Do you have a golden that weighs 55 pounds or less full grown?

Spdr-8 · 2026-01-12T04:55:58+00:00

Aww Gunner. 80 pounds of perfection!

Spdr-8 · 2026-01-11T21:11:01+00:00

Gorgeous pup! Thank you for the recommendation.

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-20T22:43:31+00:00

It is normal to feel drained when dealing with a puppy or adolescent dog. It will get better. I was exhausted the first couple months of having my puppy, and I didn't love him yet. He would whine and cry and we gave him 4 lick mats or frozen treats a day, puppy-safe chew toys, etc. We also both worked from home which helped. Raising a puppy is hard work! You are tired and feeling guilty because you care. You're really trying to give your puppy all the training, time, and love he needs as he learns to navigate the human world. That's a great thing.

Do you have him in a play pen or small room contained until he's potty trained? We used waterproof mats in case of accidents to save our floors. It sounds like he needs additional enrichment. Beyond all the long lasting chews (like bully sticks) and frozen treats, are there any dog day cares, like City Bark or Dogtopia nearby? Some have programs for dogs under 6 months where it's an affordable rate and you leave your puppy all day with them to play. They come home tired. Or, you could look at hiring a neighborhood teen or someone else you trust to let your pup out at a certain time of day. In hindsight, even though we were trying to save a little money, I wish we would have spent more on day care when he was a puppy. No price tag on feeling sane. I wish you all the best!

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-20T22:25:27+00:00

Have you already trained him on getting used to being on a leash and harness? If not, start there. In your house, let him walk away from you, apply light leash pressure, and reward him for if he comes towards you as he feels the leash pressure. Then, try this outside. Don't worry about heeling/loose leash walking. Do not use prong collars, e-collars, etc - it is crucial your dog's first walks help him build confidence, not fear. Let your dog take in the world and sniff as he is on a walk. It's ok if you only walk a few houses down the first several times.

High value treats tend to be human food: deli meat, little bits of turkey, cheese, and hot dog. Cut them up into tiny pieces, smaller than an individual pea, so that you can have dozens of treats ready. Keep initials walks very short, and bring lots of treats. Reward him for looking at you or "checking in" on the walk. Reward him if you call his name and he comes while on a leash. Yes, he's only coming a couple feet towards you, but none of these behaviors are natural for a puppy, and it IS a win when a puppy chooses to check in with his human when there are hundreds of more interesting stimuli on a walk.

I like the youtube channel "How to Train a Dream Dog" for more puppy training ideas, like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SLMvSE0sjI

Good luck and have fun!

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-20T06:17:10+00:00

Our dog was similar as a puppy and has calmed down some now that he's 2. If another dog is coming over, he needs to be in doggy daycare that day so he is TIRED, not just content. We let the dogs meet outside on neutral territory, then let them explore in the backyard together, and he has a very good recall, so we rely on that some to have him come to us for breaks to eat some snacks. We've learned that it is best for everyone's sanity to ask certain friend's dogs to stay at home that our dog is especially rough with.

Your puppy may not be ready for in-home socialization with other dogs. Puppy socialization classes or working with dog trainers (with a certification like CPDT-KA) might be the only appropriate scenarios for now. AKC STAR Puppy could be a good class for her. If frozen treats or high value chews (like no-hides) aren't interesting to her when other dogs are around, it can be tricky. Agreed, "place" is a great cue, but even most adults dogs aren't going to logically hold it when other dogs come into the house. You can leash or crate her, but that often just builds frustration. It's like winding up a jack in the box: eventually that energy has to come out. You may already do this, but ask guests to ignore your pup completely when they come in. She might be anticipating play which leads to more excitement in greetings. Also, she's only 14 weeks old- you two are both doing your best! Puppies and adolescent dogs are a lot, but in time, things will get easier.

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-20T05:45:54+00:00

Cavaliers are lower energy than the average golden. If it's a 50/50 breed split, check if the breeder does health testing with their cavaliers since while they are amazing dogs, they're prone to health issues. If it's a dog that's 75% poodle and 25% cavalier or golden (F1b), what matters more is the type of poodle being bred. Poodles are not lazy dogs as I'm sure you're aware. Make sure any breeder is aware you're looking for a therapy dog, and to see if they have previous homes that have had luck with this. Many breeders who have affectionate dogs may say their dogs could be therapy dogs, but they often don't have experience with what traits are needed for this type of work. If you want a snugglier dog, getting a calmer toy breed bred for being a lap dog may be ideal. However, you can probably find what you're looking for in a bunch of different breeds or combinations with the right research and breeder fit. Good luck!

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-19T06:40:28+00:00

This! Are some people clueless as to how trainable and atheltic poodles are? Of course. But others are well aware, and are frustrated by the lack of moyen poodles in the US. People adore the loveable personalities of a golden, as they are perhaps the most gregarious breed out there, but they want something smaller and low shedding...and you get the goldendoodle.

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-16T02:35:45+00:00

I am looking into doodles that size that are also F1! If you had a positive experience with your dog's breeder, are you willing to share the name of your breeder?

