Troy - The saga continues. ANOTHER update inside

So I have just come back from the vet £130 lighter.

Troy appeared to be itching his ears badly and then started rubbing against the walls and rolling on his back. I could tell there was something wrong with him so took him to the emergency vets.

The vet advised that he has discharge in the ears caused by ear infection. The patches on his head are from a chronic skin allergy as the insides of the ears are dry and cracked, the ear infection is a knock on from the skin problems.

They gave him steroids for the pain and a sedative so he could sleep. Got some ear drops to be applied for a week too and some flea treatment too. Because it was emergency hours they could not do skin scrapes tonight so have to go to another consultation.

The poor little sod has been dealing with moving home, new owners, ear infection and allergies.

Should of checked him over better but I'm no vet, it wasn't obvious to me until it was shown under his ears and I thought nothing of the patch on his head.

To top it off I never had the insurance sorted, only had him a day after all! So none of this is covered. It's not the initial spend that bothers me but depending on the outcome it could be something that needs regular treatment for life.

The vet said it could be an allergy to pollen, fleas, something in his food and things like that.

The vet advised this was also something that had gone on for a while and he has had multiple ear infections. By the looks of his ear canals.

Well I said I would rescue a dog and I definitely got a dog in need! I knew it was too good to be true, I have very bad luck and always get screwed.

Where do I stand with these costs and any spend depending on the outcome of the skin problems? Are there any groups or organisations that can help with costs of treatment considering my circumstances? Only had him a day. I planned for the cost of food and insurance etc but obviously insurance won't cover this now. Fingers crossed its an easy to treat nominal cost procedure.

Guess its time to get a little sleep now. Troy has finally gone to sleep as he is drugged up

Wow. The previous owner must've known. What a bummer.

But I would imagine that you've already started to bond with Troy? Hopefully, the treatment he gets now will clear it up & you won't be faced with ongoing costs.

I would change his food to something decent (Wagg's not good!), without grain & poultry. Try James Wellbeloved (if you can afford it) or Fish4dogs. You can get both online cheaper than you can at the pet shops. Change it gradually over about a week.

Then get the insurance sorted now, as no insurance will cover you for the first 14 days of insuring! The sooner the better, then!

depends where you live? there's the blue cross that run vets that help people on low income or just can't afford treatment, rspca(unsure of help level if not on benefits)dogs trust etc, phone round and one may be able to put you in touch with an organisation that could help. poor guy had to suffer all this time and his old owners sold him probably knowing full well the extent of his condition

So sorry that you are going through this. Hopefully this is not going to be too bad to treat this time. I too suggest you get the insurance sorted quickly as cashflow is important. I feel for you and the little guy. You can easily keep an eye on the ears as most infections put off an odor. Sounds gross, but you can take a sniff and your nose will let you know when you have a problem. Ear infections by themselves are easily treated and clear rather quickly. If you can identify the allergen then eliminate it, you may be in the clear. I hope that it is grain or something in the food as that would be the easiest thing to change and as Caryll says, you should change it regardless. Might consider going to boiled chicken and rice (you can switch to that cold turkey) just to see if he improves. That way you might be able to know faster if the food has something that is making his allergies flair up (this is my best guess). Others can correct me if they think that is crazy.

Sharron here (the missus). Poor you and poor Troy ><

I know you have been hit financially which must be hard so early on but I would take solace in now Troy is with a loving and responsible owner who will work with him and get him the help and medical care that he needs. The previous owners must have known he had health issues and have chosen to largely ignore them by the sound of things.

Had you not have taken him on, what would (potentially) have been his long term quality of life?

Caryll wrote:Wow. The previous owner must've known. What a bummer.

But I would imagine that you've already started to bond with Troy? Hopefully, the treatment he gets now will clear it up & you won't be faced with ongoing costs.

I would change his food to something decent (Wagg's not good!), without grain & poultry. Try James Wellbeloved (if you can afford it) or Fish4dogs. You can get both online cheaper than you can at the pet shops. Change it gradually over about a week.

