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April 19, 2011

My dog has separation anxiety, it will rip the siding off my home if left outside too long. What can I do?

Full Question:
I'm pretty much at my wits end. I'm what I would consider an experienced dog person; my age, my life, etc.



I have a foster Golden; 6 yr old, SF...she came to me with some serious issues. She is storm phobic, has "separation anxiety", etc. etc. A behaviorist nightmare.



If left outside longer than she wishes, she will rip the siding off our house. The timing can be five minutes, or fifty...the trick is figuring out how long is too long...letting her in BEFORE the behavior starts.



She has a crate issue...she CAN jump a crate clear across a room; has broken teeth from fighting a crate. So crating isn't a first choice, but I can do it. While very well housebroken, she will have moments of panic, which is when she apparently shreds our blinds. Came home today to find the mini blinds shredded, where she apparently jumped on a chair to do. Two weeks ago, it was the blinds in our bedroom.



She escaped from our house one day, thru a window I had left cracked open...was missing for five days. All these incidences are rain related...NOT T-storm related!!



I have a DAP, which usually seems to work fairly well. The dog is also on antripylene and melatonian. We do NILIF; her OB skills are good. I will not use a pinch collar on her, as she was tied up with one in the basement of her previous home.



This dog was somewhat dog aggressive when she first came to me, but that has really resolved...perhaps the NILIF, more confidence?



The barking, tearing at the siding is better...we've blocked most of the outside of the house from her...and tried to reward good behavior, and I usually(granted, not always) make her sit and stay before I allow her back in the house.



She can and will jump our yard fences; she can open our gates(they are all wired shut now). I do have kennel runs I could lock her in when I am at work, but with her panic attacks, I am afraid of what she might do...I really don't want to come home and find she killed herself. However; rain is forecasted for several days and I can't afford to replace all our blinds!!!



Any suggestions would be appreciated...I didn't create this mess of a dog!!! But now I have to figure out how to fix her...I can accept I may never be able to place her, but I have to figure out how to live with her!!



Thanks!
Cindy
Cindy Cindy's Answer:
You are welcome to post to my web board. It has 5800 registered members and the board is very active.



I won't answer this because of your comment that you will not use prong collars – to me it indicates a people problem as much as a dog problem. Dogs like this need a prong collar and electric collar and sound obedience.

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Expert Dog Trainer Cindy Rhodes
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