Helena, you are such a tonic you really are Full of useful advice too which is so much appreciated.

I just had to comment on the horsey snippet, (sorry 1cutedog - ignore this bit of deviation on your thread please!). That rug thing........oh yes, yes indeedy....... the horrors of autumn and the rugs going on when the temperature dropped to arctic levels and the rain lashed down. Then, out came the sun two days later and it was like summer again! Rug off? Yes. Go out for a few hours, and suddenly it is pelting sleet, hail, snow and horse is wringing wet and freezing. Leave rug on - sun gets hotter, and so does horse! Constant worry!!!! Same problems in the Spring. Oh, and almost forgot about the huge apple tree which had to be shaken by hand in the Autumn before the fruit fell of it's own accord, and the back breaking chore of picking every apple up; followed by the spurt in grass growth. Worry worry worry

So you see, I am not one to sit back and say what will be will be As to what could be the worst thing that could happen when leaving Jimmi alone....we already know that he is capable of wrecking the kitchen, hence the cage idea. So, shut in cage he could destroy his bedding (not the end of the world) but could he hurt himself trying to get out? I think that is what worries me most. He could jam his jaws in the bars, or break a leg or something See how paranoid I am now! Having seen with my own eyes the damage he did to the cooker (he bent a metal strip, which even using all his strength my husband could not bend back and he eventually had to saw it off), and to the washing machine, I have no doubt that he is capable of setting about his cage. I just have to hope that he is so used to being in there now that he looks on it as a nice safe haven.

I will leave him with an old jumper (will stuff it up against my skin for half an hour first), because I think that is an excellent idea - a slipper is not on, because I only have one pair!!! Tomorrow will involve an enforced test, because I have a hair appointment, and about fifteen minutes before I am due back, husband has to go out. He HAS to go in the cage. Will report tomorrow night!!

How are you doing 1cutedog? You seem to be really getting somewhere with Lana.

Bitkin I do hope it goes well tomorrow when Jimmi has to stay in his cage alone at home. Here's hoping that because he loves his cage so much he can settle down happily and wait for you to come home. I know you'll be on tenterhooks and desperate to get home to him.

I left Lana again this morning for 40 minutes. She must be getting better as she actually played with her new squeeky ball. In the past I think she's just stood at the door as treats or anything else left for her would be in the same position when I came back.

I discovered she likes squeeking noises while we were in the park one day. A woman was sitting on a bench and squeeked her ball for her dog. Lana went flying and jumped on the womans lap trying to get the ball Luckily I live in an area with such friendly dog owners that the woman was not upset in the slightest. In fact she loved it so much she kept squeeking the ball so Lana would climb all over her. I then got Lana her own squeeky balls. She's been playing all day with one. Luckily I have had a child so am able to shut the noise out as it's very loud and almost constant.

She was overjoyed to see me but not sure if it was desperation or not. Tonight I nipped into a shop for about 2 minutes. When I came out she was going crazy so I told her to stop it as I had only been 2 minutes and she settled down immediately so I might try that when I come back tomorrow. I feel I am still learning a lot about Lana so I'm still sometimes unsure exactly what her behaviour means but there was no barking when I came down the lane, and I walked slowly and no barking while I went upstairs today. I will keep this up, going out for 45 minutes or so each day at the same time as it does appear to be helping. Hopefully I will think the same tomorrow

You are doing Soooooooooo well 1cutedog, and seem to be finding the key to Lana being happy when left.

Our dogs are so different - Lana loves squeaky toys (as did our last dog), but Jimmi hates them; Lana can be left with the run of the house, whereas Jimmi simply cannot be trusted.....although I have a feeling that he would be happier if we did that. It is just not on though, in view of the soiling problems and also his capacity for destructiveness. Jimmi loves his crate, but Lana is not happy with hers.

Two dogs, same problem, but the working towards the same end result must take such different paths You are winning the race without a doubt, but I use the excuse that Jimmi is elderlyish and male..........a difficult combination

Ach there's no race and I think I was well ahead to begin with. I don't know who had Lana before me but I get the impression she was well loved and taken care off. I reckon she was only about 7 months when I got her yet could, sit, give a paw and come back when called and had been well socialised so friendly to other dogs and people, except for men.

Apart from when I left her in the bedroom in the old house and she tore the draught excluder off to get out and then ripped some of the wood on the bottom of the outside door, she has never been destructive when left, mostly just chewing paper or ripping up carrier bags.

The state she was in when I got home. She would go absolutely berserk when I came in and she was roasting hot and panting so much, it was upsetting to see.

I was upset when she ravaged the door here but it was my own fault as I shouldn't have shut her in the livingroom. I was so stressed as I'd had a good few weeks of never going anywhere without her, even whilst moving house and had odds and ends to move I had to do it whilst taking Lana along, so extremely tiring and stressful

According to my downstairs neighbour she only barks occasionally so that seems good news, it would be great if she stopped because then I would know for sure that she was alright. She seems glad to see me when I come back but not in the frantic way she used to. I used to laugh at the info to ignore your dog when you came back as I couldn't ignore Lana, she jumps so high and used to hit me in the face with her nose, if I turned my back she jumped up anyway, I have the ripped coats to prove it She's sooo much better now, she'll sort of sit when I tell her in between the jumping.

aha I thought I had spelt squeaky wrong

Bitkin, I've been waiting and waiting for you to come and tell us how Jimmi got on with being left alone for 15 minutes or so.

Did everything go okay? Was he fine in his crate? Please let me know, I'm rooting for you

Yes, and so am I!!!!!

Hi 1cutedog, can't type much coz on the lappy, so I'll be back later, you are doing sooooooo brilliantly!!!

