Rescue dog - need help!

Question
Hi!  We adopted 2 year-old Norweigian Elkhound cross on Sunday, 4 days ago.  We understand that she has been abused and abandoned.  She was also kept in a make-shift kennel for 10 months with her puppies, from which she was separated in August, when she went to our local shelter.  She has come to her new home now and we want to do all we can to make her transition to her new life the best possible.  She is severely incapacitated.  She does not move from the spot we place her in each day.  She sleeps and watches me while I work in my office.  She will not go to the door with me for bathroom breaks, I have to carry her and only then will she go outside, do her business and scurry right back inside to cower in a corner.  We understand that she had very little human interaction, and was severely neglected and abused. Any advice you can give us to set us in the right direction will be greatly appreciated. My questions are as follows:
1. We would like her to the vet on Friday to get checked out, but when I placed her in the car yesterday, she started to shake uncontrollably and I took her out and put her back into he house. ...should we wait a while before taking her anywhere? (I also want to take her to a trainer I know who has experience with rescue dogs but the car thing- is it too soon?)  how can we handle this?

2. she won;at eat unless I bring her food to her blanket.  Should I stop doing this?  where should I put her bowls?  within her sight or in the kitchen where she does not want to be?

3. Is it terrible to pick her up (with a struggle from her) to go out to the bathroom or more terrible that she has not defecated in 3 days?

4.  She is afraid of vehicle noise so walks are out of the question....or are they, is it too soon to take her on a walk when all she does is pull me back to the house when she hears a car and cower once inside?

I's really like to know how long we should let her just lie there and do nothing versus doing some of these things...I understand that exercise is important, but at what cost?

Anything - anything at all that you could provide by way of information or advice is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

Rachelle

p.s. Her name is Gabby and she is so sweet...we are already in love with her but need to learn how to help her come out of her shell.  :)


Answer
I think with a dog like this,you might have to 'push' slowly,and that will get her used to the idea of moving around,insted of just staying in one spot all of the time.

1-I think it might be a good idea to put her in the car and just drive her around the block everyday for about a week,to get her used to it,slowly increase the distance,and i don't think it's terrible to take her to the vet friday either,just get her more used to the car

2-It will probably be a good idea to start putting food in her bowl,and mix a bit of canned with dry for now,so it will get her to start eating

3-It's better to 'force' her outside than to hold it in,because what will happen is she will start to get the idea to go inside and you do NOT want that problem,again in time she will go outside on her own,but right now forcing her might be the only way

4-Once she gets used to the house,outside things will become easier for her,it often takes a dog up to 6 weeks to get used to a new home