I purchased a new dog at PetsMart through the local shelter.  I did this 3 days ago and a few things are beginning to surface.  First of all, the dog (Shadow) is a female, 1 and 1/2 year old parti colored schnauzer and maybe cocker spaniel or lahso apsha dog mix.  She is totally parti-colored (a black and white) and looks alot like a cocker spaniel, but has the face (not ears) of a schnauzer.  Anyways, since I have been home, she has totally attached to me and follows me to every room of the house.  She will follow my children upstairs, (with coaxing) but after just a few minutes, will  run downstairs to find me and then sit at my feet.  At first when she couldn't  find me, she would dash from room to room looking for me, now she will just look for me and then after while will settle down. She whines in her crate  at night when I put her in it, if I leave the room or don't go right to bed.  IF I go right to bed she settles right down.  Her crate is right by my bed.  She has growled at the kids when they took her toy ball filled with treats, and growled when my son tried to pet her when she was in her crate.  (We all know better now.)  This morning I let her out to go to the bathroom and she ran out and when I went out to call her, she was nowhere to found.  I went to work, called my neighbor to look for her.  I talked to my neighbor later and she said she saw Shadow sitting on my front porch scratching to get in.  She went up to the front porch and tried to pet her and let her in, and Shadow tried to bite her.  (six times)  She finally managed to swing the door open without getting bit, and Shadow went in.  My question is this,  "How can I get Shadow to feel secure enough that she can go upstairs and stay up there without me being around?"  And "How can I get her not to snap at people?"  I should add that she was found as a stray, then adopted out, then brought back because the people were moving, and then I adopted her.  She is very loving with my children, but is always wanting to be near me.  Help!  What do I do?

Firstly, give her time! If a child went to a foster home you wouldn't expect it to settle in immediately would you? No you'd expect tears, homesickness, fear, disruptive behaviour etc. A dog in a new environment is very similar. So, unless your garden is securely fenced, don't let her out without a lead (it's never sensible to give a dog the opportunity to roam anyway, let alone one which has a tendency to stray!).

The answer to both your particular questions is the same - if you give her time and treat her kindly, firmly and consistency, she will start to feel secure, but expect it to take several weeks or months, and when she feel secure she is less likely to snap at people - the poor thing could have been terrified.

Good luck.
:)

For the time being just give her one thing - time.  3 days is not long compared to the rest of her life (especially what's gone before as you know nothing about how she may have aquired her problems)  Secondly make some family rules:
1) No body takes her food from her - this is unfair and unecessary and will only teach her to gaurd it more.  If it's important to you that you can handle her food after you've given it to her, then wait a week or so, then start working on it by putting half her normal ration in the bowl and when she's nearly finished, add the rest a little at a time by hand, sitting quietly beside her while you do it.  If your kids are old enough they can help with this.
2) Her crate is HER place, just as you wouldn't expect her to bounce on your kids when they are asleep or resting, the family mustn't disturb her.
3) Always let her out of the same door, and let her in the same one - she will soon learn how to get your attention at the right door if she NEVER gets let in /out any other way - consistancy is the key to most dog training.
4) Biting is her defence - she's probably very nervous at the moment and maybe doesn't know what to expect of humans - best to tell your neighbours not to pet her at the moment and to wait until she's more settled.
HTH

I've got a rescue Beardie that I've had for 5 weeks and we are still getting to know things about each other. Give her time and be consistent and things will settle. If my boy has an accident I count it as my failure not his. I find a house line good to move him if he's worried by something he has one on all the time.

                                         Anne