Then get the insurance sorted now, as no insurance will cover you for the first 14 days of insuring! The sooner the better, then!

He must of known, the vet even suggested so. Amazingly when confronted by text (call wouldn't of been a good idea, I'm really angry and upset), he suggested the vet took me for a ride and was more concerned with me changing his name! And yes I have definitely bonded with Troy, giving up never entered my mind. I'm more concerned with the affordability of any regular medication but hopefully it's something that can be easily managed.

I am going to see if I can get some decent food for him today. Credit card today, worry tomorrow eh! I'll sort the insurance today, thanks.

steve76 wrote:depends where you live? there's the blue cross that run vets that help people on low income or just can't afford treatment, rspca(unsure of help level if not on benefits)dogs trust etc, phone round and one may be able to put you in touch with an organisation that could help. poor guy had to suffer all this time and his old owners sold him probably knowing full well the extent of his condition

I'm in Huddersfield. I will ring around and explain my situation, hopefully I can get his next boosters and skin scrapes etc at a discounted price. Thank you.

bbimson wrote:So sorry that you are going through this. Hopefully this is not going to be too bad to treat this time. I too suggest you get the insurance sorted quickly as cash flow is important. I feel for you and the little guy. You can easily keep an eye on the ears as most infections put off an odor. Sounds gross, but you can take a sniff and your nose will let you know when you have a problem. Ear infections by themselves are easily treated and clear rather quickly. If you can identify the allergen then eliminate it, you may be in the clear. I hope that it is grain or something in the food as that would be the easiest thing to change and as Caryll says, you should change it regardless. Might consider going to boiled chicken and rice (you can switch to that cold turkey) just to see if he improves. That way you might be able to know faster if the food has something that is making his allergies flair up (this is my best guess). Others can correct me if they think that is crazy.

I have some ear drops for him, the course is 7 days and then he needs to be looked at again. I hope it clears up fast because it annoys him. I fed him boiled chicken this morning. Any boiled White rice is okay too then? I hope it's something simple too, but why wouldn't the previous owner of sorted it out? He either knew and couldn't afford or just didn't look after him properly and never had him checked over.

bobs wrote:Sharron here (the missus). Poor you and poor Troy ><

I know you have been hit financially which must be hard so early on but I would take solace in now Troy is with a loving and responsible owner who will work with him and get him the help and medical care that he needs. The previous owners must have known he had health issues and have chosen to largely ignore them by the sound of things.

Had you not have taken him on, what would (potentially) have been his long term quality of life?

Yup, seems like they ignored them personally. The way he was behaving trying to itch his ears, rubbing against Walls, the floor, rolling on his back and whimpering, it's obvious there was an issue.

And yeah I do take something from that, at least he is getting treatment and being looked after now.

White rice is fine. You could also try him with some mashed potato - dogs often love that - or scrambled egg. Cooked sweet potato can also help with stomach problems & is relatively allergen free.

Good luck, it sounds like you've landed a gorgeous (if a little sickly at the moment) dog!

Thanks for that.

Yeah little poorly but hope he gets on the mend soon! He is dealing with a lot right now. Really stressful for me too, I must say!

Is he happy in himself, though? What's he like with you putting the ear drops in?

I can tell it bothers him but he let's me do it.

The previous owner apparently has told me that I got too clever on text and he is going to report the dog as stolen. He is probably scare mongering and trying to make out he really cared for the dog but where do i stand with this?

I viewed the dog with my GF but picked it up by myself and paid cash. I did not get a receipt but I have all of his paper work from previous vet visits and is microchip details.

I also have this in text from his number and have messages from him on the preloved website.

Another problem is, I can't update his microchip details without a signature from him and obviously i won't get one now. I was not aware I had to send paper work in with his signature! Learning some hard lessons right now.

Any advice appreciated, how can i explain this situation about not getting a signature and getting his chip details changed? The previous owner has my mobile number but he does not know my home address.

