skittishness/aggression

Question
We recently adopted a 4 yr. old Staffordshire Terrier. She was crated 23/7 (and the crate was not nearly big enough for her!) We have had her for approx.5 weeks. She has taken very well to me and my daughter, loves and affectionate. I fear she was previously abused by a man. She constantly growls at my husband, shies away from him if he tries to pet her or give her treats and she refuses to listen to him. She listens to me great, heals, comes, sits, she knows them all! She has started becoming very aggressive to cars pulling up the driveway, ppl knocking on the door cetera, she is fine if she is outside and someone approaches, but if she is in the house forget about it! She is a great dog except for those issues. Shes not had any issues with accidents in the house, tearing things up, chewing or anything. My husband is very careful to keep his voice calm all the time around her. He's tried so hard to get her to like him!
Is there anything we should be doing to help her get over her fear of him and everyone but me and my daughter?

Answer
First you need to establish your husband as a dominant force in the household. This doesn't mean he should stop being quiet and calm around the dog. You and your daughter need to treat your husband like the alpha male. Greet him first when you come home (ignore the dog at first) for example. There are a bunch of tips at  http://www.thegooddogjournal.com/2009/02/whos-boss-establishing-pack-leadership.... to help you out with this. Also, have him take over all the feeding responsibilities and have him perform them in accordance with the methods outlined in the article.

Next get a long line or a long piece of twine about 30 feet. Attach one end to the dog's collar and the other end to your husband. Have your husband relax with a pocketful of the best treats ever. (I use venison liver for these cases. No dog can resist it.) Make sure she gets a whiff of those treats.

Now have him call the dog. "Doggie, Come!" and just put the slightest pressure on the long line. Not enough to drag her, just enough to be annoying. The minute she moves toward him, he should release the pressure and toss her a treat. Repeat. This'll take awhile. Have him do this several times a week until she comes to him.

Also play the come game. Each member of the family has a pocket full of treats and spreads out in a circle. The first person calls the dog and has her sit in front of her then praises her and gives her a treat. Then the next person calls the dog. If she doesn't go to the next person, the first person grabs the leash and leads her over to the next person. The dog sits, gets a treat, etc. As she gets better at it, spread out into different rooms, hide, etc.

I also want you to get her a crate that is the right size for her and teach her to go into it on command. (just say "Go to your crate" and toss a treat in, praise her when she goes in, after a bit of this say "go to your crate" and give her the treat after she goes in, etc.) Whenever someone comes to the door, or pulls into the driveway, have her go to the crate. This will offer her some sense of security. Give her a fabulous chew, like a smoked knuckle bone or a bully stick, to enjoy while she's in her crate so she associates guests with great things. Eventually you'll find her heading for her crate when someone pulls into the driveway and looking at you expectantly for her bully stick.

I think you will benefit greatly from an in-home trainer (preferably a female trainer). Visit http://www.betterdog.com to find one near you.