I would start training now. Sit, stay, leave it, come etc. making sure you always treat China first or better show her positive re enforcement first since treats might be setting her up to fail if food is a problem right now. I believe you said Amber is 10 years old, and hound mix she will be set in her ways and a little stubborn, until she knows the rules of your household. I am guessing she has been to your vet for a full physical meet and greet?
I know in one of Tootsies' first foster homes she would grab all the toys and put them in her crate. Ginger was also a little toy hoarder or she was when we first brought her home, she had never had toys either, in time they both settled and enjoyed having toys and playing with them. Amber has a lifetime of baggage to get through maybe some stuff not so good, in the end her adoption is your decision. With the holidays everyone is a bit stressed I would suggest if you have a lot of people over to keep Amber contained away from the noise and people for now until she settles.
My Sarah (11 yrs) is a whiny baby too LOL she will just lay and whine sometimes she needs to go outside, sometimes she just wants to play and sometimes she will whine I can't figure out what she wants. Ginger will always run and get a baby before going outside, sometimes she brings them back in with her most of the time I have to go out pick them up and bring them all back inside, so I am not of any help there.
the animal communicator told us that Tootsie was a bit analytical she liked knowing what was going on, believe it or not we started telling Tootsie what was happening and she settled. If we were having someone over to install carpet, we told Tootsie. If we were going for a ride we told her where we were going etc. that helped relieve some of her stress