He could be scratching with his mouth so look for any signs of irritation or redness. Could also be nervous thing so I would first rule out any medical reason and if none are found, see if it is a nerve thing.

If it is a nervous thing, you can redirect him when he does bite his leg. say his name, have him perform a command he knows well and reward him. HE will soon understand that giving you his focus pays him more than biting his leg.

If this started all of a sudden or if this is happening a lot, I would consult of vet. Could be allergies, nasal infection, skin issues, all sorts.

Like I said answering another question earlier, anything that starts all of a sudden or that gets excessive makes me worry.

Depending on if he is a long hair or short hair dog because long hair dogs will smell like wet dogs when wet making any smell worst. I try to wash my dogs as little as possible and use only water as much as possible. If not, a soft non-scented dog shampoo will do, just make sure to dry your dog as best as you can.

Anytime something gets really intense really fast, I worry. So if she does not drool usually and all of a sudden she is drooling excessively, I would be searching for what ever she could of ingested, could very well be something she got into her mouth. If after giving her some water the excessive drooling persists take her to the vet.

Great article about this: http://www.growlsnarlsnap.com/single-...

I ask the owner to bring the food and treats, leash harness or collar and bed or crate depending on what the dog is used to. As far as toys, I prefer they don't bring any since its easy to get them all mixed up and then have an un happy client if you dont send the right ones back with the dog. I also suggest they bring a worn t-shirt or something so the dog has their smell during the stay.

Please do consult a professional but make sure to choose one who works with positive reinforcement methods. Also, not all dogs like other dogs and thats ok, as long as they do not attack them. So even with the best of training, your dog might not ever be the kind of dog to like playing with other dogs and thats fine. We think dogs need dog friends but for thousands of years, the quality of the dog's life depends on the quality of his relationship with humans so as long as your dog feels like he is part of a social structure and gets plenty of love and play time with you, he will not be unhappy.

I use coconut oil to treat it but if this is a recurring issue, I would suggest bovine or equine colostrum. IT resets the immune system and helps with any sort of auto-immune issues, I have had quite a bit of success with this. Here is an article about it: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/...

Many working dogs never step foot inside the house but still live a very happy, fulfilling life. As long as you do interact with your dog, as long as the dog gets plenty of exercise , stimulation, socialization and love, there is no reason why you can't get a dog.

I would however look for breeds that have a history of such living conditions like Huskies, Malamutes, Akitas and such. Plus does breeds would be more than happy to live outside provided they have a nice dog house. I would also feed this dog lots of fish oils, helps with the fur and cold.

Here is a pic of a basic but very efficient dog house. I would make it so you can lift the roof of the dog house for maintenance. The design is simple but cuts down the wind and gives your dog a nice cozy and warm home. You can use hay inside the house during the cold months, change it every week or so.https://www.google.ca/search?q=dog+house+for+cold+climates&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjAzsik86fUAhUHyGMKHb66DMoQsAQINQ&biw=1280&bih=673#imgrc=n9sfcpqFTvBV3M:

Most pet store will let you return food if the dog did not like it or offer sample bags. I have a chihuahua who is extremely picky so I just make his food myself.

There are many reasons why a dog might eat dirt, sometimes its just because they like it. But if your dog eats dirt quite a bit, it could be a mineral deficiency or some other things your dog is lacking in his diet. If like I said the dog does it a lot, I would do blood tests at the vet just to rule out things like anemia.

It really depends on why the dog is coughing. Most likely a case of kennel cough which if your dog is otherwise healthy, will get better with some rest. Kennel cough is however highly contagious and your dog should not be around any other dogs as long as it is coughing. There could also be other symptoms like fever, runny nose, lack of appetite.

I treat kennel cough with coconut oil. I had one to two tablespoons to the morning and evening food depending on the size of the dog.

But if the cough persists more than a week, if your dog is lethargic or has difficulty breathing go straight to the vet but call them first to let them know of the symptoms, they might have you bring the dog through the back door to avoid contagion.

If your dog goes to the dog park or is around many dogs, I strongly recommend having him vaccinated for kennel cough.

Like the previous answer says, you might want to exhaust her well before bed and when she does wake up, do not give her any attention. If you give her attention she will just get into the habit of doing this. You might want to crate train her as well. Dogs love having a den and it really helps with these sorts of night party moods.

