I think this dog displays more fearful tendencies than aggressive ones. Rolling over and peeing on herself strongly tells me this. I once rented an apartment in college where the landlord had a very aggressive and yappy laso/shitsu. Everyone else acted scared of the dog and it was aggressive towards me as well, but I'd sit on the steps to my studio apartment and talk to the landlord, ignoring the dog. Then it eventually calmed down and got to where it liked me fairly well, though it would still act pretty aggressively in the house, even biting the owner if he did something it really didn't like. However, when I started working with it, it would growl and snap at me, but pee itself. When I'd take it out for a walk, it would cling to my leg and act fearful.

I think this dog displays more fearful tendencies than aggressive ones. Rolling over and peeing on herself strongly tells me this. I once rented an apartment in college where the landlord had a very aggressive and yappy Lhasa Apso/Shih Tzu. Everyone else acted scared of the dog and it was aggressive towards me as well, but I'd sit on the steps to my studio apartment and talk to the landlord, ignoring the dog. Then it eventually calmed down and got to where it liked me fairly well, though it would still act pretty aggressively in the house, even biting the owner if he did something it really didn't like. However, when I started working with it, it would growl and snap at me, but pee itself. When I'd take it out for a walk, it would cling to my leg and act fearful.

I'll let my answer be more food for thought than an outright answer, because you're already doing a few of the things I'd be trying, such a putting her off the furniture when she "claims" you're boyfriend. I'll also agree with Frisbee.

I think this dog displays more fearful tendencies than aggressive one. Rolling over an peeing on herself strongly tells me this. I once rented an apartment in college where the landlord had a very aggressive and yappy laso/shitsu. Everyone else acted scared of the dog and it was aggressive toward me as well, but I'd sit on the steps to my studio apartment and talk to the land lord, ignoring the dog and it eventually calmed down and got to where it liked me fairly well, though it would still act pretty aggressively in the house, even biting the owner if he did something it really didn't like. However, when I started working with it, it would growl and snap at me, but pee itself. When I'd take it out for a walk, it would cling to my leg and act fearful.

My belief is that the dog was a naturally fearful dog that was very scared out of its element, but when it was in what it though of as it's own territory, it acted aggressive out of fear, kind of like in the horror movies where someone in the scary house pulls out a gun and is spinning around looking for boogie men, then taking a shot at a moving shadow, only to realize it's the cat. Aggression from fear.

I think your case is similar. I think you've taken a dog from it's familiar surroundings and given it free reign of the entire house. While this sounds like you're being kind to the dog by not confining it to a smaller area, you're really not. Think of it like when a kid goes to kindergarten after only being at home with you. It's scary at first, but they're limited to a small class room with other children. When they become more familiar with the other children, they become more confident and are no longer scarred. The more times this happens as they progress through the grades, the less meeting new people bothers them. This happens to adults as well. When they start a new job and don't know the people, they don't know who appreciates a joke and who will be offended. They also don't know what exactly is expected of them from the company and what will get them in trouble. The more comfortable they get at their job the more relaxed they get. This also happen when you have to drive to a new city or area. You are nervous and constantly checking directions the first couple of times. After a while you start smoothly navigating around there.

My point is that your dog needed to be confined to one room unless 100% supervised when she moved in. Then she needed to be allowed in more rooms as time progressed. Because she was given full reign of the house, it was too much unfamiliar territory and she became fearful and wanted to control anything she could. The translated into destruction, peeing(marking), and claiming your boyfriend.

I would go back to this and start over. I'd make your boyfriend clean anywhere she's used the bathroom with a special cleaner that neutralizes the smell. Smell will encourage them to go in the same spots to re-up the mark when it starts to fade. A room with easily cleanable floors would be ideal. If someone is home to supervise her, you could have her either loose in the room or get here one of the wire playpens with toys and/or chews, so she has something to do. She just needs a small place to be come used to, then when she's more confident, introduce additional rooms one at a time.

