Advice for abused dog...

This sounds so sad. 

My two cents is to call your local breed rescue for poodles, alert them that this poodle has been brought to the shelter.  If they operate like other poodle rescues around the U.S., they will be there in a heartbeat to bring the dog out to a foster home, which is the best place for a rehabilitation. 

A dog who has been a victim of such abuse needs a quiet, soft place to be.  I would guess a foster mom would make a corner of the kitchen "belong" to that dog, enclosed with gates that it could see through.  Then, it would be patience and lots of time.  The dog would be allowed to watch what goes on around it but wouldn't be forced to interact.  Once it felt more comfortable, and that could be months, then it would be time to work a bit with it. 

If that's possible, that would be good.  If you remain assigned to this rehabilitation, then best wishes for lots of patience. 

Amy you are an angel, keep up the good work.  You Can do it!  Work on the trust first before desensatizing and keep reading and googling on the subjects as time permits.  This dog knows you are a good person and there to help:  be paitent, it has been traumatized. The idea about calling a poodle rescue is an excellent one.  That would give the dog time to recover and rehab for a new forever home.  []   Jules

I totally agree... it needs to be moved to a better place.  When I am not with it it is in a cage and it SCREAMS all day long... not the best way to help it at this point, but its all they can do for now, we have jobs to do.  I spend as much time as I can by it but I almost feel like thats making it worse when I leave.  I have been doing the vet tech thing, which keeps me very busy.  Oh that reminds me we had to put a dog down today and I was crying harder than the owners... I almost left the room.  I suppose this stuff will get easier with time.
 
Also, we are treating a dog who ate some of a sago palm plant... its on an IV, but when we took blood it was more than half yellow liquid the vet said that was all toxins... so ??
 
Just wanted to warn about those plants.  We have 2 in our yard and Ive seen Kayla eating it (maybe contributed to pancreatitis??) but Ive also seen Bailey doing it....I will DEF keep close watch I had no idea they were toxic. 
 
Thanks guys Ill suggest calling the rescue although ultimately its not my decision I can do what I can to convince them it would be better. 

Yeah I second/third/whatever the not touching her nose part.  The only dog I've worked with who was scared of all strangers, we took it nice and slow.  She wouldn't let me touch her for the first 2-3 days, so we just talked and tossed treats.  After a few days, she let me touch her but you could tell in her eyes that she was waiting for me to do one wrong thing.  But after a few more days, she would actually come to me to be petted.  That was a very rewarding moment.