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If you can rule out a medical issue, I'd go back to basic Housebreaking 101 with the crate. You could also confine her to a smaller area with baby gates, like the kitchen where the floors are easier to clean. Reward her like crazy for pottying outside. Sometimes they just get too much 'freedom' and revert back to old habits.

For being 'not that great of a food' my guys have formed stools, no gas, great teeth, and shiny coats on IAMS. And that's much more than I can say for the handful of other premium/limited ingredient/organic/grain free foods we tried beforehand. An overall picture of health means more than an ingredient list, IMHO.

I'm a self-admitted food snob turned IAMS believer. We use the large breed green bag just because the pieces are larger. But we love it. I'd never go back. Beet pulp magic.

I agree with all the other advice you've gotten. I just wanted to add that sometimes, dogs are just shy by nature. Certainly, there are things you can do to help them bond and feel more comfortable, but it's possible that your dog may always be shy. You start to recognize and appreciate small things, even if it just means she's okay laying in the same room as you. Many of them do come out of their shells, but some don't. If that's the case, hopefully you can accept that about her.

The first and only time I boarded Henry, he came back withdrawn and anxious. It took him several weeks to get back to normal. Boarding is a tricky thing because there's no way to really know if your dog had a good experience or a traumatic one. When I say traumatic, I don't mean that he was beaten or starved, but it's very possible that something happened causing him stress and anxiety in some way. It sounds like Copper's gone through a lot of changes within three short months. So he might just need some time and reassurance. As for the barking and whining, it sounds like he's just needing your presence right now. If you don't want him in your bedroom, that's certainly your decision. But my advice is this- whatever you do, try to be consistent. It sounds like he's already learned that this behavior gets him attention. If you spend time and energy trying this and trying that (i.e. walks didn't work, maybe he wants a kong... that didn't work, maybe I'll just sleep in the chair), then you are inadvertently reinforcing the behavior. You'll most likely have to either ignore the whining or change his sleeping location so he's not alone.

Have you tried a basic obedience class? Lots of grey owners from my class were adamant that their dog could/would not sit. Then, by the time class was over, every single one of them could sit. Sometimes you just need the help of a professional to show you the right method.

Growling and snapping happens! A LOT. It's a form of communication- your dog was just letting your husband know he was uncomfortable with whatever he was doing. Please don't assume abuse. There are tons of threads on here about "sleep startle" and "space guarding." Until your grey has settled in and you've done some desensitization training, follow Batmom's two rules. Don't touch him when he's lying down, and don't reach over him.

In the meantime, try sprinkling some Metamucil on his meals... if he's straining and yelping, he must be incredibly uncomfortable.

Glad to see a good update. I hope this guy has a good home to go to once this mess is all over.

Oh my goodness!! James must be really beat from his possum ordeal.

Are you rewarding his morning pee? I would start there. Stand with him while he pees. Use a phrase like 'Go pee!' and once he starts, say 'Good!' and give him a treat. Note: the treat has to come DURING the pee, not when he comes back inside. Otherwise, he'll think he's being rewarded for coming inside. When he does go outside, make a huge deal out of it. Throw him a pee party. It sounds like the problem in the evening is that he's understanding that as soon as he's done peeing, he has to then go back inside. So instead of getting down to business, he wants to run around and be silly to delay going back in. Give him 10 minutes and bring him back in, even if he doesn't pee. Wait 15 minutes, then try again. Since you'll be home, I might try the umbilical method- tether the leash to your waist, and don't let him out of your sight. That way, he won't have the opportunity to sneak away to pee.

I agree, it's not too soon for you to start some fundamental training at home. It is probably a little soon for any type of formal obedience training. You usually want to give them a few months before starting a class as not to overwhelm them with too much, too fast. But don't get me wrong, obedience training is wonderful. We saw a ton of improvements with both dogs after doing training classes.

This is EXACTLY what they do.

