As stated above, if you’re boarding in your home, hopefully not...the only time I would think a car might be important would be in case of emergency. Hopefully it never happens, but should you need to get a dog to his vet’s office, or even worse , to an evening emergency clinic, then I think it would be a necessity & possibly a costly mistake not to have one. It’s kind of like insurance...you buy it & hope you never need to use it.

Unless there’s a reason your dog has to be in his own home, do check the prices of TWO drop in visits per day versus dog boarding at a Rover sitter’s home (possibly even your own), which would certainly leave your pup less lonely & get him a lot more attention. I have no vested interest in which service you use, but two weeks seems like a long time to be sleeping in the house alone at night, & you might be mistakenly thinking that the average boarding price is a LOT more expensive than multiple visits per day.

Obviously there are many first rate wet dog foods, but a reasonably priced first-rate food is FreshPet...sold in the refrigerated areas in pet supplies. The best price is at Walmart (at least $2 less than at PetSmart) and has a very transparent simple ingredient list, right down to telling you how many ounces of meat are in each bag (or roll), how many ounces of & what kind of vegetables, etc. I’ve never had a kibble fed dog, & I’m reallly impressed with FreshPet. After 40 years, I’ve tried almost all of the premium brands, and for quality & price I’m very happy with this product. And the dogs love it. And one lady’s opinion, if you read the ingredient list on Caesars, it is in actuality a “junk food”, which is why so many dogs love it...they’re no different than us, lol. Btw, everyone is right...dogfoodadvisor.com is a very helpful site. I’ve also been a subscriber to Whole Dog Journal since they began publication in the 90’s. I haven’t actually checked FreshPet in either place yet, as I’m accustomed to reading the ingredient list, caloric content, & deciding for myself, & since I made the change recently, I just haven’t had time to look it up. Good luck, & remember whatever you can afford & your dog thrives on is what is most important...they’re individuals & nothing is written in stone.

Could be nothing serious...could be an ACL injury, but unfortunately you should see a vet. Problems that start with puppy bones can give you a lifetime of adult dog problems with their bones.

It sounds like you’re doing a marvelous job & really care about your pup’s wellbeing. Those are very difficult circumstances, & you deserve credit for all you ARE doing. They used to have a Kong machine that dispensed a treat filled toy on a programmed schedule, but I can’ t find it for sale anymore. The only other possibility is if you have a small room (e.g., laundry room) that can be TOTALLY puppyproofed, so he might be a little less confined during those few hours he’s alone...a room with absolutely nothing he could chew on or swallow. And maybe a baby gate would be better than a closed door. Even the bathroom might work out. In any case, kudos to you for all you are doing...he’s lucky to have you as his mom. And take heart...he’s still a puppy & things will get better eventually.

Eating(?) or just shredding it up...having a good time doing it? If he's actually eating (swallowing) it (aka pica), there could be an underlying medical issue, & you should probably at least have a conversation about it with your vet. If he's just bored & found something that amuses him, try to find something he'll have more fun with...and definitely move your toilet paper roll in the interim, lol.

If your dog is eating dirt chronically, there could be an underlying medical issue for the pica. If he just does it occassionally for fun, possibly out of boredom, & it's just something interesting to do (just as babies will put sand from the sandbox in their mouths), there's probably not much to worry about (assuming the ground hasn't been treated with pesticides, etc.). If he doesn't seem "off" or show possible dietary deficiencies, you might try to distract him when he starts...call him to play fetch, give him a food puzzle, do something more fun than eating dirt (speaking for myself, I'd rather have a pizza!).

I doubt if anyone can give you a specific number, even if they knew the breed of dog. It's not really one-size-fits-all. It's more a matter of how your dog looks (& feels). Just as with people, you can see when a dog is overweight, rather than slim & trim.

I imagine your dog eats birds for the same reason we do...he just has the added enjoyment of hunting and catching his, where most of us prefer the grocery store. He's just doing his doggy thing.

I find the first answer in this string a little disturbing. Yes, dogs hump for many different reasons, but I don't think anyone should treat it as acceptable behavior...especially at a dog park, where I have seen it lead to dog fights more than once! If you think humping is okay behavior, then let your dog hump YOU, in the privacy of your own home. If not, then the second person's answer here says it all. You need to talk to someone about behavior modification techniques, which is definitely easier said than done. At the very least, call him to you, distract him, whatever it takes to stop the rude behavior before things escalate, or just become annoying!

I agree...if it's not a medical issue, a good shampoo can make the difference. But in addition to the standard good-ingredient shampoos, they (probably your vet's office) sell medicated shampoos specifically formulated for this problem. Of course, any shampoo you buy at your vet's office will be pricey.

As stated above, there are several reasons for heavy panting & it can be a sign of a serious medical issue. It can also be a sign of stress, or extreme pain. It's a pretty generic symptom of several problems, & should probably be discussed with your vet if it's an ongoing problem, and not just a hot day of running around.

I fall back on the old stabdard...boiled white (NOT Brown rice) and boiled hamburger. After cooking the hamburger, I also rinse it well, so there's no fat left in it or clinging to it. Boil your rice with extra water, so when you drain it, you have a cup of rice water to use. Pour some of that liquid into your mixture of beef & rice. Most dogs love eating it. The meal is bland, & the rice & it's "water" are "binding", so should clear up any problem that doesn't have a serious underlying cause, in a couple of days.