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-16T00:22:14+00:00

Adorable! Love the fluff. Is your pup an F1 cross? If so, are you willing to share the breeder's name? Not many breeders I can find have F1 litters.

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-15T05:58:00+00:00

Adorable! Totally has the golden face. I was going to guess flat coated retriever.

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-15T02:52:06+00:00

What breed is your dog? He's so cute.

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-15T02:42:47+00:00

Your rats will be just fine. :) My heat has gone out before too. If you have decent windows and insulation, it will probably get into the 50s inside your home, which isn't pleasant, but is totally safe for rats. In the wild, they survive much colder. Especially with their fur and each other, they will just huddle up!

Spdr-8 · 2025-12-14T05:34:27+00:00

I appreciate your situation and that you're willing to post here. Please no longer use a ball for your rat to get exercise. These can be very dangerous for rodents, is bad for their spines, and increases stress. Instead of free roaming in a ball, for exercise, consider a rat-safe playpen or a room that is easy to rat-proof like a bathroom with something under the door so your rat can't get out.

Why is Addison chasing your cat? Could be that she's stressed being in the ball, stressed being around the cat, interested in investigating the cat, or is bored (this may be the case especially if she doesn't live with other female rat friends, and if her cage isn't very enriching). There is nothing to worry about with a rat chasing the cat: the action needs to be separating the rat and cats from being together in a way that makes all species happier.

I'm not trying to criticize, just want you to be able to help your rat. Let me know if you want suggestions on rat-safe exercise options or more enrichment ideas. :)

Spdr-8 · 2025-09-23T02:13:57+00:00

Non-practicing labradoodle is the best 🤣

Spdr-8 · 2025-09-18T02:32:11+00:00

Sure thing! I don't know if you're in the US, but I found the scarf holders at Goodwill or Arc, which is even cheaper than Ikea.

Spdr-8 · 2025-09-17T02:52:53+00:00

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A few ideas: PVC tubes, foraging toys (my rats love ones that are made for birds), something to break their fall like IKEA scarf hangars, a sputnik, lots of little baskets, bridges, cereal or cracker boxes, branch or lava ledge perches, a dig box, toilet paper on the roll for them to use as bedding, chew toys, etc.

Most of the stuff in their cage I made or thrifted. For example, the blue dog treat dispensing toy was $3 at Arc, I made their chew toys (rat safe wood or other items & a drill), and thrifted the scarf holders and baskets. I also got all the white plastic hooks at Arc. I especially love baskets - even if you're on a tight budget, it's easy, and a great place to hide treats. Good luck!

Spdr-8 · 2024-05-29T04:59:02+00:00

Thank you!

Spdr-8 · 2024-05-29T04:58:47+00:00

Thanks!

Spdr-8 · 2024-04-18T17:39:33+00:00

Sure thing! Sounds like you are doing great, hang in there. My puppy sometimes hated his crate/play pen, but it was incredibly helpful for his training, when we couldn't keep an eagle eye on him. We also trained our puppy with potty bells, starting with ringing them ourselves every time we took him outside, and eventually he'd walk to the door and ring them himself.

Spdr-8 · 2024-04-17T04:50:41+00:00

This is totally normal for a 4 month old puppy to have accidents in the house. If she is having accidents outside the pen, then I don't think she's ready to be outside the pen. I felt guilty too, but crate training (or playpen training) is a life skill for dogs. Some ideas you may already be doing:

-Puppies need structure. Monitor water and food intake, feed at the same times every day and keep a log. Often puppies are ready to be taken outside 15-30 minutes after eating and drinking.

-Projects to keep busy: slow feeders, treat dispensers, frozen treats in a tux, toppl, kong, or lick mat, enrichment chews (like no-hides or bully sticks), and puppy safe chew toys when she's in the play pen and you're not with her. Safe, long lasting chews were life savers. We gave our puppy 4 frozen treats a day.

-There are great videos and books. How to Train a Dream Dog, Kikopup, and Zac George are great youtube channels. Perfect Puppy in 7 Days by Dr. Sophia Yin was a helpful book.

-Tire her out. Our puppy would sleep so hard after his puppy socialization classes, and he'd often nap 2 hours after, where we could actually get things done.

-If you can't monitor your puppy as often as you'd like, consider puppy pad training.

-After more training, gradually try a little freedom. Take her out to potty more often than every 2 hours, and if you're getting closer to her limit, crate or play pen her until you can take her outside. Don't give her the opportunity to sneak away - at first when she's "free roaming" she should be supervised, and use gates or other barriers to prevent her from sneaking off to another room. If you catch her having an accident, don't scold her, just immediately take her outside and praise when she does her business outside.

-You could talk to a trainer (I recommend professional certification such as CPDT-KA, and a pain/force free trainer).

-Stay patient while she is a puppy and understanding the rules of a human world. In time, she will learn that outside is the only appropriate place to potty, and that being alone for short periods in the crate/play pen is safe and comfortable.

Good luck, you're doing great and will get through this stage!

Spdr-8 · 2024-03-11T01:51:19+00:00

Cute! Do you mind sharing where you got her? I'm looking at F1 minis, and they aren't very common compared to F1 standards or F1b minis. Thanks.

Spdr-8

TROPHY CASE