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i adopted my dog last year, hes a 7yr old am staff who's neutered. he has been totallly fine until the end of september when he started to try and eat through the front door of my apartment. this has progressively gotten worse to the point of him chewing my ipod, backpack, snowboarding jacket, purses, etc. when he is left alone he is in a ex-pen he pushes over, the radio is left on, his breakfast is put in a buster cube as well as he has fresh water and a kong full of peanut butter. i'm assuming this is stemming from the turbulent year we've had but i dont know what to do with him now. i am not considering giving him away cause that will only make things worse.
after i got him we moved and he used to come to work with me, which he hated so i started leaving him at home with the cat and he was fine. then we moved again due to some bad luck, where he and another dog killed my cat. since that wass only a temp living arangement we have moved once more and he;s by himself... HELP!!!

2007-10-19 15:24:49 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets Dogs

as a note, he does have a toy left with him he has to work to get food out of, and doggie daycare isnt an option due to the hours i work.

2007-10-19 15:45:21 · update #1

10 answers

It sounds like he has had a turbulent life in general and is very stressed and insecure. Since he is doing some damage to your house, can you talk to your vet about some medications for him? They have drugs that you can use temporarily in order to help with behavior modification.

Is it possible for you to get him a few hours of exercise in the morning before you go to work? I know this is very difficult but it can help drain some of that nervousness before he has to spend time alone. Is it possible to get a heavy duty crate for him? Not all dogs do well in crates so it isn't a perfect solution.

You may want to consider nixing the pb in the kong and replacing it with cream cheese which doesn't have the sugar. and consider a non-kibble diet without too many carbohydrates.

Here are some more ideas, good luck:

http://www.metpet.com/Reference/Dogs/Training/separation_anxiety_in_dogs.htm

2007-10-19 17:36:53 · answer #1 · answered by APHID 3 · 1 0

My dog has separation anxiety as well, but she has made improvements. I have only had her 4months and she is just over a year old. We did 6 weeks of obedience training, which helped to keep her calm. I also give her kongs and certain toys only when I'm gone. Start by leaving her w/ toys or kongs for a short amount of time - like a minute. Come back and praise her for playing with her toys - she'll learn that is what you want her to do while you are gone. I have also heard that a tight t-shirt helps. Good luck!

2016-03-13 03:10:06 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

My dog had severe separation anxiety when I adopted her. She did 300 dollars worth of damage to the bathroom and could break out of any crate I put her in. It's about more than just being bored. They have an overwhelming fear that you are not coming back and that you have abandoned them. I started by leaving the house for five minutes and them returning with treats and hugs. I worked up to an hour, three hours, etc.

It progressively got better with time. Now, 6 years later, she and her sister run in the crate when it's time for me to leave. The other day I forgot to latch the door (it was just pushed closed) and they were still in there when I got home!

It sounds like he needs some consistency and reassurance that things are going to be OK.

2007-10-19 16:24:40 · answer #3 · answered by Jill 2 · 0 0

If you do a Google search for "dog separation anxiety" you'll get back a lot of helpful pages. Surely it would be easier to read these and apply the things you learn. A DAP diffuser, ignoring your dog when coming and going, being sure that you do a lot of 'pretend' exits during the time that you're home hanging out. My pup has the beginnings of separation anxiety - the DAP diffuser was (and is) a great help, plus getting enough exercise every day. Good luck.

2007-10-19 15:34:38 · answer #4 · answered by Misa M 6 · 1 1

He's stressed from the moves, and also has no one to spend time with like he did before, so now he's bored and chewing and destroying things. Try leaving the T.V. on for background noise, get him a toy that you put treats inside, and he has to work to get the treats out, it will make the time pass and he will remain occupied by the toy/treats. Maybe you could try kenneling him while you are at work, or doggie daycare where he could play with others. See if someone can come to your home and take him for a walk or two everyday while you are away, or just stop by to let him know that people are around. Good luck!

2007-10-19 15:42:45 · answer #5 · answered by fisherwoman 6 · 0 1

You need to consult with a veterinary behavioralist. Your vet should be able to find one for you but there are not very many around. He may need to be on drug therapy but that is often a last resort. Ignore him when you get home for five minutes or so and do not put him in an airline kennel when you leave (he will likely injure himself trying to get out). Rehomed dogs are especially prone to this and may be the reason he was given up in the first place. This is tough to manage without specialized help.

2007-10-19 15:56:40 · answer #6 · answered by Caninelegion 7 · 0 2

There are a lot of great trainers out there that will come to your home and help you out. Even just basic training from you local shelter or pet store will help him build confidence in himself and should help with separation anxiety. Another option is to speak to a vet. They can give you a lot of helpful advice, and also may help you with non-narcotic medication options to help him out and mellow him.

Thank you for not getting rid of him. Too many people won't take the time to help their animals through tough times. Good luck and God bless!

2007-10-19 15:45:01 · answer #7 · answered by minisaucy 3 · 0 2

maybe someone in your apartment would have time to check on him a couple times a day to go for a little walk or something, and he definitely needs to be contained away from your stuff. maybe get him a buddy. mirrors, lol, so he has himself, works with birds. maybe a vet could recommend something to help calm him down. here's a good website on some natural remedies, I think it could be a good place to start. hope this helps.
http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/dog-separation-anxiety-medication.html

2007-10-19 16:56:03 · answer #8 · answered by hamylett 5 · 1 2

Crate training and Prozac, go see a vet. He needs medication to take the edge off.

2007-10-19 18:30:15 · answer #9 · answered by Rudy 5 · 0 1

I have a dog that used to do the same thing.Anytime we left her she would run amouck and tear the house up....Then we got her a pal...Dog number two...She now plays with him instead of my shoes,sheets pillows and so on....

2007-10-19 15:48:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

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