Dog Advice Needed

[Tink]

I need an opinion.
Okay, Bounce is our "psycho dog". Basically, she was tied to a tree and they shot bottle rockets at her all night during her first fourth of July. She was so traumatized that she was deemed unadoptable because she has a lot of fear aggression and they would have euthanized her but K took her in.
She's Jack russel and Australian sheperd. We have two other dogs that are extremely well mannered and good natured. A saint bernard/lab mix named Dee'Ogee and a flat coated retriever named Misfit. Those two couldn't hurt a fly.
So Bounce has issues. But we prevent any drama. She doesn't go outside unless she's on a leash and we take her for runs in deserted areas because she will attack other dogs or small children so we go to K's work (a huge sawmill) after hours to prevent incident. If someone is coming over, we lock her up.
She is not allowed to even be in the same room as the ferrets so I have a system for musical rooms and I won't even give a chance for something to happen because I do not trust her.
She has accepted the cats like the other dogs in which she doesn't really like them but she tolerates them and does no worse than growl (all bark, no bite).
Thing is, she's getting worse. K's sister and her fiance stopped by for Thanksgiving and she snapped at both of them. Sometimes I think the poor thing is so traumatized from her past abuse she has flashbacks. Literally no one will be threatening her and all the babies will not even be close to her and she stares in the distance and starts growling and whining. It's like she is seeing something we don't.
She's extremely possessive of her dad. To the point she acts out if me and K hug or kiss.
We've gotten used to it and we know she'd be euthanized if she wasn't with us.
But there's a new behavior that's really disturbing.
Dee'ogee is our oldest gentle giant and has epilepsy. She's had seizures on and off for awhile and well they are coming back. Weird thing is now Bounce will attack her while she's having a seizure. That is NOT cool.
I don't understand because she didn't always do that. She used to keep a respectful distance. We had a dog die in our house before (a neighbors dog was laying in the street dying and they werent home some we brought it in so it could be warm and comfortable when it passed). Even then she stood vigil and was very respectful as that dog took its last breaths. She seemed to calm down when it was necessary.
But now? Why is she getting worse? We do everything to let her know she is safe and loved. We probably let her get away with too much but we love her and we know the other option is not a good one for her.
This is a dog that needs to be sedated to be taken to the vet. She will get the muzzle off everytime and has drawn blood on several doctors just by them trying to examine her. She will urinate and defecate in the presence of others.
It's very sad but we are getting frustrated. K got her when she was about a year old. She is about seven now. Also, she wasn't spayed yet when he got her and he got that done but it was a "late alter" so could that be why too?
Basically..is there any hope for Bounce? Why is this progressing when we do so much to appease her? Or is that the problem? Are we letting her get away with too much? Is it us?

[smudgley]

This dog certainly has probems. I won't go into my opinions of what I think you should do/should have done.
But regarding her behaviour when the other dog is having a seizure, when a dog is fitting they give off very confusing signals and lots of dogs are scared or worried by this and if confined will attack a fitting dog. I would say that behaviour itself is not uncommon. If possibe I would keep them seperate when you are not around for fear of her having a fit.

You do seem to have the weight of the world on your shoulders Tink, hope things work out for you.

PS I have a FCR too

[dandysmom]

I'm sorry, Tink, I know nothing about dogs; I'm sure some of the knowledgeable members will have some advice. How sad.

[Tink]

Thank you, okay well it is good to know that is not uncommon for that behavior at least.
I was in the bathroom when Dee'ogee started to seize and K was in the bedroom on the computer.
Thing is, Bounce never leaves his side. Even if he goes to the bathroom she "guards" the door.
This is a dog that used to hide under the couch and urinate on herself when he first got her. He did everything to get her out of her shell and now she's gone from meek to overly bold. She almost loves K too much, like he is her savior and she'd be happy if it was only him and her.
Well anyway, I heard the commotion she makes when there is competition for K or food so I ran out of the bathroom thinking she was "protecting" K again..but he was nowhere in sight. That's when I realized Dee'ogee was seizing. We threw Bounce in the backyard till the seizure passed.
Sometimes you will be petting her and she will just snap. Even with K. She will growl and act like she is going to bite for no apparent reason. Like something just rubbed her the wrong way. She can go from being perfectly happy to agressive in a millisecond.
This is really K's dog. She was here before I was. I guess she has seniority and I should just give her the benefit of the doubt?

[dandysmom]

Tink, please forgive me for saying this but she sounds like an accident just waiting to happen ...I would be scared to death of her.

[Tink]

It is okay, I don't take offense. I will admit she has problems. I just don't quite know what to do about it. Especially since it's really K's dog. It's kind of a touchy situation.

[calismum]

I am no expert on dog behaviour. However, I have owned dogs for about thirty years and I would sugest that they respond best when they know their place in the pack. You give me the impression that you both let her away with quite a bit as you are concerned about the terrible past she has had.

I have no idea whether the situation you describe is changeable or not having never had to deal with anything so extreme but perhaps you both need to set some small simple boundaries. You need to be above her in the pack. She has obviously learned that your cats are not to be touched so she can respond to rules and boundaries. Maybe these need to be clearer for her so she feels more secure?

I have to say she sounds a very sad and scared girl. A fearful dog is much more dangerous than an aggresive one as they are so unpredictable.

I do agree with DM that she really sounds like an accident waiting to happen, I hope we are both wrong.

Is there anything she responds positively to? Treats for example, reward her for good behaviour and ignore her if she does something unacceptable to you.

I hope things improve for her - there has been a lot of upset and change in your home recently. This may also have affected her.

Good luck.

[Tink]

Thank you.
I think we probably do let her get away with a bit much. When the cats came into the picture, I was very stern with her (not physically but vocally) and she knows she is NOT to even THINK of touching them.
She responds to food and toys. But with two other dogs in the house that response also is coupled with "Back off" very quickly being communicated to those dogs so even the things she enjoys is being coupled with aggression.
Honestly, I think she wants to be an only dog now that I think of it. She would probably he happiest if it was just her and her person (K). Well, I don't know what to do about that because the rest of us aren't planning on going anywhere. But I don't have the heart to suggest she go anywhere.
I guess I'm just hoping there's a resolution I haven't realized yet. I am more a cat and ferret person than a dog person which is why I kinda wanted an idea of what "dog people" thought.
Is it hopeless and I'll just have to grit my teeth as she does this? Because that's pretty much where we are. Not ready to do anything but also not really enjoying her behavior either. Just kind of sucking it up because we love her, to be honest. I don't want to give up on her but somedays I would like things to be more peaceful around here.
I was kind of hoping there'd be an easy fix, I guess. Something we hadn't thought of.