Poor you and Troy. On a positive note, what ever he was allergic to may have been left behind in his previous home. Hope it all works out.

Gosh, what a lot to contend with! Good on you though for giving him a loving home and a great quality of life Just a thought on food, we feed Rascal "Whole Prey" diet - basically she gets 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal, 5% of which is liver. There's a great facebook group called "Raw Feeding (RF)", loads of information, advice, support and encouragement. The only thing we add to her diet is fish oil capsules. Just wanted to offer the suggestion as something you might want to consider. Troy is absolutely gorgeous and I'm looking forward to lots of updates, and photos!

Thanks for the support guys.

I've gone and bought a small bag of James Well Beloved to try him on. What's the reason he can't switch to it straight away if he takes to it? With the true colours the previous owner has shown, I'm not sure if he really was on WAG, tinned or something new every week.

He's whimpering alot at the moment in doors. I'm not sure if its discomfort due to the ear infection or anxiety though! It's very hard to deal with, especially when I don't know why he is doing it.

Poor sod, hope his ears heal up fast.

Hi,

It just that if you change their food over quickly it can cause upset tummy.

You sound like you are getting quite stressed about it all. Please try not to worry too much it will all come good in the end. Just give the little guy lots of love, things will straighten out.

Try mixing the James Welbeloved in with his other food a little at a time and then gradually increase the amount of the new food until it completely replaces what he was on before.

I am upset and my mood has changed if I'm honest. The whole situation with the abuse previous owner, money, medical issues is making what was supposed to be a happy experience and turning it into a not so nice one.

I guess it's making me irritable too. Poor dog though, it's not his fault.

Noticed his testicles seem pretty red too now. He isn't licking or biting them but I guess it's another thing for the vet to look at..

Hi Gee >< First and foremost, these are just my own thoughts.

Sharron here. with regards to the 'stolen' issue, I would print off all evidence of your communications with the previous owner and keep it safe.

You say you have details of the previous vets visits/details etc. How long ago was the dog seen at a vets?

If the worst case scenario happens and the previous owner does try and suggest the dog was stolen, as the dog clearly has medical issues, if the most recent visit was some time ago I would be inclined to consider contacting the RSPCA and suggesting neglect.

As stated, these are just my own thoughts and there will be many more on here far more qualified to give advice.

Just one last thought, it has been advised on here in the past that Piriton can be given for allergy problems, but again, there will be others on here who can be more helpful.

I know it has been an upsetting experience on what was meant to be the total opposte, just hang on to the fact that you are probably the best thing that has happened to Troy in a very long time.

Hope he is feeling better

.

bobs wrote:Hi Gee >< First and foremost, these are just my own thoughts.

Sharron here. with regards to the 'stolen' issue, I would print off all evidence of your communications with the previous owner and keep it safe.

You say you have details of the previous vets visits/details etc. How long ago was the dog seen at a vets?

If the worst case scenario happens and the previous owner does try and suggest the dog was stolen, as the dog clearly has medical issues, if the most recent visit was some time ago I would be inclined to consider contacting the RSPCA and suggesting neglect.

As stated, these are just my own thoughts and there will be many more on here far more qualified to give advice.

Just one last thought, it has been advised on here in the past that Piriton can be given for allergy problems, but again, there will be others on here who can be more helpful.

I know it has been an upsetting experience on what was meant to be the total opposte, just hang on to the fact that you are probably the best thing that has happened to Troy in a very long time.

Hi there,

Yup, saved all the text messages and will print off any messages I have from Preloved. I don't think he is going to do anything, think he is just playing up and trying to make out he cared for the dog and wants him back. I filed a please report letting them know anyway just in case he does try and take things further.

I will be ringing the micro chip company in the morning and asking what can be done to get the details changed over.

I'm regards to get visits, I don't have the paper work in front of me right now but I think he got all the usual treatments and injections when he was a pup and hasn't been back since.

