LOL, agilebasenji and Chealsie, a vacation– yes! I need one! And Colorado IS beautiful... but could you see flying Ava in the crate? Her screams would interfere with radar, and I would be afraid she would destruct the crate and chew a hole in the plane (only half joking). I'm reading Control Unleashed now. I'm also using the Martingale for gentle corrections. I do see signs of progress, though every win is small and hard fought.
It seems to be both fear and obstinance, eeeefarm. The behaviorist said Ava had a fear of confinement and severe separation anxiety, as well as frustration intolerance and dominance issues. Ava has pretty much stopped the diarrhea, though she is anxious about confinement and being alone. We have been working on crate desentization for more than a month now, and though it's sloooooooow going, we are inching our way along. She still soils the crate, but she does it within minutes of the door shutting. I can slip back, scoop it up and we'll start over. Sometimes, she'll have another small accident, but now, finally, it's mostly just the first mess and a bucket of pee. I am still doing laundry almost every day. I have never seen a puppy pee so much!
And thank you, stash-- how nice of you to say! I have had so many people suggest I give Ava up, but that has never been an option. I wish she had been an easier puppy, and I certainly envisioned a far different puppyhood, but she is my baby girl and she is home. Unless, of course, the stress kills me, and there have been days I thought it might!