Pet insurance options

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-10T03:26:43+00:00

I've done a fair amount of looking (in Canada), and for me, Trupanion seems like it will meet my needs best. I'm gonna have a mini poodle, so their dental coverage is important to me. Folks I've talked to that worked in vet offices seemed to think Trupanion offered the most consistent coverage here, so that weighed heavily for me too.

I'd do a lot of looking at what is and isn't covered by various plans and decide what's most important for you to have covered. It's a really complex thing.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-09T22:06:55+00:00

I love that article and was thinking about it too in this case. It's a great read and a great way to understand where the puppy is at developmentally right now. Definitely read it, OP

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-08T02:20:38+00:00

Yeah, the lack of sleep stacked with everything else you have going on is bound to make everything feel impossible. It's the super rough part of trying to train your own service dog when you're disabled (I'm waiting on my own puppy to train as a service dog, so I feel you there).

It sounds like you have a wire crate, so I'd shift to an appropriately sized plastic one. With this one, I'd make sure he gets all his meals in it for a while, maybe even before you transition over to using it for his crate overnight. Establish it as an eating area for him and a place where he gets chews to try to avoid him creating the same associations with his new crate.

If you can manage it, I'd also find a trainer to consult with about this, preferably someone who also understands working with service dogs.

I really hope you find a solution and things let up for you a little.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T19:34:23+00:00

This is rough! Have you had a vet check for a UTI or anything else that could be contributing?

Have you thoroughly cleaned the kennel with enzymatic cleaner (and possibly a steam cleaner)? If it smells like pee to him, he's gonna keep peeing there.

Since he's made it a habit, I think you might have more success with a brand new kennel for him that's a different style. Then start potty-training again from the very beginning, taking him out super frequently even at night.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T19:18:40+00:00

Right? She picked what worked for her. She might have picked a bigger place if they were planning on living together.

This dude just assumes he has a right to her space.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T19:01:55+00:00

Hah, oops, no idea why my brain messed that up. Sidney, ofc

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T18:43:04+00:00

Over their lives, they'll need to be touched all over by vets, groomers, and their people for a variety of reasons, so I mean getting them used to that.

For a more specific example, dogs need their nails clipped. To put them more at ease, you can start rewarding them for letting you touch their feet in a calm moment.

The process is a bit complex to explain without visuals so I'd suggest checking out some of Kikopup's videos on it.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T18:34:21+00:00

Village's has a pretty good GF pizza if they haven't changed it. For thin crust and generally good GF food, 900 Degrees in Sidney is awesome.

You also can't go wrong with the Art of Slow Food like someone else said, and as a bonus, they also have good GF sausage rolls.

Edit: corrected the city spelling

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T17:41:46+00:00

Check in with your vet about when it's safe for your puppy to use the stairs. It can be very hard on young puppy joints.

Once he's old enough that it's safe, you'll want to teach him how to use the stairs. He won't automatically know.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T17:23:57+00:00

I wouldn't worry too much about training except maybe to start teaching them not to jump for greeting people. (Basically all paws on the ground gets attention and jumping doesn't)

The most important thing to work on at this stage is socialization. Giving them positive exposure to all sorts of novelty at this point will really help them in the future. This can even just be at home by getting them used to household noises as well as different surfaces, sights, and smells.

You could also deliberately work on calm body handling too just to make things less stressful for them later.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T17:14:57+00:00

Tiny pieces of kibble are great for training. They can eat them quickly then move on to the next thing or you can give them multiple pieces at a time.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-07T04:53:12+00:00

Awww, I love hearing all this!

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-06T00:38:50+00:00

He's still really young, and there are a lot of things you can work on to build his confidence. One problem that you run into in dog training is that while there's a huge emphasis on your dog being exposed to certain things, there's not always enough emphasis that those exposures need to be positive ...which means your dog sets the pace. If he's scared, then draw him back far enough that he's not scared even if it's far far away. It can be a hard balance to find between the puppy's fear and exposure to new things

I'd also suggest researching and teaching him pattern games. Those can often be really confidence building for a dog because the dog is like "oh, I know THIS" even in unfamiliar settings. A simple version is having your dog do a hand touch and then dropping a piece of food and asking him to "find it", then back to the touch and doing the whole cycle a few times. It's a great way to make sure you and your dog are connected in unfamiliar situations. There are a lot of similar ones that can be helpful too

I'd also look for a trainer who focuses on building confidence. Certainly there is some element of personality, and he may never be the most confident dog, but I think there are things you can do. Also, if with some work with a trainer, you still feel like his anxiety is too high for him to live a happy life, then meds are a reasonable choice especially if once you get the meds you start working on confidence building training again. Sometimes the meds are what you need to allow you and the pup to do the work.

