that muzzle idea really looks like a great thing. I wish i had of gotten ahold of one before he destroyed the crate. Maybe i can get someone to do some welding on it and fix it up and then use the muzzle. I am a little nervous though that he would be able to get it off somehow. Is there one muzzle that is better for that than another?

Again Bounette,
You are NOT addressing the anxiety issue.
In my book 'stuff' like muzzles or bark collars or crates that can't be broken out of are nothing more than stop gap measures. They do nothing for the underlaying problems.

He is a very high wired dog. He has an anxious personality.
how do i go about working on that. I am open to suggestions. and willing to try anything.
but, in the mean while, i think i should go about getting a muzzle that he can not get him self out of, and fixing that crate if possible.

suggestions?
and thanks again for all of your suggestions and concern.

he get plenty of walks throughout the day.

What is plenty, specifically?

I don't specifically excercise him b4 he is crated though.

Why not? This is something I saw as a number-one priority when I worked away from the house.

I also do have a large back yard that he gets to go out into during the day.

That is not exercise, which means structured exercise like fetch, power-walks, running, etc. I'd just take that out of the "exercise" equation.

Should i try to focus on getting him more excercise and mental stimuli ? will that really help his anxiety in the crate when i'm not home?

Yes. Leave a tired dog. In addition, have you done all the desensitizing-to-leave-taking stuff for this dog, who was left alone for so long? It can involve weeks of casual leaving and returning, etc. Have you seen any of the threads about this? If not, I can find some later.

should I just leave the crate issue alone for a while and be ready to clean up dog poop anytime i have to go somewhere?

Does he not tear other things besides crates apart when you leave?

I agree 1,000 percent that this is not an equipment question.

 Quote: bounette white

He is a very high wired dog. He has an anxious personality.

From your original post, "during the moving he was at the old house by himself for long periods throughout about 4 days"

I think it's going to take more than 4 days to fix what broke. Seems like he lacks trust now.

 Quote: Meredith Hamilton

Seems like he lacks trust now.

As most dogs would.

You're right, Meredith. Weeks of desensitizing to leave-takings are in order here, along with the whole RX of exercise, training, bonding, playing, and everything else. This is not an equipment question.

Bounette, I would consider the dog to be like a recently adopted one with separation anxiety and proceed from there. Please ask questions if you have not seen the long threads about dealing with SA with exercise and bonding, upbeat marker work, and particularly desensitizing to leave-takings.

Many of us here have dealt with these issues.

Bounette, You are in very good hands in regard to helping with the anxiety issues, etc... and I can only add that YES a tired dog is far less likely to have the inclination or desire to destroy a crate. My GSD requires walking and numerous opportunities for exercising, both physical and mental, every day, in order for him to be well behaved and a great addition to our home. The walking we do is really only training sessions for healing, the rest of the sessions focus on different types of play and training that leaves both of us breathing hard (although I do all I can to make sure it is Falcon who is the most in need of recuperation!) Adding some additional exercise / play/work prior to putting him in his crate is a free and easy way to see if this helps the issue.

o.k. I will start searching through some threads.
Connie, to answer your question though, No Doser does not tear anything in the house when i'm gone. He only does that to his crate to get out. He has always been like that since i got him. He does not like to be confined. He never destroys anything unless I confine him somewhere. The only reason I want to crate him now is because he has lost his potty training throughout this moving process. Other than that he is a great house dog. Does not chew up, bark, tear things.

another question you had was if I take him out before I leave to go somewhere. The answer to that is this: I take him out in the back to go to the bathroom. He always does and he runs around for a couple minutes and then I bring him in the house. I can't take him on long walks everytime I have to run out to the store. It never works out so smoothly.

his excercise now consists of a walk in the neighborhood for about 25 minutes at a brisk pace. same in the afternoon, and in the evening. before the weather got so cold I was jogging and he would come with me and he loved the running but it's so cold now up here in Buffalo so that won't be happening for a couple of months now. Atleast until the weather breaks. anyways that's it. i do some sporatic mental trainings with him throughout the day but nothing too serious. I need to up my game with everything.
Nothing really has changed with his personality. Since i got him he has been a high energy, high wired dog. Some activity levels have changed as far as excercise since we moved but that's it.He is not doing anything different except for going to the bathroom in the house. He always tore up his crates. but I'm sure i will find some useful information on these threads about SA.

"another question you had was if I take him out before I leave to go somewhere. The answer to that is this: I take him out in the back to go to the bathroom. He always does and he runs around for a couple minutes and then I bring him in the house ... I can't take him on long walks everytime I have to run out to the store...."

And he still goes in the house even after pottying and you being gone for nothing but a store run?

(I meant the vigorous exercise before every longish leave-taking. A dog who is ready to nap is much further from wreaking destruction than a dog filled with unreleased energy.)

You're right about upping the game on all fronts. I'd be tethering the dog to me, in fact, along with everything else. I'd anticipate long-term rewards from a really concerted effort with him. I'd make him a project, starting today, with short but frequent and very upbeat marker sessions with great rewards, very frequent fast-paced exercise, teaching and then doing "fetch," and desensitizing to leave-takings.

If any item in that list is vague or confusing, please speak up. I'd want to do it all with this dog.