[MichelleD]

Hi there. I am new to this forum, but didn't know who else to go to. Here is my problem. Jersey, my pit bull mix, has developed separation anxiety. She used to go in her crate when we would go to work. One day she decided to chew out of it. A steel crate and she broke to bars and got the door open. After 1000.00 dollars worth of dental surgery we tried again. We made the crate a nice place for her to be, she would go in it when we were home, and sleep most nights in it. After a week or so we decided to try it agian, and low and behold who should meet us at the door in about 1/2 an hour, but Jersey. Thank God she didn't break any teeth this time. I was too scared to put her back in it though because of the peices of steel sticking out. I was afraid that she would catch her skin on it and rip herself to shreds. Okay so then we started leaving her in the house, for short times and that was going fine. No destruction except for one poor remote control. It didn't stand a chance. So now she has started agian. Chewing carpets, and sofa legs. We have a room in the basement that is quite large, but very secure, and we put her in there with all her toys and a bed and so on. We came home and she had tried to claw her way through the door. I don't know what to do anymore.

Other than this she is a fantastic dog. Very well behaved, no aggression of any kind to any dog, she knows basic obedience, and passed her obedience class with flying colours. I should mention that we got her from the pound and I wonder if being closed in makes her remember being there?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have read about the NILIF and am going to start today to really implement it. I will be talking to all members of the family about it tonight at dinner.

[Michele]

How much exercise is the dog getting? A tired dog is a happy dog

[MichelleD]

We try to walk her everyday, but sometimes when it rains we don't. We have a huge back yard and often go out and play with her back there, with fetch and drop games. We also have an old english bulldog who she palys very hard with. I know that for the last bit we have been very busy so the walks haven't been nearly as long or exercise filled. I know that exercise is vital for dogs and we try as best we can to give them as much as we can. I will try to give her more. Is this normal behavior for pitties? Do you think that being in the pound has anything to do with her behavior?

[Michele]

IMO, I really don't think the pound has anything to do with this behavior. I would exercise her more and tire her out.

If a dog has pent up energy, they need to get it out somehow. It's possible that this is what is going on with your dog. Try to tire the dog out before you go out and leave the dog alone. Also, leave a kong filled with a treat.

[PNWPBR]

Do you have Jersey in her crate when you are home? If not, that is one thing I would suggest starting. She needs to learn that when she is in her crate, you are not always gone. Meals, in the crate. Treats, in the crate. Toys, in the crate. The crate should never be used for punishment either.... make it as positive as possible.

Also, you might look into a D.A.P Diffuser. I use it with Seperation Anxiety dogs. http://www.petcomfortzone.com/faqs_dapdiffuser.htm


Good luck and thank you for sticking it out with her!!

[jtalt7]

OK I have been to hell and back with my dog as far as SA goes. This is what has helped with Tanner.

Tanner came to me and was fine up until we moved, then he like flipped a switch and the SA turned on. He ate through around 14 crates, this was metal, plastic, combinations of both, solid crate. He did not just pull the door off he ATE through metal and plastic. Once he would get out of the crate he would break through windows. When I crated him in a room away from windows he would eat through walls and doors. To say we had 'issues' is to say the least. He is 10yrs old and this started this year.

I must say I was lucky in that during my training I could bring him to work with me but this was our routine.

At the beginning I crated him while I was home, for short periods of time, so that he did not always correlate me leaving with him going in the crate. I would do laundry, watch tv whatever I needed to do and he would spend 30 min to an hour in the crate. If he wasnt drooling, freaking out he was let out when I was done. The thing with Tanner was that he NEVER freaked with me in the home, I never heard a peep from him outside the house or anything. I would just come home to broken crates, broken windows, blood and a pup that knew he was in trouble.

The days he was crated at home while I was at work I would mix up my routine every morning as he was able to predict what was to come and begin to amp himself up. There for awhile I would find puddles of drool beneath him while I was blow drying my hair. I started to not allow him to see me blow dry my hair. I would not make a big deal about him going in his crate. I just walked him downstairs, put him in, and closed the door. I also left the TV on in the other room so he might think I was just in the other room. When I would come home, I would not make a big deal about letting him out as well. I just opened the door and took him outside. Once the excitment was over of mom being home THEN I praised him up. You do not want him to think the crate is 'special' in any way. Now you do want to feed him in there and giving him his treats ONLY in his crate but you dont want to make a big production about it.

