Jellyblush

:D :D :D you guys are so nice to me! don't worry though no plans to go anywhere near him again. just going to keep to myself with my crazy dog.

Thanks OSo. And also to everyone else who has said they are sorry. Mostly, I just feel like a fool for getting so excited I might have met someone nice He did get a little violent. He threw me across a room and I landed on my knee. So I left straight away. Might just stick to dogs for a while.

oooh we've had some success with a goldie and they are lovely, lovely dogs! Thanks :) gratuitous Roo-pic!

Hi :) I'm not sure - I don't know what a Lagotto looks like. Too pricey I'm afraid. One other thing that has been on my mind is the option for me to move to a less expensive flat, and use the $ difference to put her in daycare 5 days. I have only rented a bigger place with a yard for Roo - but if she was in daycare 5 days per week I would not actually need the yard. It could work out cost neutral? We spend a lot of time out and about together on the weekend. Any short weekend absences she could go in her crate. I'm mulling it over, need to do a lot more research before making a move I certainly didn't mean this Rebanne; I thought of a grey only because I want to help them and because Roo loves the rescue greys at daycare. I would never adopt and send a dog back either, I would foster until I found the right dog. Yes! so many great points in this post. I DO want a bullet proof, calm, older dog. Where to find one?!? Great idea to talk to daycare about breeds etc, in fact I will do it today! The relationship between your dogs is beautiful.

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I agree. I will never, ever, forget Leo's story as long as I live, I was gripped by it. Amazing people, amazing animal.

P.s. Stan and Maddie are both gorgeous!

Hi Stan's mum, thanks for your comments. I am concerned regarding the anxiety but I really want to try to do some good as I'm trying to help Roo. I like the idea of fostering. If anyone has alternative breed suggestions for breeds that could be the calming, steadying influence I'm looking for I am open to them. Thanks everyone for your comments.

Hi everyone. I was hoping someone could provide me with some general advice regarding temperament of greyhounds, and also issues relating to ex-racing greys adopted as domestic pets. I have a dog with separation anxiety, and am looking into fostering greyhounds with a view to adoption if I find a good match for my dog. I need an unflappable, calm dog that will hopefully influence my anxious girl rather than the other way around. I know another dog isn't always the answer for separation anxiety, hence the fostering idea - I could hopefully help the rescue org, and find the right fit for Roo, two birds with one stone :) Can any of you experienced people out there give me any info / issues to consider / reasons it's a good idea / reasons it's a bad idea ? TIA :) Jelly

Corie, I would LOVE one! I have lots of pics of Roo, dol-ers seem to demand them?! :p Will dig one up and post or PM. Happy to pay you!

Hi guys! Sorry I haven't updated, for some reason I used to get alerts in my email when there was a reply to this thread but they stopped? We thought you guys were over us and all our drama! :p Well, while away, I emailed the kennel twice per week to check on Roo. They said she was fine each time, BUT when I picked her up she was missing another tooth, and had a severely swollen paw with one front paw twice the size of the other and couldn't walk. I took her straight o the vet who said she suspected an infection had gone up through the nailbed, after a course of antibiotics she was fine. I asked the kennel if they had noticed, they said no, we didn't notice and no infection was possible from here, out kennels are very clean. I'm not very happy - I know these things happen but I feel they should have noticed? ANYway - since the trip Roo is doing...ok. Both she and I were glad to be Roo-united ;) Right now the holding pattern continues - 2 days daycare, 2 days medicated (i.e. totally zonked), 3 days with me per week and all evenings. If there is ever a need for a short absence, an hour while I go to the shop or something, the crate is working ok. She's still anxious in it, but can't do any harm to herself and can't get out. I'm still amazed at the generosity of this site when I look at it. She's never really going to be ok. It's just a matter of finding a balance and trying to be really honest in assessing when I think her quality of life has more bad than good. I'm considering fostering rescue greys with a view to adopting one if I find a good temperament match that seems to help her? I'm not sure if this is a good idea. The rescue org said it was but obviously they are very keen for help. Her daycare, who are AMAZING, have links with the greyhound rescue org. They say older greys are very docile, not easily fussed, and happy to snooze on the sofa all day? that sounds like it could be a good match for the Roo? Sadly the new boyfriend transpired to be quite violent when drinking, which was often. So that will not really work out. Sigh. I'll let Roo pick the next one for me, she's probably better at it!! Thank you for checking in with us, and YES I know my obligations! with her friends at daycare :) [/url]

Love TTP!! I think I get this one a lot....

