[Cyberspaz]

Hi, i have a 11 month old, Akita x Staff pup and hes driving us mad.
he is house trained and rather obedient.
we have a "summerhouse" basically a big shed with windows, he has plenty of toys in there with him, food and water. Thats where we leave him when i go to school and mum goes work, but he gets out no matter what!!
he chewed through the door, got out, boarded it up , chewed that and got out!!
there is a fence panel missing in the garden so he gets out of the garden and roams the streets. its become really annoying and nothings stopping him!!
He Seems Determined to get out, but always comes back ?
please help? any suggestions?

thanks

[cigwyllt]

Can I ask how long he is left each day? I guess your school day is about 6 hours long? The Akita is a high energy dog and a staffie is very sociable. He is probably bored out of his mind being left alone like that. You say that his behaviour is annoying - I would have thought it was a cause for worry, not annoyance. I'm sorry to sound harsh but it sounds like he is an unhappy dog who is putting himself in danger because he is left for so long. Perhaps he is not the right fit for your lifestyle.

[Todd]

WOW! Chews through the door? That's a first for me. First things that comes to mind is lack of exercise. How much exercise do you give him? Sounds like he has a lot of pent up energy and is bored/stir crazy. Could potentially be as a result of separation anxiety however the first thing I would try is the exercise. This should help A LOT, even if the cause is in fact related to separation anxiety. The breed of dog you own has a lot of energy and probably needs at least an hour, if not more, of exercise per day. Walking may not be appropriate either. The dog needs at least an hour per day of run time. It would probably help to do this before leaving him, maybe even broken down into 2 30 minute intervals where different family members take turns. Again, this should really help clear things up.

In addition, have you considered letting him in the yard with an electric fense system? I'm not a huge fan of electric collars but I don't mind them when they're used to contain a dog in a yard because they learn rather quickly and it is for sefety purposes. This way he could also be outside and cannot damage the inside of your home but can't roam the streets which can be very dangerous.

Finally, I'd give him things to chew on/keep him occupied with during the day. Get a kong toy, a frozen wet rag, or (my favorite) a raw meaty bone which which literally keeps my dog busy for hours. They're very nutritious too!

Here are also some natural remdedies that may be useful to help calm him down while you're gone;

How to Calm a Dog With Natural Remedies | eHow.com

Best Way - Medicine to Calm a Dog | eHow.com

Here are a few threads pertaining to separation anxiety which could be amplifying the issue but it sounds like lack of exercise is the main one;

http://www.i-love-dogs.com/forums/do...ease-help.html

my pup is showing signs of separation anxiety.

Separation Anxiety

Good luck!

[Lara's mom]

Have you not read the book or seen the movie, "Marley and me?" If not, you should check out one or the other. Marley was the "poster child" for destructive dogs!

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

Have you not read the book or seen the movie, "Marley and me?" If not, you should check out one or the other. Marley was the "poster child" for destructive dogs!

I actually heven't seen it yet but I really would like to. Thanks for th suggestion!

[GSDS4Life]

I too am curious as to how much exercise he is getting. Especially before you go to school and mum goes to work.

How is he in the house? Is he destructive? Can you or have you tried leaving him for a short time alone in the house?

I really don't think he likes the idea of being in the shed.

I'm very surprised he hasn't been pick up by animal control.

Can you not have a friend or family member come over and take him out for a while? Or take him to doggy daycare? I drop my boys off at a friends. But if I go out for a few hours, they have free run of the house.

In regards to the electric collar, the one thing about them, they may keep the dog in, but it will not stop other dogs from coming in. And to me, I really don't like the idea of a dog being left outside all day. Anything can happen. Someone can steal or harm the dog.

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

Have you not read the book or seen the movie, "Marley and me?" If not, you should check out one or the other. Marley was the "poster child" for destructive dogs!

Imagine having to train a dog to do this..LOL

[DoggieVogue]

I definitely agree with others input, Akitas are big dogs that need lots of exercise and attention. I have a yellow lab and when she was younger she was just liked your akita! Destructive and wild! The thing is with big dogs, and all dogs, is that they are a huge committment. While I know it doesn't sound fun, try waking up an hour earlier and taking him on a nice long walk or run. That's what we did with our lab and for the next 5 hours of the day she slept, we'd also leave her a big chewstick to chew on as well. If you're not able to walk him however, you always have the option of asking a friend or hiring a service who will come walk your dog mid day for however long you choose.

[muttmentor]

It sounds like you have a case of separation anxiety. This can worsen if you appear frustrated by his escapes upon your return or you encourage an excited state of mind when you depart or return. Your attitude should be - I leave and come back all the time and it's no big deal. No cutesy talk before you leave.

