I would really appreciate any help you can give me.
My three year old rough collie is full of neurosis. He won't climb stairs (even within OUR home, won't cross bridges, goes mad if we count out loud, I could go on & on & on... but the most problematic one is that he refuses to jump into the boot of our jeep. He'll jump into the back seat but not the boot so I've always lifted him in but he's not getting any lighter and my back is not getting any stronger so I need to find a solution.
I've seen the ramps but have very little confidence that he would do anything as spontaneous as use it.  How can I encourage him?
Any assistance gratefully received!

Hi, Gosh he is full of nuerosis, isn't he?  I assume you've tried all the obvious stuff like tempting with treats etc.  I'd look at Flower Remedies / Homeopathy to release the fears that are causing all this.   The best people to advise are Martin Scott and Gael Mariani. 

Here's their site   http://www.flowersociety.org/safer.htm     Phone 01267 281761

The book Dogs Misbehaving by Martin J Scott and Gael Mariani is excellent.

The first Essences I'd think of are Star of Bethlehem, Rock Rose and Mimulus.  They're available in chemists/ health foood strores.  Doseage is 3 or 4 drops 3 or 4 times daily on a piece of bread or similar, make out it's a big treat.  Can also go in water/food.  Can also put drops on top of head between ears and rub in.  They're totally safe, can't 'overdose' and if the wrong remedy is chosen, it will simply bounce off the system harmlessly.

I think your best bet is to give Martin and Gael a call and talk to them in much more detail about your boy, and get a personalised remedy for him.

Good luck.

Hi
Does your dog travel happily once he is in your jeep and is there any difference in the way in which he behaves once he is in it - be it on the back seat or in the boot area? Will he jump out of the jeep happily? Has he had any injuries, history of HD or anything like that?  Will he jump happily in other circumstances....ie when playing, doing agility if you do it, out on a walk over a stile or whatever?

Sorry, more questions than answers......but, if you are happy that there is no physical problem (vet check maybe?) and he is stress free when in the vehicle and travelling, then the things that worked for my dog included:  nice big comfy duvet in the back (yes, he is a woosh for a gundog before anyone else says it!); throwing tasty treats in; having a friend leaning over the back seat with treats to encourage;  sitting in the boot myself with treats and calling him to me and then fussing; getting friend to send her bitch into the boot - he followed at warp factor 10 for the last one!   :-) 

These are all fairly basic suggestions and I suspect your chappie may be a bit more complex, in which case outside of my realm of experience I'm afraid.  Sure someone else will be able to help though.

Good luck!

Thank you for the info re Bachs. I've heard of it & will definitely give it a go.
Gunner, In answer to your questions he loves to travel and will go anywhere including trips to Ireland on hols and you wouldn't know he's even in the car. He has never been bouncy, even as a puppy he never really rushed anywhere and was always very steady & sedate. The hight of the boot and the back seat are the same so I know that he physically can do it but no amount of lamb, sausages or praise will get him in. I was thinking of paying for a trainer to visit to see if they could get him up a ramp. Do you think I would just be wasting my money. By the way he is very obedient and will do alll baisic commonds on request. (sit, stay, down, come )

I had similar problems most of the time when we tried to get our lab into the boot (she also loves going in the car and most of the time she was on her way out to be walked so it wasn't as it she didn't want to go!!). She would hover near the front or back doors to the car hoping that we'd let her sit on the seats- she sits in the front seat of my boyfriends car as his boot is always full with work stuff, so I just thought she preferred it. However, when I thought about it, I realised that she gets moved around quite a bit in the boot, especially if we go around corners or roundabouts, whereas on the seats she can hold herself still. Since then I've put a plastic bed in the boot with her duvet and she has no problems going in there herself- I suppose she must feel safer and more secure, sitting up and being supported by the bed. It might be worth giving it a go.

All you need to do is get him on a short leash, take a few steps back and run him, fast, toward the boot tugging upwards to encourage a jump. Do it right, works everytime.

Hi
Suggestion from a behaviourist friend of mine....do you have a dog guard in your car?  If so, try taking it out and then trying to get her in the boot area and travelling fine before re-introducing the guard.  

did u allow him to sit in the main part of the car as a pup? it cud be force of habit?  when we first got my pup i allowed her to sit on my lap in the front, and now she wont go anywhere else unless i stick a harness on her and attatch her to the seatbelt in the back.