I think we may have found the answer for Zoe's separation anxiety at least a little bit anyway. She hates the crate, if we don't put her in the crate and leave her to roam around a few rooms, kitchen, dining room she doesn't cry or bark as much. Yippee.

Now, since she hates the crate (not the one she sleeps in) and I know you are not suppose to put the dog in the crate as a punishment, but isn't that because you use the crate to housetrain? She has been doing well with going on the pads for 2 weeks now. The question is Can we use the crate as a time out if we aren't using it for anything anymore?

As with human children, a "Time-out" is not to be used as punishment, but as a form of "Positive Discipline." (Unfortunately, Time-outs are often over-used and abused, thus rendering them ineffective). Anyway, for the dog, the crate is based upon the dog's need for a safe haven when he/she feels stressed, overwhelmed, fearful, tired, etc. If conditioned properly, the dog will automatically go to his/her crate whenever it starts to have these feelings, just to chill and get away from everyone/everything. So... when your pup starts to exhibit behaviors that indicate her feelings of stress, over-stimulation, fear, aggression, etc., putting her in her crate to "chill" (time-out) is not considered a "punishment." Just get the word "punishment" in relation to dogs out of your vocabulary-- we "punish" criminals, not dogs or children. What have you done to make the crate a more habitable place? It should not be a bare cage or jail cell, but a cozy little nest.

Thanks.

She sleeps in a cozy crate in our bedroom but hates the crate in the livingroom which we have made cozy also for her, but because of her separation anxiety she only tears it up. We have tried everything that is on this forum and in books but she still hates it, won't even walk near it. She is getting used to the cats and they to her so we decided to let her loose in the kitchen and livingroom, which is working out fine because I think she doesn't feel left alone when she can play with or sleep by the cats.

We tried using the crate when she growled and snapped yesterday. So far she hasn't done it again, but that could just be a coincidence. We have a low, large coffee table with a soft bed under it that she uses for her space.

So when you have to be away from her, can you put her in her bedroom crate? And when she needs a "time-out," train her to go to her "place" under the coffee table. Get rid of the crate she hates. Getting rid of it will most likely lessen her anxiety, since she will be relieved that she never has to go in it again.