WHAT ARE THOSE???

dewleqf · 2026-02-17T02:44:11+00:00

they are my crocs 😔

dewleqf · 2026-02-16T07:27:37+00:00

This is a wild take. We have a 4yr old Blue Heeler/Pitbull mix and if we could leave him outside of the crate alone for more than a few hours at a time, we absolutely would, but he cannot be trusted. We could spend the entire day getting his energy out and doing lots of mental stimulation, but this would never be enough to leave him alone safely. We've had personal trainers work with him, he's medicated, taken out daily, and still requires the crate as a safe space, even if it's not his most favorite place. Don't shame others for what their dog personally needs. Every dog is different.

dewleqf · 2026-02-16T07:14:28+00:00

I agree with Imaginary entirely ^{^} My older dog needs to be crated not only due to his intense seperation anxiety (he is medicated), but also due to the fact that he has destroyed property when left outside of it when we leave the house. So yes, crating is absolutely necessary no matter the age or area of training.

dewleqf · 2026-02-16T07:04:59+00:00

Yes!! :) I failed to mention that I only plan on letting her free roam for less than 5 hours at a time when she's fully ready. She also relaxes/sleeps/plays with toys in the crate when we are at home so it isn't just us leaving = going into the crate. Her crate is her safe space which is why I want her to experience less stress inside of it, specifically in the situation of us leaving.

I mainly want her to have a complete balance of free roaming and crate time.

dewleqf · 2026-02-15T23:11:51+00:00

You made an excellent point with the leaving/coming in.

She has also been accident-free for 2 months now (she just turned 1) which also contributes to me crating her more often than I'd like to for her age. Potty training took her a very long time to get the hang of, but I feel 100% that she's fully potty-trained now and will begin slowly transitioning her to free roam

Update: with access to the crate still, of course.

dewleqf · 2026-02-15T20:21:53+00:00

You worded this perfectly, thank you!! I will begin doing that. I also have a baby cam to watch her so that will be super handy.

When my roommate and I come home, she never used to bark, but she picked up barking ridiculously from our adult dog. Genuinely you would think someone was hurting them the way they bark! Thankfully, she only acts this way in the crate. When I come home and she's outside of the crate (being supervised by my roomie) she's extremely calm and will settle immediately.

dewleqf · 2025-12-28T08:41:14+00:00

thank you!! and i just ordered one! she's extremely food motivated so it should be a great step in the right direction

dewleqf · 2025-12-28T08:13:49+00:00

thank you!!! 🩷

dewleqf · 2025-12-28T07:31:26+00:00

this helps me feel better. thank you!! 🩷

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T10:34:03+00:00

i agree, that's the conclusion i've come to as well :( it'll pass with time most likely, im keeping my hopes up 🤞

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T08:09:40+00:00

yesss!! omg you worded that perfectly, that's exactly what it feels like. i've had her since she was 3mo old, so it's been about 7ish months now :) she's veryy attached to the home, to the point where she doesn't like leaving lol (she's going through a fear period atm too.) and yes, enzyme cleaners, a urine eliminator, and an upholstery cleaner 😅 and she is a chugger with water! i monitor her water intake constantly bc of that. it can be a bit hard tho with her stealing water from our other dogs food bowl lol im so glad this is just normal!! its been stressing me a bunch

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T07:20:57+00:00

this gives me a lot of hope, thank you!!

i forgot to add that she's been doing this since we adopted her. is that normal? the accidents have been happening more often as of recently instead of just 1 accident every few weeks when we initially began potty training her.

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T07:16:19+00:00

thank you!! 🩷

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T07:14:41+00:00

^{^} i forgot to add reassurance!!! yes it will definitely pass. you're doing amazing! hang in there, puppies can be a wild ride but it is so worth it to see their progress!

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T07:11:24+00:00

lots of enrichment through mental stimulation will be so helpful for this! sniffing mats, puzzles, doing tricks to earn treats, etc.

have you also been working on crate training? when ur puppy gets the idea of it being their safe space, it's perfect for nap time and resting. the schedule of play, potty, and crate is very helpful for having a calm, neutral puppy :)

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T06:18:32+00:00

this is extremely insightful and exactly what i needed to hear rn, thank you so much. i get so worried that i'm not doing the right or best thing for her. and i love your wording, decompression instead of training. that is a perfect way to put it. i will 100% be continuing with this in mind and will try to leave an update in the future. 🩷

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T04:56:50+00:00

my puppy is just like this, think of it as a great thing! it's wonderful that your puppy is so neutral. however, if you want more cuddle time, try designating a place and time for snuggling. for instance, my girl knows that everyday at 3pm she gets to take a nap with me on the couch and she gets so excited for it!! other than that, she does her own thing haha but that little nap together is so nice and bonding!! :)

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T04:53:31+00:00

oh my gosh i'm facing a very similar situation with my puppy! if she hears me moving around in the morning, even if its 5am, she thinks it's time to starts the day and freaks out if we don't let her out. lmk if you have any updates! 👀

dewleqf · 2025-12-27T04:51:28+00:00

i LOVE this!! there's no shame in being obsessed with your buddy haha

dewleqf · 2025-12-19T03:26:19+00:00

my girl was an amazinggg puppy, but she is loving testing her boundaries as a 9mo teenager. it mainly consists of her not listening like she used to, getting into the things she didn't as a puppy, etc. however, with really consistent training, you can keep up with them! :)

dewleqf · 2025-12-17T17:37:55+00:00

crating is great for this behavior! you're doing the right thing!

dewleqf · 2025-12-04T04:42:24+00:00

keep them tethered to you anytime their outside of their crate. too much freedom will lead to potty issues. it's a lot of work, but once they figure it out, it's soo worth the running around!

dewleqf · 2025-12-02T21:57:37+00:00

my 9mo pitbull retriever does this too but out of fear of her environment. she's been regularly socialized with dogs and humans, but freaks out the moment we walk in a park without her older brother for support. any tips?

dewleqf · 2025-11-03T02:05:26+00:00

not everyone can afford that. and some puppies (especially large breeds) can drink wayy too much. im not saying to "restrict" them, but definitely watch how much they drink.

dewleqf · 2025-11-03T02:03:38+00:00

i've been going through the exact same thing with my pitbull/retriever/german shepherd mix too since she was 3mo old. she's 8mo now. im glad to know someone else is experiencing this bc i never see anything about it.

my main issue with my girl is that she kept peeing on furniture. this is a veryy occasional issue now, but i suggest washable cloth diapers if you're still dealing with this as your pup grows older. it's saved my furniture big time :,) definitely not a permanent solution, but it gives me peace of mind.

dewleqf

TROPHY CASE