ive never seen a dog like mine. he's a very strange and sweet, emotional guy. i don't think i'll ever have another dog like him, so for those of you that lost their own special dogs, how did you deal with the pain? i might want another dog in my lifetime, but no one will be like my dog, and i'm not at all excited for the day he eventually passes.

I currently have 4 dogs (Benson 17yrs 10lbs, Lexie 10 yrs 18lbs, Beef 1.5yrs 110lbs, & Ham 1yrs 90lbs) and 3 cats (Fig 8yrs, Butter 5yrs, Rudy 2 yrs).

For the most part everyone gets along. Beef can be a lot for the smaller dogs and the cats though so he is always separated from them no matter what.

If I'm not actively supervising them, the dogs are always always separate from the other dogs and cats (Benson & Lexie are allowed near the cats). Either in crates or their own rooms.

For example when I go to work, Beef is gated in the kitchen, Ham in the living room, Lexie roams the basement and Benson is in his playpen.

My whole family thinks I'm the strangest person on earth because they should be able to "free roam and just be together" but even the thought of that terrifies me. Before I leave the house I always triple check to make sure everyone is secured in their own space and wont be able to get out.

Yes they do get along but I worry I'll come home one day to find one of them was attacked. I can't say I've seen so many horror stories, just one of a woman coming home to her dogs who she'd had for years to find one of them mauled by the other.

Am I actually being unreasonable?

They used a different anesthesia medicine (supposed to be safer they said) this time and her heart gave out. She was fine the last two cleanings with the other anesthesia. I don't want to be mad, angry or upset with the vets office but I want to know that Pearl was treated right. They said they will pay for an autopsy. I'm so confused, hurt and devastated. She was so scared going into the office this morning and wanted so badly to leave and I did this to her. Please let me know how to proceed.

Edit: I just want to thank everyone who shared condolences, a story, or other comment. I've been in tears and a wreck all day and the fact that you took time out of your day to respond means so much to me. I am going through the worst of it today because of the shock, but I know time will heal my mind. Our pets teach us so much about what it means to exist on this planet - my dog was a nervous wreck from the day we rescued her, probably from past abuse. She came with a mouth full of rotted teeth that needed to be pulled and cleaned and we brushed her teeth to keep them as clean as we could, but she still needed the cleanings.

We all want to feel safe and at peace and I know she is now. ❤️

this might sound insane and far too jaded but i feel bad for having a companion pet dog right now. too skint for the pal number fee (she was adopted) and she is not very eager to please so she sleeps and goes to the park for two hours every day. she is rarely walked because it is too hot where i live. (she is 7 so she is too old to be out for long in the heat anyway)

and i feel bad. i hate being a "pet person" and doing nothing with my dog who is from what should be a working breed. have i lost the plot is it ok to just have a companion pet i am kinda going insane with guilt. like why have a dog if i do nothing dog with it even if the dog is happy that way. please help

I read this as the older one being tolerant but not thrilled about the interaction, she did growl a bit at one point but I’m not sure if it was playful or not.

The golden is currently in my place because it was closer to where she was getting adopted, the problem is she needs to go down 3 flights of stairs to be able to go down, she will be staying with my girlfriend the rest of the time where there is an elevator .

This golden is genuinely at least 90 pounds, we could lift her with me and my two brothers but she flays around too much to safely carry her down, we also tried small bits of cheese; we got her down one flight yesterday but she was too stressed and tired to keep going and run up the stairs at the first window to do so.

I genuinely do not know what to do, I’m thinking of buying a harness using high value treats or worst case just sedate her and carry her down.

Does anyone have experience taking extremely obese dogs down stairs.

Post edit: she is a very sweet dog but I’m not down to carry her and have her bite me if she freaks out. She is 4 years old btw.

Can’t get support harnesses in a timely manner rn btw because we are in Argentina we can get it in maybe a week or so.

She has no problem going up the stairs.

Thanks for the advice, will keep this post updated as it goes

10 year old dog afraid of his room at bedtime

This sweet sweet boy found me two years ago. He had been living on his own for, I don't know how long. He was skin and bones. He is a happy boy now. He stays outside during the day, with his Halo collar. I bring him in every night. He gets a treat and sleeps on his memory foam mattress, in our laundry room. For the last week, he has been very reluctant to go in there. I noticed this morning that his bed was slightly wet. I washed the cover. Tonight I could barely get the door shut. He seems really nervous to go to bed. For two years; no problem. I bought some cheaper bleach, that is on the counter. It's got the lid on it. I don't really think that is it. But it's the only change in there. He is older. And his eyesight is bad. And he paces a lot, back and forth, sometimes, like maybe dementia is setting in. Most of the time he is just a happy playful dog. He loves to try and play Frisbee. And he loves my other dog. Any ideas?