I bred large and giant breeds for years and I never, and I repeat never give puppy food to large breed puppies. In the wild, dogs or wolf pups eat last and what is left is mostly ligaments, tendons and such so very low protein levels and their baby teeth can't quite handle chewing bones so low calcium as well so I try to replicate that for my growing pups. And besides, genetics not food will determine the full grown size of your dog.

You want a good quality kibble with no more than mid 20's protein levels and not too high in calcium. You want a nice slow and steady growth. Feeding a large breed pup high protein puppy food can cause all sorts of issues like Panosteitis which is growing pains, knuckling over is another condition where the ligaments and tendons dont grow as fast as the bones as well as other conditions.

This is a link to the great dane lady's website which is filled with very good info on large dogs, give it a read: http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles...

I just don't see the point or medical benefit in treating an animal for a condition that is not present. And perhaps recommendations are different in the US but here in Canada, the recommendation is to only deworm if worms are indeed present and confirmed by a vet.

And heart worm medication is often combined with flea and tick meds, not normal broad spectrum dewormers. Heart worm meds are given once a month, maybe you are mixing the two.

I am curious as to where you saw that it is recommended to deworm dogs every month since have been in the dog business for over 20 years and I have never heard of this. Dewormers are hard on the system, often causing diarrhea and sometimes even vomiting. Why treat for worms if there is no worms?

If the bark is not an aggressive bark and all of your dog's need are met, it is simply your dog demanding stuff and should not be allowed. I am not talking about a dog letting you know he wants to go outside or that someone is at the door but rather a dog vocalizing when he wants something. If you respond to these sort of barks, you are telling the dog he can demand things and he will get them, making for a very annoying spoiled brat of a dog. This might sound a tad harsh but a dog should not think he rules the house, decides when and how he gets attention from you, when it is time to play or be relaxed, he should know you are the one in charge. It only makes for a more pleasant well mannered and mentally stable dog and a much more pleasant household.

In positive reinforcement training, we use all that the dog wants or need as training tools. If your dog wants affection, he must pay fro it with a behavior. For example, if your dog barks at you or nudges your hand with his nose to let you know he wants attention or affection, you ask for a sit or a down and then reward him with attention. If the dog wants to go outside, he must sit nicely by the door and wait for you to decide it is time. Again, this goes for all of what he wants and needs. Instead of spoiling your dog, use these things to train him or he will train you in no time.

As an animal care professional I would say that is a big no no, too many things can go wrong here. Even if you know the dog, you never know what you will run into on any specific day. Never mind the potential risks to your child but if something does happen with the dog or to the dog, having a 4 month old baby would make it difficult for you to handle the situation. What if a dog runs away, how would you run after it with a baby in your arm or in a car seat, what if a dog gets into a fight with another dog he lives with, how would you handle that with a baby around, what if you get into the the house and the dog is sick or injured, etc. In this business, we deal with living creatures and so many variables, it is not a job where it safe or smart to bring a 4 month old baby along.

As a dog owner, I would not be happy or comfortable with you bringing a baby while I pay you to care for my animals, not your child. I know it sounds harsh but caring for your baby will always come first so easily interfere with the job I pay you to do.

It simply isnt professional or safe.

I agree with both these answers but I would also recommend that you contact other sitters from Rover who could step in and help you out if things got a little out of hand or if after a while, it becomes obvious that you and the dog are not a good match, especially if the owner is away for that long. Let the owner know which Rover sitters have agree to be your back up in case you need. It will only make you look more prepared, more professional and make the pet owner feel more secure.

I would not do it. Puppies not only need potty breaks but they need socialization, training, exercise and such. This is the perfect scenario for so many things to go wrong, every time a puppy does his business in the wrong place, that is reinforced and too much risk of this happening, being left alone that much can make him panic and hurt himself, the puppy could really dislike the crate if he does get too anxious, etc.

I would rarely accept to do this even with a full grown dog.

Visit your local dog parks, vet clinics, pet stores, introduce yourself and let people know about your business. However, I would not lower my prices, if you are confident about the quality of your services and are well priced for what you offer, you do not want to set precedents that are hard to break, it is very difficult to up your prices once clients are used to paying a certain amount. Go through the profiles and reviews of successful sitters in your area and see how their profile is worded, what type pf photos they use, that sort of thing.

Also if you are serious about making this a good source of revenue, go take some dog training classes and get yourself some credentials. I am the most expensive in my area and yet I am super busy, too busy even but I am a certified animal trainer and behavior modification therapist, I competed and titled many of my dogs and client's dogs so I can charge more and still get a whole lot of business.

