old habits

Question
I have a little dog that is 7yrs. old. My mother-in-law feed it scraps all the time and it weights over 32 pounds the vet said it should be about 12 pounds. She was also locked up all the time in a bathroom with a potty pad for hours sometimes 14 and more hours. We had stopped giving her all the scraps we do not lock her up like she was. We have had her now for a month. We walk her everyday. When We get home from work she gets in the trash also opens up cabinets looking for anything she can eat. She has even eat a bag of potatoes.She only peed 2 time in the house so far but is still looking for a potty pad. How can we break her from these things I know it will take time and I do not want to lock her up in a small room or cage. I will not give her back to my mother-in-law she does not take care of her but she babies the other 3. HELP PLEASE!!!!

Answer
It sounds as though some of her behavior is related to anxiety.  It's also possible that her extreme hunger is related to a medical condition, so if you have not mentioned this to the veterinarian you probably should.  This article explains some of the reasons for polyphagia, or excessive hunger:
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/polyphagia-in-dogs/page1.aspx
Don't feel badly about crating her if it keeps her from getting in to something harmful.  First things first. I would see the vet again to rule out medical issues, then begin house training her right from square one as if she were a puppy.  Or, you could gradually move the potty pads toward the door, then outside.  You must supervise her any time she is loose in the house so that she cannot have "accidents" - avoid scaring or startling her.  It might be a good idea to tether her to your belt so that you can see when she's looking for the pad and just take her outside instead.  Then, you can allow her a bit of freedom before putting her in her crate or tethering her again.  Use the same words each time, like "hurry up" or "do your biz" so that she will associate that with the functions you want her to perform outdoors.