Rescue Dog question

Question
Hello,
I am so glad I found this site - I have so many questions for you... My husband and I recently bought a Toy Fox Terrier named Rocky from a local small dog rescue. He's 4 1/2 years old and weighs about 6.5 pounds. When we first saw him at the rescue, he had such a bad coat, lots of dandruff, not a lot of hair on his paws from itching, his eyes were always wet and he sneezed and snorted a lot. The lady that had him said that he'd been at the SPCA and was 8 days away from being euthanized and so she had brought him to the rescue and had had him for a month or so. I asked her to explain his skin/allergy conditions and she said that he's allergic to corn and that he was on a different food to help him get better. We brought him home, I did a lot of research on dog food allergies and we changed his food again, bought a special allergy/medicated shampoo and I bathe him about 4 times a week and brush him out daily. His coat looks a lot better now, but he still has the weepy eyes and is always sneezing and still itches his paws. I called the vet and she said to give him some children's Benadryl or some sort of antihistamine. So..I give that to him two times a day and I also put a coat supplement on his food and give him a few green beans with his food in the morning to help with his coat. So...like I said - he looks a lot better but the allergies haven't gone away completely. This new food is called BLUE and it doesn't have a lot of products that he could be allergic to, so I'm hoping that after a few weeks of eating it, that corn or whatever he's allergic to will be out of his system.
As far as the behavioral problems go, we were told that Rocky was house-trained, and would go to the door if he needed to go out. We've had him for three weeks now and he has always gone to the door accept for last night - he went into the bathroom and pooped on the floor! We don't know what caused that but maybe thought that he did go to the door and we didn't see him right away. We did scold him for doing that though...
We are gone during the day for work, so we take him out in the morning and then again as soon as we get home. We block him off in the kitchen area which is a very good size and we put his crate in there, plenty of toys and some things to chew on - he won't go to the bathroom in there and he does eat and drink during the day while we aren't there. At night he likes to play a lot and we sometimes go for a walk. Recently, just within the last week or so...he doesn't want to be held or loved on at all like in the weeks prior. When we first brought him home he would put his paws up on the couch and I would pick him up and he'd lie on my chest for hour and hours - he loved to be loved on! Now...he can't stand to be held and doesn't ever want to be in the same room as we are. If we're cooking in the kitchen, he's in the living room - and at night, when we're in the living room, he loves to go behind the kitchen table in a corner and lay down or in the dark closet or in the bathroom. I don't understand this behavior and it makes my husband and me sad that he doesn't want to be with us - is he just a "free spirit" or is there something wrong? I think he hates me because I'm always the one that has to give him his medicine and give him a bath and brush him out - all things he DOESN'T like very much! Is he associating all the things he doesn't like to me? We love him so much and got him because we really wanted a good companion - now he just doesn't even want to be in the same room as we are! I hope you can help - sorry I have so many questions. Thanks and have a great day! - Natalie


Answer
First of all-you probably shouldn't bathe him that often,once a week is fine,if you over bathe that can also dry his coat out even more

Now as for his behavour problems-first thing in the morning take him outside,and don't bring him in until he has done everything

It also sounds like he is starting to become dominate-I would recomend obedience classes