[pyrnet] Behavior Problem Pyr

[Amy Hogan <amydiara@yahoo.com>]

We have a 3 year old female Pyr, who we have had since
she was 7 weeks.  For year 1 and 2 she was very bad
(headstrong, into everything, disobienant, to this day
she refuses to fully housebreak, etc) but very gentle
and wonderful with strangers and kids.  When she
turned 2 she became aggressive.  Part of the problem
(in hindsight) was that we would tie her up outside in
the backyard with a 50ft lead b/c she loved to lay in
the grass, etc. and we dont have a fence.  Well we
think that perhaps some neighborhood kids started
throwing things at her when we werent paying attention
(found golf balls, small rock, etc in the yard)-
probably b/c she barks constantly.  Tragically this
has correlated into her becoming very distrustful of
kids and strangers.

She has been through extensive training and the thing
is, when she is out at the trainers she is very mild
and obiendant with them and when she comes home, she
is right back to her old ways.  I think its
territorial based.  I did call a rescue group for
advice on this behavior and they felt she came from a
bad breeder--which wasnt too much help.  We love this
dog despite the huge headache she is and dont want to
give her up.  Some questions:

1. I dont know the best way to correct her when she
starts to snarl and bark.  If I correct her with her
choke chain she seems to get angier.  I try to talk to
her in soothing tones, but nothing seems to really
work.  She is inconsistant on when she does this and
when she will just wag her tail and hope to be pet

2. Im newly pregnant and terrified about the dogs
reaction to a baby and whether we will be able to keep
her.  The one thing that makes me a little hopeful is
that she often barks and growls at people on our front
walk, but once we let them in the house, she becomes
more submissive towards them.

3. Unrelated to this but related to our now $6K
investment in this dog (unreal) is that the vet thinks
she has mange.  Where she got this from I dont know. 
But we treated her for one round (5 treatments) where
she was scratching the back of her leg and rubbing the
hair off.  Now 4 weeks later, clumps of hair are
coming off her side and top and back and its not her
normal spring shedding.  Plus the fur is engrained
with what looks like shed scabs or peeled skin.  I
know this sounds disgusting and it is to an extent,
but the vet has her on a 6 round treatment now and
this is costing a ton of money and there is no way to
definatively diagnosis it as mange.  Has anyone else
experienced this???

Sorry for the length!!!

Any advice appreciated.

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