Why Does My Dog Eat Lying Down?

If your dog is lying down while eating, it could be due to a medical condition that makes it painful to bend his neck down to the bowl. If it’s a tall dog, it could simply be uncomfortable to stretch his neck down to reach a bowl on the floor. If the behavior started suddenly, you should schedule a visit with your vet to rule out an underlying medical condition.

What To Do Next If Your Dog Eats Lying Down 

As mentioned above, if your dog suddenly starts to eat lying down, you should bring him to the vet to rule out problems such as arthritis or joint pain. If you suspect discomfort may be the issue, you can try to curb the behavior by purchasing a raised bowl that makes it easier for your pet to eat standing up.

If there is no medical condition, is it really a problem if dogs eat lying down? Not usually. In the wild, dogs are often seen lying down why eating prey and domesticated dogs often enjoy a treat lying down.

While eating meals in that position isn’t common, it’s not necessarily cause for concern once a medical condition is ruled out.

How Do You Get A Dog To Stop Whining?

In order to get a dog to stop whining, you’ll need to figure out why he is being vocal. Dogs use whining to communicate, so if you learn what your dog is trying to tell you, you’ll be better able to stop the whining. That doesn’t mean you’ll give him whatever he wants when he whines—that could only make the problem worse—but it means you’ll be able to figure out a way to tackle the issue. 

Possible Reasons Your Dog Is Whining 

There are many reasons your dog may be whining. Here are a few examples of why dogs whine:

He’s not feeling well.

A visit to the vet may be in order if the whining started suddenly. 

He’s in a new environment (i.e. when you first bring a puppy home).

Normally, the whining will stop once the puppy realizes he is safe.

He needs to go outside.

Some dogs whine when they need to relieve themselves.

He wants something such as more food or a treat.

Don’t reward whining with a treat. Instead, wait until your dog is quiet and then give him the treat.

He wants to play or go for a walk.

As with giving food or treats, wait until your dog stops whining before getting his leash or tossing the ball around.

He’s trying to alert you to something.

If he’s whining and trying to lead you to a certain spot, he’s likely trying to alert you to something. Check things out. Once your dog sees you’re not concerned, he’ll probably calm down. 

Keep in mind that whining is communicating. If you can figure out what your dog is trying to say, you’ll be better equipped to stop him from whining. 

Is It Cruel To Crate A Dog At Night?

It is not cruel to crate a dog at night as long as he is properly crate trained, enjoys being in his crate, has had plenty of out-of-crate time during the day, and was given a potty break before going to sleep.

How Long Should I Crate My Dog?  

As a rule of thumb, your dog should not be crated for more than 8 hours without a break. Older dogs or puppies will need more frequent breaks. Also, they shouldn’t be spending the majority of the time in a crate. If you crate your dog during the day and then again at night, consider doggy daycare or a pet sitter as an alternative for the daytime. This way, your pup won’t be spending all his time crated.

A Safe Space For Your Pet 

Crating is useful for training because it draws on your dog’s natural instinct to be in a den. For that reason, if your dog is properly crate trained, the crate will be a comfortable place that he likes spending time and where he feels safe. 

Another option once your dog is trained to act properly in your home is leaving the crate door open so he can come and go as he likes. This allows him to have his comfortable “den” without being forcibly confined for most of the day.

It is not cruel to crate your dog at night. In fact, many dogs happily enter their crate at night and enjoy the safety the space provides. 

How Much Does It Cost To Surrender A Cat?

The cost to surrender a cat varies from organization to organization, but it is typically between $30-$100. If you are considering surrendering your cat to a shelter or rescue, you may want to consider rehoming your cat through a no-cost service and that may also cause your pet less stress.

What alternatives do I have to surrendering a cat I can’t keep?

Rather than bringing your cat to a rescue or shelter, you can post him online to help find a new home! With this option, both you and your cat can remain in the comfort of your home while you search for someone to adopt your cat.

Begin With Your Network

The first step to take is asking people you know if they would like to adopt your cat. Call your friends and family, ask your neighbors, or post to social media to see if anyone is interested in adopting your cat. This option will give you peace of mind, because your cat will be with someone you know and trust.

Create A Profile On Rehome

If no one in your network can adopt your cat, it’s time to make a profile on Rehome! This peer-to-peer service helps you to find a suitable new home for your cat by posting them on Adopt-a-Pet.com for millions of possible adopters to see. Making a profile is quick, simple, and there is no cost. Once you fill out all necessary information, your cat’s profile will be available for people to view.

