The hounds

[Kaz]

LOL Di yes definitely a terrier thing isn't it? They were bred to dig up rabbits and find rats and then bark to alert their owners - digging is another thing that it's hard to stop The very first toy Pepper had was a stuffed Alvin the Chipmunk - she was 8 weeks old but grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and banged him against the floor to 'kill' him That ratting instinct runs deep...............

Bigger non-terrier dogs seem so quiet next to ours

Aw bless Minnie barking at monsters

Jo I'm sure Billy wants very much to protect you, being a rescue he'll have that urge very strongly

Well the behavioural expert nurse rang me back, we had a good chat We are decided on the clicker training first, getting him generally used to it, then using that to get him to sleep in his basket, and then we're going to tackle the issues one by one, as she will talk us through it

She said the adaptil collar should bring his anxiety down a good bit, they are more effective than the plug-ins apparently

As a very last resort, if he is still very anxious, there are meds he can have in his food, but I would only consider that as a very last resort - I don't like the idea of drugging him

[miasmum]

She said the adaptil collar should bring his anxiety down a good bit, they are more effective than the plug-ins apparently

Hmmm I wonder if they do an Adaptil collar that would fit me

[Kaz]

Oh that made me LOL ((((((((((((Shell))))))))))) xxx

[Kaz]

Well the clicker training seems to be going well, he is definitely associating the click with a treat so we'll soon be ready to take that up a notch and start issuing commands with the clicker, and the collar does seem to have bought his stress levels down a bit - normally they both go beserk (he starts it so P joins in) when I leave the house, but now I just get the equivalent of a raised eyebrow as if to say "Oh she's off again!" and no noisy barking. Admittedly they still bark and fuss me when I get home but that's quite nice

[Diflower]

That sounds good Kaz, I'd been wondering how it was going

[Kaz]

Thanks Di, I wanted to make sure the collar was really making a difference before I posted, in case we were imagining it, but he is definitely calmer The plug-in was already making a bit of difference at night, but the beauty of the collar is that it goes everywhere he does, whereas the plug-in is only in one room

Apparently they work better on younger dogs like Fraggs, as the hormone used is the same as a lactating bitch so it reminds them of their mums

[Aggers]

Kaz.... We have found that the dogs' stress level when they are left alone is considerably less
if you don't make any fuss when you leave them - or when you return. Say nothing but just act
as you would if you were just going into another room. I know it's not easy to appear nonchalant
about leaving them, but, believe me, it does work. Try it !!

[Kaz]

Oh Aggers believe me we have! But thank you xx

[meriad]

Karl and Nadine's dog Bella (cross lab / border collie) is the most soppy and affectionate dog and every time I go there she greets me like I've been away for months on end and bounces about and whines. Even if I am only away for a few seconds to get something from the car - I do love that dog

[Kaz]