Lol Bitkin I'm still here busily gnawing at my pencil trying to answer this questionnaire. I wonder if the day will ever come when we can leave our dogs sleeping peacfully in their beds while we go out!!!! Well I suppose miracles do happen sometimes!
We left Bessie in the car whilst we did some shopping today and she was lying peacefully on the back seat when we returned. Now why can't she do that at home I wonder

Hey... Tess is mid-adolescence.... so if you want more examples of all the things my little angel does and does not listen to... I'll pm them.... sure to give you a right laugh and boost your confidence.... we have our major national obedience exams coming up in only 3 weeks and at the moment Tess does nothing I ask of her.... am I worried? Yes! The only way we would pass right now is if I were to starve her for days before the test.... and no way I can do that... but who knows... 3 weeks can make all the difference....

But getting back on thread... as you know Tess had a little SA at the beginning, and after all my nieghbor-sms, Bach, Mozart, curtains, kong experiments she's fine now... But.... my kids do tell me that when I go out for a bit and they're home with Tess (Tess is very very sweet and understands that the kids are her boss.... just in case anyone falls over me for leaving my kids alone with a dog.... they are 8 and 10 and very dog-savvy), Tess spends all her time on the front sofa watching for me to come home.... she doesn't bark or whine, is not stressed or anything.... but is obviously waiting for me.... but... once I'm home she will play and snuggle up to the whole family.... and when at the end of the day my husband comes home.... I can forget playing with her for the first hour... no.... the only one she wants is him....

The reason I'm posting this is that yes... Tess acts differently when I'm out.... but this is not a stress issue.... she just prefers it when I am home..... and I think that with all the work you're putting into it, that Jimmy is heading into the same direction.... you're doing soooo well....

ok... time for another refill

It's strange isn't it Cardaph - Jimmi doesn't mind being left in the car either (except for that time when we took him out for a wander around a graveyard, then put him back whilst we took some photos of the church.......he was yelling his head off when we returned). Normally though, he just settles down and goes to sleep.

Cintvelt Tess sounds adorable and will probably go into that obedience exam and do everything absolutely perfectly!! She is just saving herself Yes, Jimmi will sit and wait and watch for my return without making a fuss, as long as there is someone around..........anyone will do it seems.

It was just too hot to do any crate training today! *adds ice to the magic bottle

I don't understand it Bitkin think I'll ask the behaviourist about that. Must write a list of questions - I want to get my money's worth!

Where is 1cutedog? She hasn't deserted us has she or found some wonderful quick cure she isn't sharing!

Isn't that bottle empty yet? Or does it keep refilling itself being a magic one.

You must remember EVERYTHING Cardaph....every last pearl of wisdom

1cutedog is probably flaked out on the floor with Lana trying to avoid the heat.......I shouldn't moan, but we never seem to have a happy medium in this country

The bottle is so magic that it never ever empties - oh for one such as that in reality Still, I went out again this morning for three quarters of an hour, and husband fiddled around doing things in the study etc., with the door shut but keeping a careful ear open. Jimmi was in his usual place by the window waiting for my return, and although pleased to see me was not stressed at all. I have a feeling that like Lana, he would be much better left alone with the run of the house but we simply cannot risk it. No Way It would only take five minutes of madness on his part, and we could return to devastation. It is just not worth it, so we will continue with the steady plod of crate training.

*pours large glass from bottle to drown out the appalling memory of England this afternoon

Was just thinking Cintvelt, about the Vet saying that Tess had SA when you left her there. Good grief, in that case most of the doggies that ever have to go in to the Vets suffer from it then!! Not many dogs are happy to be left there and most are desperate to go home to mummy and daddy!!

No time to do any crate training today - too busy coping with Jimmi's feet which need salt baths again. Oh grrrrrrrr - off the ABs for two days and look what happens.

1cutedog, I am beginning to fret about you and Lana.....is it just that there is nothing to report, or has your computer melted in the heat?

*takes swig from magic bottle and trundles off thread

Hi Bitkin,

I'm here, I'm here (and wags her non-existant tail ) I really feel for you with Jimmy's paws... !!!!!! No advice unfortunately...sorry!

I'm visualizing that Lana has really become 1 cute dog and that all problems are resolved.... sometimes works... we won at football ... however... I visualized 3-1.... we got 2-1... well.... sometimes I get it a little wrong it's the result that counts isn't it?

Good luck with Jimmy's paws.... poor pooch and poor you! I'll visualize them all better by the morning.... no guarantees I'm afraid but I'll do my best

I'm back Sadly I haven't found a quick cure for our dogs problems I haven't been well this weekend and I tend to run away and hide when I don't feel too good. I tried explaining to Lana that I wasn't feeling too good and wouldn't it be nice to stay at home, but she was having none of that so had to keep taking her out She did get to cuddle up to me when I kept going to bed though.

Bitkin, sorry Jimmi's having problems with his paws again. It sounds as though he's not getting so stressed when you go out now, so hopefully the improvements will continue.

Cardaph, I havent bought from you but have saved you as a favourite so I know where to come if I need anything. Hope you've got your questionaire all filled in now. I do hope you get good results with the behavourist. Bitkin and I are rooting for you.

I left Lana this morning for about an hour, first time since last week. An emergency cropped up so I had no time to try and get a dog sitter. When I opened the main front door I could hear yelping and scratching. I thought, blooming heck I hope I still have a front door. I do and although a bit broken at the bottom it's not too bad. I swear she is getting worse. I had left music on for her hoping that it would cover up some of the noises. Maybe she didn't like the music.

I think it must be this building, it's a very old building and there are all sorts of wierd noises, pipes banging and all sorts of stuff so I think it's quite frightening for her.

I'm going to the opticians on Friday so have arranged for a dogsitter for 1 1/2 hours. She will come and collect Lana, take her for a walk and take her back to their place. I'll be like a mother leaving her new born baby for the first time. I expect she will be fine, I hope. Maybe the wee booger will appreciate me more when she comes back or maybe she will be even worse.

Oh there you are 1cutedog! We were getting a tad worried about you. Hope you are feeling better now.

Thank you for saving me and feel free any time! Yes I sat down and tackled the questionnaire last night it was a bit like being back at school. I found some of the questions a bit silly like - what would you like to achieve from today's consultation? Thought that would be obvious lol and - what time expectations do you have? - there really isn't an answer to that one is there.

Bitkin I think you are really making progress with jimmi
he seems to be getting much less stressed when you leave him and that has to be a good thing.

I think I'll need to borrow your magic bottle tomorrow after the consultation because then our work will start again after sitting on the side lines for a few weeks! Can I cope I am asking myself! Think I need some of that stuff that "fortifies the over 40s!" Wonder if they still make that.

Humph........I should have asked you to visualise a better score for England then!!! Glad you won though, and will cheer you on.

Still nothing from 1cutedog - I do hope that all is well with her and Lana; perhaps she has now found that she can go out at will with no problems and is therefore making up for lost time I had to go to the dentist today, and with one thing and another was gone for over two hours - the first longish stint since being away all day. Jimmi was fine stress wise, but extremely clingy with my husband. He does seem able to cope when I am not here but obviously is nowhere near ready to be left completely alone for any length of time. Sometimes when he has been out roaming around the garden for a while, he will suddenly hurtle back at top speed to track me down in whichever room I am in and be overjoyed to find me. I do think that this problem with Jimmi is not going to be resolved any time this year