If it came to it, I'd report him to RSPCA if I had to, but for now I hope nothing comes of it and it all blows over.

jstaff wrote:Hope he is feeling better

He seems a little better I think. Not whimpering as much and I've not seen him trying to itch inside his ears. Off to bed now so we'll see how he settles. Don't want a repeat from past night!

Pado wrote:So sorry to hear all of this. With the amount of thought you put into getting a dog you didn't deserve this.

I truly hope all this clears up and its not an ongoing issue.

Even with changing food it can take a while before a change is noticed - could be weeks etc.

Frank has a grain allergy -when we got him he was having chronic hair loss on the top of his eye- we had him tested and switched him to a grain free food (called First Mate, Australian lamb formula) took over a month or so to notice any change.

He was also allergic to all flea treatment and would whine and roll on the floor scratching his back. The only flea treatment we found that doesn't irritate him is Revolution.

Over time we got all his issues worked out and he has been the picture of health ever since. So there is hope that Troy will also - it will just take you time to figure out what his needs are but you will eventually.

Thanks. It's things like this that make me pessamistic! I knew it was too good to be true!

I hope it clears up too. I've got to take him back to the vet in a week anyway so may get them to take skin samples then. Going to ring around in the morning to see if there are any organisations that can give treatment on a donation basis.

Thanks for sharing your experience, I hope there is hope for Troy too.

Noticed his testicles seem pretty red too now. He isn't licking or biting them but I guess it's another thing for the vet to look at...

Testicles can change colour with the heat. They may change from pink to dark pink to a little red. If you check them, they should feel cool and firm to the touch and be free from any lumps. If they feel hot then i suggest you get the vet to take a look.
Sorry to hear about the problems you're having with Troy, vet care is expensive. The former owner sounds like a right prat, especially judging from Troy's condition he was fed crappy food from the pound shop and never exercised. I'm sure he'll recover soon and you'll have lots of fun together.
To answer your question its importent to introduce the food gradually so Troy doesn't get an upset stomach and gets used to the taste.

Okay thanks for the advice.

I've slowly introduced it over two days but to be honest with you, he wolfs down whatever you give up so fast, he wouldn't even notice and would eat it anyway! I'll keep introducing it though to ensure he doesn't get an upset stomach.

I spoke to the microchip company today and they understood my situation and put some temp details on the system while they wait for the completed form. They advised the lack of signature wasn't a problem so that's good.

That's good, at least they're being sensible about it. What was he like last night, did he settle ok?

He slept in my room last night, think he only woke twice to itch his ears but was nowhere as severe as the night I had to take him to the vet.

He settled okay, I brought his bed up into my room which helped. He did wake several times in the night though and was wondering around and moaning at the top of the stairs.

I left him for 10-15 mins today in the basement with some chew toys etc and when I got back he had pooped with anxiety again

I think he has improved a little bit because he does go from room to room without me now and again, but go's bonkers of he knows I have left the house.

I'm sure it will improve once he has setteled and is used to his new home

I hope so

I'm off to work for two hours today, my brother is coming to sit with him again. Think I'm working about 4 hours tomorrow though. Will see if my bro can sit with him for a bit or atleast come and walk him.

I tried to book all this week off, was available at the time but all back rejected so the planner must of not been updated. Bloody corporate companies. So best I can do is half days for the rest of the week.

Is there really a best time to start leaving him alone for a few hours? I've only had him since Friday night. Thanks.

Sharron here. Just a quickie. A happy staffie is a tired staffie. If you can get in a nice long walk before going to work then hopefully, he will just chill and relax, certainly for part of the time you are absent.

I have been walking him 4-5 times a day over the weekend, twice today before I went to the post office. He was tired because he was sleeping before I went, but started crying etc once I put him in basement and left. On my return he was still crying.

Oh what a nnightmare situation for u. Good on u for taking him on the poor lil poppet. Hope the change of food helps - I had to change my diesels food to hypoallergenic food as she had bad skin and ear problems, cost a bloody fortune with antibiotics/ steroids/ tests/ operation etc but she's well m truly Over it now.