What happens after I post my cat to Rehome?

Shortly after posting your cat to Rehome, you may see questions coming in. If you signed up for mobile alerts, anytime someone asks a question or applies for your cat, you will be notified, keeping you in the loop. When someone asks a question, you can respond rehome_legacyly so other potential adopters can see the answer as well.

You will also begin to receive applications for your cat. This can sometimes be overwhelming, so you’ll have access to pointers on how to pick the strongest applicants and how to avoid red flags.

Once you’ve narrowed down your applications, it’s time to meet the applicant in person. You’ll also have access to tips on how to set up a successful and safe in-person meeting. From here, you’ll choose a new family for your cat and finalize the adoption. You can sign and access a contract through the Rehome portal as well as transfer all medical records.  

How Do You Stop A Dog From Digging Holes?

You can stop your dog from digging holes by training him to not dig and to create physical barriers that will stop your dog from digging in certain areas. When your dog is a digger, it’s more than just annoying—it can also be dangerous. No pet owner wants to think about what could happen if their dog managed to dig his way out from under a fence, so it’s important to learn how to stop the behavior.

Why Do Dogs Dig?   

Understanding why your dog is digging is the first step to stopping the behavior. There are several reasons your dog may spend his time digging holes in your yard. These include:

It’s Fun

Active dogs in particular use digging as a way to keep busy and make the most of their time outdoors. Other reasons your pet may dig for entertainment include:

  • They are left outside alone for long periods.
  • They are of a breed that digs by instinct (terriers are one example).
  • They need some toys to keep them occupied.

    Fixes:

    • Take your dogs on at least two long walks per day.
    • Provide toys that engage them physically and mentally. 
    • Spend more time each day playing with them.
    • Give your dog his own “digging pit” in your backyard. That way, he can have his fun digging in a place that isn’t harmful to your landscape.

      They’re Hunting

      If your dog tends to dig in the same spot, he may be hunting prey that lives in your yard.

      Fixes:

      • Call a humane pest control specialist to search for and then safely and humanely remove burrowing animals from your yard.

      To Cool Off 

      If you live in a warm climate, your dog may be digging himself a spot where he can cool off. This may be the case if:

      • Your dog does not have proper shelter or other protection from the sun.
      • Your dog sits or lies in the holes he creates.

      Fixes:

      • Don’t leave your pet outside for extended periods—especially when it’s hot out.
      • If you must leave him outside, make sure he has proper shelter that provides relief from the heat.

      Plotting Their Escape 

      It’s easy to tell if this is why your dog digs as the burrowing will be confined the fence line. Since this can lead to harm for your pet, it’s important to stop the digging as quickly as possible. Rather than relying on behavior modification alone, you’ll want to place physical barriers.

      Fixes:

      • Burying the fence one to two feet below ground.
      • Burying chicken wire along the length of the fence.
      • Partially burying rocks along your fence line.

      Until such precautions are taken, never leave your dog alone in the yard. You can also work on behavior modification with a dog that uses digging to escape, but you’ll want a barrier in place in the meantime.

      Take your yard back by implementing the suggestions above. If you’re still not able to curb the digging, call on the services of an animal behaviorist. 

      What is the best way to rehome a Yorkie?

      The best way to rehome a Yorkie is to find a new owner who will love and care for your dog as much as you did. Of course, you need to be sure that you’re using the right options and methods when it comes to rehoming. Below are some tips that can help to make the process easier, along with some things to keep in mind.

      Do You Really Need to Rehome?

      One of the first questions that you need to ask is whether you truly need to rehome him or not. Sometimes, what seems like a major problem currently can be handled with a little bit of work. For example, if your dog has behavioral issues that are causing the problem, you could look for a trainer in your area, or you could find online videos from professional trainers that may help.

      If you need some help walking the dog and playing with him, you could hire a dog sitter or have someone you know come over and help out. Maybe you have to go out of town for work for a month or so. Rather than rehoming, you could ask a family member to take care of him for that time.

      Always take the time to look for some other options that could be better than rehoming. You might be surprised at the resources and choices available.

      Family and Friends Could Be a Simple Solution

      Just as family and friends may be able to watch your dog when needed, they could also be a good option for adoption. You might have someone you know who wants to adopt a dog. Your Yorkie might be a good option for them, especially if they already know and like your dog. Since you already know the people, it means less rehome_research and less worry on your part. You can be sure they’re a good fit for your Yorkie immediately.

