Am I giving my dog too much attention? How much does he really need?

It is difficult to say if the activity level is too great for Gnocchi. It largely depends on what type of dog breed he is. For some breeds, two hours a day is nothing and they would still be bouncing off the walls when they get back. Others want nothing more than to lounge on the couch and stay in the air conditioning. The only way you are going to know for sure is to exercise him less for a few days and see if his demeanor brightens. It is entirely possible that there could be something else going on entirely. If he doesn't seem to snap out of it even after you try reducing exercise, you should consider having him examined for any issues that might be difficult to detect. Hope this helps.

It sounds as if Oreo Is very attached to you. This can be normal as long as it doesn’t interfere with your day today activities. I think crate training him is a great idea. It is probably best to crate him only when you are not home because if you are home and he is in the crate it will probably cause him a lot of distress. It would also be helpful for him to exercise a lot every day. This will help drain some of his nervous energy and help him be more calm when you’re not around. It sounds as if you are doing everything right at this time. Just keep working with him and exercising him regularly and you guys will do great!

At 60 minutes twice daily, you are doing a little more exercise than Sammi needs at the moment. Puppies do not require as much [exercise](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-start-an-exercise-routine-with-your-dog) as adult dogs. Over exertion may lead to lifelong [orthopedic issues](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-orthopedic-conditions-in-dogs). The general recommendation is 5 minutes of exercise per month of age twice daily until fully grown, which for most dogs is about 1 year of age, although larger or giant breeds may not be fully grown until about 2 years of age. I recommend cutting back to two 20 minute walks per day, increasing it by 5 minutes each when she is 5 months, and so on. Because she has a lot of energy, you can work on [obedience training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-obedience-commands-every-dog-should-know) with her (teaching her to sit, stay, lay down, etc.). That will use up some energy, and have the positive effect of [training](https://www.petcoach.co/article/new-dog-survival-guide-tips-for-training) her.

If you increase Dexter’s exercise that should help. Teaching him to retrieve a ball will allow you to wear him out in the house so he will leave the other dog alone. Please monitor them so the older dog doesn’t injure him. As Dexter grows up and calms down this issue should resolve. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Dexter.

It sounds like Kobi loves attention! If you aren't interested in cuddling, try a treat toy or puzzle that he can work on. You can also do obedience training and have him learn to stay in one place when you are on the phone. He may just desire your attention or need more exercise.

Hi. It sounds like sparky has more attachment syndrome/separation anxiety and attention seeking behavior rather then disease related to head-pressing (which is what you were referring to). I would be much less worried about an internal health issue and focus more on his behavior. You can try positive reinforcement for him when you are home and when you leave him alone so he knows you are coming back. You can reward him for good behavior that involves giving you a little bit of space when you need it - like in the kitchen. You can give him activities and things to do while you are home so he can be more self-entertained rather then all of his focus on you. You can also speak to his veterinarian about some medications that can help with anxiety and these types of behaviors if you are interested. Best of luck!

More and more people are allowing dogs to be in their house with them, but dogs sleep about 14 hours a day, so it really doesn't matter where they are during those 14 hours. They key is to have the remaining 10 hours involve good quality time. Depending on the dog, that may involve walks, playing with toys, playing with other dogs, or playing with humans. If you have having behavior problems with Edgar because he seems bored, then I would certainly try to find ways to stimulate him more either inside or outside his cage. One thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for him to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. Keep him mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps dogs busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires them to work. There are also a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I hope that answers your question and was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.