[Jac]

Hi,
I understand how frustrating it must be for you...but I do believe that since
Dori is older, she is very lonely...in addition, she is trying to find her puppies and may be wanting you to help. She is probably extremely lonely...it is such a close bonding experience for a mother to have her puppies around.
Have you asked your breeder what conditions she was kept in? I suspect that she was around other dogs, perhaps humans, and is missing the nighttime cuddling.
It sounds like she may not have been well trained by the person who has had her and you may need to start at the beginning. She needs to be in a good training program. She needs to feel secure and loved in your home and she needs to know the rules. She will learn, but you are in for some rough times until she does. I'd ask the breeder exactly what she has been living like...what conditions, when were the pups weaned, where did she sleep, how was she socialized? And I'd check with her vet...her past vet...to see if they can shed some light on it.
You may need to take her to a trainer for one-on-one training.
Most importantly, you will have to do a lot of work with her to train her and teach her that she is loved and yet she has rules. She just needs structure, but she is old enough that it will be a challenge for you.
You might want to get a "Snuggle Puppy" for her...they are stuffed animals with heartbeats and a warming pad inside.
I would definately crate train her. I know that the scratching is hard for you, and for your doors/furniture...but you are going to have to go through that with her...so it is best to find out how to get results.
If she is free to roam the house, she will be on furniture, she will try to be with you. That's what dogs do. They need to be part of a pack...and she is trying her best to fit in...the only way that she knows how.
You have been patient and I hope that you continue to be...she is just lost, and probably very lonely...and she is doing what she has been "trained" to do...either by lack of training or by neglect or by an owner who just didn't know how to teach her.
I'd get her into training right away...I'd get her crate trained immediately...and I'd give her so much love and attention that she would feel secure in knowing that you (her new pack leader) accepts her into the pack.
Here is a good link:
http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html

 

[Jac]

Hey, don't feel badly about asking for help...we all do that and this is what the forum is meant to do...help each other!
It is good that your father grabbed her...that little stinker! LOL
You are right to be concerned if she gets her stitches wet...I don't know that they would dissolve sooner, but she may have them pull loose and perhaps get an infection...so I am glad she didn't make it to the pool!
I think that she may be hurting and not want to go for walks, but small walks at an easy pace shoudl be good for her.
We use a prong collar for our dogs...many people think that they look horrifying, but believe me...they have really been great! They seriously don't hurt the dog...not if you fit it properly and learn how to use it...and it makes our dogs walk on leash really well.
Many people swear by the gentle leader too...
You could take Dori on walks just up and down the driveway if she will go...that might get her started.
I am sure that others will have some good advice for you...hang in there! :wink:

 

[Jac]

Good morning...I am going to send you to a couple of sites that might answer your questions better than I can. But I will say that whatever reason Dori has for guarding her food, you need to teach her that it isn't appropriate.
You can take food from her (always be careful...don't get in a situation where you can get bitten) and immediately trade it with something else, really yummy. Don't take things from her and keep them...she needs to know that it is okay to give up her food to you because she will be rewarded. Teach her to "leave it" and "drop it"...these are important commands for food aggressive dogs.
Do you have Dori in a training program? If not, I suggest that you begin right away. I am a firm believer in training (I learned the hard way...by NOT training sufficiently...) You need to make a commitment to work with Dori every day...and include everyone in the family. You should all use the same commands and expect the same things from her.
Here are the links, I think that they will be useful to you...one is the Leeburgh Kennels and you will learn about prong collars (they also have many other good pages) and the other is advice about almost everything. You can type in a topic and come up with a LOT of really useful info.
http://www.leerburg.com/fit-prong.htm
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/ (I ran a search for food guarding and this is one of the articles that came up
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Conten ... C=0&A=1462

 

[Jac]

It is my understanding that the problem with Greenies comes about when the dog or puppy doesn't chew them into small enough pieces. They don't digest so they cause blockages. I think that if your dog loves the taste, you could use the greenie biscuits and/or the tiny pieces that are sold...
I think that this trouble is also one with other things, like rawhide and bones and rocks...our dogs eat (and swallow) things that are way too big and if they won't pass through or be thrown up, they pose a major health problem.

 

[Jac]

Oh, I am so sorry...that is heartbreaking.

 

[Jac]

I am sorry...Dori is going through so much right now...I wish that your father would trust your judgment and allow you to discipline her when she needs it.
I understand his frustration and also his tatics, I grew up in those times too...and frankly, I did see dogs trained that way...but I believe that it is a dangerous way to discipline because Dori will learn fear and aggression and submission...but there are so many better ways to stop these problems.
First, check with your vet to see if there is a reason that she can't hold her pee...maybe since she was recently spayed, she has an infection or her muscle control has been affected...if so, no amount of rubbing her nose in it will work.
I have also read that when dogs are disciplined this way (especially when caught in the act) they think that what they have done wrong is to be SEEN peeing...so they hide and then too, they won't pee outside if you are around...sometimes they decide to wait until they are inside where they can hide behind a sofa...(or under a table?)
I agree that you need to clean the spot to remove odor. I like Nature's miricle. But be sure you get every bit of the spot or Dori will find the scent again.
You might need to go back to crate training for a while. Dori may need to start over again with her potty training.
Is it possible to install a doggie door at your house so that Dori can go out on her own if she needs to? We use them and it has saved me so much trouble .. and mess!
I suggest that you check this site for information regarding this type of accident...maybe you could share the information with your father...I hope it helps. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Conten ... C=0&A=1017
and here is another article from the same source: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Conten ... &C=127&S=0 (the second article seems to have good infor for your circumstances.)