Molly and the Moves

     Molly and I moved in July back to my hometown of Memphis.  Gordon wanted me out of his house, even though the deal was that I would stay there during the summer and work at his wife's silk screening shop for room and board.  He told me to get out without even asking his wife, thus, firing me from my job because I wasn't going to stick around with no compensation. (His wife and her business partner were not too thrilled with this as I was the only one that knew how to work the computer.)  I had a friend come pick me up and we took the long 11 hour drive to Memphis.  Of course, Molly did try to eat him when she first saw him, but I put her in the car while we packed it and once she realized we were going on a ride, she calmed down.
     Molly had her first hotel stay during this.  We went as far as Oklahoma City and stayed in a nice hotel.  I was a little worried about how she would behave, but we got in around two in the morning, so we met no one in the halls. She sniffed around and went to sleep once we got settled in our room.  She did enjoy looking out the window.  She got a little loud once morning hit, barking at people through the window and barking at the maid when she knocked.
     Molly did settle in fine with my family in Memphis.  The only one that did not like her was MacTavish, my old family dog.  Otherwise, Molly got along great with everyone and loved sitting in my mom's lap and begging my mom and grandmother for food.
     We weren't there too long before we got the opportunity to move back to Kansas.  S was done with his PTSD treatment and had a job.  He came and got us in September.  Molly was good on the ride to our new home, sleeping most of the way, letting us know when she needed to potty.  Now we live in a duplex and the lady next door has three dogs, but she doesn't live in the apartment...Molly barks when she hears the woman go in and out.  Of course, I had Molly outside training today when the woman let her dogs out and her dogs started barking.  Molly went to the fence to greet them and they weren't going for it.  The woman made her's go in and then thought she'd talk to me, but Molly was having none of it.  She kept barking her head off until the woman went in.  Now I am trying to figure out how to go about training all these new things to Molly.  I am in a bigger city, and there is proper training available.  I just need to find a job so I can have money to pay for it. 

One Step Foward and Two Steps Back

     Somedays it seems that just as soon as you have one thing figured out, another problem pops up.  Molly and I have been staying with these people for about 4 months now and she's improved in some areas, but have seemed to develop other problems.  She loves Mrs. Sherre to bits.  She was tolerating Mr. Gordon, but now everytime she sees him, she barks/growls low at him.  He came in the other day when was taking her back upstairs and she tried to start.  It wasn't anything frantic to it, but just that low warning growl a dog does.  I told her to hush and had her sit/down beside me and she did and quieted but it has me wondering what has started this.  I do remember a day, when Mr Gordon and his son didn't think I was home, that I heard them talking and saying that they wanted to beat Molly or get a shock collar and repeatedly keep hittind the shock button or just open the kennel outside and let her go.  At that point, they were not allowing her inside and of course, she started barking when she saw people, wanting out of the kennel and howling at night because she was cold and lonely.  When I got her fixed, she was allowed in the house because it was snowing and I never put her back out.  Now I wonder if those two hve done anything to her even if it's just to yell at her or if she just senses the hostility towards her.  More than likely she just senses that he doesn't like her.  I'd imagine if it were anything else she wouldn't have settled when I told her to and laid down beside me.
     Also, their son has a dog, a Blue Heeler.  Very well behaved dog, but one time when I had Molly out, she came rushing Molly so Molly went bounding towards her to greet and this other dog attacked her.  The son called her off but now anytime Molly sees Ellie she goes beserk.  Of course, I've heard the son brag on more than one occassion about his dog "teaching" other dogs a lesson when they aren't well behaved.
     So, now I have these two issues to work through.  That and she has suddenly gotten to where she barks whenever she hears someone come into the house.  She's doing well on listening to me when I tell her to stop when she comes across Mr. Gordon, so we are making strides there, but now I have to work with her to get her to ignore Ellie and to keep calm during the noises of people coming in and out of the house.
     That is the two steps back, her getting reactive with Gordon and Ellie and people going in and out.  Now the step foward that she has made is good.  Now, whenever she sees a car, she automatically sits.  She watches it go by then comes to me and jumps around wagging her tail and getting praise.  We've even been pretty close to the street when it happened.  I'm proud of her for that progress she has made.  Now to just make progress with people, other dogs, and noises.
     Well, she is talking to me, wanting out so will wrap this blog up.  What are some tips you have for helping a reactive dog overcome these issues?