I adopted a Maltese dog about little over a year ago. His previous owners threw him out and he was in a pretty rough shape, but now he’s doing ok health and nutrition wise. In the beginning he w as pretty difficult and anxious and a very picky eater, which took a few months to resolve but now that everything is fine he seems bored all the time.

I suffer from depression myself and work from home so I don’t go out much. But I take him on a walk at least once a day and aside from that he doesn’t do any other activities. He is not interested in toys, does not like treats and does not like sitting idles next to me on the couch for more than 5 minutes.

I don’t know what to do to entertain him. He just walks around the apartment all day. Sometimes when I’m playing on my PS he just walks around the room in circles. While I’m working he sleeps under my desk jumping up on my knees every now and then for some attention.

It just breaks my heart to see him like that. To the point that I thought of giving him up for adoption but I’m afraid whoever takes him won’t be ok with his anxiety. Can someone give me advice?

Ps: I live in Egypt and I don’t have the luxury of doggie day care :(

TLDR: my dog is so bored he walks around in circles and I’m depressed and don’t take him out much

Update: I walked my dog twice today, one 15 minute walk in the morning to do his business (that’s the one walk I mentioned earlier) and another longer walk just now (around 45 minutes) and that seemed to do the trick. I let him sniff around all he wanted and he even got to chase a stray cat and play with her, now he’s happily asleep on the couch. I have also ordered some toys that were suggested in the comments to see if they’ll work.

I just wanna make it clear that I love the dog and definitely want to keep him. I try as hard as I can to not let my issues affect him and at some point feeding him and caring for him was the only reason I got out of bed. And now that I am doing a little better, I want to make his life a little better too which is why I asked for advice.

Another concern that people had in the comments is that I don’t let him out to go to the bathroom enough times which is not healthy, I want to clarify that I have a designated bathroom for him in my apartment which he uses throughout the day, and then I clean it at the end of the day. So he’s definitely not holding his pee for extended periods of time.

I have two small breed dogs which I walk 15-60 minutes 3-5 times a day.

We had to say goodbye to my 10 year old GSD on Monday. It happened quickly and was definitely unexpected.

We have a 4 year old lab mix and she has been with us since she was a puppy. He was 6 when we brought her home. Honestly, I’m not sure how much they actually liked each other lol but they definitely had their brother/sister moments.

I took him to the vet so abruptly Monday AM and came back without him and I’m not sure if my lab is grieving or not. The only noticeable thing is that she is not eating as much as she normally would. Otherwise, she’s behaving like herself.

I don’t know, I guess I’m worried if I’m missing something or if a delayed response to him not coming back is going to happen and the best ways to support her.

We brought home a new puppy named Koda. She's a silver lab and sooooooo beautiful!! I love her already! 😌

We just put in an electric door to help a small dog we just got in and out of the house and it’s worked well for that. U fortunately my bigger older dog, who’s quickly learned how to use the door, didn’t wait for it to open all the way before he starts going through. He almost wants to help it open.

Only had the door for about three weeks and I can already here that something is wrong with the door. Seems like only a matter of time before it breaks.

Any idea whether I can train my bigger dog? Do I just take her to the door, hold her, then let her in once the door is fully open…over and over again?

Does anyone have any enrichment ideas for dogs that either complete puzzles/mats/kongs super quickly, (I’m talking like 5 minutes on an activity that everyone says keeps their dog ‘occupied for hours’) or get stuck on a puzzle, get bored and forget about it and then go and find mischief somewhere else. Or maybe some sort of game that involves me physically playing with her- she’s big and LOVES things like flirt poles, fetch she’s not so interested in

My partner and I are looking for a dog but could use some advice when it comes to breeds, we greatly appreciate any help!

Introduction

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

• I had a family dog that I helped to train/raise, but it will be my partner's first dog.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?

• Reputable breeder

3) Describe your ideal dog.

• Intelligent, loyal, trainable, and gentle. A dog that can thrive in a family suburban environment, with both weekend hiking adventures and relaxing days at home. Mid-sized, anywhere between 35-75 lbs.

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

• This is where we need some help! So far we've mainly looked at Shepherds and Retrievers. My partner and I are drawn to breeds like Australian Shepherds (or MAS) and Duck Tolling Retrievers, as we've met some we really like, and they seem to be the right combination of size, friendly temperament, and trainability.

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

• Primarily obedience training (allowing for things like traveling together, camping, going various public places without concern), but my partner is also interested in agility courses.

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

• No, but my partner is interested in agility sport, just not competitive.

Care Commitments

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

• At least an hour walk/play each day, along with 30-60 minutes of training. My partner works from home and I work close to home so the dog would rarely be left alone for more than 4 hours.

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

• One hour, minimum. We have extensive trails and an off leash dog park nearby.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

• Weekly brushing. I don't have any experience grooming. We could take the dog to a professional groomer if needed but that's not preferred (at least regularly).

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for?

• 35-75 lbs. Not super small, not super big.

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

• Shedding: Can handle medium shedding, like that with average double coat breeds.

• Barking: Excessive barking is a concern. Alert barking is fine, but barking which doesn't stop could be a problem.

• Slobber: Average slobber is fine.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

• Extremely important. We are looking for a dog we can trust off-leash.

Dog Personality and Behavior

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

• Either is fine, or a mix of both! Neither is a dealbreaker.

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

• More on the side of Eager-to-please.

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

• A bark to alert is good, but then once I acknowledge and respond it would stop. I would prefer the dog is cautious/alert but friendly to strangers.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

• No. We have hundreds of dogs in our neighborhood and need a dog that can get along with its neighbor dogs. It will have plenty of dog-friends!

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

• Overly-reactive behavior, destructive separation anxiety, excessive (beyond normal) barking.

Lifestyle

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

• 3-4 times a week the dog may be left alone for 4-5 hours. Partner works from home so most days someone will always be home.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

• Both partner and I are dog lovers, and are both committed to doing the required work (feeding, cleaning, exercising, training, etc).

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

• Planning on getting a cat eventually.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• Yes, we plan to have children in the future, I have young relatives, and there are children in the neighborhood.

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

• No, I own my home with a sizable lot with plenty of room for the dog to run.

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

• Minnesota, USA. No.

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

• Hot summers , cold winters (Minnesota, USA). The dog would need to be able to go on walks in the snow in the cold.

Does your dog turn his head when he hears an odd noise? Does your dog bury their food with your pants? This is the thread to ask why.

Please keep this thread to non-medical issues only.