Sambuca

Make sure you're comfortable with them and so is the dog. I love the fact that Bu loves our teachers. One of them even borrows him to play because she adores him.

It takes time and there's no way to know for sure. It can take up to a year or more to come out of their shell completely. Has he had a physical to make sure there's nothing causing him discomfort while being pet causing the growl? The space issues can be worse depending on how tired the dog is, how anxious, how hungry. Just like we have moods, they have moods. Please don't correct the growling, I'll add a link in a bit to explain why much better than I can. I really think some positive reinforcement training will help you, plus having a trainer to help is a good thing. http://wildewmn.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/why-growling-is-good/

Positive reinforcement classes may be beneficial.

Walks together are good. Eventually going to obedience classes will be great, but I'd wait a month or more depending on the dog. Stick with positive reinforcement training/clicker training. If you do some research you can even start doing some simple stuff at home.

I use the Preventic collar with the Comfortis.

As a dog walker myself, sometimes walking a dog 5 times isn't enough for the dog to be totally comfortable with me. It's someone they don't know well coming into their home and taking them away. Granted, starting to growl on the fifth visit isn't usual. We all have bad days though. I agree that a behaviorist would be a fantastic idea. If the dog walker needs to come before that, have her use lots of treats and a happy voice.

Has she been tested for a UTI recently? There are reusable pee pads that are fabric. They use them on hospital beds.

Look up Calming Signals. They are signs that a dog shows when they're uncomfortable. Lip licking, yawning, averting their gaze are all calming signals. There are more than that, but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

That sounds like a very fast switch to me, but every dog is different. I hope you both feel better soon.

A picture would be great. Are you sure this is a new thing?

Try putting the new bowl in a new location. Sailor has issues with metal bowls. It makes him nervous when his tags hit the bowl and if the tags get stuck on the lip and flip the bowl, game over. I'm guessing something happened to scare him.

While that's often the case, it doesn't always work. I don't have a yard, but my condo has a tennis court I can use. Last year I had a foster that wouldn't go on leash. One long walk fixed the peeing problem. The pooping problem took over a week. I had leash walked him exclusively for 2 days and he hadn't pooped at all. I finally put him in the tennis court and he pooped. The next time I put him in the tennis court was 3 days later and that was his first poop in those 3 days. Finally after another couple days he started going on walks. But, I don't think he ever would have learned to go on leash if he was in a yard for even just 10 minutes a day and walked for hours more. I do agree that dogs should be walked everyday though.

For Sailor, I captured his down (and sit). I'd sit on the couch and wait until he laid down. As he was getting into position I'd click and treat. After awhile he started offering the behavior for food. For Bu, I captured "bow" first. That's when they stretch with their heads down and butt up. Once he was reliable with that, I'd delay giving the treat until he moved his back legs a bit. Then he figured out how to lay down. He will only lie down on command by lowering the front end first. Neither of my dogs would go under things. Bu is too lazy and would go tale a nap if it got too difficult. Sailor seems to have claustrophobia. I also taught Sailor to sit by capturing. It's all about timing. He plops his butt down as he's laying down, so I'd click just as his butt hit the floor.

Should be fine.

Walk until he goes. The first storm I had Bu, he wasn't impressed. I knew he had to go, so I walked him for 1.5 hours until he went. I don't have a yard and I've done the same thing for fosters that were poop shy. It's not fun, but the more often the do it, the easier it gets. Also give treats and praise.

I also get it at costco. I've been giving it to them every night. I'm surprised at how much they like it! How much can I feed them? I've been afraid to use it on wounds and dry skin because they love it and I don't want them obsessively licking problem areas.

I'd Get another urine culture to make sure the UTI is gone. If it is, it's most likely incontinence. There are meds for it. Proin and DES I think are the 2 biggies. If you take her out more often, it may help. I've known quite a few dogs with this issue and the dogs really don't seem to know which is nice since some will get upset.

That's huge!!! You're fighting instinct. That's much harder than anything else.

The Natures Domain salmon and TOTW Pacific Stream are almost identical. Bu is very sensitive and had no problems with the change. They are manufactured by the same company. I went into an expensive high end pet store for treats one day and the owner asked what I was feeding the dogs. He balked at first then went online and compared ingredients and was shocked at the similarity. I don't think Sailor is doing as well on this, so I'm looking to change his food. I'm afraid to change Bu's since it took 8+ months and 8-9 foods to get rid of his diarrhea. I was trying to avoid 2 foods, but I need to do what's best for Sailor and I don't think this is it.

Has she been tested for worms recently? Are you sure she didn't get into something? Has she eaten any poop in the yard?

It was Weruva wet dog food. 2 different flavors, but I can't remember which. I tried the second to see if it happened again. It did so we threw out most of the can. My other dog didn't have an issue with it. I've fed the cat version to my cats before and they didn't seem to have an issue either. I had a foster dog on ABs for a skin infection for 6 weeks. About 1-2 weeks later he started having excessive urination and drinking. He ended up having a bladder infection/UTI. He probably had it the whole time, but I think the other ABs held it at bay since he went on them the day after I got him. Once he was on the right ABs he cleared right up.

Good tip on the tone. I don't think I even notice my tone most of the time. As for speed, sometimes he flies and sometimes he's soooooooo slow. I've tried running when he's in slow mode and he doesn't speed up. He stops and waits for me to come back or he tries to go lie down. I'm aware we won't be competing. Lol Won't Kili knock you over?!?

I'd do another urine culture. I've heard that some are hard to diagnose. Have you started any new foods? I occasionally give a spoonful or 2 of wet food with the dogs meals and 1 wet food caused excessive urination. Within a day or so of finishing the food he was back to normal. Is she on any medications? Or Any supplements with MSM? A friends female had a urination issue with Dasuquin with MSM and was fine with regular Dasuquin.

http://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=dtb813

I've thought about doing melatonin, but it seems silly to give them drugs for something that isn't a problem. Embrace the bald. As long as the skin is healthy and comfortable, I really don't care what my dog looks like. I'm going to love him no matter what.