Jellyblush

Tried that today ... a lot of quivering and lip licking, but she stayed lying down in the crate (I videoed her). I also pottered around downstairs for an hour, with her in her crate upstairs, she didn't seem phased at all although she did shoot out of it the second I opened the door. She's currently chilling in there with the door open...

Nope - I said in my first post that she's a gentle, calm, submissive dog. She just goes mental when completely alone and has no 'off'switch that stops her hurting herself. She's a doll when there's someone around though.

Nope....want to build up to that very, very slowly. Have this week all planned out so she won't be left at all, but will be crated whenever I'm home, might try a few open/shut the front door scenarios but won't go anywhere. Then next weekend I thought I'd try some very brief absences. I

Thanks for your very generous offer but as you have seen I am barely dealing with one dog!!! Thought I'd show you how much Roo hates her new crate ;)

It's true Snooks! We are! We had a great day. My head is spinning a bit - a lot of what I learned is contrary to advice from behaviourist BUT the previous advice hasn't showed sustainable results, it's been one step forward and two back.... I was really struck by how logical the advice I got today was. We bought a crate on the way home. It's a bit flimsy and I don't think it'll last long but I got the people at Petstock to say I could return it if it seemed too flimsy, so we might do that and look for something stronger. Apart from that though, Roo seems pretty happy in there, scooted in of her own accord and I shut the door while I friend and I watched a movie, no stressing. The advice I got today to separate the backyard from the confinement was great. As was the advice I got on changing feeding pattern ,those two things struck me the most, but I learned heaps. Roo is a bit dubious about the calming paste. I'm really grateful to Nekhbet, glad I found this forum and the great advice on it, and I'm sure it'll be a slow progression but I'm at least hopeful now I have some new things to try. Friend and I then took Roo to the pub to celebrate :) Who says you can't have a social life with a nutty dog...turns out she's even a bit of a man magnet :laugh: Nekhbet is not the bogan she promised (false advertising!). She is actually very pretty. Disappointed! :laugh:

Okat, will do. It's not ideal. She does stress and bark. However, over time she has realised I am gone only briefly and settled more. The alternative for me (leaving her at home) is much worse, she would self harm

I leave Roo tied up outside the supermarket most days. For about ten minutes, while I buy her food for the next day and whatever I need; but then, she is at much more risk at home than she is there, and although she is pretty, I can't see anyone wanting to steal her. I think one hour is way too long, I'd be concerned about temperature, and whether she had enough water. Maybe a word to the shopping centre, they could call her owners on the PA

Hi there. The Chilli plant made me laugh! Do you have a bike? I ride with my dog and it wears her out. Maybe not appropriate for you if she is strong. Can't be very helpful, but I am happy to meet you for a dog park walk with my dog anytime. Williamstown dog beach is fantastic.

Jelly likes ! Seriously, you are already awesome and I haven't even met you. The girl from gumtree came round today to be with Roo. They got along fine, Roo seemed ok after about 10 minutes of stressing when I left (by all reports) and so we'll try that again next week. Gratuitous Roo-pic!

Hi everyone. I have had a DAP diffuser for Roo here, but did not think to take it to the girls place - will do - great idea! Roo had no issues with them today. Maybe we will get there.... I have found a girl willing to mind Roo in my house too. To be honest I don't love it - I feel a bit nervous of having someone from Gumtree in my home when I'm not here - but feel I don't have too many choices. I have to go to work! Professional daycare is not an option for the rest of this week as my boss wants me to stay back due to time off chasing Roo yesterday, and the daycare closes at 6.30pm. We have used crate training principles to create a safe zone before, and it did work for a while - but after I moved house it wasn't effective anymore hence we are starting again. The configuration of the new house is different with a courtyard rather than a backyard, hence Roo's vet feeling a crate training program to treat the yard as a crate is a go to get around confinement issues. I had no idea leaving Roo at a vet might be an option. I will ask about it when I collect her meds. Which will hopefully be tomorrow - vet has been away sick. Getting and starting those meds is critical for me at this point. Thanks for all your great suggestions and support.