Hey everyone, just thought we'd say hi with a little update :) Roo is improving incrementally, she still hasn't busted out of her crate, she continues to exhibit stress in the backyard which is probably a lost cause tbh. She loves daycare :) Don't you think? Between daycare and boyfriend she still has a day or two alone each week, but obviously quality of life is better than when she was alone 5 days per week. She is being kennelled for 3 weeks in May; I am having a holiday, first in 2.5 years! Can't wait! Hope she copes okay in kennel. Welcome Kennels in Yarrambat for anyone with any feedback on those guys. They seem fine. Another daycare pic :)

Did you know the Melbourne Uni Vet school is at Werribee? You can take your dog there. Have only been for behavioural stuff so not sure about normal vet. Lost dogs home in North Melbourne is not too far from the rest. For training I would recommend Point Cook Dog Training, Chiara there is great, and she operates out of Mutts, which is a great daycare/sleepover place in Point Cook.

Here's the little pest at the height of her unhappiness.... https://www.dropbox.com/s/tn32p8092q0wanb/IMG_1947%20-%20Version%203.MOV and tuckered out a bit later on :)

Thanks OSo! 2 hours of footage last night..... better than the day before! No stressing until 7 minutes post departure. Then about 8 minutes of pawing at the catches on the crate - it wasn't panic, it was a concerted effort to bust out because she only went for the catches on the door and the corners which are the weak points (not anymore though since using about 50,000 cable ties mwahahaha) Anyway, then the rest of the time she slept, except for a couple of random 2 minute stints going for the catches again. Improvement, yes?!

Don't know.....never tried it inside. In the backyard, she doesn't have sounds apart from normal outside type noises, and she is worst out there

Thanks! TV Sheridan, I find a TV channel with people's voices on it, talk show etc, and have her crate where she can see it. It also serves the purpose of blocking some of the outside noise. Is that the kind of thing you meant?

Thanks :) Going to try a one hour absence tomorrow while I go to the gym - goodbye bingo wings! haha.

Well I've watched the 2.5 hours of footage now. Roo panicked heaps for the first 25 minutes, with breaks where she lay down and panted, obviously trying to calm herself down. The frenzy was her trying all the tried and tested things that got her out of the last crate, one by one! Bending bars, swatting at catches, pawing at side hoping it would give way etc... I noticed she did a lot of chewing of her rug, cushions, in there, plus the plastic container.... seems chewing is a way she tried to calm herself? But she didn't want the rawhide or chew toys that were in there.... So maybe I'll put in more things she can rip up next time, cardboard boxes etc. After 25 minutes she lay down and had a snooze. Until about 2 minutes before the end of the film when she got up and had another half hearted go at swatting the catches, no real energy in it this time though. No quivering, trembling, lip licking etc. Just very energetic escape efforts. If anyone has read this far, I'd love to know if you think there is promise in this?

Oh and p.s., there was a bit in the middle of the comedy where I started to think of her and hope she is okay and I got heckled for the sad look on my face (was in the front row). So she got me in trouble!

Thanks guys....well, it wasn't all calm and quiet, as the water bowl was not attached to the side anymore and water everywhere, plus plastic container that had bone in it was chewed in half. But - she was safe, she stayed in there, she didn't damage the crate...... more practising and maybe things will improve?

Hi DOL - going to a comedy festival show tonight so first proper stay in new crate for miss Roo.....should be around 2.5 hours.... wish us luck :)