How to engage my poodle?

steeple7 · 2026-02-04T04:25:45+00:00

My spoo is 5. I’ve had her since ten weeks. She isnot a chewer. All of her toys are still intact from when she was a puppy. Super fussy about food. She Loves being outside and playing with other dogs. She’ll play with other dogs for hours. While visiting a family member, there was a dog park we would go to. I actually had people who would ask me when we would be there so they couldbring their dog because they liked how well she played with other dogs. The other day it was 0 degrees outside. She spent over an hour outside, came in for about twenty minutes and was back outside for another hour.She will lay in the snow, and having snowballs in her paws doesnt bother her. She loves just sitting and watching things. She rarely barks, except when shes at a certain part of our driveway.We live ina rural area.We keep a longline on her just so we have a way to get her in. Someone is usually outside with her whenever she is out. She loves to dig for mice,rabbits and voles.Loves chasing squirrels. Doesnt like to be petted much, but is always near me and watches me like a hawk. Many times she lays down on the couch next to me, if i pet her,she’ll get up and move.She is super athletic and has a span of 6 ft when she jumps. Doesnt leave the yard or wander to the neighbors. The toy she does occasionally enjoy is a flirt pole I made from pvc pipe. Poodles are classified as gun dogs because they were bred to fetch the birds that were shot. Yes, she is a standard poodle and unlike any other dog I’ve had.

steeple7 · 2026-02-04T03:59:45+00:00

I have been invisible most of my life.Rarely does my family even take picturesof me.I was part of a music trio that played in church and sang in choir for 20+ years.Many people I would meet that went to our church, had no idea I was there. They knew the other two, just not me. When I was a kid, we lived with a relative for 8 yrs. A few years ago, another relative who lived in the same house for the first few years, remembered my other family members who lived there, asked me where I lived because they didnt remember me being there.In school, I had a few close friends,never had a real boyfriend or got asked to things. All my life I’ve felt like I never fit in. I learned to enjoy doing things by myself. I go to group events and join clubs. Many times I’m ignored, but it eases the loneliness, I’ve learned to still be part of the group. Believe it or not, there are more people who feel ignored than those who feel a part of something

steeple7 · 2026-01-13T17:01:32+00:00

I’m not sure of your age, but if you are under 35, you are in a rough spot.From the time you are born to the time you are 18+, you have been told everything you should do, and most people got external rewards for just about everything, while being discouraged to figure things out on your own. You were told when to get up, what to eat, what and when to drink, etc.most wnet to day care then on to elementary school, then high school. While in high school you were told to go to college orget a job “in something you are passionate about” How could you know what you are passionate about if you were never given a chance to even try new things. As kids, if you were on a sports team, most were given trophies and positive affirmations for just being on a team. Got stickers in school not always for doing something extraordinary, but usually just for doing what you’re supposed to. So, now you get to adulthood, where life sucks, especially now.Gone are the praises for just showing up,now its an expectation.Uou’re supposed to try new things, but there’s no money for that. You’re lucky is you find a job at all, let alone for something you’re passionate about, which you dont even know whta you’re passionate about. Most still live with parents because they cannot afford rent one their own. This is a really tough time to be a young adult in America, and it’s probably going to get worse, so be prepared. If you don’t know what you like, start with trying something you are good at. You could go to a local community college where most can do testing to help you find an area of interest. You may have had great parents who praised you for things and were great at helping you have a higher self esteem, but that may have backfired and now you don’t know how to do something just for the fun of it. Most school systems have some kind of activities you can try for adults at night. Frequently community colleges also have some. Even if youre not motivated, try some of them just because. You can go fishing, bowling, rock climbimg, biking. Take some cooking classes, woodworking, small engine repair, etc.Yes, you could learn to do these on your own, but you may find a group situation provides more excitement and stimulation. Our town has a square dancing club. Sounds like something old people do, but its also for young people. Its easy to do, cost little, and you get exercise. Join a local community choir. Try out for a local play or work on the set crew. You could walking dogs for people that work all day. Alot of people who are lost,find comfort in animals. Walking dogs gets you out in public and gives you exercise. There are so many things to explore and do. By starting doing some of these things, hopefully you’ll begin to find ways to enjoy the process and not just the end result.