Nekhbet, I am free and I would LOVE to. I will pm you for details- thanks for your lovely offer :) Just adding also - I am crate training - it's one of the things my behaviourist & I just started

Yep... but the arrange already WAS to keep her inside unless outside for walking. I can only ask them, I can't be responsible for what they do when I'm not there. I don't know. I'm exhausted. Mentally, physically, financially. I don't know what the point of another behaviourist is. If they say pts, it's yet more money I don't have to tell me something I could have done anyway...if they recommend another program or meds, well, I have that now, my issue is that Roo can't be alone for one.single.second without it becoming a welfare issue, either self harming or escaping. What can anyone possibly do or say to help us now? I can't guarantee she'll NEVER be alone between now and several weeks away when meds have had a chance to work. I just can't. So what good will further opinions be? Sorry to sound so defeatist. I in no way mean to sound ungrateful for the great advice I am getting. I'm just wound up over emotional and so exhausted and despairing.

Nope - but it was likely over their side gate. It is 2 metres but I've seen her jump that height to get to me before.

Yes - the girls love her and still want her back. I've taken her bedding, a toy, an old t shirt of mine, some snacks for distraction, her own water bowl from home. They've set up a little 'safe corner' for her. I know these thing take time but now that she can escape from their place there's a welfare issue - they are on a busy road and she could very easily get hurt. aaaaaaagh. Thanks for all the support.

Mita, Dr Carter is Roo's behaviourist. She is fantastic. Thank you for your support. Pebbles, it appears that of the four girls, there is one girl Roo has bonded with particularly and on this occasion she went out briefly. The basis of them having Roo was that someone is always there - not that this one girl is always there. Edited to add - this was only her fourth day there.

Thanks everyone. No, I hadn't heard of Dr. Holmes. Off to google now, cheers :) I don't even know how to manage tomorrow let alone future days. I can't keep taking time off, plus I am a contractor - no work, no pay. I have taken this afternoon off but it is hard to pay for specialist, dog daycare, plus factor in a drop in income due to taking her to specialists, day off to find her..... I feel so defeated and lost. I have failed her

Hi all. Well I wish I had better news for you than I do. Today, Roo ran away from the Uni girls. I got a panicked message from them while I was miles away at a meeting. She's escaped, we still don't know how. A mad dash home and she was found on the front step - she crossed four major busy road and many smaller ones. She spends all her time trying to escape home when left here, and trying to get back here when left elsewhere. It's so weird, because I had all that anxiety before she first went to the girls that she was going to run away and get hit by a car - when I got the call I was sure that's what had happened. I'm now in a very hard place - we haven't started the new meds yet (still waiting on script to be filled), neither training now meds will have any effect for weeks, I can't left her at people's houses, she's too crafty and too keen to escape and find me.. Dog daycare would be safe I know but I cannot afford 5 days per week of dog daycare. I called to ask for a discount on the basis of her being a 5 day per week ongoing proposition but they said the fees were the fees. I have no idea where to from here. I feel like I have run out of options.

I don't really agree with this - I know a few people who have done it, as well as myself, and without exception all had rescue dogs of completely unknown origin, and wanted to learn more about them. It is a natural thing to try to find out as much about your dogs background as possible when you have a shelter dog and a breed test is one of the ways you can try to do that.

Hey Rosetta, yes, she has. We have done several programs based around desensitization before over the last couple of years.. It is hard with Roo as there are so many cues and triggers and it's impossible to know what they all are - we've had success with some of them though, for example putting my shoes on used to be a cue so did getting in the shower and we managed to work on these but other triggers just replaced these ones. This time, due to the size of my current backyard (courtyard really) after a recent move (which is probably what set everything off again) she wants me to do a crate training program first, treating the yard as a crate. Then back into a further program. What I'm doing currently with the door is trying to get to a point where the click of the door closing doesn't trigger any anxiety in Roo...Out, treat, in, shut door, immediately open door .... ad nauseum. All suggestions re training and what we should be looking at are welcome. Thanks for your post :)

I'm not sure about these tests. I did the gta labs one on Roo....... The dog: The test: Bull Terrier x Rottie x Maltese. :laugh: Bully definitely. Rottie maybe. Maltese..... umm....what the?!?! In answer to the question as to why, I asked for it as a Christmas gift from my mum because a) there was nothing I really needed and b) I thought it would be fun and c) I thought it might give me some clues to her behavioural issues. Has no bearing at all on how much I love her or how gorgeous I think she is.