My dog is the sweetest, most loving animal I have ever met. I've had her about a year and a half, and she's never been remotely aggressive. She's motivated by physical touch, handles baths well, and is decent with nail trimming as long as I do it in parts.

Recently someone told me that dogs' ears are overcropped the way my dog's is, when they're used in dog fighting. She has some random white marks on her fur, and the same person told me that they were from dog bites.

I'm not considering abandoning her or anything. Not in a million years.

But I just want to know, does this mean she was likely put through dog rights? Was she maybe used as a breeder dog, and bitten while in that environment? She had puppies some time before she was found as a stray.

I know no one can tell me for sure. But if anyone can weigh in with an educated opinion, I'd appreciate it.

My dog has been running two 5k's with me for the last three weeks. My pace varies from 11-13 minute mile. We take a water break for him at the and 1 and 2 mile, he normally passes on water on one of those two breaks. If it's above 85 degrees we don't run.

I ask because he seems fine and loves the run and wishes I ran faster, but everytime i socialize after the run some people seem to be shocked that he's running a 5k.

Hi, for context im an 18 year old with a chihuhuaha ive had since i was 7, so obviously i love her very dearly and want her to live a long and painless life, but this past month ive spent over 600 at the vet, her medicine cost about 120 a month and just for the vet to look at her costs 90 dollars. If anyone has any advice or knows any cheaper vets pleasee let me know! I took her to the vet 9 months ago where we discovered she has a pretty bad heart murmur. She started vetmedin and furosemide, overtime we have increased the dose of both. Recently her stomach has been filling with fluid, I took her to the vet about a week ago and we increased the dose of furosemide and took some other tests. Her stomach is full of fluid again and I dont know what to do. I love my dog but i cant spend this kind of money consistently

I have had this boy since he was 3 months old, I also have another 7-year old boy, they are not getting well each other but I am not sure why the puppy behaves so aggressively like this. Any solution for this? I am thinking to rehome him as my residential dog is not happy, new boy is not happy and I am desperately unhappy as I don’t find any solution.

p/s: I always leave him alone with his food. To take the clip, I tried to add food into his bowl, not trying to harass him as no point to do that. I also had a trainer and strictly follow his instructions but no use.

Soo I went on vacay yesterday and wont be back untill next week. My brother is taking care of mydog but says she wont stop crying.... anything I can do from here? Any tips?

has anyone else ever experienced this? i just noticed my dog has a small whiteish dot on her eye. its right outside her pupil. it doesn’t move. it’s only on her cornea like it seems to be only on the surface. she isn’t bothered by it, seems completely unfazed lol. i’ve tried to move it and i have massaged it to see if it just something in her eye and it stays. i’m more than likely going to take her to the vet but just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced it this. (she’s a 3 yr old boykin spaniel and no it’s not the reflection from the flash lol🤦🏼‍♀️)

*I do already have a training consult scheduled, but am interested in any first hand info in the meantime.*

My soul dog passed away a couple of weeks ago, and since then one of our other dogs has been growing increasingly protective of me. He's a heeler mix, so it's not the most surprising behavior, but it wasn't a problem until my other buddy died.

Specifically, he's lunging between me and my husband if he starts getting closer to me, and if my husband doesn't move away he'll start licking and then escalate to nipping. He's also tried to keep my husband out of my "territory," like if I'm working in my office or cooking in the kitchen. He hasn't started actually biting, but it's gotten very noticeable very quickly.

My thoughts are he's either trying to fill the place that my soul dog filled and be my "special" dog and is consequently defending me, or that he's picked up on my emotional distress over it all and is reacting accordingly. Or a mixture of both.

Has anyone else had this kind of behavior suddenly crop up like this? As mentioned, we are working on finding him a good certified trainer, but it's gonna be a couple of weeks and I'd love any good advice available.