I always charge the same, except for very close friends, family or regulars. I do this full time, I invested quite a bit in my education and like any other business, I need the revenue. I also found that giving rebates does not bring me the type of clients I want and it makes me come off as not as professional.

I do channel as much business as I can though Rover since I like the insurance coverage and their website is very well done when to comes to helping us keep track of our business, our clients and all their stats. It also adds credibility and a sense of security for the pet owners, by working with Rover, it's not just little old me taking care of their pet but a whole team of people working behind me.

I unfortunately had a medical emergency with one of my boarders and even though it happened in the middle of the night as it usually does and Rover really was there and did all of what they promised so I like knowing I have a team of people to help me if I need to and so do my clients.

I would not book myself off until the client has done a proper reservation and let the client know that until you are guaranteed to be paid, you cannot risk loosing the revenue. When the client does a reservation, the money is frozen on their card and charged once the stay is over, depending on your cancellation settings, if the client cancels, you will at least get some of the amount.

Since I am very clear about having many dogs in my home for both daycare and boarding, if a client's dog cannot be with other dogs, therefor making it so I cannot take more dogs, I ask for twice the amount. I know it sounds like a lot but this is my job and like any other business, I need the revenue so it is understandable that the client has to compensate for my lost revenue. .

So sorry, I thought the dog was licking his feet, not yours LOL

Just like us, dogs go through different stages of sleep and can have muscle spams and twitches during some of these stages. They can also be dreaming of being in movement and actually doing the movements with their body while they sleep.

There are so many reasons a dog would urinate on your furniture, a male marking, a dog not fully potty trained, a dog becoming incontinent. Much more information is needed to properly answer your question.

-Sex of the dog -Age of the dog -Level of potty training -When does he pee? -Exactly where does he pee?

I use a mild unscented dog shampoo and I try to wash my dogs as little as possible. Often a good hosing down and dry off is sufficient and over washing can cause dry and irritated skin.

You dog will pant if its hot outside to cool himself down. But if he pants even in cooler temperature and at rest, it could be sign of heart problems so if your dog is always panting, even at rest or when not hot, I would definitively consult a vet.

It could be something he stepped in or bacterial, fungal or yeast based infections. If the odor persist once you have washed hem, I would go see a vet.

Could be a whole bunch of things, allergies, dermatitis of some sort, bacterial or yeast based infections, fungus or psychological. If your dog does lick its paws excessively, look for any discoloration between the toes, look for any sores, things like that. If you find anything or if this licking persist, consult a vet.

Most dogs will be de-wormed once as puppies and unless they are diagnosed with worms, there is no use to giving them de-worming medicine again which are very harsh on the system.

If the vet does diagnose your dog with worms, he will explain to you exactly how to administer the medicine.

Diarrhea is a sign that something isnt right and giving anything to stop the symptoms can mask other things. If the dog has diarrhea and any other symptoms like vomiting, acting lethargic, I strongly suggest consulting a vet asap since it could be a number of things, some not so serious, some very serious. If no other symptoms are present, I stop feeding until the diarrhea stops and then start with a small amount of cooked rice. If that does not produce more diarrhea, I give a bit more rice with some cooked chicken or ground beef. If the diarrhea stops, I start mixing in the dog's regular food. Always make sure the dog has plenty of water and is drinking it.

If however the diarrhea persists, I go to the vet with a stool sample.

I have had a couple of not so good experiences with dogvacay clients, some who just plain out lie about their dogs, some who are constantly late or even one who after she had agreed I would feed her dog rice and beef since he was having violent diarrhea every time I gave him his kibble, refused to pay me for the rice and beef, never mind offering to compensate me for cooking for her poor baby for two weeks. And then she had the nerve to contact me a few months later asking for me to care for her dog again and even asked for a discount! So yes, owners can be hard to deal with sometimes.

I think just like airbnb shows host and guest reviews, Rover should allow sitters to review dogs and owners and have access to that info. It would help to see if other sitters have had issues with this particular owner as well, if this dog is what the owner says he is. It would allow us to really make much more informed decisions on who we want to deal with and what dog we want in our home and avoid situations where a dog being nothing like the owner described and being very disruptive and totally not a match for our home or pack but then we are stuck. Some sitters can handle a barker or a severe case of separation anxiety, some cannot and by sitters not having access to at least the dog's review, it creates bad matches when better ones would be available had we known.

If it works for airbnb I dont see why it wouldnt work for us.