Thanks all - I have messaged Brooke. I also looked into the Underdog training but yes, it's quite a drive. Not out of the question though local would be better. I'll keep looking. Meanwhile, we've had a hard working weekend and I'm dizzy from all the going in and out of doors I've been doing - no sign of any lessened anxiety in the yard yet but we'll keep plugging away! Poor old Roo is also on rations with her usual diet due to all the treats I have been giving her as well. Back to the Uni girls for 3 days this week...

[ !This is a great idea! I think she'd really benefit from something that used her energy in this way. If anyone knows of something suitable in Melbourne's inner north I'd love to hear it

Thanks, I'll look into it :) Roo sleeps in the hallway, on her own bed. No.... I'd like one, but when I've tried to talk to my own friends they jut seem to think I'm crazy for getting so involved in my dog..they have been saying put to sleep or rehome for 3 years. I'm worried a professional wouldn't understand or would laugh at me.... Thank you so much. This means the world to me. Yes, the context for the separation anxiety is important for the kind of techniques followed. Our Sheltie who'd rip up the soft furnishings was diagnosed by the behaviorist vet as being highly attached to me. And the aggressive ripping of items when I wasn't there was actually her demanding that I be with her. To me, it had looked like terrible distress, which had made me take even more notice of her. Which meant I'd been innocently reinforcing her 'clingy-demanding' behaviour. But, as soon as the vet explained it as demanding.... the treatment techniques she prescribed made sense. And those techniques changed the sheltie's behaviour amazingly. The vet behaviorist said the important thing was to apply those techniques consistently ... First on the list was that Shelley had to be given huge doses of 'ignore', in everyday life, for a period of a few weeks. And I was specially to ignore her for 15 mins before leaving home & 15 minutes on coming home. Any attempt she'd make to get my attention.... like barking at me, or jumping up... I was to turn my back. No eye contact. Sounds cruel, but Shel had to learn she could not demand attention from me. If ever she got attention, it was because I had given her an order, like 'Sit'. So obedience training was a big thing... especially her learning she could not get all the good things (treats, meals, pats etc) unless she obeyed an order first. This was coupled with setting up a place that was to be her 'good' place.... a dog bed with her toys, items that strongly had my scent on them, chewy treats. And she was to spend time on this good place, even when I was at home. That was gradually trained, too. After a few weeks of doing all I was told to do consistently, Shelley's 'demanding' behaviour started to fade. Then no more frenetic destructive behaviour when I wasn't there. The extreme doses of ignore could gradually be relaxed. I have followed this also, for a very long time. It did stabilise her condition for a while, but then I moved house and it stopped being effective.

Hi everyone. Wow, what a lot of knowledge in this thread. Thank you for reading, caring and sharing your thoughts. Erny, what you have to say is so encouraging. Roo had her second day with the Uni girls today, and it went better than last time. I did not medicate her beforehand this time, and she was just fine. Calm and relaxed. This is definitely going to help. My current predicament is that it is 3 days per week, so I am short two days. Roo really, at the current time, cannot be alone at all. Not for an hour - it is a welfare issue, her self harming is too extreme. Trifecta, there could well be an element of this. I have noticed and been aware of my own anxiety levels escalating over the last year as I have worried about Roo, and about my own life, and about the effect that caring for her has on my life (i.e., I do not have one!). The question is, how to de-escalate it? Rosetta, the visit to Roo's behaviourist went ok yesterday. I raised the question of putting her to sleep, however, we will try a new drug, and additional training while Roo is having a break from the stress of being alone with the Uni girls. The theory is that when the stressful event (being alone) is removed, Roo will be better able to learn. I will follow the program SAS sent me, plus I will do crate training, treating my backyard as a crate. I can try herbs at the same time, also a DAP collar, I just need to ensure the herbal medications aren't contra-indicated with the meds. The training hopefully provide the mental stimulation she needs as mentioned in this thread too. To be honest, I feel exhausted just thinking of this. This will be yet another of many, many attempts with training, and I really hope it yeilds results for Roo. I love her but constantly caring for her is wearing me down. Her behaviourist says respite breaks for me every few months are important even if it does mean boarding her (which actually she is pretty ok with since there's always someone around). Wish us luck as we give it our best shot over the next couple of months. Still looking for a 2 day week pet sitting solution in Melbourne's North if anyone knows anyone. Thank you all once again.

Go spud! How nerve wracking for you but what a great result