Buster is making great strides with learning to be a dog we can live with since we started ourselves on dominance training.

One big problem I have with him is separation anxiety and urinating. In the morning, when I get ready for work, he progressively becomes more agitated because he knows I'm going to leave. I suspected he was marking the house while we were gone, which was verified when one day as I was getting ready to shut the front door, I turned and saw him lift his leg.

Hubby installed a doggy door to the garage, and then another out of the garage to a kennel area so both dogs could get outside while we were at work, yet not have full run of the yard. Buster is an escape artist. I suspect despite the fact that a doggy door was installed, he was still marking inside the house.

He never urinates in the house when we are home.

For this reason, Buster is now relegated to the garage when we are not home. The problem is, I think he has now been urinating in the garage, which is a heck of a lot better than in the house, but still not a happy thing. Crating him is not the answer, because I've seen him urinate out of his crate. Plus, he is so insane that he has injured himself trying to dig out of the crate. On top of that, he's grabbed and bent the wire bar beneath the crate door with his teeth.

I want to give him some place out of the sun, because Florida summers are sweltering, plus I'm afraid if I relegate him only to the kennel area, he'll drive the neighbors nuts with barking.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how I might be able to train this dog to refrain from peeing in the garage when we are away?

P.S. - - I've started him on Calm Shen, and that seems to be having some affect on his anxiety issues.

Get a solid crate that he can't urinate through.

 Quote: aaron myracle

Get a solid crate that he can't urinate through.

Yep. An alternative would be to fashion an ex-pen just inside the doggy door in the garage (the garage is cool enough?)

I understand about the heat. Here in AZ, we have to be cautious as well.

Some dogs get psycho with the separation thing. We have a doxie who is like that. Sometimes I vary the routine (leave earlier - leave out the back) and it seems to help prevent the "ramp up" behaviors.

It might be worth trying to train alternative behaviors when hubbie leaves. Start shaping and rewarding for calm and quiet in approximations until hubbie can go through the routine and dog shows calm. Of course, you'll still be faced with the "isolated" dog when you leave, but sometimes when you can prevent the winding up, the dog will stay calmer in general. When it's time to leave, just leave, no hugs, kisses, and long bye-byes.

I am contemplating a setup that consists of a dog run outside adjacent to our house (in the shade), doggie door through a wall, leading into a crate or ex-pen inside in the air-conditioned house (for times when we'll be away). Will give escape from the heat, but not access to the whole house.

Good luck

Lots of folks successfully use crates in the house, though, and the dogs seem to do just fine. Might depend on how long you need to be away every day.

I had the same type of issue with my pup when he was 3-9 months old. He would get so anxious in his crate he would urinate and salivate. And the barking was insane.

Age 3-6 months or so I car crated him at work. Took him out 3 times during the day for potty and exercise.

Age 6 months or so -- Solved the issue by using LOTS of exercise and using a bark collar. I get all ready to go in the morning and then I take him out until he is DONE/CRAZY TIRED then bring him in, put the collar on and go while he is still panting like crazy. I actually let him lose too which solved the urinating and salivating. My boy actually relaxes when the bark collar goes on. It removes options of barking and makes him mellow.