Well, the above answers seem to cover all the bases except one...sheer boredom. Some dogs left to their own devices too long will begin licking at a paw, and even go so far as to cause injury (commonly known as a "hot spot"). Once they've irritated the paw, they'll keep going back to lick it just as they would any other injury or wound. You can try cleaning it & covering it (a baby's sock with self adhesive tape around it), but if no home remedy works, or it gets really bad, as bleeding or infected, obviously see your vet. They can do a better job covering it, & antibiotics might be needed at that point. We've had a few pretty nasty hot spots (granulomas) over the years, with no real physiological explanation. Btw, another consideration, depending on age, is irritation from arthritis.

Your dog won't play with toys for the same reason I don't play golf...he's just not interested! There's no rule that says a dog has to play with toys to be happy. Find out what DOES make him happy & pursue that... going for a walk, playing chase with you in the yard, or just snuggling on your lap for tummy rubs, and you'll save yourself toy-buying money, just as I've saved myself golf-lesson money, lol.

I sincerely doubt he's barking at nothing, even though it may seem that way. It could be for no more reason than getting a reaction from YOU...which is still something. At my house, the dog barks at the mailman, and then spends the next 5 minutes barking at "the memory of the mailman", lol.

I would definitely get him to the Vet as soon as possible, since I'm sure you have no clue what type of worms. Also, be sure to carefully clean up his poop...you don't want any larva or whatever left on the ground, even in your own backyard, especially if you walk around there yourself (or have 2-legged children). And protect yourself (hands) when picking up after him.

I don't think discipline is what you should be thinking of. When you came home, your dog's "guilt" was, no doubt, a reaction to YOUR behavior, rather than an acknowledgment of his. They're very sensitive and read our body language much more clearly than we read theirs. Their sense of time is so different from ours, that to chastise him for something that happened even 5 minutes ago is useless, since he would have no idea why you were displeased with him. It sounds like separation anxiety is probably the culprit. As a new rescue in turmoil, YOU are his lifeline! There's no "one paragraph fix", as in this forum, but there is plenty of good reading material on canine behavioral issues. It will take patience and commitment on your part. Whole Dog Journal is a great monthly publication (no advertisers allowed, so unbiased good information on all things DOG) and especially helpful to people new to dog companionship. As an aside, I don't believe "punishment" is EVER appropriate, even if caught in the act of doing something WE deem wrong. There are much more positive ways to show them a particular behavior is just unacceptable. Which, again, brings us to mom having to get out the book(s) and do some homework. There's just no easy way around it, lol. Welcome to doggy motherhood! The good news: if all he did was chew on some earplugs and NOT shred your furniture, it doesn't sound like a serious case of anxiety...time alone may end up helping him feel more secure in his new home.

Your dog's behavior when you came home was no doubt a reaction to your behavior, rather than an acknowledgment of his...they're very sensitive and read our body language much more clearly than we read theirs. They also don't have the same sense of time that we do. If you were to chastise him for something he did 5 minutes ago, he'd have no idea why you were displeased with him. It does sound like separation anxiety is the real culprit here, and not something he can take care of on his own. As a new dog owner, it sounds like it's time for mom to do some work. There are various good books and articles on how to deal with behavioral issues and counter-conditioning, but it will take work and patience. There's no "one paragraph fix", as in this forum, that will solve your problem and his. As an aside, I do have to say I don't believe in "punishment" for ANY misbehavior, even when caught in the act. There are more positive ways to let your dog know his behavior is unacceptable, but once again, this is something that requires time and commitment on your part, as well as that good reading material I already mentioned. Whole Dog Journal is an excellent monthly publication to subscribe to (no advertisers, so unbiased good information on everything DOG), and great information for people new to dogs.

I only board dogs and don't do traveling sitting, but I would think the premise is the same, i.e., you should charge according to the work load involved. If Rover doesn't have appropriate categories for additional charges under the Services & Rates button, you should probably make reference to that, without being too specific, in your profile. Set a $ figure as your base rate, a discounted $ number for each additional pet, & reference the fact that you supply other house services (or duties) at a negotiated rate. You can't set a flat rate since you don't know what they might ask of you in addition to caring for their pets. I might add that it seems harder to find a sitter willing to stay at the client's house than to find someone who boards dog's, so I would think a slight premium for that service, compared to the boarders in your area, is appropriate. A piece of unsolicited advice if you're new: discount your prices a little to the established sitters in your area, and when you've got some good references, then you can charge accordingly...just don't price yourself too low since the average person, including me, always has the thought "you get what you pay for" and you don't want to appear not qualified. There's a fine line there, and you'll probably have to go through some trial and error at first, but it DOES get easier, and Rover has good support people. Good luck to you and your new endeavor.

Before I'd get an "extra thick" collar, I'd try a good Martingale style. It won't correct behavior, but at least there's a limit to how tight it will close, & there's no chance of them pulling it off over their heads.

Haven't got a clue...but maybe you could try a distraction/treat? A peanut butter Kong or treat dispensing toy(?).

REALLY?!#?

Personally speaking, I don't like them & would never use one on my OWN dog. But these are not YOUR dogs, & since their owner has been doing it for a long time, I wouldn't try to change their routine. And hot spots can be caused by any one of several things...stress & boredom just being a couple. It's NOT necessarily his collar...the bigger threat is damage to his throat & obviously that hasn't occurred yet, so very well might not, especially since they're large, strong dogs. Many people disagree on the subject, and I don't think it's wise or politically correct to try & foist our opinion on another dog owner...short of outright abuse, I think you should "stay out of it".

Speaking from personal experience only, after 35 years of dogs sharing water bowls...even at the dog park...I've never had anything go wrong. And on a practical level, I can't even imagine how you would "assign" water bowls, and still give everyone the opportunity to have a drink when needed. You know they never drink when YOU think they should...plus "the grass is always greener"...etc.