I'm hoping at the very least Jimmi is safe coz he must have been left in his crate Bitkin, and going on what you reminded us of above with that washing machine and oven Just hoping he stayed safe in there with no traumas. Afterall, a girl's hair is far more important than any shopping, and knowing you as I do, I also know that you wouldn't have dared to pop into any shops on your way home!!! I know that, coz I wouldn't have either!!!

Well what a non starter that event was Off I went to have my hair cut (didn't even let him dry it I was in such a hurry to get back), raced home to be met by Jimmi at the gate

We had a guest staying the previous night, a friend of husbands, who by the cotton picking way is not a dog lover in any shape or form - and as he was staying until lunchtime, husband left him in charge of Jimmi, in spite of our agreeing that it was a splendid opportunity to leave him in his crate while we were both out as guest could lurk in the lounge and report on behaviour. I was absolutely spitting washers

Yesterday we took him in the car to photograph some grave stones for my family history church site, (as you know, he is quite happy in his crate in the car when we go to Waitrose etc.) - it was a bit of a longer journey, and for the first time we got him out at the other end for a wander around the churchyard with us. He was a bit worried, especially when he spotted a field of sheep and some horses We have noticed that he reacts to the sound of farm animals and horses in particular, so maybe he was on a farm in Ireland or used as a hunt terrier or something. Anyway, we plonked him back in the cage whilst we went inside the church to take some more photos and when we came out he was squeaking and yapping like a deranged pea brain His bedding was all in a heap in the corner, so he had obviously been scrabbling about........once we got moving he settled down and went straight to sleep; on returning home he went straight out for a walk and then slept.......and slept.......and slept. Woke up for a wee and his dinner, then went back to sleep until around 9 at night!! He didn't have any of his drops yesterday, so can't blame those and can only think that he was so stressed about something completely different happening that it wore him out, or maybe he thought that he was going rabbiting The good thing is though, he had not hurt himself or damaged the cage! Perhaps the next time that we have an outing like that he will realise that it's no big deal.

Am going to shut him his cage in the kitchen today, and go out for quarter of an hour - just around the corner, without peeping. Husband is out today, so it is much easier to do it, because he tends to find other more important things to do than train a dog.......and they all involve wandering through the kitchen for some reason I think that I would like to lock him in a cupboard, and just bring him out when needed. A little like the hoover.

Will report this evening. Hope that Georgie is still twisting you around his paw Helena......it is SUCH a relief when they rally isn't it.

1cutedog, you have done wonders with your determination. Lana has come on so well.

Further to my last post above, today's crate session did not go well at all.

Jimmi had been for a long walk, had a fish skin chew, had a drink etc. etc. before I shut him in his cage. I went out of the door, closing it behind me, and went to sit on the bench way round the corner..........within thirty seconds he started barking. The barking escalated into a mixture of yelling, screaming, growling, yapping - in fact a cacophony of all that a small dog can produce. I sat there with gritted teeth for quarter of an hour, then had to wait a further few minutes for a tiny lull in the noise before going back in. He had clearly been scrabbling as once again his bedding was all in a ball in the corner and there are nail marks on the metal base tray. I didn't say a word, just opened the cage door and then totally ignored him as he went into welcome overdrive. Once he calmed down, I gave him a cuddle, but I cannot tell you how despondent I am. He is getting worse - not better, and the only consolation is that because of the cage there was no damage to the house. What am I doing wrong??

The facts:
He cannot be left with the run of the kitchen, or the house, because of destructive and "insanitary!!" behaviour when we go out. Hence the cage.

Toys, and kong, are of no interest to him whatsoever. The radio left on seems to make no difference.

He loves his cage - even with the door closed - just as long as someone is in the house. He is perfectly happy to sleep alone in the kitchen at night, and again after being let out and fed first thing in the morning when I usually go back to bed with coffee for husband and self. There is absolutely no sign of separation anxiety last thing at night when the little horror is patrolling the garden looking for cats, and flatly refuses to acknowledge my dressing gowned presence pleading for him to come in so that I can go to bed:lol

I will keep plugging on, but for the time being there is absolutely no way that we can both go out and leave him. Daughter will sometimes be able to dog sit when we absolutely have to go somewhere, but as she has a small child that means that evenings are out of the question.

I have a large drink at hand, and feel a little despairing. Will no doubt be more positive tomorrow.

Bitkin I am so sorry to hear that. Do you think it was because of the horses and farm animals and being so upset and the being left then in the crate while you went to take photos. If that was his first experience of being left alone in the crate maybe the feelings felt then overspilt to being left in the crate today.

Did he have any drops of the remedy before you left him today. Could you maybe start by locking him in his crate and moving about from room to room and then just nipping out the front door and back in again until he's happy then up the time to 1 minute or something going really slowly.

I am really sorry and feel for you as I know how hard it is when you have to plan everything around the dog, not being able to just simply nip out for 5 minutes or so. Like with Lana it's a weird sort of seperation anxiety as they don't mind being in a room in the house on their own even for hours they just simply don't like being in the house on their own.

Hi 1cutedog.......your reply really helps, because it is so comforting to know that someone is out there who understands!!!

Yes, certainly the episode in the crate in the car yesterday was a first, but we are hoping that after a few more outings he will be fine again. Certainly the next time will be the normal old boring trip up to Malvern and Waitrose, which worries him not in the least and perhaps that will help towards his next "exciting" trip out.

We will persevere, of course we will. Just leaving the room is no good, because that does not phase him. Leaving the house is a different matter though, and thirty seconds is a horribly quick reaction to being left alone. The awful thing is that it got no better as the minutes ticked on.....just a whole heap worse.

I will go to bed now I think, and try to put it out of mind before having another go tomorrow. Thank you 1cutedog, you really are a help, believe me!