My Old English Sheepdog is bored with his Kong. What brain-teasing toys and games do you entertain your dog with? I am very impressed with the design and concept of the Dog Brick, however budgetary constraints compel me to seek out less expensive options from the hivemind. So, how do you give your dog's brain a mental workout, with the end result being the satisfaction of finding a yummy treat?
posted by invisible ink on Feb 4, 2009 - 19 answers

I am looking for poems, anectotes and short stories online which celebrate dogs and their friendship. This is to cheer my boyfriend, whose family's pet who is very ill. [more inside]
posted by Sijeka on Oct 22, 2008 - 13 answers

Help me to be the best dog trainer possible to my clients! Tell me what you look for in a dog trainer, and what you hope the experience will be like. Tell me your best and worst experiences. I teach group classes in basic and advanced obedience, work with owners whose dogs have serious behavior problems like aggression and anxiety, and everything in between, so all feedback is helpful. [more inside]
posted by freshwater_pr0n on Aug 26, 2008 - 8 answers

My two dogs were playing and the 70lb german shepherd mix started yelping repeatedly like a car alarm... [more inside]
posted by NoMich on Nov 22, 2007 - 8 answers

Is it condescending to give money and/or food to a homeless person when the haven't actually asked for it? [more inside]
posted by Jess the Mess on Nov 20, 2007 - 31 answers

This weekend, I will be introducing a small dog to a big dog. I would rather they not kill each other. Help me. [more inside]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero on Jul 24, 2007 - 18 answers

Why is my dog's hair suddenly getting matted after 13 years? I've already figured out what I need to unmat her (a slicker brush), but I want to know why. [more inside]
posted by RobotHeart on Jul 9, 2007 - 5 answers

OK, so no human sacrifice, but a new puppy in an apartment already containing a cat - advice for training the puppy and dealing with the cat? [more inside]
posted by mrhaydel on Dec 5, 2006 - 6 answers

Are there any pets other than cats and dogs that have a mutually affectionate relationship with their owners? [more inside]
posted by granted on Jul 2, 2006 - 28 answers

Humans sometimes feel depressed or anxious with no apparent environmental cause. Does this happen in animals? Or do humans possibly have brains that are too evolved/sophisticated for our own good, in a way? [more inside]
posted by needs more cowbell on May 4, 2006 - 24 answers

Aggressive dog problem... [more inside]
posted by knave on Mar 28, 2006 - 26 answers

Is it in-humane to keep a dog(s) outside in the yard (with lots of walks, and time spent together outside)? My wife and I would like to adopt one or two dogs. Because she has pretty significant allergies to dogs, the dog would spend most, if not all of its time outside. That said, we're pretty attentive, caring people and we'll definitely take the dogs on lots of walks and we have a big park right behind our house and we also spend a lot of time in our yard gardening etc so the dog wouldn't be left out there alone. In addition, we plan on either creating a bed in the garage or a dog-house so the dogs could definitely be protected from the elements. We've talked to a couple of rescue organizations who simply won't allow us to adopt given that the dog will be primarily an outside dog. We both love dogs and believe we can provide a good home. I'd love to get feedback from others about whether it is in-humane to have dogs be outside, but well taken care of. My father in law argues that, as long as we're getting the dog from the pound, that we'll be giving them a much better life, but I don't want to use that fact just as a cop-out and not provide a good living environment.
posted by krudiger on Nov 14, 2005 - 42 answers

Why do dogs sing? [more inside]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero on Mar 17, 2005 - 14 answers

StinkyDogFilter: Our 4-year-old vizsla gets really, really stinky after being outside in the sun for a while, to the point where it's almost unbearable to be in the same room with her when she comes inside. After 15 minutes or so the stink subsides and she's tolerable again. Any ideas?
posted by mr_crash_davis on Dec 12, 2004 - 11 answers

We just moved into a new place, and the neighbors' incessantly-barking Jack Russells are driving us crazy. [more inside]
posted by MrMoonPie on Oct 18, 2004 - 9 answers

How can I keep my dogs from pulling large strips of bark off our tree, and how can I keep said tree from dying now that it's missing much of it's bark? [more inside]
posted by RustyBrooks on Oct 16, 2004 - 19 answers

Can two dominant male dogs peacefully coexisist in the same house? [More Inside] [more inside]
posted by ferociouskitty on Aug 1, 2004 - 8 answers

Can fish interbreed like dogs? My SO and I have been talking about dogs lately so the mixed-breed thing has been a regular topic of conversation. Last night we were at a Thai restaurant with a large fish tank and some gigantic fish. Too big for the tank, in my opinion. And that got me to wondering....can different kinds of fish, genetically speaking, be bred with each other? Even if they wouldn't do it on their own (mating rituals, etc.), could they do it with a scientists help?
posted by jaded on Feb 24, 2004 - 8 answers