Bitkin thanks very much for the link. I like the idea of having a card to carry with me at all times in my purse and being able to write a history on Lana, all her likes and dislikes. Hope they have enough room for her story

Great news on getting a bespoke pair of boots for Jimmi, hope once he gets them that it makes all the difference and he can start enjoying his walks again and you can pick up with training him to be left on his own.

Cardaph I too have had people say I should just shut her in and leave her. It's not the barking, though that would be annoying for the neighbours it's how upset she gets. If I thought it was bloody mindedness on her part then maybe I might be persuaded to try it, but it goes much deeper than that with Lana.

Well done at the training class. See how well you are doing with her, it will be well worth it in the end and hugs to Bessie from me for being so clever. Brilliant you got out both doors, it won't be long before you can go walking along the road. It must be such a relief to you to see and end in sight so here's hoping the progress continues happily.

Watch this space. By the end of the year we'll be writing I left 'insert dogs name here' for 3 weeks all on his/her own and he/she was brilliant, hardly noticed I was gone Only joking about the 3 weeks of course. An hour would probably get us rejoicing.

I think 10 minutes would be cause for celebration I am wondering now if the serene-um tablets are really kicking in and making her feel calmer. I'm on to the last lot of them so think I'd better order some more.
This is the first dog I've had that actually likes tablets! She takes them like treats

It's a combination of the two isn't it - the thought that they are so upset at being left plus the irritation to neighbours. Ours are away for a month so in theory we could just go out and leave her to it but I'd now be too worried that I'd ruin the progress made.

Bitkin that is just brilliant about the boots what a good company they are. Jimmi will be enjoying his walks again soon

TEN minutes?............crikey I would be happy with two to be honest!!! With us, it is not that neighbours will be upset, because they are too far away - it is the fact that Jimmi becomes so destructive, and is so distressed that he wees and poops. This is why I am so reluctant to continue with the crate training thing to be honest, because he could well hurt himself trying to get out, and if he made a mess in there it would not be nice for him or for me! I am still more or less convinced that if left with the run of the house he would be fine, but of course husband is right to say that we just cannot risk it. I keep remembering the day of the Carnival when we all just trooped out and left him alone in the house whilst we went outside the front gate to watch the procession - I never gave it a second thought, but of course to Jimmi it must have seemed as if we had gone. When we came back in half an hour later, he was lying on the back of the sofa by the window, just waiting patiently. The same thing that he now often does when either myself or husband go out.

There is too much potential for real and expensive damage to put my theory to the test unfortunately.

How wonderful that Bessie likes her tablets! Makes life so much easier doesn't it......how often have we given tablets to dogs, thinking that they have gone safely down the hole, only to watch them spit the offending article out a few moments later. What do serene-um tablets contain please? The Z ones have ingredients that are forbidden to Jimmi.

Bitkin on pet meds the ingredients of serene um state
Inositol - Transmission of neural signals in the brain.
Vitamin B3 - Energy release from foods - brain/nerve cell maintenance.
Taurine - Stablilise and maintain brain/nervous system health
L-Tryptophan - Protein building block - regulation of mood, appetite and sleep.
Vitamin B6 - Amino acid metabolism
Calcium - Bone structure maintenance and muscle contraction.
Zinc - Bone formation, cell-mediated immunity and host defence. Stability of muscular activity and in the regulation of cellular oxidation processes.
Vitamin E - Prevention and treatment of certain necrotising diseases in domestic animals.
Seleium - Growth and fertility.
Vitamin D3 - Regulation of calcium and phosphorous homeostasis and bone mineralisation.

It looks quite interesting, says they are:
Formulated for cats and dogs who show signs of behaviour related disorders, excessive barking, tail chasing, poor concentration, pacing, unruliness and nervousness, Serene-UM relaxes your pet without sedating it.

I think I might give them a try for Lana but will wait until the firework season is over in case they don't work. From the ingredients listed it's almost like giving them a vitamin tablet. Not sure what's in Zylkene, can only see that it's something to do with bovine milk and have read it's completely natural.