I also think you should make sure she has plenty of mental and physical stimulation. Letting a dog out in the back yard doesn't cut it. I'm not sure exactly what your situation is with her. You could run marathons with her for all I know. However, it's important that she be exercised both mentally and physically. I'm sure you find that true with your kids as well. Even when they run around and play hard, they can still ask you a million questions while they're resting up for the next go round. You can practice physical exercise in the ways you would think. Letting her run around, fetch a ball, swim, etc... Mental exercise is a little different. It's something they have to focus on.

Take walking for instance. When a lot of people walk a dog, they let them walk where ever they want, stop and sniff, pull, etc... People do it, because it seems like the dog won't have fun if they don't let them, or maybe they're letting them lead so they can find a potty spot they like. Either way, this provides no mental stimulation for the dog, because their minds flit from one thing to another. You have to give them a specific task, which is walking beside you, on the side that you choose, with their shoulder near your leg and slack in the leash. Dogs have an excellent sense of smell and can smell everything from beside your leg that they can by running over to it. Also, by letting them stop and pee wherever they wish, then they are in charge of the walk. In effect, they're your boss and telling you what to do. In a proper walk, you choose where you go and at what speed. You also choose when and where to stop for a potty break. A good example of this is driving. When you go somewhere in your car, you typically don't drive around aimlessly. You have a destination in mind and a vague if not specific time you have to be there. This determines the speed you'll go and if you'll stop anywhere. You won't stop at every toy store and fast food joint your kid points at. You'll stop in good locations and give them the opportunity to go. So walking your dog properly is not only good for them, but easier on you as well. Training the dogs with a clicker also provides mental stimulation, as well as control.

Lastly, you're boyfriend needs to step up. Any authority he as over the dog needs to be transferred to you through reinforcement. For instance, if she knows the sit command, then you should tell her to sit. If she doesn't, then he should reinforce your command by telling her to sit. When she does, you give her the treat. The same applies to the couch and putting her off. Then instinct is good, but I have two things I'd say about it. One is the boyfriend should put her off, so that she knows he refuses to be claimed, not that you're taking him away from her. Also, many people confuse doing something for a dog as the dog doing it. They'll push their butt down and tell the dog to sit, or run around yelling sit till the dog gets tired and sits down, then beam proudly that the dog sits. In reality, while shaping is a legitimate training tool to help the dog understand the initial concept, it really isn't acceptable as complete till the dog will offer it. So when you pick her up and set her off the couch, it's good that she's off the couch, but bad that you had to physically put her off. There is no acknowledgment there from her. You should tell her to get off, maybe even standing on the couch and body blocking her off. Using physically touch to get her off as a last resort. Eventually, she'll learn that you won't budge and she'll start getting off with the first voice command.

I'll let my answer be more food for thought than an outright answer, because you're already doing a few of the things I'd be trying, such as putting her off the furniture when she "claims" your boyfriend. I'll also agree with Frisbee.

I think this dog displays more fearful tendencies than aggressive ones. Rolling over and peeing on herself strongly tells me this. I once rented an apartment in college where the landlord had a very aggressive and yappy laso/shitsu. Everyone else acted scared of the dog and it was aggressive towards me as well, but I'd sit on the steps to my studio apartment and talk to the landlord, ignoring the dog. Then it eventually calmed down and got to where it liked me fairly well, though it would still act pretty aggressively in the house, even biting the owner if he did something it really didn't like. However, when I started working with it, it would growl and snap at me, but pee itself. When I'd take it out for a walk, it would cling to my leg and act fearful.

My belief is that the dog was a naturally fearful dog that was very scared out of its element, but when it was in what it thought of as its own territory, it acted aggressive out of fear, kind of like in the horror movies where someone in the scary house pulls out a gun and is spinning around looking for boogie men, then taking a shot at a moving shadow, only to realize it's the cat. Aggression from fear.

