Hi Shannon,

Well, it is obvious you are very frustrated and I can understand why... you have a challenging dog in the house and don't know exactly where to turn and who to trust in regard to which advice to follow - that would drive me over the edge as well.

Like you, I've never had a dog quite like this, but I've come to know a few things about this forum and the folks who are trying to help you. They KNOW what they are talking about. There are many different personalities on this board (obviously) and just like a large family can have communication issues from time to time, the same thing happens on this forum. But you ARE getting the attention and help of two very well respected members who want desperately to help you help your dog, and who together, have an enormous amount of experience with problem dogs. Honestly; lots of hands-on experience with many, many of the issues you are trying to deal with.

Re-reading all you are trying to handle is overwhelming a bit, so let me suggest...

It IS a process, not an event - you are correct about that. There is no magic pill which will solve these issues overnight, but I can honestly tell you if you start at square one, pick one behavior which you want to work on, absorb the advice given on that ONE behavior and give it a good solid week of work and attention, you will begin to see improvement. Just pick one thing to start with, even if it goes against other advice you've been given elsewhere by professionals, and give it one week of serious attention and THEN determine if it might work for you and this dog.

Start with something non-threatening, which doesn't require purchasing new equipment, etc... and consider how you can address this one issue to the best of your ability with the advice given here and let's see how it goes, one day at a time. Break it down into smaller, easier to digest and address bites (no pun intended! :grin. I KNOW we can help you and this dog Shannon. Take a deep breath.