Hi, everyone
I haven't posted for a while (you know how it is - dogs, kids, job, college, husband - in that order;))

I don't know if anyone remembers my earlier postings about Tess, my now 18 month old Goldie - but things have got worse!!

Since we got her she has been dominant towards our other dog, Ellie who's 4 1/2, and tried to be dominant towards us, but with a lot of hard work, she is now submissive towards me, but less so towards the rest of the family (she jumps up at everyone else a lot), but we keep trying, and accepted that she was never going to be an easy dog. She has always been well socialised ( visits to friends homes, shops, ringcraft classes, shows, obedience classes). At obedience the trainer told us she was very strong willed (as if I didn't know;)). She will now mostly obey me, except when she is very excited ( mealtime, before walks) and she refuses to lie down - she just plays dumb! Anyway, round about the time she had her 1st and only season, she became aggressive to other dogs whilst she was on the lead - off the lead she just runs around them so they can't come near her. I have stopped showing her now as neither of us enjoy it any more - my nerves are in tatters trying to keep her from snapping at other peoples dogs, which is a shame as I'd love to carry on (I don't want to breed from her though - I don't think the world needs another 8 Tesses :D). Now though, she's added another string to her bow - I took her to school to meet my sons which she has done many times before and she became very agitated, jumping up at me all the time, which she doesn't normally do (only to everyone else).

I'm at my wit's end with her, I love her to bits, but I need some advice as to what to do with her. She seems to have the worrying combination of nervousness and dominance. These are the options I'm thinking about:-

1. Get her spayed - most of the problems seem to have happened since she came into season at 10 months.

2. See if the vet can test her hormone levels and treat anything which may come up (Don't really know if this is an option)

3. Get a dog psychologist/trainer in

I'm willing to try anything!! Any suggestions/comments will be gratefully received :).

(Sorry this has gone on so long - hope you haven't all got bored by now :)

Paula