The anxiety he's having when u leave him could be inbuilt from his previous owner leaving him etc, all I can suggest is the obvious, make sure he's warm, comfy, occupied with toys/ stuffed kongs ( try a king with frozen natural yogurt) leave a tv/radio on for him as well.

All the best.

Aww poor Troy. Without reading back loads, can you remind me why he has to be kept in the basement while you are out?

We have conditioned Sopie to be crated in our absence right from day one. She has a huge crate in our bedroom which she sleeps in at night but for both her safety and our sanity she goes in there whilst we are out. It would easily house a giant breed.

She is never in there all day as I largely work from home, but it has certainly been one of our best investments and she treats it like her own bedroom/safe haven. It has thick blankets on the base which are gradually being nibbled away though.

Sophie is about the same age as Troy, and has rarely been destructive, but this morning, I had just leapt into the bath and there was the sound of major destruction outside the bathroom door. She must have found a loose end of the carpet and was ripping it up like something posessed.

Is it possible you could borrow a crate to see if it works as Troy may feel more secure in a smaller environment.

in the U.S. some vet schools provide free or at least relativly low-cost care to animals as training for their students. maybe you call around if you have any vet schools in your area? >< to Troy. you are an for rescuing poor Troy.

Jackieb wrote:Oh what a nnightmare situation for u. Good on u for taking him on the poor lil poppet. Hope the change of food helps - I had to change my diesels food to hypoallergenic food as she had bad skin and ear problems, cost a bloody fortune with antibiotics/ steroids/ tests/ operation etc but she's well m truly Over it now.

The anxiety he's having when u leave him could be inbuilt from his previous owner leaving him etc, all I can suggest is the obvious, make sure he's warm, comfy, occupied with toys/ stuffed kongs ( try a king with frozen natural yogurt) leave a tv/radio on for him as well.

All the best.

I take everything the previous owner told me with a pinch of salt now. It could of actually all been bull. He said that Troy was left by himself all day while he was at work and the kids at school but I'm not sure if he actually worked etc, took his word.

What do you mean it could be inbuilt from the previous owner. If he is used to being left alone previously wouldn't that help? If he lied to me and Troy was never actually left alone, how can I get him accustomed to it now a part from the things mentioned? I already do this.

I never saw anything in the yard to suggest he was an outside dog either, so I'm pretty sure he is house trained. I think the peeing and pooping is down to anxiety / excitement as he does it when left alone and this morning first thing when I got up.

Apparently he slept fine in the kitchen by himself too. He always tries to jump on my bed and sleep there though, so maybe he actually slept with the kids and the previous owner was just telling me what he thought I wanted to hear by my questioning.

bobs wrote:Aww poor Troy. Without reading back loads, can you remind me why he has to be kept in the basement while you are out?

We have conditioned Sopie to be crated in our absence right from day one. She has a huge crate in our bedroom which she sleeps in at night but for both her safety and our sanity she goes in there whilst we are out. It would easily house a giant breed.

She is never in there all day as I largely work from home, but it has certainly been one of our best investments and she treats it like her own bedroom/safe haven. It has thick blankets on the base which are gradually being nibbled away though.

Sophie is about the same age as Troy, and has rarely been destructive, but this morning, I had just leapt into the bath and there was the sound of major destruction outside the bathroom door. She must have found a loose end of the carpet and was ripping it up like something posessed.

Is it possible you could borrow a crate to see if it works as Troy may feel more secure in a smaller environment.

In regards to keeping him in the basement, it is because whatever dog I got I could not be sure of their history and was fearful that they may chew in my absence. Also, for those occasions when my brother can't call down and walk him and he is left longer than I would like, I though it would be better for him to have a larger space to roam as the basement is a good size.