I had to buy a special crate for him as this is the only one that he has not
1) gotten out of
2) hurt himself on it.
It is a $300 crate with $100 shipping but it was worth it to me as I was about to euthanize my baby.
http://homeandkennel.petedge.com/Pro...CategoryId=502

I also would mix up the days in which he came to work with me. He just was not able to predict what I was gonna do.

I also had to medicate Tanner so I could get him to calm down and take in the training we were doing. I had him on Clomipramine (Clomicalm) and Alprazolam (Xanax) for a couple months to get the training done. I do NOT think your dog should go onto any sort of meds unless you have tried all of what has been suggested first and see no results. I am not one for medicating dogs, but this was Tanner's last chance. During his treatment he had to have monthly blood test to check liver/kidney functions as those meds can effect those organs.

Tanner is also in a room with the DAP diffuser AND wears a DAP collar. I truly think the collar has helped. I also have one on my psycho pup whom I cant really exercise because of his heart condition (story of another thread).

I hope this helps

[monkeys23]

Originally Posted by PNWPBR Do you have Jersey in her crate when you are home? If not, that is one thing I would suggest starting. She needs to learn that when she is in her crate, you are not always gone. Meals, in the crate. Treats, in the crate. Toys, in the crate. The crate should never be used for punishment either.... make it as positive as possible.

This approach helps a LOT!
Also, when letting her out of the crate it may help to have her wait for the "okay" from you. My dog Lily has SA (but luckily never tried chewing her way out of the crate) and I have her lay down before I open the door and she has to wait for the "okay" before she gets to come out. Its been a long slow process with lots of treats, but its helped a lot with making coming out of the crate not such a big deal.

[MichelleD]

We have taken everything that has been suggested really to heart. She has been getting more exercise, and we have been implementing the NILIF diligently. Even our kids have been trying really hard to do it. I am still trying to secure a crate for her, like the one that was suggested. It's hard when you live in a rural town in Canada. But we will be successful, I can just feel it. Thank you all again.

[PNWPBR]

Originally Posted by MichelleD We have taken everything that has been suggested really to heart. She has been getting more exercise, and we have been implementing the NILIF diligently. Even our kids have been trying really hard to do it. I am still trying to secure a crate for her, like the one that was suggested. It's hard when you live in a rural town in Canada. But we will be successful, I can just feel it. Thank you all again.

Good to hear and keep us posted!

[fearlessknight]

I agree....great advice has been given and it is good to hear that the OP has taken heed!
Keep us posted on your progress!

[MichelleD]

Things are going great. We got Jersey a new kennel, and she is going in that when we go to work. But only for the mornings, because we are slowly tying to get her to at least like it. She will go in it sort of willingly, but I do have to coax her a bit. Today I actually was able to tell her "kennel" and she actually went in without me having to push on her bum. Everything in time. We also started kenneling our Old English Bulldogge, and that is going famously. Boston loves his kennel. He will aften just go in it to sleep which is fabulous. Jersey looks at him like he has lost his marbles and then comes and curls up on my feet. The chewing has stopped, and the separation anxiety seems to have calmed down alot. We have her on an herbal supplement that helps calm nervous dogs so I think those are helping too. I also have been taking them for walks before I have to go to work in the morning and that has taken away some of their energy.

Thanks so much for all the advise especially about the kennel, I really appreciated it. I actually purchased the kennel that was recommended by someone in this forum. It is great.

[Michele]

I'm so glad everything is working out for you

[fearlessknight]

Nice to know that things are on the up an up for you!

[megschristina]

Congratulations on your progress!

[UMTAPIR]

Originally Posted by PNWPBR She needs to learn that when she is in her crate, you are not always gone.

What do you do when your dog starts mutilating itself when its in the crate. Even if I am in the room, withing 3 mins, first he will whimper then start eating his tail till its a bloody mess. Of course I let him out when he eats himself. My sister suggested a muzzle, but that drives him crazy. Its odd because he will go into it on command but the moment the door is closed he's going berserk.