hi...
tilly has settled down in every way except for coping with being left. I resorted to locking her in the kitchen, because left in the hall, se would dig away at my carpet behind the front door and it is ruined, but hated confining her. when she seemed to be coping more calmly and not getting so stressed, i tried her in the hall (with access to kitchen) the other night. left her with a treat and a little of her fave food to distract her. we were gone 2 and a half hours and came back to no problems, just a excited dog. So today ithought great, i can allow her a bit of freedom, left her in hall again, same routine, a walk, a little food and a treat - gone just 2hours this time, came back to a wrecked carpet.
HELP!
ANy ideas? i hate having to leave her in the kitchen.
Shes not a chewy dog, so am tempted to allow her access to living room as well as hall and kitchen in the hope she will feel less confined... tony is worried she will develop a taste for chewing though - nice new furniture in living room!

Hi

Get her a crate for short periods when you are not around. She is suffering form separation anxiety, due to having a bad start in life and now having found you! Get her a crate and build up the times you leave her for - starting at just 5 mins

HTH
Chloe

hi chloe,
thanks for your advice. were she a small pup i would certainly follow it, but she is now 6 months old and has lived here foraround 10 weeks - i think it would confuse and probably upset her to cage her suddenly in that way.
Thanks anyway you werent to know i should've made age etc. clear.
mind you the idea about leaving her for a few minutes at a time is a good one. I will start it some time this wekk when i can spend all day with her - i'll leave for 5 mins, praise her for behaving (if she does!) then a little later go for 10 mins, then 20, and so on.
Lynz and Tilly

Hi, I know the feeling - dreading putting the key in the lock - wondering what they will have done when you open the door :( But I must say that a crate is the best advice. Start by putting her favourite things inside with her bedding. Leave the door open all the time you are there, maybe put her water dish inside the crate and give her her meals in there. Then put her in the crate with a treat like a pigs ear, but don't go out, so that you can let her out should she become distressed. I have known people take the crate up into the bedroom with them for over night, leaving the dog inthe crate next to you so that you can reassure if needed. Build the time up in the crate and make the dog feel as though it is her place and a place of security. Then when you go out , you know that she will be safe and feel secure, and that she wont turn to your carpets/furniture as a means of comfort. Also get her a kong to get her mind off being left :)

Also tilly's Mum mentioned making a great fuss over her when she was good. this sounds cockeyed but it is not a good idea. the leaving and returning should be very low key, no big deal!

When returning home ignore Tilly toatally for 10 minutes. Put the shopping awy, your coat and shoes off, put the kettle on etc. by this time she will hopefully be calm (possibly a bit confused if she is used to being greeted right away), call her to you for a nonchalant pat. Let her out for a pee, and when you are comfy on the sofa, then by all means make a low key fuss of her.

Also containing the dog in a smaller area in fact keeps them clamer, as having more room they can work themselves up into a frenzy by running back and foirth. My dogs are always shut in the kitchen if I go out with the Radio left on. this way they cannot see or hear outside distractions which might make mine bark (and in Tilly's case might worry her).

Willis is 9 months old and I have just bought him a crate for exactly the same reasons.

We didn't crate our first pup till she was 6 months old and had been with us a few months. If you search my name and crates I go into a lot of detail on how I trained her over a weekend and she is fantastic - and even now at 5.5 years can be crated if we need to in an emergency or in a strange place.

Wendy

Hi

Why do you think you cannot Crate/Den train her at 6 months old? is it because you don't want to crate her or you dont think it will work?

Probable Causes of your problem

Include species-specific predispositions, genetics, early learning and owner behaviour. Your dog is a social, pack animal who relies on the others for individual protection by safety in numbers. Dogs that lack confidence, due to under socialisation, lack of understanding of what is expected (obedience training) or because of mistreatment in the past (abandonment, unusually long confinement and alike) are more likely to exhibit behaviours related to separation anxiety.
Treatment

· Plan Your Exit
When it is time to leave, just leave. Do not say "Good bye" to your dog with hugs and kisses. In fact, ignore your dog for five minutes before you go. Paying too much attention will make your dog feel more insecure when the attention is abruptly withdrawn.

· Leave a Distraction
Prepare a "Bye-Bye" bone. Purchase a sterilized; hollow bone from the pet store. Fill it with goodies such as cheese, peanut butter, or other things your dog really likes. Keep it hidden and take it out when you leave each day. Place it near your dog just before you close the door. When you arrive home, poke the goodies left in the bone out so your dog gets them. Then put the bone away. The bone only comes out when you leave. you are attempting to distract your dog with something that he will find interesting enough to concentrate on your leaving. Hopefully, he will appreciate the bone so much that he will look forward to it coming out in place of getting upset with your leaving.

· Confine Your Dog When You Are Away
Confining your dog during your times of absence has two positive results. First, a dog who is confined to a carrier or crate cannot do damage to your home. Secondly, a crate, when properly introduced, will act as a safe, comfortable den where the dog can relax. Limiting his movement also acts as an anxiety reducer for most dogs.