I think your case is similar. I think you've taken a dog from its familiar surroundings and given it free reign of the entire house. While this sounds like you're being kind to the dog by not confining it to a smaller area, you're really not. Think of it like when a kid goes to kindergarten after only being at home with you. It's scary at first, but they're limited to a small class room with other children. When they become more familiar with the other children, they become more confident and are no longer scared. The more times this happens as they progress through the grades, the less meeting new people will bother them. This happens to adults as well. When they start a new job and don't know the people, they don't know who appreciates a joke and who will be offended. They also don't know what exactly is expected of them from the company and what will get them in trouble. The more comfortable they get at their job the more relaxed they get. This also happens when you have to drive to a new city or area. You are nervous and constantly checking directions the first couple of times. After a while you start navigating smoothly around there.

My point is that your dog needed to be confined to one room unless 100% supervised when she moved in. Then she needed to be allowed in more rooms as time progressed. Because she was given full reign of the house, it was too much unfamiliar territory and she became fearful and wanted to control anything she could. They translated into destruction, peeing(marking), and claiming your boyfriend.

I would go back to this and start over. I'd make your boyfriend clean anywhere she's used the bathroom with a special cleaner that neutralizes the smell. Smell will encourage them to go in the same spots to re-up the mark when it starts to fade. A room with easily cleanable floors would be ideal. If someone is home to supervise her, you could have her either loose in the room or get her one of the wire playpens with toys and/or chews, so she has something to do. She just needs a small place to become used to, then when she's more confident, introduce additional rooms one at a time.

I also think you should make sure she has plenty of mental and physical stimulation. Letting a dog out in the back yard doesn't cut it. I'm not sure exactly what your situation is with her. You could run marathons with her for all I know. However, it's important that she exercises both mentally and physically. I'm sure you find that true with your kids as well. Even when they run around and play hard, they can still ask you a million questions while they're resting up for the next go round. You can practice physical exercise in the ways you would think. Letting her run around, fetch a ball, swim, etc... Mental exercise is a little different. It's something they have to focus on.

Take walking for instance. When a lot of people walk a dog, they let them walk where ever they want, stop and sniff, pull, etc... People do it, because it seems like the dog won't have fun if they don't let them, or maybe they're letting them lead so they can find a potty spot they like. Either way, this provides no mental stimulation for the dog, because their minds flit from one thing to another. You have to give them a specific task, which is walking beside you, on the side that you choose, with their shoulder near your leg and slack in the leash. Dogs have an excellent sense of smell and can smell everything from beside your leg by running over to it. Also, by letting them stop and pee wherever they wish, then they are in charge of the walk. In effect, they're your boss and telling you what to do. In a proper walk, you choose where you go and at what speed. You also choose when and where to stop for a potty break. A good example of this is driving. When you go somewhere in your car, you typically don't drive around aimlessly. You have a destination in mind and a vague if not specific time you have to be there. This determines the speed you'll go at and if you'll stop anywhere. You won't stop at every toy store and fast food joint your kid points at. You'll stop in good locations and give them the opportunity to go. So walking your dog properly is not only good for them, but easier on you as well. Training the dogs with a clicker also provides mental stimulation, as well as control.

Lastly, you're boyfriend needs to step up. Any authority he has over the dog needs to be transferred to you through reinforcement. For instance, if she knows the sit command, then you should tell her to sit. If she doesn't, then he should reinforce your command by telling her to sit. When she does, you give her the treat. The same applies to the couch and putting her off. Then instinct is good, but I have two things I'd say about it. One is the boyfriend should put her off, so that she knows he refuses to be claimed, not that you're taking him away from her. Also, many people confuse doing something for a dog as the dog doing it. They'll push their butt down and tell the dog to sit, or run around yelling sit till the dog gets tired and sits down, then beam proudly that the dog sits. In reality, while shaping is a legitimate training tool to help the dog understand the initial concept, it really isn't acceptable as complete till the dog will offer it. So when you pick her up and set her off the couch, it's good that she's off the couch, but bad that you had to physically put her off. There is no acknowledgment there from her. You should tell her to get off, maybe even standing on the couch and body blocking her off. Using physical touch to get her off as a last resort. Eventually, she'll learn that you won't budge and she'll start getting off with the first voice command.