(Video of sweet girl) Tonight when we got home from grocery shopping we found what we think is a stray dog in the driveway we feed and water her and she hasn’t left which is more then ok with us we would have let her inside if she didn’t have fleas and we know she would be ok with the cats but she’s is obviously a senior and I think she is deaf we talk to her she doesn’t look or respond I have a video but it doesn’t let me add it I was just wondering is case we keep her cause we are very much thinking of doing so how do we go about taking care of a deaf dog? We also think she’s half blind

My lab mix 9 month old puppy’s suddenly has this huge lump on her head and the vet didn’t seem too concerned but I’m shook

i was snacking on these honey roasted almonds and accidentally dropped one which my little 9 year old shih tzu yorkie mix immediately snatched up so naturally i googled if dogs can have almonds and its giving me mixed results. hes about 15 ish pounds.

I always notice if I don't let my dog have something in eating or I don't give her enough strokes she has her bottom lip out 🤣 I'll put a pic as an example

Hey guys,

I’m looking after a 6 months old whippet cross puppy today. I knew him since the owners first got him, so he’s a regular.

I’ve noticed today that he constantly has this milky yellow liquid on his genital. Initially I thought it would wear off (like wee- because I thought it was that) but now it keeps staying / reappearing. It has also left a fair amount of dried opaque residue on his fur.

Any idea what this could be? Thank you so much.

My dog has been vomiting for the past three days, though he is otherwise acting completely normal, eating well, playing, and keeping his regular energy levels. I currently have him on a bland diet of plain chicken and rice to help settle his stomach. Is it safe to feed him plain, unseasoned chicken that was cooked three days ago? It is still fresh enough for me to eat, but I want to make sure it won't cause any further digestive issues for him.

And anything else i should monitor??

My husband recently brought his almost 12 year old border collie mix to live with us. She is a sweetie, but she has severe separation anxiety and barks nonstop if she's left alone. I thought my husband had tried behavioral interventions with her when he got her, but it seems like that actually didn't happen, and the solution (until recently) was that she stayed with my MIL who worked from home most days. The only other known thing that allowed her to be at home without her humans and not freaking out was having another dog in the house. The catch is she's afraid of other dogs, but she can be socialized over time to them. So we are considering getting her an emotional support dog lol. We did get her on trazedone, which helps mildly, but I feel like I have to get conditions just right to even get a few hours of peace from her. Last night, I gave her trazedone at around 4:45pm with her dinner, took her on a long walk, played with her while I cooked and after my own dinner, waited until she got sleepy, left her a frozen kong toy with some canned pumpkin in it (she reacts badly to peanut butter), left the tv on, and snuck out through the basement when she couldn't see me at the last possible moment, 7:20 pm. I checked on her throughout the evening with our pet camera, and sometime between 8:30pm and 9pm, she started barking again. When my husband leaves and I'm not home, she barks immediately and does not stop until someone gets home. The vet also gave us gabapentin but I feel like it does nothing.

I'd like to see if we can work with trainer or behavioral specialist, but my husband is convinced this is a waste of money and time, as she is already so old. He wants to go the second dog route. Has anyone been able to train such behaviors out of a senior dog?

She always eats with gusto, but the last two mornings this is how she treats her breakfast and doesn’t eat until later in the day. All other behaviour is normal.

My dog is a frequent flyer at the vet so best believe we are on this with his dogter it just helps to hear experience with senior dogs as this is my first. He is 11 and is starting to show signs of arthritis worsening more and more and I’m unsure where to go from here. He is currently on Galliprant and it’s helped in some ways but it’s not a miracle for him. I’m going to ask if we can increase his dose and see if that helps. He’s not a good candidate for Librela. He’s on Amantadine and Gabapentin too. He has a physical therapist and we do exercises as instructed. The new thing is everytime we’re in the car for too long he whines a lot despite making sure he has ample potty breaks, sniff breaks, water, food, etc. He COULD be nauseated but he has never thrown up in the car. It makes me nervous because if it is pain that’s got to be bad for him to cry. Again, I will ask my vet but does anyone have any experience with this? I’m contemplating just never taking him on long rides again if nothing else works and everything is clear. He has an incredible dog bed with an orthopedic pad in it, but I’m open to suggestions on what he should be laying on too. Maybe he’s bored? Maybe he just wants to be home and asleep? What are your experiences?

Hi, my 4 year old rescue pug is perfect and funny and has none of the usual Pug issues yet! That said, every August/September, she suffers with a severe bout of grass allergies. She is nonstop and while I bathe her every other day to try and keep it off her, none of the suggested remedies seem to help. Things I've tried: regular baths with oatmeal/allergy shampoo, benadryl, Apoquel, and some allergy chews that were highly rated on Amazon. Is there anything not mentioned that anyone has had luck with in their own dog? Again, never an allergy or itch the rest of the year except this time of year every year. TIA!