Ever had a dog with confinement issues?

[Sandy]

We just adopted a rescue dog last weekend. She's really sweet, not an aggressive bone in her body, but she gets crazy when she's confined, even in a large space.

She's fine in the backyard, but she jumped the (fairly high) fence the first afternoon she was here after being left alone for 10 minutes. The next day when we went out for 2 hours, we left her in our front courtyard. When we returned home, she had scratched/chewed off a big strip from our solid oak door. The person who rescued her from the E-list later told me that she chewed through the drywall in her bedroom the one time she shut her inside.

She hasn't escaped from the backyard since then but I know if she wants to get out, she will. She also gets anxious when left alone, so we have to turn on the radio and sneak away.

She's a big girl, possibly a Lab/Great Dane mix, 1 1/2 years old, otherwise very calm. Anyone have any ideas? Do you think she'll get over this once she's comfortable? I also wonder if I'll be able to kennel her when we go out of town--the woman who rescued her lives on an acreage with several other dogs, and this dog spent the last 8 months there.

[RachelR]

I know this sounds silly.. but for dogs like this, a doggie daycare might be best. Some dogs, especially those rescued, have been abused or neglected earlier in life and just like humans, develop weird traits and habits. If you can afford it, I'd send her to a daycare.

[Jules]

When I was in my 20's I worked at a kennel situated on a horse farm. I lived in a trailer there and was allowed to pick a resident dog from the kennel to live with me.

I chose a beautiful Irish Setter. She was fine in the house as long as I was there. I left one evening for several hours only to find on my return that she had demolished my living room.

The curtains had been torn from the windows, the couch was ripped to shreds, you get the picture.

I found out later that the dog had been kenneled most of her life, she was a show dog and the kennel was all she knew. Needless to say, she went back to the kennel when I wasn't home, but stayed with me when I was home.

I don't know if there ever would have been a cure for this dog.

The daycare thing sounds like a good start, or maybe even a companion, another dog.

Who knows why animals do what they do?
Good Luck!

[shooter1201]

WHY NOT simply CRATE dogs like that when you're not home?

[Jules]

quote:

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WHY NOT simply CRATE dogs like that when you're not home?

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For some dogs that would be the ideal thing to try,
some dogs would go ballistic.
I've seen dogs pull their hair out, hyperventilate, paw at the wire until their paws bleed, even get physically sick.

It's worth a try to crate the dog, but watch it where it can't see you so you can see the reaction.

[Watchman]

The dog is LONELY.

Get the dog a companion, prefferably a pup.

It will be a bit awkward at first, but once they get used to each other they be best friends.

Try it, It works.

[Mitzi]

This sounds like seperation anxiety. Your Vet should be able to help you. There are ways to overcome it. I had a dog that died a few years ago that died age 16. She would go nuts if her left alone in the house or in the yard. To have her kenneld when we traveled, I had to have her drugged, just so she could make it through it. It finally got to where she accepted being left alone in the house. But I could never leave her alone in anyone elses house. She's tear the window screens out trying to get out.

[ 09-25-2002, 03:39 PM: Message edited by: Mitzi ]

[sandie]

I once had a dog that suffered from seperation anxiety. every time we left the house, he would umm ya know...umm have an accident. The vet told us to crate him, he'd do it in the crate. So the vet told us we had to train him to let him know we were coming back. So we had to make like we were leaving, walk out of the house and close the door, make like we were leaving. Wait 5 minutes and come back and give him a treat and praise.
We had to do this over and over spreading out the time we were away longer and longer. Finally, we were able to leave the house.
He is a good dog to this day, a little goofy, but awesome.
My ex H claimed custody of him in our divorce, but he does send me pictures of him.