Separation anxiety

[Tigerlily]

I've just joined the forum and introduced Billy my rescue staffie who is 4 yrs old. We have had him for 3 years and he has wrecked our house during the day and night when we are not there. We feel that we have tried everything, diffusers, calming tables, stress-less liquid magnesium, cage training, being with the other dog, being on his own, dog behaviourists, and he still toilets in the house day and night, chews furniture, bedding and cushions. He has some spells of normal behaviour but they do not last for long and he always reverts to chewing and toileting in the house. We are at our whits end but we don't want to give up on him. I've read that that 'doggy Prozac' can be helpful but wondered if anybody knows anymore about this option. Thanks

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[thedogmother]

How long do you him for, not saying it's wrong to leave a dog because it isn't, but when you say you have tried crate training, did you just put him a crate as you were going out or did train while you were still there?



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[Bullseye]

I notice that you tried crate training, this is what works for me, I prefer the dogs to look at their crate as their bit of personal space, the best way I have found to do this is to put their meals in the crate when it is feeding time, they then should go in their crate to get their food, keep repeating this until it becomes a habit for the dog, eventually you can introduce phrase, I use "go get in ya crate" in a really excited enthusiastic tone of voice lol, they then dart off & jump in their crate, if the door is closed they will try to open it from the outside... if you can achieve this, then you are almost there, when you need to go out & leave Billy at home, get him to go in his crate and give him a treat through the bars, for something a little longer lasting use a kong ball or something he has to work on to keep his mind occupied, to see it is working go outside for a minute & see how he behaves, there are ideas you can try, but like the dog mother said we need to know a little more info about the situation... I'm no dog behaviorist nor am I am dog trainer, but I have working dogs & these simple little workarounds work for me...

Also based on what I have learned from working breeds such as Staffies & EBTs, they can be destructive if they have too much excess energy, I can help with that too, but I need a little more info... let me know how you get on


~John~

[Tigerlily]

Hi. Thanks for the replies. We have used the crate successfully for long spells and have actually gone right back to basics with him in the crate in our bedroom during the night, gradually taking him back downstairs. This worked for a while but then he began to toilet in his crate. We have tried him in the crate during the day/night, out of the cate during the day/night,in a room on his own and giving him the run of the house. Everything works for a while and then the pattern of toileting/shredding starts again. He is never left long at all a maximum of 4hrs. He is exercised for an hour every day. He has kong toys, puzzle toys, synthetic bones, antlers etc to occupy him. Recently he has reacted badly to the crate and has bent the bars and cried to be out at night. At this point we put him in another room without his crate with the other dog. This worked well for about 2wks but has now reverted to toileting during the night and shredding his bed. This morning I was welcomed with 2 piles!! He also eats other dog excrement when out on his walk, not his own or our other dog just random others. Not pleasant and sometimes this can make him throw up. All in all we are struggling - help!

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[Bullseye]

Well to be honest with you some dogs do toilet in their crate, but I always think at least it's contained & not all over the house, however if he has reacted badly you will have to keep trying with him, things like this aren't something that happens over night, like I said he needs to look at the crate as a bit of personal space, if his previous owners stuck him in a crate as a punishment then this will need to be resolved & the only way to do this is in my opinion is only ever give him his meals in the crate eventually he will go get the idea, if he's not hungry enough for this to work you may need to cut his food back a little, dogs need an incentive to do things, as for eating turds when out on a walk that is just something some dogs do, the best thing to do is just pull him back on the lead when he is advancing toward the poop! As for chewing his bed, I would use newspapers in his crate instead of bedding, they'll ruffle it about and make a bed from that, which is pretty much what he's trying to do with his bed anyway, but the big difference is, newspapers don't cost as much money lol... it also makes it a lot easier to clean up if they should toilet in the crate too. Have you any photos?

~John~

[thedogmother]

Yes I agree, they will poo in the crate especially to scent it... to make it their own... but stick with it & don't change your routine, they love structure & don't react well to sudden changes, remember he is already 4 year old & a rescue, there is always problems with re homed dogs as you don't know what has happened with them in the past... when you put him in the crate put a treat in with him every time.. every time, start with short bursts of being crated, if he starts biting the bars take him out of the crate & take him for a walk, don't change your direction, stay on the track, when you go to leave him, leave for a short time & go back, eating poo & pooing is just something some dogs do lol it's better for them to be in the crate when you're there, I personally have a job keeping our dogs out of the crate... it's their home, but it takes time to get them used to it if they're rescued... remember don't change your direction, as changing direction will only confuse..... and drugs ect are not an option...

Tina

[Missy Truman]

Definitely agree with the crate training. And, maybe look at his routine. Does he religiously get his exercise? My rescue really thrives on a good routine, I think he would fall apart without it. For e.g I always do walk, feed and then leave. Never anything but. And I repeat in the afternoon/ evening. Hope this helps

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[Missy Truman]

Oh, I've just seen the dog mother had written pretty much that before me great minds think alike

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[thedogmother]

What is the latest?

[Tigerlily]

Hi. I've taken on board all the comments and agree that we need to decide on one plan of action and stick to it. I've also been researching it on YouTube and have found out that his anxiety is caused by him feeling that he has to be with us to look after us. The key is to take that job off him so we have agreed on the word 'bed' and have sent him to his bed in the living room or where he sleeps for him to understand that he doesn't need to look after us. We have decided not to use the crate. We started this on Sunday morning and he has taken to it like a dream! No more following us up stairs or around the house. He needed correcting a few times but he's a clever lad and this morning we got up to a clean house and he has been left for a couple of hours today with no issues! Early days but I am determined for it to work as he is a lovely dog - we just need to help him de-stress. Also learned that on walks when he pulls to be in front it's because he thinks by being in front he is looking after us again. Just had him out tonight and have checked him in close to me so he can't get in front and he walked lovely. Fingers crossed!

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