Positively | Victoria Stilwell | Forum

I have four or five different treat bags but always still wind up with just a handful of treats in my pocket.

I have four or five different treat bags but always still wind up with just a handful of treats in my pocket.

It sounds like the new approaches you are using are good. Our dog is also a chewer--not out of loneliness so much as just for fun--so I have experimented with a lot of different chew toys and long-lasting treats that can keep him occupied. Some he likes are Everlast Treat Ball, Bouncy Ball Bone, stu...

-Build a good, big, awesome dog run. (Google "build dog run"). This is something your family or a handyman can do in an afternoon or a weekend with bricks and chicken wire. Don't put this off another day. Snickerdoodle has a lot of pent-up energy from being in the pen watching the fun go b...

How much is he eating? Maybe the tiny amount that he's eating is enough? A small dog like that may need half a cup or less per day. Generally it is recommended to feed a dog a meal for a limited amount of time (15-20 minutes), in an environment free from a lot of distractions, and then take up whate...

This may be overstepping here, but it might be worthwhile to go back to your doc. Depression makes even real problems seem so overwhelming, like nothing will ever possibly go right. Just a small dose of the right antidepressant made such a huge difference in my life. Meds helped me be a better perso...

It sounds like she is spending an awful lot of time in the crate. Crates can be great but she is only out for play/exercise, then she is not learning how to calmly interact with the rest of the family when they are just going about their business doing things other than working with her. It might be...

Our dog also loves to chew everything. He doesn't do it to be naughty--he does it because it's fun. The ideas above are great. If you can identify one "safe" room or large hallway with minimal destructability, that can be very helpful. Serving meals in treat-dispensing toys, lots of exerci...

Henry was quite leash-reactive when we got him (ex-stray). Any time he saw another dog he would completely flip out. After about four months we started seeing significant improvement. It turns out that he does better with other dogs off-leash and that going to the dog park helped a lot. Now he still...

I'm still shaking...just found out that yesterday a dog was poisoned at our local dog park and died on the way to the pet hospital. We had been at that park earlier that day! There were similar incidents at a park in a nearby town last month. What kind of maniac...

Henry had a cow hoof for the first time last week. He loved it and it lasted him for about a week or so. It was kinda smelly though.

A braided bully stick also lasts longer than a regular bully stick.

I am not against neutering....but to echo some of the previous posters, my dog was already neutered when we got him. He is not a relaxed fellow and he DOES mark constantly on our walks.

Can you tell whether it is the actual harness he is not in the mood for, or the going on a walk? Like if you put his leash on his regular collar, or a different harness, would he be willing to go for a walk?

Honestly, to me this looks like a solution in search of a problem. I think you're right that your dog does not need this.

When did Sammy start on the sedative? Could it be causing anxiety as a side effect or in some other way related?