From: (K.B. Cunningham)
Date: 12/14/2003 1:58 AM Eastern Standard Time

All the other puppies ran to me, jumping on me; etc, except for
Holly. She was very timid, and was slinking at the back of the pen. I
could tell that she wanted to approach, but was very apprehensive..

snip

So let me get this straight...

You picked out the most shy and timid puppy from a breed where shyness and
subsequent fear aggression is not uncommon.

You took her home and dumped her in the yard, offering no stimulation, no
socialization and gave no effort to helping her overcome her issues.

She's only gotten to be in the house since she's hurt, but as matter of course,
she's lived her whole life as a lawn ornament? (And of course, she has to be
drug outdoors again... she's finally where she should have been for the
previous five years).

I'm assuming that she's developed a sense of territorialism, inside my
house; and is thus acting accordingly.

Um, no. She is fearful and has no clue how to deal with the situation in which
she finds herself. A situation YOU are at fault for, not the dog.

What should I do when she bites, scold her, or swat her with newspaper?

What you should do is find a thick stick and wrap newspaper around it firmly.
Then, taking careful aim, whack yourself in the head as hard as you can while
repeating:

"I shouldn't have neglected my dog"

Repeat 10 or 20 times daily.

Seriously... what you should do is contact a behaviorist (though it will take
time and effort on your part, probably a great deal more than if you'd just
made some effort to begin with) and get them to come work with you one on one.

You've set her up for failure now... Either she becomes the dog you never
taught her to be now, immediately, and apparently, though physical corrections
(which will only make her much worse), or your plan is apparently to just dump
her back outdoors to live out her solitary confinement. Very Nice.

If you won't make the effort to do right by her, I urge you to put her to
sleep. You've turned her into a dog that can't safely be placed elsewhere
(although I'd love to suggest you find a responsible home for her) but that
deserves much more than the "half life" of a lawn ornament that you have
provided thus far.

As an aside, it doesn't seem that you have children, but if you ever do... the
same principle applies. You get out what you put in. You don't ignore them
for five or six years and then wonder why they don't behave....

Robin