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I think we owe the Catherine a little respect in posting, as she has gone to great expense and effort to accomodate her dog. Not many dog owners would do this.

I think it's great that she cares for her dog enough to spend all that money on vet bills and will pay a sitter $50 to watch the dog and everything else she does with the dog. She seems like she treats dogs very well, but this particular dog needs less of what she gets and more of something else. If the dog was less problematic then the way Catherine treats the dog is wonderful IMO and I wish every pet owner had that mentality with their dog. The thing that gets me is when I hear people talk about conflicting schedules, not having time, and complaining about very basic normal canine behaviors. Either you have the time and work it into your schedule or you don't own the dog, it doesn't mean you're not a good dog owner or not treating the dog well, it just means that perhaps owning that dog is not for you. Some dogs need a different type of attention and understanding, all dogs need a job and an outlet for their energy, some just need more than others.

Good luck with your dog.

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I would say it's a training issue. When do you pet her and soothe her? Do you pet her when she's being quiet and calm or do you go to soothe and pet her when she's being a dork? If it's the latter, you're training her to put up a hissy fit! I would let go of petting her frequently. Dogs need firm, fair leaders, exercise, and discpline first, affection only after all that has been satisfied. Stop sleeping with her on the bed, only let her sleep on the floor in her crate or tethered on a rug if she must be in your room.

IME, Separation anxiety can be training issue or a neurological thing. My dog (Abby) was a training issue. A "mental illness" for lack of a better phrase can be deal with effectively by approaching it as a training issue. If your dog can do a down stay, then you can shape that to a down stay at a distance from you. If you dog can do a down stay at a distance from you, the things you do before you leave are only distractions in training. Desensitizing in a format of obedience is a very slow process. If you are willing to try, it can be surprisingly effective!

Catherine, I have some texts which cover SA in great detail. I suspect that the solutions will be very similar as posted here, but I will look it up for you.

Good post, Anne......and your PM box is full, btw. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

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Good work, Barbara! This is why I'm going to have a punching bag installed when we buy a house. If the dog does something bad, go whale on the bag to vent anger, then deal with the problem with a clear head! Must have taken a lot to hold yourself back when seeing that object chewed up. I hope I can do the same when the time comes!

Thanks, Michele!

Catherine, I'm not sure you've exhausted every behavioral option yet, but if meds work for you and the dog and you both end up living a happy life together, then that's excellent. Just be aware that not all vets are as well versed on behavior as they ideally should be. Human docs too are prone to whipping out the RX pad a little quick sometimes.

Best of luck, please keep us all updated.

It was never an object; it was always a very grand scale affair with him. I would have been thrilled if he only destroyed one object per instance <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> You could hear him howling when we left it. It was terrible. The dog was very disturbed. I can completely understand where Catherine is coming from. She's way ahead of where I was though. I didn't even think to actually read about the symptoms to find out what the issue was until long after it was solved.

Ugh, Barbara, the crying is the worst. It pierces your very soul. Thanks for your understanding words. I appreciate them very much.

OK - I looked SA up. I summarize two protocols that were each scientificaly studied. It's pretty much what is already posted, so not very helpful, but clarifying and validating the advice given.

Protocol 1:
Ignore greeting rituals
All interaction initated by owner
Actively ignore attention-seeking efforts by dog
Touching and playing restricted to command of owner

When you leave:
Ignore dog for 30 minutes before leaving
Confine dog for 30 minutes before leaving
Provide toys and clothes that smell like you
Practive false departure routines

Protocol 2:
Confine dog to crate for 2 weeks except for elimination, exercise and training
Confine dog for 2 moe weeks except when owner is at home nd awake.
Confine dog for 2 more weeks only while the owner is away
Leave crate door open at all times

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I'd really like to hear from a few people who have HANDS-ON experience with SUCCESSFULLY and FULLY overcoming this issue.

