[Cassysmom]

Hi! I'm new to the forums. And I'm pretty new to puppy ownership. We have a 10 month old german sheppard/lab mix who just tore our spare bed to pieces. We crate her when we aren't home, and we know that she hates it, she always had, but she chews and ransacks the house otherwise. Anyway, yesterday we come home to find that she broke through her crate, yes, broke through, and went up on the spare bed and chewed a hole in it.
She's a wonderful puppy except when she gets left alone. We are aware that she has anxiety issues; we are her third home Giving her up is not an option, but how can we make her less anxious? I would love nothing more than to just let her be able to be on her own. My boyfriend is a shift worker (12 hours) and I work f/t. We do have her on a schedule when we are both working, and other than the crating issues and anxiety she takes to it very well. What do we do??

[Yogi]

It sounds like it is just not anxiety but not enough exercise. This mix breed is especially at that age in need of a great deal of exercise to wear her out. Simply, a tired pup is a happy pup. What is her exercise routine?

[CorkyMax]

What do you mean--My boyfriend is a shift worker (12 hours) and I work f/t. We do have her on a schedule when we are both working, and other than the crating issues and anxiety she takes to it very well. What do we do?? ----I am assuming your poor unhappy dog is not only not getting enough exercise but is crated way too long and too much-----that the crate is a cell---Put yourself in the dog's place!!

From my 'breeds book'-----

German Shepherd Dog--Revel in strenuous activity, preferably combined with training of some kind. It thrives on a life of service---Me talking here--In other words it needs a job to do! Needs regular vigorous exercise. Also will add this from my book--Feed them 2-3 small meals a day instead of 1 large meal. Me talking here again-- This breed, German Shepherds have a problem with getting necessary nutrition from their food---Will bring you a link on this subject a little later.

Labrador Retriever--This breed also requires regular vigorous exercise--Adapts well to urban living, but needs plenty of exercise. They crave human attention and need to feel as though they are part of the family.

All in all--the combination of your dog---Both breeds pretty much need the same thing--a lot of exercise and a job-- and a lot less crating. Being had 3 dif. homes in her only 10 months short life---She is bound to have anxiety problems---I feel so sorry for that little girl---I hope you figure something out to make her a happy secure puppy. (I'm sorry but I hate crating dogs in most instances---and it should mostly be the dog's choice--like a den not a jail cell!)

Here is the link---I don't know if it will work for you as you may have to be a subscriber. If it doesn't work--Put exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in your browser and that should bring up some sites. You might also try German Shepherd Dog nutrition problems or something on that order.---

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency in Dogs - Whole Dog Journal Article

[Cassysmom]

We exercise her a lot. In the winter it's harder (Atlantic Canada) and we don't run with her as often as we should, but the sidewalks aren't exactly safe for it. we walk her an hour or so on most days, when the weather permits, but she is a dogpark fanatic. We'll be at the park for over an hour pretty much everyday, when it isn't a blizzard. She doesn't have a lot of stamina at the park after an hour and we find that she lies down and stops playing when she's tired... then we bring her home and she's more a rug than a dog. The only time she misbehaves at all is when she knows she isn't supposed to be doing something. For example, she had an accident in the basement, and the way we realized she had an accident was because she went upstairs and started chewing our comforter. So then we checked because we knew smething was wrong. That's why we think it's anxiety related...

[cigwyllt]

The chewing would definitely tie up with anxiety - it is a form of stress relief, like a human biting their finger nails.

How long is she left for in the crate? How did you train her to use it?

[Cassysmom]

Her pevious owners had her crate trained. So we got it when we got her. I hadn't had to crate a dog before (I grew up with a black lab mix and he was never trained, period lol)
I agree that she is crated way too much, but we can only afford so many new beds, and so many new sheet sets. She's a chewer, she chews.
In lieu of the crate, today we pulled in her outside leash through the back door and leashed her in the house, she has access to the whole living room area this way. Maybe this is a better method?
lol I'm not a bad parent, honest.

Any my boyfriend is a cop.. so he works 12 hour shifts. He checks on her during the day when I'm at work every few hours to let her out, play around, hang out a bit, etc.

[cigwyllt]

Sorry - you haven't answered my question - how long do you leave her?

As for tethering her - my husband and I did the same thing with our rescue dog. We couldn't afford a crate and she was wrecking the place. We actually attached a chain to the wall and clipped her there. I know many people are uncomfortable with the idea but she was a danger to herself when she was left alone in the house - even if I went to the bathroom without her!

We used a comparatively short chain - there was nowhere for her to get tangled and she had access to her water bowl and blanket while we were gone. We only left her for two hours or so at the most and overnight but overnight we could hear her from our bedroom so we knew that she was settled and peaceful.

I appreciate that you want to do the best for her and after the awful start she has had it would be so difficult to move her to another home. I'm not suggesting that you do that. But if you don't give us a better idea of her full routine - how long she is left each day, whether she is walked before or after she is left, when she is fed etc. we can't make any helpful suggestions.

[Cassysmom]

Ok, no problem. She is usually left at the most 2-3 hours on days when my boyfriend is working days.
She is not crated at night, she's peaceful and perfect when we're around.
She wakes up with me, at 6am, I feed her, put her out, the usual. Before I shower we go for a small walk (20 mins)If its his day schedule, then I go to work at 8am. She is crated.
He comes home on average every few hours, lets her out, checks on her, and gets lunch.
I get home at 4:30-5pm, we go for a walk in nice weather, or to the dogpark for an hour, we pick up bf at 6. Head home. He and I go to the gym, she is crated. We come home, supper, lounge and bed.
If he is on nights, then he is home during the day and walks her before I get home, then we take her to the dog park. He works at 6pm. I go to the gym, come home, supper, lounge, bed.
If he is off, or I am off on weekends, then we're outside most of the time when it's nice. If we go out, then she is crated.

[cigwyllt]

It's a tough situation - it doesn't sound like an ideal life for a dog that is high energy and anxious. It would be fine for a stable relaxed adult but she is still a pup in many ways and the constant coming and going is probably disturbing for her - although leaving her all day would be worse.

Have you heard of a DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheremone) Diffuser? They can be very helpful for dogs that are unhappy left alone.

[puppypaige]

Hi.
I know how frustrating the destruction can be. I've experienced it myself before.

Your little girl has been bounced around so much. Not only new homes but new family as well. I was just curious how long you have had her? Maybe she just needs some more time to adjust and realize that you when you leave, you will come back. If she is fine when you are home and it is only when you are gone that she acts out...maybe she just needs some time to learn that you will always come back for her.

Quick story: I provided a home for a dog whose owner had passed away. She and her brother lived with this woman. The woman died and the grandchildren would go over to the house to check on the dogs and the house until they could figure out where the dogs should go. Long story short, the male dog was inadvertently left in the house and died in there with no way out. Had destroyed the blinds trying to get out. Very sad. The female was taken by a grandchild and ended up finding my doorstep. She kept coming over..every day. We spoke to the grandchild and told them we would keep her for them. She stayed with us. First time I left her home (with my other dogs) while I went to get my daughter from school, she panicked and destroyed my blinds trying to claw her way out of the house. We couldn't go anywhere without her destroying something. She was terrified that we would leave her and not return.

It took a lot of patience, a lot of love and a lot of time to finally get her to feel secure in that she was at home with us. That we were her family and we weren't going anywhere. Maybe that is all your puppy needs. Just more time and reassurance.

I hope things improve soon.