· Exercise Your Dog
A dog that is lacking exercise is more likely to have stress and tension. Tiring a dog out with a long walk, run or with play goes a long way in reducing stress.

· Leave the Radio On
Tune a radio to a talk station; put it on in a room you are often in but not in the same room as the dog, the bedroom is usually a good choice, and close the door. The dog will hear the human voices from your room and may not feel so alone. I have had some clients tape record their own voices and play the recording in place of the radio program. Dogs know the sound of your voice all too well. And remember, since the dog is most anxious just after you leave, a one-hour recording will most probably do.

· Practice This Training Routine
With most dogs, the hardest time for them is immediately after you leave. Their anxious (and sometimes destructive) behavior occurs within the first hour after they are left alone. It will be your job to reshape your dog's behavior through reinforcement training. Leave your dog out of his crate, put your coat on, walk to the door and leave. Come back in immediately. Greet your dog calmly. Tell him to sit. When he does, reinforce this behavior with a food treat he enjoys. Wait a few minutes and then repeat the exercise, this time remaining outside a few seconds longer. Continue practicing leaving and returning over the next few weeks, always remembering to return, greet your dog calmly and command him to sit before offering a treat.

Regards

Doglistener

Hi,

I read this post with interest. I'd like to thank you cos hoefully, I'll be getting a puppy Dobe soon. My previous Dobe totally wrecked the 3 piece suite. When I went to the vets, they said she was having a phantom pregnancy and was 'nest' building. The behaviour didn't start as a small pup only when she was about 6 months ish. I'll put your suggestions into practice if I ever get a pup

Tilly's mum - I hope this sorts things out. I remember only too well how Sophie behaved. One day I went back cos I'd forgotten something. We were only gone for about 2 minutes but as I opened the door she was stood there with fluff eveywhere. It looked as though she was in a snow storm!!! That fits in with what 'doglistener' said about the first hour being the worst time.
Hope you get sorted soon.
:) Annie :)

Dont' forget too that you can protect furniture with Vicks, oil of cloves or Bitter Apple spray (which is much better than some of the sprays where the spray lingers on your hair, fingers or wherever and leaves a bad taste in the poor owners mouth )

If it is separation anxiety (which spoiling carpets etc. near the door do indicate) the damage is often done in the first 5 minutes or so. It is a good idea to use child gates in the house, so the dog gets used to being with you but not with you,if you see what i mean. Pop the dog behind the gate with a stuffed Kong whilst you get on with something else. It is just a small step towards improving confidence in such a dog.

Good luck :)

Lindsay

Tilly's Mum,
Try the crate, I got a rehome beardie at a year and she took to the crate no problems. It will let you relax when you leave her and if she gets goodies when she's in there she will look forward to it as a nice place. All mine are crated until they are about 18 months when left and I have always been able to leave them loose after that with no damage
Anne

Tilly's mummy,
I think maybe you're looking at the crate as maybe a slightly negative tool, a bit like punishing your Tilly a bit? If you can think that a crate,used properly, and introduced gently and in a positive way, will be a safe little den for your Tilly to call her own, you'll be more comfortable with it. She will come to love it and it will give her a feeling of security and a place where she will feel a bit more safe and less anxious when you have to go out. Like the other posters
say, if you train her to associate really nice things with it, it shouldn't take her long. I think it will be so much better for you ,and therefore , ultimately, Tilly, if you can go out without dreading what you'll find when you come in. When you get home,just let her out, and let her calm down, and make a fuss when she's quiet and calm. It does work...Also, much safer for Tilly, otherwise she may eat something harmful for her. In my limited experience, the more space you allow her, at the moment, the more she'll destroy. I used to think crates were a bit over the top, but my Lhasa loves hers, and often sneaks off to sleep in it in the day. Obviously up to you and what you want to do with Tilly, but just my opinion. Even if you just do it for a few months, until she's better able to deal with you leaving her. Beth xx :)

Do you not simply think it could be the fact that she can hear all the outside noises from behind the front door ( like people walking past etc) that is causing her to do this .
It must be very frustrating for you though :(
Luckily we have had no problems with Gus so far . Although he's a Staffy and lots of people say they can be destructive in the house alone, he hasnt touched anything . He has the run of he through lounge and we often come home to find him stretched out on the sofa ( spoilt little guy) . Bu I would hate to be in your situation where you want to leave him in a certain place but cant .
Hope you find a solution .
We have a crate by the way . He only tends to use this late at night and we never close the door . Crates arent a bad thing . If you introduce them in a relaxed way and leave Tilly to go in and out as she chooses when you first get it she will feel comfortable with it .

I leave the crate door open when I am in the house, our pup goes inside it to have a nap, or just to be quiet - he treats it as his bed, his own place. They are also handy if you go away to hotels etc, as the dog is conifined when you leave him/her alone and also feels safe and secure.

my 2 have always had crates. they look on them as their own little place.if you let them use them when they want and leave the door open you shouldnt have a problem. also in my case its not just the thought of them wrecking something....i'm also scared of them chewing something whilst i am out and choking on it. i also leave the radio on and the light if we go out at night.