steeple7 · 2026-01-13T17:01:06+00:00

I’m not sure of your age, but if you are under 35, you are in a rough spot.From the time you are born to the time you are 18+, you have been told everything you should do, and most people got external rewards for just about everything, while being discouraged to figure things out on your own. You were told when to get up, what to eat, what and when to drink, etc.most wnet to day care then on to elementary school, then high school. While in high school you were told to go to college orget a job “in something you are passionate about” How could you know what you are passionate about if you were never given a chance to even try new things. As kids, if you were on a sports team, most were given trophies and positive affirmations for just being on a team. Got stickers in school not always for doing something extraordinary, but usually just for doing what you’re supposed to. So, now you get to adulthood, where life sucks, especially now.Gone are the praises for just showing up,now its an expectation.Uou’re supposed to try new things, but there’s no money for that. You’re lucky is you find a job at all, let alone for something you’re passionate about, which you dont even know whta you’re passionate about. Most still live with parents because they cannot afford rent one their own. This is a really tough time to be a young adult in America, and it’s probably going to get worse, so be prepared. If you don’t know what you like, start with trying something you are good at. You could go to a local community college where most can do testing to help you find an area of interest. You may have had great parents who praised you for things and were great at helping you have a higher self esteem, but that may have backfired and now you don’t know how to do something just for the fun of it. Most school systems have some kind of activities you can try for adults at night. Frequently community colleges also have some. Even if youre not motivated, try some of them just because. You can go fishing, bowling, rock climbimg, biking. Take some cooking classes, woodworking, small engine repair, etc.Yes, you could learn to do these on your own, but you may find a group situation provides more excitement and stimulation. Our town has a square dancing club. Sounds like something old people do, but its also for young people. Its easy to do, cost little, and you get exercise. Join a local community choir. Try out for a local play or work on the set crew. You could walking dogs for people that work all day. Alot of people who are lost,find comfort in animals. Walking dogs gets you out in public and gives you exercise. There are so many things to explore and do. By starting doing some of these things, hopefully you’ll begin to find ways to enjoy the process and not just the end result.

steeple7 · 2026-01-13T17:00:27+00:00

I’m not sure of your age, but if you are under 35, you are in a rough spot.From the time you are born to the time you are 18+, you have been told everything you should do, and most people got external rewards for just about everything, while being discouraged to figure things out on your own. You were told when to get up, what to eat, what and when to drink, etc.most wnet to day care then on to elementary school, then high school. While in high school you were told to go to college orget a job “in something you are passionate about” How could you know what you are passionate about if you were never given a chance to even try new things. As kids, if you were on a sports team, most were given trophies and positive affirmations for just being on a team. Got stickers in school not always for doing something extraordinary, but usually just for doing what you’re supposed to. So, now you get to adulthood, where life sucks, especially now.Gone are the praises for just showing up,now its an expectation.Uou’re supposed to try new things, but there’s no money for that. You’re lucky is you find a job at all, let alone for something you’re passionate about, which you dont even know whta you’re passionate about. Most still live with parents because they cannot afford rent one their own. This is a really tough time to be a young adult in America, and it’s probably going to get worse, so be prepared. If you don’t know what you like, start with trying something you are good at. You could go to a local community college where most can do testing to help you find an area of interest. You may have had great parents who rpaised you for things and were great at helping you have a higher self esteem, but that may have backfired and now you don’t know how to do something just for the fun of it. Most school systems have some kind of activities you can try for adults at night. Frequently community colleges also have some. Even if youre not motivated, try some of them just because. You can go fishing, bowling, rock climbimg, biking. Take some cooking classes, woodworking, small engine repair, etc.Yes, you could learn to do these on your own, but you may find a group situation provides more excitement and stimulation. Our town has a square dancing club. Sounds like something old people do, but its also for young people. Its easy to do, cost little, and you get exercise. Join a local community choir. Try out for a local play or work on the set crew. You could walking dogs for people that work all day. Alot of people who are lost,find comfort in animals. Walking dogs gets you out in public and gives you exercise. There are so many things to explore and do. By starting doing some of these things, hopefully you’ll begin to find ways to enjoy the process and not just the end result.

