JRT update

It occurs to me that I haven't posted anything about ye olde stoopiddawg lately. Her behaviour has improved significantly. At Wallace she was always on "high alert"--incessant barking and crazed escapes. Since the move she is much calmer and we are even "socializing" with the ancient crones Pete likes to call his cats. The two biggest issues still facing her attainment of "good dog" status are 1.) jumping on guests at door 2.) chewing on herself.
PROBLEM #1
1.) A human knocks at door (or pulls into driveway) immediately equals Bree going nuts. From quiet calm to Barking and rushing the back door-- like a race car from zero to sixty in five seconds. (She does hate it when the taco guy comes to the front!! This is a big house w/ slippery floors. It is actually kinda amusing to watch her spin out trying to get to the correct entry!) What are we doing to chill out "the house alarm"? Well if it Scrabble night or some other festive occasion--we just put her in the crate till everybody is in. If we can anticipate the arrival of a guest before she notices we do attempt Cesar's short leash greeting procedure. (These efforts are meeting with small success--her hearing is waaay better than mine.) So what actually happens is prly about 60% of the time one human is chasing her while another one explains to befuddled visitor that the dog is insane.
PROBLEM #2
2.) The dry air of the furnace running is really irritating her skin. She and Pete both seem to have VERY sensitive skin. Happily Pete chews on me instead of himself. Bree however develops hotspots and when she is bored she obsessively compulsively chews on herself. She like...I dunno... shaves her butt. It is so weird and kinda gross. If she gets left to her own devices (EXAMPLE?--oh let's say I go teach for three hours) she will, rather than gnaw on a bully stick...or torment the cats..or take a nap.. (all things Jarvis does when HE is bored) either goes down on herself or yoga twist herself into a doggy pretzel and shaves her ass. Leaving not only a cloud of white dog hair clippings behind, but effectively marking herself as the most inbred anxiety ridden crazed dog I have ever met. She is so sweet and smart...if we can just get her to chill. I know...I know... doggy prozac. *sigh*