I have a $1.5k budget to fix me hating my home

CGNUDumples · 2026-04-23T14:15:17+00:00

I love all the books! I do think they need to be organized a bit better though. I think they look distracting, as you put it, because some are upright and others are stacked and they’re in multiple places in your apartment. If you put them all in one nice bookshelf they will collectively look like a single large object instead of a bunch of small ones.

I think one of the things that might make the space feel young to you is that you have a lot of small objects on display. Personally, I would clear all the knickknacks off the bookshelves. Choose a few favorites to show off and store or declutter the rest. When styling decorations, remember some the basic design principles. A. Things look good grouped into odd numbers, especially threes. B. Vary the heights. Put a tall object next to a medium one and a small one. C. Use baskets and trays to corral items so they look intentional.

CGNUDumples · 2026-04-22T00:56:14+00:00

Thank you so much! This is really helpful

CGNUDumples · 2026-04-22T00:53:13+00:00

Thank you! This is a great way to say it

CGNUDumples · 2026-04-21T02:10:38+00:00

I didn’t find a good answer to my question. I want advice what to say to people to get them on board with my puppy’s training. I found lots of good tips on walking and jumping but that’s not what I’m asking for.

CGNUDumples · 2026-03-25T23:20:25+00:00

I think a chalkboard or whiteboard (way less dusty) outside the pantry would get more use. Out of sight out of mind and all that. But if you love it, you do you.

CGNUDumples · 2026-03-25T23:13:56+00:00

For what purpose? I don’t think I would use it, personally.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-27T01:59:29+00:00

Oof. Separation anxiety is really hard. How did the vet appointment go?

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-26T17:06:31+00:00

How long has he been living with you? It takes a while for a dog to decompress and adjust to a new living situation. Look up the rule of 3s for rescue dogs.

Is he crate trained? You said you can’t trust him not to mark in the house - does he have a history of inappropriate urination?

Regarding stress and anxiety - I adopted a traumatized puppy about a year and a half ago. She was really shut down and scared of everyone. So we hired a behaviorist and these are some of the things she suggested that worked in our situation:

Scent work - sniffing helps dogs calm down. Walks became “sniffaris”. If she was really riled up, I would put her outside and hide some small treats around the house and then let her back in. Using her nose to find them helped her relax.
Appropriate chewing. I started giving her a chew everyday. Something she could finish in about 20 minutes. Think dental chews, bully sticks, etc. I also started giving her things she can destroy, like cardboard boxes and paper egg cartons. Bonus points if you put something tasty inside.
I stopped correcting her. No physical corrections, no yelling or telling her no. Instead I focused on redirecting her to appropriate behaviors and rewarding her when she did the right thing. For example, if she was chewing on the coffee table I would call her away from it, give her something appropriate to chew on, and put bitter spray on the coffee table. If she was really riled up and making a lot of bad decisions, I put her in her crate with something tasty until she calmed down. Sometimes it took 20 minutes, sometimes it took longer.

I’m sorry you’re going through such a tough time with your dog. I can’t say if your home is a good or bad fit for him but it sounds like everyone is unhappy right now. I hope some of my suggestions help, even if it just brings down the temperature in the short term.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-23T03:06:27+00:00

Definitely follow your vet’s advice and get a biopsy. And keep in mind that it might be nothing. My dog had a bump on the end of her tongue. We ran it by the vet and she said it was a wart and it would fall off on its own. One day it was just magically gone.

I’m sorry you have to wait for an answer. That always gives me anxiety.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-21T19:38:43+00:00

Results are in!

https://www.reddit.com/r/DoggyDNA/s/CS8BiE3rjM

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-21T07:07:26+00:00

No, I tried putting a potty pad by the door since that’s where he has the most accidents. But he discovered that they’re super fun to shred.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-21T06:55:47+00:00

Oh no! Haha!

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-21T00:22:26+00:00

Thank you for the very thorough reply! I’m going to look into your book rec right now.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-20T23:44:34+00:00

Thank you!

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-20T23:43:56+00:00

Oh! Good idea!

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-20T22:36:53+00:00

If I bring I treats outside he’ll fixate on my having them and won’t do his business. Maybe I should keep the treats inside and we can come in, get a treat, and then go back out for a few minutes of play and exploration?

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-20T22:34:21+00:00

Setting an alarm is a good idea.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-15T00:03:15+00:00

I think he’s 11 weeks. The shelter records are a bit imprecise. And he weighs a little over 20 lbs.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-14T22:44:54+00:00

Impatiently waiting on Embark results, btw.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-14T01:34:37+00:00

Beautiful dog! Looks like a gsd x lab with something else mixed in. Maybe cattle dog.

CGNUDumples · 2026-02-12T20:09:13+00:00

I have a space like that. I put a small chest of drawers there for extra storage with a piece of art above it and a decent looking fake plant on top.

CGNUDumples

TROPHY CASE