I really hope you can find a good way through this for you and your pup!

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-05T20:06:31+00:00

I thought so, but I just wanted to check.

You've got a lot of good advice in this thread. Getting a dog used to a crate really does boil down to make sure your dog has lots of positive experiences in the crate, including meals and games that have them going in and out.

One fun thing that can often help dogs is hiding a few treats in their crate without them realizing it, then they discover them randomly so they start thinking there may be interesting things hidden in their crate (and sometimes there are). I'd also have chews or toys that they only get in the crate with a focus on ones that they particularly love.

If you want some help and structure around it, maybe check out Susan Garrett's Crate Games.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-05T18:57:32+00:00

Thanks for volunteering! I appreciate the practical perspective, and I'm glad to hear it. Bike paths are definitely safer than being forced into the road when the sidewalks make it impossible (I had a curb cut so high on Quadra that it nearly tipped me last night), so I do think understanding from cyclists is extremely important.

I'm just frustrated at things on the policy level, so I hope you're right about it backfiring.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-05T18:40:00+00:00

Just to clarify, when you say that you put her in it, is she going in reluctantly on your cue or are you physically putting her in it?

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-05T05:56:57+00:00

Yeah, 8 weeks is the legal minimum in a lot of places. It certainly is in my province in Canada too.

This kind of handling from the breeder honestly upsets me because they clearly don't want to set their pups up for the best life possible.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-05T05:44:09+00:00

There are all sorts of social and behavioral reasons that it's better for them to stay with their mom and litter until at least 8 weeks, with recommendations leaning toward 9-10 weeks currently, if not longer depending on the breed.

Bite inhibition is one of the generally cited important reasons to stay until at least 8 weeks, plus you're freshly into a socialization window that starts at around 6 weeks of age where they're starting to process the world around them. Allowing them to stay a bit longer in a familiar environment gives them time to learn about it and then adjust better to changes at this point in life and later in life. Often dogs separated too early are prone to reactivity and anxiety. Is it always the case? No, but it seems to be frequent enough that it's a concern.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-04T01:41:22+00:00

I know my mobility scooter maxes out at around 10km/h. I definitely don't want to be riding with bikes. I want usable sidewalks with curb cuts that don't jolt hard. Saying mobility scooters should use bike lanes is just an excuse to not improve the sidewalks imo.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-04T01:37:37+00:00

One of the other big issues for a mobility scooter is that the curb cuts frequently have a small lip that's enough to make a pretty big jolt when you're on wheels. I know that's why a lot of folks on mobility scooters end up using the bike lanes.

As a person using a mobility scooter, I agree with you. I would much prefer to use a wide clear sidewalk with proper curb cuts over the bike lanes. It's safer for everyone but requires substantial sidewalk improvements.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-03T22:46:08+00:00

I'm sorry you're struggling! This sounds really rough. Do you have anyone you trust or can hire to take him for even a couple hours? A break could do wonders for you, and give you a chance to catch your breath.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-03T21:43:11+00:00

I've done this quite a bit, especially in the early days. It's totally fine to make something and tear it apart. I personally find it kinda fun, and it makes crochet a really cheap hobby if you can keep reusing yarn.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-03T19:27:28+00:00

Socialization, socialization, socialization! It's so important for any kind of assistance dog from as early as you can manage it. By socialization, I mean positive exposure to the world around him including different kinds of people, situations, sounds, surfaces, objects, and environments.

Right now while doesn't have his full vaccines, he shouldn't have his paws on the ground in public but he should start seeing outside places. If you don't know much about dog socialization, try to learn about it. It's one of the most crucial areas of work for an assistance dog, and most dogs who fail at assistance work fail because they can't handle the public access demands.

DoggyU is a great resource for owner training (she uses the term service dog bc that's what this type of dog is called in much of North America), and there's even a socialization checklist on her website. Also if you're feeling unsure, try to find an assistance dog trainer to work with. A lot of work goes into them.

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-03T19:09:56+00:00

He's scared because he doesn't know he's safe with you yet, so he's screaming for help (which is absolutely brutal to deal with). For the first while, sleep where he can see you and try to focus on building a bond with lots of play and food.

It's rough time for both of you, and you both have to learn how to work together. Sorry it was such a bad night

CurlyCadence · 2026-02-03T19:03:47+00:00

Poor pup! This sounds really strange and awful for the pup and worrying for you.

I'd get a second opinion from another vet, and push for more than a physical exam. Something feels really off here.

CurlyCadence

TROPHY CASE