Regarding your home page, what do you get instead of Google? This can provide a clue about what is changing your setting.

Toolbars typically are generated by an extension, which is a type of add-on you can disable or remove (usually) here:

orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons > Extensions category

This article might be useful: Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page.

I get a small dog --red background, white dog--could be tied to Zynga??

thanks a ton---went to Tools and Add-ons and wiped out both of my problems. Great help!!