Jellyblush

WOW! That is one determined little animal you have there!

Oh my gosh Snook, Justice is beautiful!

Purdie, I think that's part of the problem - too much smooching! I have an update too. Longest time alone in crate last night. Left her in there for 2 hours while I went out, TV on, aircon on, toys (inc rope smeared in peanut butter), kong, etc. Of the time I was able to video (90 minutes), she stressed out for the first 30 (chewing on bars and ripping up her bed), then chewed her kong for the next 30, bit more stressing (very vocal), then a bit of a snooze to the end of the video. Here's the crate when I got home: She still chose to sleep there last night, although at some point snuck out and on to the couch where I found her this morning. Interesting thing...when I came upstairs this morning, I pottered around ignoring her for 15 minutes or so, then when I did go over to her and gave her a pat on the head, she reacted really calmly. Just a single thump of the tail. Normally it's frenetic tail thumping and furious licking of my hand. So that seems like a positive sign? She's currently gone into her crate for a sleep.... Later this afternoon we're going to meet a woman who does regular dog minding, and says she might be able to have her two days per week. Nervous after the Uni girls letting Roo out twice, but this woman has her own dog so hopefully is more sensible.

Hmmm To be fair, I've been told there are two methods. Medicate, or pts ;) Oh, okay then. If I must ... :laugh: Puppy Roo Bit bigger Roo Three a day is probably enough!! But she is pretty....

Be careful what you wish for! Exhibit A: Self harm injury! I'll stop now :laugh:

Gratuitous Roo-pic!

Yep sorry, should have clarified - Roo was prescribed it ongoing for allergies, as in, as long as she had allergy symptoms. That's what I wasn't happy with and really glad I didn't do it.

Roo (not a poodle x) used to do this, and was prescribed cortisone. As soon as I read up on cortisone online I refused to give it to her, and changed her diet to raw instead, she hasn't chewed since. Not sure if that is helpful or not but you may want to look at things other than the cortisone.

Just wanted to say that sounds really scary and I'm glad you got her back. Does she have a tag with your number and have you joined the National Pet Register (free) just in case it ever did happen again?

Don't worry guys - got it ;) Nekh's the boss!

I might love you too Snook! :laugh: I just found this place, I hadn't heard of it before. I might get better luck here than gumtree, so have approached a few people re. daycare for the coming weeks while I work on stabilising Roo a bit http://www.pethomestay.com/

If you read this thread and still said that, you are not very nice. If you didn't both reading the thread before replying.... make an effort! No, you are totally right. I feel sometimes that when people offer me help it's rude not to take it, but Nek's approach has showed more results than anything else to date and I am sticking with it, don't worry. You are a star. I do remember that about the squeaker, she does have her soft toys in there, but will do some practicing today with the squeaker and kong. Managed to wrangle a half day working at home today so can do some crate stays. My boss is getting frustrated with me but for now he's still saying yes!! Roo has self-selected to sleep in the crate for 3 nights in a row now. It is definitely her new favourite place in the house when I'm home, no doubt about it. I think I might love you :laugh:

Thanks :) That goes okay when I'm in the house. I can't really leave or return without her knowing it, there's no way to leave the house without making a noise she recognises, keys locking/unlocking the door or garage roller door. I have tried drowning it with the TV but not sure the neighbours will love it on an ongoing basis!

I have lots of those! She scrabbles at whatever is keeping her 'in'. I.e. the backdoors if she's outside, the crate door if she's in it, the front door if she's inside. I don't think giving her boxes would help unless I lined the crate door with them - not a bad idea!

Cheers :) I get SO TIRED of people who, just because they had a dog growing up, start sentences with the words "you just need to" and end them with "get another dog", "use a dog walker", whatever else it is. As if I haven't tried all of that. Grr. It's very hard, even within this thread there are different views as to how to tackle the problem, let alone the vets and trainers you see then the peanut gallery of your friends, family and colleagues :laugh: It's hard to block out the 'noise' and just listen to one voice. SO my update for today! Roo was outside for part of today. I was filming.... I *think* there was improvement. She still agitated, but not in such a frenetic manner, and this could be due to the food changes I think I also spoke to a trainer my vet asked me to call. She was very nice but confused me by saying that rather than unpredictable departures, I should always flag clearly to the dog that I was leaving. She also said that it's really important I come back the second BEFORE the panic starts. How is that even possible? How would I know, until it's started! Especially if I'm not there!! Very confusing to know what to do. Then after work I crated Roo while I went to the shops. 35 minutes. She did paw and bite a lot at the crate, but not in a frenzied way. Interestings things I learned today: "distress" signals (lip licking etc) are completely absent when Roo is alone. She doesn't do any of the trembly stuff. Not once! The 'panic' ie biting doors and crate, does not appear to be driven by distress. She didn't seem distressed at all. Nek said to me, she's learned "scrabbling at her confined state is just something she's learned to do when you're gone" (not those exact words but you get the idea). Well I think that is definitely true. But, how to unlearn it? I don't really know.....crate, or backyard, seems to be the same, she just does it. Hmmm.