Hahahaha! I would love to see that. Siamese cats are definitely cut from a different cloth. The Meezer is definitely our third dog. I tell him all the time he needs to start acting like a cat. I wonder if I should seek outside help for his evident identity crisis. Is there a MeezerTalk forum?

Ummm... send the chicken parts to Henry and Truman in Pennsylvania??

Thanks for this idea.

No advice, just wanted to say that my guys often try to start parties right BEFORE bed! They are running around the house with toys, playing bitey-face, jumping up and down on the bed, play-bowing, doing zoomies. I'm sure to anyone walking by, my house sounds like a bowling alley. Gotta love those playful hounds

Too funny! Truman gives himself time-outs from time to time. One of my rules is "don't get snarky on the bed." Snarkiness gets you kicked off. So occasionally he'll let out a little errr sound, and I don't even have to tell him. He immediately gets up and hops down to his own bed.

What a beautiful tribute. My heart is breaking for you. I can't imagine losing two so close together.

I think a bile test would be the next logical step. Have you consulted with OSU yet?

Tell me about it! I do believe the cold weather is contributing more to his bad behavior. We can walk for 3+ miles, and he comes home squirrelly as ever. It's like walking makes him even more wound up! The only thing that gets him really tired out is off-leash running at the dog park. If we can get through the next couple months, I think we'll be in a better place. Right now, he has major cabin fever. I can tell he's going through a rough time (adolescence, growing pains, moodiness, wavering confidence). His behavior is better on nights when we have class, and on the weekends when we go to the dog park. Admittedly, Truman is a kitty-chaser, and it's a work in progress. It's not entirely his fault. Our cats have two entire bedrooms in the house full of toys, climbing trees, scratching posts, window-sills, heated beds, etc. that are gated off away from the dogs. One of my cats spends most of his time in the bedroom because he's older and he'd rather not deal with the dogs. The Meezer, however, encourages the chasing. He'll dart around like crazy, and although Truman is gaining self-control, he just doesn't have the maturity or restraint yet. After the kitten runs into the bedroom, and Truman settles down some, the kitten will immediately come out and try again. When I am home, we work with Truman as much as possible. I keep a pocket of treats and a squirt bottle on hand at all times, and I am always redirecting bad behavior and rewarding good behavior when I see it. The problem is, I'm not always there. And the handful of times I've tried to separate the cats, the Meezer either squeezed through the gate or jumped over it. When I shut the door, he cried and clawed the carpet like he expected to dig his way out. That commotion caused Truman to be even more wound up than he was in the first place. Regarding Henry, he and Truman are best friends. They are very bonded with one another, and they are always together. If Henry is having a seizure, Truman will stand by him and wait until it passes (often giving Henry a lick on the face once he comes to). Henry is extremely patient with Truman, but will, on occasion, give him a correction for being obnoxious or pushy. I am so grateful because Henry doesn't really have any bad behaviors- he is a great "role model." I can only imagine how much worse Truman would be without Henry. Also, Henry could care less about the cats. He doesn't get involved in the chasing and deliberately tries to look away when the kitten is near him. Thank you all for your good advice. I want the best for all my pets, so we will continue working on kitty training.

I've not seen it either. Only Healthy Naturals, which is limited ingredient, but not grain free.

Here we go again... ever since I did some positive reinforcement training with Truman and Meezer, they gradually seemed to establish some type of weird bond. They play bitey-face with one another, hang out together. Meezer follows Truman everywhere. When I feed the dogs in the morning, sure enough, Meezer comes trotting behind for his Meow Mix treats. A few nights ago, I witness Truman trying to scruff the Meezer on the back of his neck, presumably to pick him up in his mouth. I immediately told Truman "NO!" and separated them. But the weird part was that the cat seemed to be allowing it without putting up any sort of fight. Is this something I should be worried about? I don't think Truman would hurt Meezer deliberately, since they act like friends. But I wonder if he could do damage without intending to. I'm very curious to know if anybody else experienced this same situation.

Happy Bridge Anniversary to Saint. Judy, sending you positive thoughts today as you remember your boy.

Agree!