The title doesn't even cover the half of it.

Basically, I got really sick with the flu for a bit. I couldn't leave my bed. I called up my father and asked him to pick up dog food for me, even texted him a photo of the right one to buy... and he bought the wrong one. I can't return it because he already opened it up and poured a bowl for my dog. My boy is a picky eater so he wouldn't touch it.

When I got the right food though, he wouldn't eat that either, or at least not as enthusiastically as he used to. At first for a few days he'd eat it but wouldn't finish the bowl. Then a few days ago he just stopped eating it entirely. I was shocked because he's been on the same kibble for around two years now and we've never had any issues with that. He would still eat his treats that I give him for practicing tricks and the chews I give him, it was just the kibble he refused.

I called up my vet for advice and she recommended trying the 20 minute rule, which is putting the food down for 20 minutes, ignoring him to give him a chance to eat, and if he doesn't then remove the food and try again a few hours later. Obviously this is done without giving him any other food so I stopped giving him the treats and chews as well. I followed those directions and he wouldn't eat for the whole day. I was hopeful he would be hungry enough the next day that he would eat it, but he still refused it. By this point my dog has been visibly losing weight and obviously it is very concerning.

Yesterday it was suggested I try putting a topper on the kibble. I tried putting some of his treats on there first and he happily gobbled up the treats, but then spit out any kibble on the floor. Then I tried an egg because I thought it might soak into the food and entice him more. He licked up the egg on top and, again, spit out the kibble. I tried some raw food from the pet store as a topper (he was on a raw food diet in the past but had to be switched off because I simply couldn't afford it), but he wouldn't touch it.

Finally today feeling distraught, I bought some new food for him. I know that dogs shouldn't be abruptly switched to a new diet but I was desperate. To my absolute joy, he gobbled it up as happy as can be!

...Then he promptly threw it up. I don't think it's because he's sick because he had no stomach upset from the egg or treats. I believe it's either because it's a new food or because I should have given him a smaller portion to get him used to it. But I could be wrong about that so I'm open to other ideas!

Please, if anyone has any advice, I am really freaking out. I understand pet advice is sensitive to a lot of people but I'm asking because I genuinely love and care about my dog with all my heart. If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't be asking in the first place. I need my little guy to be happy and healthy - that's all I want.

My dog loves to go mountainbiking with me. This doesn't really work with a leash (obviously), so a training collar comes in very handy on the off chance he sees a squirrel or something and wants to chase (Otherwise he's very well behaved).

My issue is that the remote is not very easily/quickly accessible when I have it in my pocket. What I need is either, a training collar with a more 'handsfree' type of remote, or a different mounting solution for my current remote.

Current ideas include:

-wrist mount (like a watch or something maybe)

-arm mount

-chest mount/strap mount?

-handlebar mount

-belt mount

Let me know if you have any ideas, or if you know of an out-of-the-box solution that's not going to cost an arm and a leg. I don't need a super high end training collar, because his behavior isn't that high maintenance and also I can't really afford it either.

A month ago I broke my ankle and needed surgery to fix it. My dogs and I have been staying with my parents and sister since then because I can't care for myself or my dogs in my current state. I have a 1 year old male beagle who is neutered. I have a 6 month old goldendoodle female who will be spayed next month. My parents have a very anxious great Dane/German shepherd and an Aussie mix. Both are females and spayed.

My beagle has anxiety, but improved greatly when I put him on meds when he was younger.

Anyway, my beagle has started resource guarding and being aggressive since we have begun staying with my parents. He'll snap if you try to take things from him or gently move him if he's in the way. He's never acted like this before. I've tried doing the whole trading for a better item thing, but it hasn't been doing anything.

My house is very quiet and chill, since I live alone. My parents' place is very chaotic and my sister throws a lot of fits and screams a lot. She also verbally berates all of the dogs and we can't get her to stop.

I'll be here for another two or 3 months until my leg is healed enough for me to go home. I know the environment changes have my beagle upset, but I can't emotionally handle him acting like he has been.

Do y'all have any suggestions for how to get him to stop acting this way? My family doesn't seem to have the capability of working together for this and my stepfather and sister just won't treat my pets in the way I treat them. My stepfather is one of those people who still believes in the whole alpha dog bs and can be abusive. I don't think he's abused my beagle, but I have been bedridden, so I can't keep him and my sister in check with their behavior.

I treat my dogs gently and with love and respect. I very rarely raise my voice and I do lots of positive reinforcement. We also had a very strict schedule at my house and we don't even have a schedule now because of all the changes.

My beagle came from a rough background, and he needs treated in the way I treat him in order to not trigger his anxiety. Loud noises and nearby hostility is incredibly upsetting for him. He NEVER acted like this at our house. He was nothing but the sweetest baby boy.

What should I do? Will this behavior stop when we return home?

Article by Jean Donaldson.

"Why some handlers strive to empower their dogs to make more of their own choices."