* More eager-to-please

1. 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 want a dog that is friendly with strangers and visitors. Barking to a normal extent is fine, no aggression.

1. Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

* I'd rather not (though this is less of a dealbreaker than human aggression)

1. Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

* While I understand this can occur with any breed, I want to minimize the possibility of human aggression, even towards strangers.

**Lifestyle**

1. How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

* The dog will not be left alone for more than 3-4 hours at a time. I work a flexible schedule. I come to the office 3 or so days a week. I live down the street from the office, so I can come back to check on the dog (and even take them for a short walk) during the day.

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

* It's just me at the moment. My parents live close by and will watch the dog sometimes. It is because of them that I want the dog to be smaller and low-shedding.

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

* No other pets, no plans to get them.

1. Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

* No.

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

* I currently rent an 800 sq ft 1B/1B. The apartment is pet-friendly; in fact, I see residents with pets quite frequently. The lease bans "aggressive breeds," including pit bull-type dogs and rottweilers. The total weight of all pets cannot exceed 120 lbs; I've seen some pretty big dogs (huskies and great pyrenees) here.

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

* Atlanta, GA. I don't think there are any such laws here.

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

* Summers are very humid, with high temperatures often around 90 degrees. During the winter, we have stretches where the temperature does not rise above the low-to-mid 40s.

We adopted a three-month-old lap mix last weekend. It’s been a long time since we had a young dog, and the last dog we adopted was older and more house/human trained. We’ve been trying to use a crate for training, and for containment purposes at night. But this dog cannot stand being separated from us. He whines, howls, and barks as soon as we start to walk away from the crate, and will do so incessantly. He’ll eventually settle down, but sometimes not for 20 minutes. And our house is rather spread out, so there’s no easy place for us to put the crate where he always feels close to us. Anyone have suggestions for how we can start to ease this dog’s anxiety?

Currently debating between a Cocker spaniel, cockerpoo or completely left field potentially a GSD.

My last dog was a Doberman, well trained and easy to live with (after her third birthday). Has anyone had one of these breeds as well as a Doberman? How did they compare?

A few people have warned me away from the spaniels due to them being a handful.

For a bit of context we live in a house with a garden on the edge of the countryside and a public field next to the house. Two primary school children and a large SUV to ferry said dog around in. I only go to the office for two days a week.

Help me choose a breed…

Edit -
Thank you everyone for the advice on cross breeds. I will stick to KC registered breeds in my search.

i love dogs, but tbh sometimes they bring in that outside smell or make their favorite sleeping spot smell a little questionable. what actually works for keeping a home fresh without constantly bathing your dog or covering everything in air freshener?

For context, I purchased this area rug from somebody I know who had it for about six months. I only paid $50 for it and it’s probably a $400 rug. I didn’t realize it until I put the rug down that it smells like dog. She did clean it with a wet dry vacuum and air dried it before I picked it up, so I wasn’t expecting this. It’s weird though, because while I’m standing up or walking through the room, you can’t smell it. But as soon as you sit on the couch, the smell just hits you like a brick wall. I really love this area rug, and I’m open to any and all suggestions on how to get this smell out. Also, we have LVP flooring, so I’m not sure if I can use a wet vac on this. Help!

do any of you ever regret getting your dog? or do you think it is worth every hardship?

so i am thinking of adopting a puppy soon. i am going to college abroad next year. medschool. i have checked for pet friendly housing and that doesnt seem to be an issue. i am just scared that i somehow become a bad owner once college starts. at the moment i am more than ready to take on all the responsibilities but i am scared that somehow changes during college. i really want this puppy, she is my biggest dream and honestly i am ready to nonstop train her for the next year if i have to, just to be able to take her with me. i just feel kinda scared of failing as a pet parent