Almost forgot about your 2nd question
QUOTE:
Another issue we have is that she is afraid of other dogs. We come across many on our walks, but she cries and doesn't want to be near them. When another dog barks as we are walking, she gets very concerned. She was socialized with cats, no dogs for most of her young life. My vet told me not to take her out until she had her last vaccine, which was a couple weeks ago. I"m hoping she will grow out of this.
Your best bet is to take your dog to the dog park, and let it learn how to properly greet and say hello to another dog. They will always run back to mom, if mom picks them up and coddles them when they are afraid... so dont do it. Let your dog get "What For" from another dog, it will teach them how to play, how to say hello, and how to act proper in the park. Plus it IS the BEST form of socialization, and the cheapest one!
Cheers
Scott