      Why Should You Charge a Rehoming Fee?

      Another way to rehome your dog is by advertising that he’s available for adoption through online pet adoption sites. You’ll want to find a site that allows for rehoming fees to be charged, or that has them built into the system. Rehoming fees help to dissuade the wrong people from trying to get their hands on your Yorkie. People who have bad intent, such as those who sell animals to labs or those who buy bait dogs for training fighting dogs, don’t want to pay for dogs. Charging a rehoming fee helps to reduce the risk for your dog.

      Consider Using the Rehome Platform

      Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com is a peer-to-peer platform that is free for owners to use when they advertise their dog. You can put up a profile along with videos and images, which are then seen by countless people who want to adopt. They can submit adoption applications, which you can then review to find the best home for your Yorkie. The adopter will then pay a small rehoming fee to the site, which goes back into helping more animals find homes.

      How Do I Find a Good Home for My German Shepherd

      When you are put in a situation where you can no longer keep your dog, you may find yourself wondering “how do I find a good home for my German Shepherd.” There are many resources and tools available to help you decide the best way to find your German Shepherd a new home. Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com is an excellent online resource where you can find expert advice and create a profile for your German Shepherd that you can use to share your dog’s story.  

      What to Look for in Adopters

      Remember: You’re not looking for just any home for your German Shepherd, you’re looking for a great home. That’s why it’s so important to know what to look for in a potential adopter:

      • Vet References: If the potential adopters have ever had a pet, asking for vet references is a good way to learn if someone is a responsible pet owner.
      • Personal References: Asking for, and checking, personal references is one tool that is used by many pet owners when looking for the perfect home for their pet.
      • Reaction to a Rehoming Fee: You should always charge a rehoming fee, and one reason for that is to see if the potential adopter is willing to make an investment in the dog. If they seem put off by a rehoming fee of $50 to $150, will that person be able and willing to take on extra costs when your dog needs medical care?
      • The Right Answers: The answers to questions like, “how much time will the dog be alone each day, where will he sleep, and how long will he be outside unsupervised,” may tell you everything you need to know about a potential adopter and give you insights into how your dog will be cared for.  

      Finding Potential Adopters

      Rehome will guide you through all the steps above and make it easy to get all the information you need from potential adopters. Once you know what to look for, the next step is finding people who want your pet. Just create a profile on the Rehome dashboard and the millions of people searching for a pet on Adopt-a-Pet.com will be able to see your pet’s story. The site even allows you to communicate with potential adopters, complete the application and adoption process, and more. 

      You might be wondering how long it will take to find the right home. There is no solid answer, but even if it takes a bit of time, it will be worth it to know your pet is safe and loved.

      Where Can I Put A Cat Up For Adoption?

      You can put a cat up for adoption online. Whether you use social media or a website like Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com, you’ll have the best chance of getting your cat adopted by sharing him with the widest network of people possible.

      Start with Friends and Family

      If you can no longer keep your cat, the optimal place to start finding a new adopter is with your own network of friends and family. Snap some bright, clear photos of your cat and post on your personal Facebook and other social media accounts. Who knows? Maybe someone you know is looking for a new pet and your cat can live with a trusted friend or even someone within your extended family! 

      Make Your Cat a Rehome Profile

      If no one you know can take your cat, another great option is to use Adopt-a-Pet.com’s program called Rehome. Rehome is no-cost, easy peer-to-peer service that will help you find a new family for your cat. You’ll begin by uploading all of your cat’s information, including vet records and behavioral history. Then comes the fun part! You can add fun or cute photos and videos of your cat to make your profile stand out and craft a bio to describe all the most important details about his personality. Getting stuck or have questions while creating a profile? Check out the Cat Rehoming page to get all the help you need. Once you’ve finished these steps, you can post your pet for millions of potential adopters to see! 

      Our Rehome team will guide you on how to narrow down the applications you receive to find the best fit for your cat and help facilitate an in-person meeting so you can meet your cat’s potential new family and ensure they are a good fit. Finally, you’ll choose a new family for your cat and complete all paperwork on the Rehome website. Adoption fees will be donated to organizations that help get more pets adopted!

      Why Not Go To A Shelter?