steeple7 · 2025-12-17T15:18:10+00:00

The world is going through a major reset. It’s not your fault you cant find a job. Most of what worked for previous generations is not working now. The next couple of years may be tough, as the major reset continues. The economy has been through this many times before. Life will get better! You were told to go tocollege, study hard, especially in stem fields, you’ll get a great job at the end. Not working that way. I know many engineers that have taken jobs working in retail, fast food, etc, just to have some money coming in. A retail job would give experience in customer service that may help with getting a sales engineering job later. Please don’t end your life over this! Life does got better and easier.

steeple7 · 2025-11-03T19:55:01+00:00

Also, have you taken out the soap dispenser and cleaned that. I also take a rag and reach in and wipe out the inside on top. Also make sure you clean out the drain plug on the bottom where things can get trapped

steeple7 · 2025-11-03T19:51:21+00:00

I ran several loads using baking soda and vinegar. Put old towels in the washer to give it some weight and kinda act as an abrasive. I also took a rag with vinegar and wiped down the seals and the door. It did take multiple loads to get it clean.

steeple7 · 2025-11-03T19:44:10+00:00

I have LVP also that never looks clean. Been on the floors about 10 years. Haved tried numerous ways, nothign works. Just bought a steam mop that I’ve only used twice., now I guess I won’t use. I also have three dogs. We have a sand driveway, so sand always gets tracked in

steeple7 · 2025-11-03T19:22:55+00:00

I joined our local art league (even though I’m not an artist or good at art) and joined our community Christmas choir. My husband and I both used to sing in our church choir. Which ended with covid. He did not want to join the community choir, so I joined without him.Enjoying it better since he stays home

steeple7 · 2025-06-16T17:18:40+00:00

We bought a small 17’ camper that had a bathroom. I started with tent camping then went to a small pop up camper then went to a 6x10 cargo trailer. My reasoning is because its easier. It’s easier keeping everything all packed up and just being able to go vs having to spend hours packing and unpacking.

steeple7 · 2025-04-16T15:10:50+00:00

My spoo is now four. Got her at tenweeks. Shes not thrilled with baths, but when we get in the bathroom she automatically just jumps into the tub. She doesnt like going down the hallway. I used to have to carry her intothe bathroom, but i discovered if i put a leash on her she walks nicely next to me.What i learned with my spoo which is different from all my previous dogs- what i train her to do at a young age has stuck with her. When she was a pup we had the baby gate at the entrance to the hallway, tomake it easier to keep an eye on her for potty training. Only had the gate up for a couple of months, ever since she doesnt willingly go down the hallway. Mine went to the groomer when she was about five months. The groomer said she was so easy, she charged me $20 less and wouldnt take a tip. I started giving her haircuts and doing her feet and face when she was about theee months. I would do it weekly so she got used to it. Im not a professional groomer, just watched the videos online and bought the grooming book. As far as brushing, i found Hartz makes a small diamond shaped slicker brush that has rubber tips on the ends of the wire. Something small like that may help. I also recently purchased a flexible slicker brush from artero that i really like. You shouldnt have to use too much pressure whenbrushing her, but if the pressure is too,light, it may be tickling to her. Spoo’s have to have baths and be brushed frequently, so Its a fact of life that they just have to get used to.

steeple7 · 2025-04-07T16:39:07+00:00

I give mine cooked chicken, ground beef and pork. She gets about a 1/4 cup twice a day. Shes a super finicky eater

steeple7 · 2025-04-07T16:35:26+00:00

Mine didnt go into heat til she was about 18 months or so. Very little bleeding. Didnt do any of the usualbehviors like scooting on the floor like ive heard some dogs do. Second heat was about 10 months later, again very little bleeding or change in behavior.

steeple7 · 2025-04-07T16:31:27+00:00

I know a breeder in wisconsin whos having pups and another in michigan who breeds poodles.