The other issue now is the soiling when I leave him. I don't actually think he will chew anything if I leave him in the living room with the kitchen door open and I have no issues with it. My previous dog was kept like this, he could roam wherever he wanted, but with him now soiling when I leave, I potentially could have a very smelly and soiled house on my return.

Do you crate her in the bedroom when out too or do you mean you have 2 crates?

There is no one I can borrow a crate from I'm afraid. Only thing I could do is to possibly try and find one on the cheap. In the meantime, has anyone got any tips on how I can stop the anxiety of being left alone and the soiling? I already leave chew toys, water, radio on, Kong filled and frozen etc. He will be distracted for a moment but then when he realises I am not there, he will cry and try to get out.

I am assuming he is house trained as the majority of the time he only goes to the toilet when excited or when I leave him. He never soiled the first night I left him by himself too.

Herman's Human wrote:in the U.S. some vet schools provide free or at least relativly low-cost care to animals as training for their students. maybe you call around if you have any vet schools in your area? >< to Troy. you are an for rescuing poor Troy.

Thanks.

Something I can look into. Don't think the boosters are very expensive, might just take it on the chin.

We bought Sophie's crate from Amazon, we found it was the cheapiest place.

your kind heart is evident in your commitment. you most certainly don't deserve the stress you're going through. i know it doesn't make the daily realities any easier for you, but Troy has a real family now and that's more than he had before you came into his life.

What a situation, I really feel for you, we looked at rescuing before we got our pup, even bought a little staffie home but it turned out she had hip displacia and we knew we wouldn't be able to afford to care for her or be home enough with her during the days to give her all the care she would need so had to give her back after 2 days it was heart breaking and some might say we should have done more for her but in our opinion that dog deserves a better home than what we were able to give.
As far as Troy goes hopefully his condition will clear up so it's just the anxiety that needs work, I would strongly recommend a crate rather than your whole basement, you should find he'll be less willing to soil his own bed, and he'll probably feel a lot more safe and secure in a confined space, just try and make it really cosy and fun in there!
When youre at home try and encourage him to play on his own or chew things on his own and don't sit around just stroking him or giving him attention it's what I'm trying at the moment in an effort to make my pup more confident and independent, not sure if it'll work but it's the best plan I got!!

Herman's Human wrote:your kind heart is evident in your commitment. you most certainly don't deserve the stress you're going through. i know it doesn't make the daily realities any easier for you, but Troy has a real family now and that's more than he had before you came into his life.

Thank you for the kind words.

*Karen* wrote:What a situation, I really feel for you, we looked at rescuing before we got our pup, even bought a little staffie home but it turned out she had hip displacia and we knew we wouldn't be able to afford to care for her or be home enough with her during the days to give her all the care she would need so had to give her back after 2 days it was heart breaking and some might say we should have done more for her but in our opinion that dog deserves a better home than what we were able to give.
As far as Troy goes hopefully his condition will clear up so it's just the anxiety that needs work, I would strongly recommend a crate rather than your whole basement, you should find he'll be less willing to soil his own bed, and he'll probably feel a lot more safe and secure in a confined space, just try and make it really cosy and fun in there!
When youre at home try and encourage him to play on his own or chew things on his own and don't sit around just stroking him or giving him attention it's what I'm trying at the moment in an effort to make my pup more confident and independent, not sure if it'll work but it's the best plan I got!!

Good morning,

I see what you are saying about the crate in regards to a sense of security and not soiling his own space. If it is due to anxiety though, is there a chance he simply can't control it? I'd be returning home to a very messy situation if he did soil in the crate.

Also, I do work full time but my brother has advised he can walk my dog midday, however on the occasions when he cannot, I know it is not fair for a dog to be kept in a crate for this amount of time, so if I get him used to a crate for a couple of hours would I be able to leave the crate door open so he can still go into it to feel secure but can leave it to roam if he feels like it?

I don't show him loads if attention all the time, he does chew his toys and play by himself and things like that. He sometimes moves from room to room by himself too, which he never did at first.