      Helping your cat find a new home with a family rather than taking them to a shelter is better for your cat. He will have an easier transition and be less stressed going straight to a new home and new family rather than staying in a shelter in the interim. Additionally, shelters and rescues are many times filled to capacity and can be very crowded and stressful for any animal. Many privately-run organizations also use donations and money provided by volunteers to help cover vet bills, housing, and other costs, which means resources are often very limited. If you must find a new home for your cat, using Rehome to do it is a great solution.  

      What Does It Mean to Rehome an Australian Cattle Dog?

      To rehome an Australian cattle dog means that you take the time to find a new home for your dog rather than just relinquishing them to a shelter. While using shelters and rescues is still an option, it should be the last option. Rehoming the pet is better for the animal, and it will be better for your peace of mind. Knowing that you did everything you could to ensure your pet goes to a great home will help you feel better about your decision.

      Tips for Rehoming your Australian Cattle Dog

      When you are rehoming your dog, you can’t simply give your dog to just anyone. You need to know that the people who will be getting your dog can provide them with love, care, and a good life. For this reason, you should avoid using places like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to list your Australian cattle dog. You never know who is on those sites.

      Some might want your pet for reprehensible purposes, such as for fighting or labs. Others might be cruel to animals, or they might not have the room or the resources to properly take care of your dog. You want to avoid those people.

      Whenever you are rehoming your pet, you should also make sure that you charge a rehoming fee. This is so that the person who is adopting the pet has a financial stake in the animal. Those who have bad intentions are not likely going to pay a fee for an animal.

      Always take the time to rehome_research the person or family who is going to be getting your dog. You want to put in the effort to make sure your pet has a good home.

      Another option that you can consider when rehoming is your family and friends. If you have someone close to you that is looking for a dog, they may want to adopt yours.

      Use the Rehome Platform for Your Australian Cattle Dog

      Of course, rehoming can be a difficult process if you try to do everything on your own. You may find that using the Rehome platform from Adopt-a-Pet.com is the best solution. One the site, you can create a profile for your pet and add information that the prospective adopters will see.

      When you create the profile, you want to be honest about your dog and provide as much information as you can. Let people know about the dog’s personality – both good and not so good traits – and their medical needs if they have any. Be honest about behavioral problems and whether the dog does well with other animals and people or not.

      You can also learn how to determine which potential adopters will be a good match for your dog. No one wants to have to give up their dog. However, being such an integral part of the process for rehoming helps you feel much better about the process. You can be sure that your dog gets to go to the best possible home that will care for their needs.

      How Do I Surrender My Great Pyrenees?

      You can surrender your Great Pyrenees to an animal shelter or a rescue. However, before you do so, you’ll want to know more about what this means and what you’ll need to do. This will help you get a better understanding of whether surrendering is the right option for your dog, or if you’ll want to look for another way to find him a new home.

      Getting in Touch with the Shelter or Rescue

      If you’re going to be surrendering your dog, the first thing you need to do is learn about these facilities. Different locations and different organizations will have varying policies, so you’ll need to check the websites. This will provide you with more information, along with their address and contact information.

      You’ll then contact the facility to learn about their procedures for surrender. You can’t just show up at the facility with your dog without having an appointment. When you call the shelter or rescue, they’ll let you know the next steps to take. Rescues, which are often full, will let you know if they have any room available or not.

      The shelters will also let you know how much the surrender fee will be. You should expect it to be a minimum of $50, and it could be much higher depending on the facility. These fees, and the adoption fees, are charged to help provide money for the facility to continue operating and taking care of the animals in their care.

      Rescues will keep your dog indefinitely if necessary, but that’s not always the case with shelters. Limited resources and overcrowding forces some shelters to euthanize pets that have not been adopted after a set time. It’s not something they want to do, but they have a limited amount of space and there’s a large number of dogs being dropped off.

      When you contact the facility, the employees will want to know more about your Great Pyrenees. What’s his temperament like? Does he have any health issues or other problems? This is so they can provide proper care for your dog and so they know whether there might be issues housing him with other dogs.

      You’ll find that they might also want to know why you have to give up your dog. This is because they often have resources that they can provide that could help you keep your dog. For example, they might have contact information for trainers, dog walkers, dog sitters, or low-cost vets in your area.

      Other Options to Consider

      You can also consider some of the other options available for giving up your dog other than surrendering. You could use a peer-to-peer pet adoption site like Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com to connect with people who are looking to adopt a Great Pyrenees like yours. Always make sure you’re using a reputable adoption site to ensure safety and the best home for your dog. You may also know some friends or family members that want to have a dog, and they might be willing to adopt your dog.