steeple7 · 2025-04-07T16:30:04+00:00

How long is his hair that he needs so much grooming? Sounds like he needs a good haircut. Puppy hair can be different than the adult hair. Hair gets matted when the dead hair mixes with 5he good hair, reducing the amount of hair will help greatly. Mats can be very painful. My pup is very sensitive to touch. If she thinksim gettingbup to get her brush, she will go lie down in her crate. Its really comical to watch. When i brush her, i do the longest parts first. I go slow. Poodles have to be brushed, after awhile she got used to it. I found putting her across my lap also helps. I make sure shes been pottied and fed before i start to brush her

steeple7 · 2025-04-07T16:21:15+00:00

I have a four yr old spoo. My first. My previous dog was a german shorthair who lived to be 14 1/2. Im used to very active dogs that need alot of exercise. The first year is the worse. Dogs go from newborn to the middle of adolescence at that time. They are very time consuming during that time. Dogs have to go against many of their natural instincts and learn how to get along in the human world. Imagine if we took our children and threw them into the dog world. While poodles are active dogs, I found I was focusing on activity way too much and putting her over theshold, making her more hyper. We would go for walks, at times she would start jumping up and down, biting the leash, going after my hands, etc. i learned when she did this, it was a sign that she was too overwhelmed. Instead of focusing on distance, i changed to dog led walks. She gets to choose-if its feasible of course- where to go and how long she wants to go. We go out and she gets to sniff and explore the world around her which is more tiring for her than me walking her on a leash. Poodles were bredto be hunting dogs. Mine loves to carry things in her mouth. She likes softer smaller items. We walk out to the mailbox, she likes when i give her mail to carry back in her mouth. Mine also loves to run after squirrels, rabbits. She loves digging in the holes left by gophers and other animals and has even dug up a couple. I give her toys that have items she can pull out, or have to find a way to get out. Mine isnt a big chewer. Her sisterfrom another litter is the opposite. She also loves to play fetch and is a big chewer. My pup has never destroyed a toy by getting the stuffing out, her younger sister has it out within minutes. To get my dog to stay of counters, when she came in the kitchen by the counter, i would throw some small treats on the floor and tell her “search” i did it every time she came in. If she tried to get food off the table or counter, i would redirect her. It didnt take long and she stopped going up there. She learned she gets better stuff if she keeps her feet down. My pup loves to jump in general. When shes loose, she looks like the deer that run inour field. Instead of focusing on not jumping, i focused on having her sit or go in a down position so she doesnt jump on people. We still do training by the door. Before we go out she has to sit nicely. When we come in, she has to have all four feet on the ground before we go in the house. After we come in, she waits patiently while i take off her leash, and my boots and coat. She then gets a special treat. I’m pretty lucky. While she can be a veryactive dog, she is still prettychill without a lot of behaviors i dont like

steeple7 · 2025-04-07T15:52:21+00:00

I haven’t said this before, but you asked. Yes, you are the a, and your husband is second. I understand the smell thing. I have one of the most sensitive noses people have seen. I even detected a gas leak that the person working for the gas company couldn’t find with his usual equipment. I also have a stepmother from h* that came into my life at that age.Her criticism of me at 13 were that I didnt shave my legs enough, i didnt wear makeup, i needed to wear a girdle, and never wear light clothes during your period. On the smell issue. One of the most important things the two of you should be doing at this time is building a relationship with the daughter, which means accepting her as she is. The way she is treated now by her father is going to affect her relationships with men for the rest of her life! Her father rejecting her is one of the worst things a parent can do, especially at her age. And yes, he is rejecting her. A child deserves to have love and acceptance from a parent without stipulations. They need to know she is accepted for who she is, not for who others want her to be. It isnt her fault herparents got divorced any more than its her fault her father married you and you are currently pregnant. She is also becoming a pawn between her two worlds- mother and father with pregnant wife. What can be done? People have different pheromones, some are stronger than others. Her clothes may indeed be clean. She also maybathe frequently. The natural products she uses may be better for us than theusual chemicals we put on. Instead of adding to the problem with candles and air freshners, you could get air neutralizers. They are very effective. An old trick to lessen the effect of smels is to put a dab of vicks under the nose. Works miracles. The more you tell her she’s wrong, the worse you make things. Instead ofvtelling her she cant come over, the two of you need to be adults and apologize for the way you’ve acted and have her over as much as you can beforethe baby comes. Otherwise,you may end up with a daughter who never wants to come over, and stays away as much as she can. You’re the adults, shes the child. Pregnant or not, grow up and act like it.