Thanks CollieChaos. I think this is a lovely tip, unfortunately, I can't afford those prices. My budget for care is about $100 pw... I wish it was larger but it won't help either of us if I am stressing about the mortgage! Totally agree, and don't be silly, I think this is completely ON topic Thanks - today was...er... ok. I Think part of the issue is that as companion animals, it isn't necessary for people to put a lot of time into understanding their dogs. People think dogs are there for THEIR convenience, rather than seeing it for the complementary relationship it can be...and as a result, look for ideas that suit the person's view of what is appropriate, not the dogs. After all, people are generally a bit crap at putting themselves in other peoples shoes. Let alone their dogs booties ;) and doing what is right for them Plus, it is VERY hard to know what to do as a average person, without being told. So you go to your vet, and do whatever they say, because your only choice is listen to them or Bondi Vet or Cesar Milan! Anyway.... we did ok today. Roo went to a friends. Who gave me a lecture about how my anxiety about Roo was feeding Roo's anxiety and I was a bad owner. Although the first part of this is almost certainly true, I'm doing my best, and it upset me. I can't just 'switch off' worrying about her, although after Nek's advice I am trying really hard to control it. Roo on the other hand had a good day. We are up to 25 minutes alone in crate now, and last night she chose independantly to sleep in it (her normal bed is in hallyway outside my room, crate is upstairs in house - as far as she can be from me). I think this is encouraging. We pick up her treadmill tomorrow. My plan for the rest of the week is to keep increasing crate time, and working on being as matter'of'fact and emotionaless when interacting with her as possible. Not unkind, but blunt and not especially loving either.

Hi everyone, just checking in with an update. Roo seemed....still anxious but better than usual when I got home today. The real good news though is that we have worked up to 20 minutes in the crate before panicking (the time it took me to get to the shop to buy a well deserved beer and return!)

Thanks very much for saying this. At least after seeing Nekhbet I knew not to feed her prior to leaving as per previous advice so she won't be all fired up by red meat for her frenzy this time. I also took her for a bike ride before leaving so hopefully she is too starving and knackered to do too much head butting of steel.

I am ashamed to say, I left her at home today I feel awful as I sit here knowing she is self harming. But it was such short notice, my friends couldn't help ,and the daycrae was fully booked... I didn't know what else to do. I don't get sick or holiday pay so couldn't take a day off and afford her meds and other care

Hi Rosetta - the vet sure did, that's how I knew to do this - the thing is, it has never worked in relation to the backyard no matter how hard I have tried, but for some reason it does seem to be working in the crate, crate being a new environment without the negative connotations I guess. The new medication is clomicalm. It's the only one left she hasn't tried before. It's killing me though, it was $80 for a 10 day supply, don't know how I'll manage it for the 6 months she recommended. I think my boss actually would - the thing is, I'm a public servant in a large office with several thousand employees - it would be prohibited far above his head. boarding kennels I have looked into. The ones cheaper than daycare are an hour away, the ones in the city are more expensive than daycare. They also have restricted pick up hours that don't work for me all the time.....

Hmmm. I wouldn't go that far!! Roo by all account doesn't leave a smell in the house, but my place is open plan, floorboards, and big windows I always have open so that has to help. Apparently my car is another story altogether!

Don't worry I will! And, what lovely people are on this forum. what a wonderful thing to say, that you'd love to help. Roo and I will manage though :) I have asked both vets re. care during the day. Nothing as yet. And no possibility to have her there.

I've thought about that .... but how would I find them, maybe I could hang around Centrelink or the bank on pension day :D No more guarantee that older people are responsible than younger ones also. I think I'll just have to stump up for a month of daycare. I can probably put that on the credit card and hope for the best And hope the crate thing works out in that timeframe. What do you smarter-than-me people think - is that reasonable? Been watching Big Bang Theory all night, going out every ad break with the camera on. She's not flinching. I've tried to follow my going to work sequence - pick up keys, then when that gets no reaction pick up keys turn shower on, followed by pick up keys turn shower on put heels on go up hallway then finally out for 3 minutes and back in. Repeat ad nauseum :D I even worked up to getting in the car and going round the block. Tomorrow more of the same leading up to 10 minutes. Am I on the right track?

The one I have called 4 valueplus calming paste :) I have an update for you all. Today Roo escaped from the Uni Girls again - this time they decided be fine to go out and leave her in their backyard. Um...no, I pay you because she CAN'T be left in a backyard, otherwise I'd leave her in mine!! She easily jumped their 1 metre gate - she used to jump my 2 metre gate - and ran home. I left work and along looking for her, calling her, and just as I got to a really busy intersection (St Georges Rd/Separation St for Melbs people) she darted across it towards me, ducking traffic, horns blaring, cars screeching...about 20cm from being hit by a 4WD I reckon. I nearly lost her. In better news, crate is working a treat, I left the house today to put the bins out and also to go to the letterbox, tried the sounds of keys opening closing and garage door opening closing, about 2 minutes outside each time. She was fine. Ears pricked up when the doors closed behind me but that was it. What WAS funny is when I returned, suddenly she was all quivering and lip licking....but when I watched the video, she had only done that when I got back! Little primadonna. So, shows I have to work really hard on my reactions. From now on she gets NOTHING!! haha. Of course the clever Nekhbet predicted this on Saturday :) SO now I am in a predicament. Roo can't go back to the girls. They aren't responsible enough. BUT I feel like we are actually making progress and possibly on the verge of a breakthrough with this thing. I need at least a month ..... maybe longer.....of a daytime solution. Looks like I'm taking the day off again tomorrow!