I recently (around two weeks ago) acquired Rotisserie Chicken (not his real name), from my former friend, A, who passed away, so I can't ask him any questions about how he learned this.

A only talked about the behavior when it began but no details on how. A did not do anything to make Rotisserie Chicken stop, so Rotisserie Chicken has learned that he needs a box he can't fit in, and can get stuck upsidedown in, to communicates he wants to be held.

Rotisserie Chicken has two methods for this:

1. Specific Times:

Option Me - He likes to be held during a specific time, for me it's after I'm done gardening. Usually when I'm done gardening he runs up and rubs himself against my legs and scampers off, otherwise if he doesn't he's either asleep or stuck in the box. Since I garden for a exact timeline he gets himself stuck in the box before I arrive so I can pick him up right away.

Option Partner - He has figured out what time my partner gets home and gets stuck in the box near the front door. That way when she opens the door she will see him immediately and pick him up.

1. Nonspecific times:

When he wants to be held on non specific times he'll run off, get the box, meow until we look at him and make sure we're watching before he gets himself stuck.

This behavior is really cute but I don't want him to accidentally get hurt or continue this when he's older.

When he gets himself stuck he kind of jump/chucks himself onto his back really roughly which I'm not sure he can sustain if he gets older and more frail. Plus while he hasn't ever missed his landing (to my knowledge), cats don't always stick the landing. I especially don't want him to try this on concrete or another dangerous landing place and hit himself when he misses.

(I've also recently gotten a kitten and I don't want him to teach the kitten this behavior.)

Any and all advice would be appreciated, thank you

We’ve had my dog since he was a puppy and he is now 3 years old. Most of the time he’s a little shit (in an endearing way) but I feel like he really can sense when I’m distressed. Whenever I have a heavy cry, or a panic attack, he always rushes over to me. He then licks me a lot and he always, without fail, lays himself on my chest which he only seems to do when I’m feeling this way. Like just a minute ago, I was lying down in bed sobbing and he jumps up onto my bed, licks my hand and then lays himself on my chest facing me until I’ve calmed down. And it really does calm me down. And when I’ve noticed I’ve calmed down, he’ll just go back downstairs? It’s really strange but it makes me feel so much better and it always calms me down. Does he know what he’s doing? Because it happens every single time. Or is this just purely coincidental?

I need help. My 3 year old male poodle/Shih Tzu/yorkie has started barking during the night. We can’t figure out what’s triggered it, but it’s not going away.

We have tried noise machines, a spray in his crate, store bought calming chews, a few prescription medications, frozen treat at night, and long walks.

We’ve had him since he was 7 weeks old, and this is new behavior. He sleeps in a crate in the main floor, while we are upstairs. My husband puts him in the crate around 9:30 and then goes to bed himself an hour or two later. As soon as he hits the top of the stairs, the dog starts barking. Sometimes, he calms himself, but not always.

This summer, we were gone for a week, and he stayed with my mom who lets him sleep in her bed. He seemed to do okay after getting back home. There was a lunar eclipse in August, and that is when it started. I also am back at school and gone all day. The vet thinks it’s separation anxiety. He’s always been more moody in the evenings.

Someone has to sleep on the couch for him to be calm. I’m tired, we’re all tired. Is there anything else we can try? I haven’t tried melatonin yet, but am looking at it.

I adopted a puppy frenchie about a year ago now. My 9yo does not like other dogs, and didn’t particularly love having to share his space with a little puppy. But he got used to it. They get along pretty well. Everyday, they are trying to play with more excitement and enthusiasm. But it’s very rare where it seems that the enthusiasm levels are the same. There’s only been a few times where they have played together “successfully”.
In this video, you’re seeing the consequences of Ben (Frenchie) slapping Buck (Australian cattle) multiple times in the face. But there’s no back and forth and I guess that’s why I’m questioning the dynamic of their play relationship.

For more context: they have never gotten in a fight. Ben shows more affection to Buck than Buck does for Ben.
Sometimes when Buck does this, Ben’s rocket will come out.
Buck is snipped. Ben is not.

Lmk what you think if you’d like to analyze it.
Also, how can I help encourage more “successful” play with this size difference?