That's completely normal but of course, monitor their eating patterns just to make sure they don't have any health concerns. I have a Yorkie/Maltese and she's around 6 lbs and I can always feel her ribs along her back especially, but she eats like a horse, so it really depends on the dog breed. Heftier dogs like my other dog, Bailey, who's a Yorkie/Poodle/Chihuahua/Cocker-Spaniel/Wiener mix is bulky so it's harder to feel her ribs, but she's at a reasonable weight, too.

One of my dogs (they're both female) lifts her leg when she pees and the other doesn't so it depends on the dog. Bailey lifts her leg because it's how she marks things, so it's also how she pees. There's really not much you can do about this other than rewarding her when she pees normally (butt to the grass). Otherwise, she'll clean herself off once the walk is done, but consider it a mark of her personality. Of course, Bailey also tends to try to hump me, so she's definitely dominant.

If you don't want to hire a sitter, Fresh Patch makes pads specifically designed to help dogs and puppies that live in apartments do their thing; it's called a potty pad and it's made of real grass with a tray underneath to catch the pee. Your dog goes here and also learns/trains how to pee on grass (mimicking outside). Puppies generally need to pee every couple of hours for the first year at least, so not being home that often is part of the problem. Potty pads will help. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Patch-Disposable-Potty-Grass/dp/B005G7S6UI/ref=sr (http://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Patch-Dis...)18?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1446328476&sr=1-8&keywords=Potty+pads

Food allergies are the most common in dogs with skin issues; poor quality foods can do that to a dog; what you want to look for is a food that's grain free and also free from the following: corn, soy, artificial preservatives/flavors and, most importantly, by-products and fillers. Most of the grocery-store bought brands contain these fillers and by-product meals, and it's not good for the dogs...at all. Don't do steroids. Try switching the food to something wholesome first and then maybe switch your dogs' shampoo; they could be suffering from dry skin.

It sounds weird, but Dawn dish soap, Original, kills fleas on the spot, instantly. It might dry out your pets skin though, so make sure to bathe them in the Dawn first and then with something more soothing, like an oatmeal bath or shea butter based. Comfortis, an oral flea pill, also works very very well, if your pets have seen the vet within the past year. Another thing you could try is to get some Diatomaceous Earth, food grade, and spread that into your carpets, leave it overnight, and then vacuum it up. But it HAS to be food grade, not pool grade.

Your dog is nervous; mommy isn't around where she can see you, so she tends to freak out and urinate, even if she doesn't have a completely full bladder. Nervousness makes humans pee, and it's the same with dogs. When my husband and I are getting ready for a trip, or moving stuff around in the house, my dog, Bailey, gets really super anxious and poops in the hallway, even if I've just taken her out. This behavior stems from separation anxiety. If she can't see you, she thinks you've left her. I realize it's super annoying, but I've gotten to the point where I leave the bathroom door open so that they can check in on me during the day. You might try peeing her before you pee or 'hook up' and see if this makes a difference, or keep her out back or in an area with a pee pad when you can't be with her. Hope this helps!