Have checked a few websites but can't find a list of ingredients for zylkene.
Another one to consider is Skullcap & Valerian - what ingredient can Jimmi not have?

Another strange difference between the three dogs in that Lana and Bessie are vocal and Jimmi messes or is destructive.

Reading the Serene-um behaviour disorders I now realise Bessie has another stress related problem. She absolutely hates her tail and usually most evenings will have a session where she looks as if she is trying to pull it off! Even when I am grooming her when it comes to the tail she tries to bite and pull at it.

That list of ingredients for Serene-um sounds safe enough for Jimmi - he is only allowed fish and potato, and the odd vegetable such as carrots and peas. Dairy, meat and wheat etc. are all out, which is why Zylkene may cause more problems than it solves.

Cardaph, Jimmi does also bark............in between destroying cookers and piddling everywhere!! Strange because the only other time that he barks is when chasing a cat or pigeon.

Oh well he takes first place then! His list of talents outshines Bessie and Lana

Have just ordered some more serene-um from Vetuk as they seemed to be the cheapest place to get them.

I have been told that if the crate is the right size that the dog will not mess in his quarters which I am finding true to Milo we got a different cage that he cannot bend the wires and I had to put him in there cause he pulled his hind leg muscle and I couldn't take him for a walk and I put him in there while I walked the kids to school bout 30 min and when I had to pick the kids up from school 30 min again. but today he came with us

I will pop in to see how the rest is doing and good luck with Lana, Bessie, and Jimmi!

Just when you think things are going well this dog goes and blots her copy book! The training sessions have been going very well with us now staying out a few minutes and her just sitting in the hall waiting.
Today instead of going to the post office on the way to training, as I was expecting a delivery I decided to pop up myself before we had to go out. Bessie was a complete brat, jumping up at me and catching my clothes, trying to grab my bag of parcels and barking Hubby says as soon as the door shut she just went and lay down the little madam.
So I now have to figure out how she knows the difference between the training sessions and actually going out for real.

As far as I know I am doing exactly the same things but she knows!

Oh flip Cardaph - these dogs are cleverer than we give them credit for! At least Bessie just lay down once you had gone, but of course Hubby was still there wasn't he. Oh well, keep plugging on

We had our practice run at the weekend, in preparation for next week when we go to Yorkshire. When the sprogs first arrived with all their overnight things, Jimmi looked rather haunted and uncomfortable but to be fair he had just had his walk, and would normally be settling down for a snooze. Anyway, we went out leaving them to it for a few hours and apparently for a while Jimmi was listening out and watching for our return but then he found a patch of sun and fell fast asleep! He was perfectly happy to be fed by my son in law!! The morning breakfast and letting out duties were also done by son in law, and when Jimmi was released into the rest of the house he made a beeline for their bedroom and not ours, where he and grandson snuggled down quite happily together with my daughter!!! This is very good news and makes me feel a little happier.

There was one blip, in that he started barking and scratching at the kitchen door at 3 in the morning.......something that he never does normally. I went in to make sure that there was nothing wrong, and on ascertaining that he didn't need to go out I told him to stop being so silly and after that he was fine. If he does that next week when they are staying, then Lucy now knows not to worry and to just speak firmly to him!

I am beginning to think that he rather likes grandson.........he certainly snuggles up next to him at any opportunity, and when daughter had occasion to speak severely to grandson on Monday morning, Jimmi positioned himself between them with a paw raised and a rather pathetic expression on his face! This has been one of my concerns, i.e. - small child and small dog together for a longer time than they have ever been before. After all, we have only had Jimmi for just over 8 months so cannot be certain of his breaking point. However, grandson has been strictly brought up to respect all animals, especially dogs, and is very gentle with Jimmi - also they would never be left alone together, so I must stop fretting!!!!

I am looking forward to seeing my father (95, good grief I doubt that I will get that far), and also some other members of my family, but I will be so glad when we are travelling back home again! Stupid isn't it