We have a lab or lab cross that we rescued from the shelter a little
over a year ago. She was appeox. 1-1/2 years when we took her home.
We are dog people, now in our 50's. Have always had dogs, usually two
at a time. Fortunately all or dogs have lived to ripe old ages and
have been great companions in every way.

Our problem: The lab seemed to have never lived in a house as she did
not know how to go down stairs, reacted in fear to herself in a full
length mirror and was not housebroken. It is this last fact that is
our problem still. We have housebroken many dogs with little
difficulty. Many have been adults as for a while we volunteered as
temporary home to rescued dogs while they wer waiting for a permanent
home. In addition to love, we would train the dogs in the basics of
good behaviour and sometimes have to house train them. It was not
difficult as dogs really do not like to go to the bathroom in the
space they sleep or spend time in. This combined with lavish praise
when they went at the proper time and place made for easy success.
Our second dog, a 11 year old shepard mix that we rescued at about 10
months, will never go in the house. If we take her outside and tell
her to go, she will even if there is basically nothing to do.

Our lab will not do this. She also seems to have none of the normal
dogs desire to not foul her sleeping or living areas. She will pee or
poop outside right where both dogs spend time sleeping in the grass
and then lie down herself right on top of it as if nothing is there.
We need to give her weekly baths to keep her from stinking too badly.
Now the baths are causing skin problems. Many times when she is taken
to go to the bathroom, she will refuse to go. In the past 6 or 8
months, she has now started faking to go. I will take her out to a
large fenced pasture last thing at night to go and she will not. She
will fake. Then in the middle of the night she will get up and pee on
the bedroom floor right beside her bed. If put in crate, she will
sometimes go in the crate.

We need to know if there is anything that we can do to save this dog?
Please help.