I think things are slightly improving. He went to the door yesterday when he needed to go and went for a poop as soon as we went out. He has not soiled in excitement in the morning and does nothing through the night but still pee'd this morning when I got up.

By the way, what's the minimum size crate for a Staffy? I've been watching some on EBay.

It will get better, Mia is in her crate most of the day, she's visited by my uncle and his two kids a couple of times a day and then wen I'm home she's out all the time, she's in there really for her own good just in case she chews anythin dangerous but she does really luv it as its her own personal space!
It will be a mess if he does go in his crate tho, countless times I came home and had to throw the whole lot in the washing machine and bath her cus she stunk!
She's been clean for ages tho now so they do learn!!

I think mia's cage is big enuf for a big rottie or bull mastiff, just try and get the biggest one you can, I would guess hers is a metre by 70 cm and about 70 cm high. As long as Troy can get in it lay down and turn around in it and stand up in it then it should be fine.

Also it's good if you want to leave the door open on it so he can come and go as he pleases and then just shut the door wen youre planning to be out!

Thank you. The space I want to put it in, which is where is sleeps anyway will take a crate 100cm in length and would fit nicely up to 85cm in width. I'll measure his height so I get one tall enough.

Thanks

Good luck! And don't worry your doing a great job with him!

*Karen* wrote:Good luck! And don't worry your doing a great job with him!

i agree.

aw the poor wee thing. bless his hert. i bet he's glad he found you and you will look after him. i know it must be frustrating picking up someone elses problems that cost you an awful lot but once you have sorted all the medical issues and are in a proper routine you will then start to repp the rewards like those big staffy smiles and kisses and hugs and have a nice time with him. we are all thinking of you both keep us all updated and posted

As everyone esle has said, you're doing a great job. It'll seem like it's hard to cope with for a while, but it will get better.

As he's settling in & trusting you more, he seems to be improving. The anxiety he must have felt in being uprooted & taken away by a stranger must've been huge. As the anxiety lessens, so will the problems.

My boy has a crate that we used from day one. At first it was shut overnight & when we went out, but now it's left open & he still loves it. It's his private den - he knows he can go there & be left alone. When you get the crate, cover it on three sides with an old curtain or similar so that it's nice & cosy & private.

We wholeheartedly endorse the crates, Sophies is also covered over on three sides and the back is up against the wall, providing her with her very own hidey hol

As for the crate we leave Rockys open then he can come and go as he pleases.

We used to close it when we went out for short lengths of time but now just leave it open for him. He now just goes to sleep on our bed when we go out anyway. We know this because we have noticed a small warm area where he has been laying when we get back.

Thanks guys.

I've got a crate now. I'll need to get hold of some material to cover the sides as suggested

He has been in the crate with his Kong but not gone in there to sleep or relax yet. I believe you should not force them into crates so my question is with this in mind, should I lock him in the cage tonight? Or let him sleep in my room again tonight until he becomes fully accustomed to the crate?

Thanks!!

Good news on the crate. Don't go spending a fortune on material, try a charity shop for a pair of curtains or a blanket anything like that will be OK, even a bed sheet folded over a few times.

For the first couple of nights we had Rocky we did close the door for him to feel secure, but after that we left it open.

Well he is still showing signs of anxiety and still whimpers when I leave the room. He has not gone in there and slept yet so not sure if I should make him stay in there for now until I see him in there on his own accord?

Hmm, don't really know, with Mia we put her in at night (by tempting her with a treat) and then locked the door switched the light off and tried to act normal with as little fuss as possible.

If you carry on letting him in your room it'll be harder to get him to accept the crate, so the earlier you start the better, I think all dogs young or old may whine and whimper for the first few nights at least and you can't go to them you have to let them just get over it because otherwise your rewarding the whining by giving them attention

Hmm okay. I may put his king in there or a few treats and lock the door. See how I get on. I hope to get to a stage whereby I leave te door open and chooses to leave my room and go to his crate