Ok,

Minstrel has been a diamond in her pen, but as she gets older I would liek to move her out of the pen and make the whole kitchen her territory..

Just that when i leave her not closed in her pen she whines?

think i may be going to have to put up with a few nights of this until she settles down again.

Also rather than shut the door to the kitchen when I need to have time out I am thinking of getting a stairgate to use between the kitchen and the front room? Any good?

yet another question..

She sometimes doe snot eat her food, or even just look at it, turn her nose up. I have tried various different types and depeneding ont he day she will scoff it one day and then turn her nose up the other...??

If she is picky and will eat it one day but not the other dont do what I did and pander to her - it gets worse! Pick the food she seems to like, appropriate to her age and acceptable to you and stick to it. Leave the food down for a short time then take it away till next meal time and dont let her scavenge. Chews etc I find put Morse off his dinner so I dont give them until evening and I always feed him after walks. Shes a lab isnt she? Right, so she wont starve herself and if shes the right weight for her age and breed I wouldnt worry about her not eating for a while. Our problems started because Morse was very underweight when we got him and we panicked at this stage. Good luck. :)