I am very impressed with your determination and the fact that you are not giving up on your work with this dog. Having a "difficult" dog myself although she is not aggressive, I still know what a challenge and how much hard work goes into working on problem areas. A lesser guardian would not be willing to go through all that it takes but you have made a commitment that stands out and will serve you and Zorro well. Patience is also a key in working with problem dogs. You have that as well. You also have an understanding of the seriousness of the problem and are not minimizing it. Zorro is very fortunate to have landed in your camp.

I don't know if anyone has ever mentioned this before but your dog needs to see you as Leader of the Pack. As women we have a hard time comprehending how to achieve that status. We enjoy the nurturing and adoring aspects of dog guardianship. Most men seem to know it instinctively. If an alpha dog doesn't see you as being in control of the situation, he or she sees it as a void that they must fill. The others on the board are more experienced and able to give you specific advice but this is my two cents worth, and I do think the neutering could help. I was glad to read that you had made that decision.

[This message has been edited by RachelJ (edited November 05, 2000).]