Catherine, I don't think that's really going to help you. Each dog is different and there are different degrees of SA. I can tell you I have had two dogs that I have completely overcome SA with. Walks, Kongs, crates, ignoring before leaving and when coming home worked with no problem. I have a third dog that just can't be fixed. We have done EVERYTHING with this dog and things may work for a while, but then she gets worse again. Besides everything mentioned in this thread, she as been on Acepromizine, Xanax, Paxil, Clomicalm and Buspar. She has recently gone into a phase of getting worse again. We thought the Buspar wasn't working anymore so we started to wean her off of it. She then went into frenzy of stealing our clothes and shredding them. If we think we are making progress in one area, another problem pops up somewhere else. When we brought our dog to a behaviorist, she told us our dog was a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 for SA. The vet told us to put her to sleep. People that haven't had a dog like this simply don't get it. They will give you all the usual advice and not understand why it does not work. I totally understand your frustation. If your dog really is very severe your only option may be to manage it, not overcome it. I do think you should try a crate. It will give you the freedom to leave your house and get a much needed break. Do not allow yourself to become a prisoner of your dog. You may want to get a crate for your car too. I'm sure you can find one that your dog cannot hurt himself on. I am using a varikennel right now that has a bar that goes across the middle of the door. It's working very well. I have also used a RAM 500 from Ray Allen. I also think medication is worth a try. There is very good advice in this thread, hopefully it will work for you, but unfortunately I don't think all dogs can be cured.

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While I appreciate everyone's comments--less so those who were incredibly rude and judgmental--I like Anne's idea of agility training, which I read about only yesterday. It sounds like something I may enjoy, too, and meet new people while learning how to do it.

My new house has a high school track nearby, so exhausting Sandy will be easier as I can let her run without a leash (I think). But I'm no spring chicken myself, so we'll see how that goes.

A holistic vet saved Sandy's life when she was so sick, after THREE conventional vets told me to euthanize her, so I refuse to believe we've come this far only to subject her to drugs. Ugh. I'll definitely try the exercise route first.

I think it was Diana (and about 10 minutes later, me) who suggest agility but anyways. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

But yes, make sure your vet okays the upping in the physical exercise (just like you should go to a physician before starting an exercise regime), but in my experience, that will make things go much much smoother. Wheatons could certainly also do flyball or Earth Dog trials as well, as I think that is a Wheaton in the video on the AKC's Earth Dog info page.

http://www.akc.org/events/earthdog/index.cfm

Your statement about drugging the dog and crating says alot.
My Draht is 4 now. If she isnt exercised-(not walks) but 10-15 minutes of hard running after tennis balls, duck dummies, retreiving drills every morning and evening 2x day Im left with a reminder-chewed lattice on deck, torn window screens, doghouse, anything she can get to. And she has toys, tshirts, kongs, mental stimulation with stay@home wife/kids. The dog probably has mild SA(New age) term for velcro dog that longs for your company. Id recommend rehoming the dog. Honestly. IMHO,Your in over your head and best served with a dog like an Akita or mastiff that is very Independent not dependent, as this one sounds and like many breeds are. A tired dog is a good dog. Repeat after me, especailly a terrier. Not walks but running-after sticks/balls/squeakies for prolonged times. Agility sounds great but isnt physical enough IMO. In raising my pup,I took her everywhere-inside Starbucks when allowable, ice cream stands, pet stores, etc. as leaving alone made her uncomfortable and destructive. She grew out of it for the most part but the dog truly longs for human company, mine more than others, and again follows me everywhere including the bathroom, and has to lay On my feet. But last week a possible intruder was scared off the property. She earns her keep that way and in the field. I wish you the best but feel as though this dog isnt the One for you and more of a headache that a companion that you love unconditionally. The money youve spent says something about you but it sounds as if the dog needs a little more. Just my thoughts.

Thank you, Jeanne. There are bound to be those here who think YOU failed your severely SA dog, but I know better.

Today I have new optimism, and I will press on until the facts tell me otherwise.