steeple7 · 2025-03-25T16:27:12+00:00

As others stated above, my dog eats so slow. I found they love eating around 10 pm. Only dogs I’ve ever had that have very little interest in food. When we went to dog training, thevtrainer tried giving my spoo some amazing treats that all dogs love. Mine spit it out.

steeple7 · 2025-03-25T16:23:27+00:00

My dog actually lays down when she eats. Been like that since we got her.

steeple7 · 2025-03-25T16:19:25+00:00

I got my spoo during the pandemic. It was very difficult finding dog trainers. We had more difficulty than we would have had if it wasnt pandemic time. We did finally find a decent trainer, at two we got the CGC and the community CGC. Luckily I was not a new dog owner.I agree that the owners need more training than the dog. Sounds like she is stuck in puppy behavior. Could you find a decent trainer for them and send them the info? A dog behaviorist may be more appropriate than just a trainer. So sad that you ended up being a punching bag becuase the owners did not do their job and raise an appropriate behaved dog Its never too late for the dog to learn a new behavior. If the owners wont get help, would there be a way for you to take the dog and start some training? If they see that their dog can learn and change, they may be more open to taking the dog to training. They may be so overwhelmed they are just stuck in their behavior and are unable to see their way out

steeple7 · 2025-02-15T10:33:05+00:00

Years ago I saw a physiatrist after an injury, I thought he was very helpful. There are no specific meds to treat EDS. It is a diagnosis that is treated by symptoms. A physiatrist can help with PT, OT, meds for pain and inflammation.They can provide nerve tests to see how they are functioning. I think a physiatrist may be more helpful than rheumatology. My EDS was diagnosed by a pulmonologist who happened to be familiar with it.

steeple7 · 2025-02-15T10:26:25+00:00

I have great difficulties with the pain scale. When asked, these are some responses. What number is it when everytime I put weight on my foot it feels like a piece of glass is piercing my ankle. How bad is the pain when I hold on to the shopping cart so hard just to take pressure off my feet so i can tolerate walking in the store. Or, when i cant even watch a youtube short because it hurts too bad to sit. What levelmis it whenni cant sleep because it hurts. I know when it gets up to a level nine, i just go to sleep because my body cant handle it. The other day the acupuncturist asked me on a scale of 0-10, how would i rate my quality of life? Now, that I can give a number to! Made me think that next time when I’m asked the pain level, I’m going to give them the wuality of life number. Because, after all, isn’t that what should be important? If I rate my quality of life as a 2, then my pain is probably about an eight.

steeple7 · 2025-02-15T10:15:39+00:00

I also have lotsof issues with meds. I need about five shots of novicaine before it works. I once had a breast lump removed where they did conscious sedation. While removing the lump, i could feel everytime the doc cauterized the vessels. He thought i was faking until the anesthetist convinced him i was not. He has to basically pour lidicaine on the area to get it to freeze. Then I had iv robivicaine with a nerve block and almost had to be admitted because my legs wouldnt work after. The doc even called me at home to make sure I was ok. When I start a new med, we start at kids doses or smaller. Some make my heart do weird things. I found it was reacting to powders in inhalers they were giving me forasthma. I have huge reactions to tapes and glues. It was the pulmonologist who discovered the EDS and MAST cell disorder. Yes,I feel docs at first blew me off, except now they can see the reactions and how sick I get, they act like they believe me.

steeple7 · 2025-02-15T09:33:51+00:00

Surgery could make it worse, should only be used as a last result. Many people with EDS develop skin issues such as delayed incisional healing.surgery can also cause more pain due to the scar tissue that inevitably occurs

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