With that, if your dog truly thinks of you as a pack leader, then understand that the pack leader typically does not leave the pack. From a dog psychology point of view, you are a departed pack leader. Your best bets are to either find someone who can come take the dog out for a bit of relief and socialization OR train the dog to be alone for quite some time.

A dog needs exercise, discipline, and affection. If you cannot give the dog physical exercise while you're gone - find a way to stimulate the brain (and the nose). Get some puzzle type toys that you hide treats or kibble in. Also try an automatic Kong Dispenser. Load it up w/ 4 Kongs that are filled with peanut butter then set the timer before you leave. This worked WONDERS with my boxer.

I'd be sure the dog is thoroughly exercised before you leave him for an extended period. "Training" the dog to be alone requires that you come and go for short periods (starting with as little as 10 seconds) that build up to about 40-45 minutes. Your departure and return should be matter-of-fact in nature, no drama, no excitement, etc. You do not need to address the dog when you return or depart unless the dog is displaying calm-submissive behavior. Remember - no touching, talking, or eye contact with the dog unless he's calm and submissive!

Good luck!

[reeskujo]

I bred Akita's for many years and have owned them all of my adult life..They are a moderate energy breed and because they are so independent in nature don't have to much of a problem being alone for awhile...They are however known escape artists and don't like being confined in one place for to long as they are guard dogs and feel the need to roam their territory to make sure all is well...

If a male is not neutered they will run every chance they get so if he's not I would certainly start there.When their family is home they do need to be around them but when they're not they go into a guarding mode...

However being he's mixed with a breed that is high energy he may need more excersize then what he's getting..Is there a reason he can't be left alone in the house? I also am not fond of the idea if keeping him in a shed when your gone even if there is a lot of windows.

I would certainly try and find another way of containing him when your gone if he can't be in the house since it's obvious he's not happy with the current arrangement and will most likely continue with the behavior if he has to stay in there

[scrofford]

As others here have answered, I agree with probably needing exercise. You also might want to crate him while you are gone. If he is not crate trained, you can do this fairly easily. But crating him while you are gone could solve a lot of problems.

[cigwyllt]

The problem I see with crating is that this is for the whole day while they are out at school/work - probably 6 hours at least. That is no life for a dog, especially if he is stressed and unhappy while they are gone.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by cigwyllt

The problem I see with crating is that this is for the whole day while they are out at school/work - probably 6 hours at least. That is no life for a dog, especially if he is stressed and unhappy while they are gone.

i agree. an alternative could be to hire a dog walker during the day or drop the dog off at a reputable doggie daycare center.

[gambler-girl]

my guess he is pissed off because he is not in the house, why don't you leave him in the house with the TV on and maybe a case of beer, if I did that to my husband he wouldn't move I bet the dog is like my husband...lol

[cigwyllt]

Guess it is all academic anyway - don't think the OP has been back since he/she first posted. Why do people do that????

[Todd]

Originally Posted by gambler-girl

my guess he is pissed off because he is not in the house, why don't you leave him in the house with the TV on and maybe a case of beer, if I did that to my husband he wouldn't move I bet the dog is like my husband...lol

Good one...

Originally Posted by cigwyllt

Guess it is all academic anyway - don't think the OP has been back since he/she first posted. Why do people do that????

I don't know. I sure wish they'd update us though time to time even if the problem is solved.

[Lara's mom]

Originally Posted by cigwyllt

The problem I see with crating is that this is for the whole day while they are out at school/work - probably 6 hours at least. That is no life for a dog, especially if he is stressed and unhappy while they are gone.

I agree with you 100%!!! Spending 6 plus hours in a little crate is no life for a dog. I would go so far as to call it cruel.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

I agree with you 100%!!! Spending 6 plus hours in a little crate is no life for a dog. I would go so far as to call it cruel.

I just can't understand why some people are so stupid about dogs (animals) not having feelings and treating them like a toy they can just do whatever they want with and put away when done playing with it!! You know it would be great if humans would put themselves in the dog's place and think about how you would feel in the given situation. And if the person is so unconcerned or doesn't care after doing this--
Well, they should not be allowed to have dogs at all!!


I was against crates (cages) altogether but after hearing remarks how some dogs like them--Have come to conclusion that if the dog likes them and is not LOCKED IN and is simply using it like a safe haven/den then it is okay.---Gate being left open!!

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Corky/Max

I just can't understand why some people are so stupid about dogs (animals) not having feelings and treating them like a toy they can just do whatever they want with and put away when done playing with it!! You know it would be great if humans would put themselves in the dog's place and think about how you would feel in the given situation. And if the person is so unconcerned or doesn't care after doing this--
Well, they should not be allowed to have dogs at all!!


I was against crates (cages) altogether but after hearing remarks how some dogs like them--Have come to conclusion that if the dog likes them and is not LOCKED IN and is simply using it like a safe haven/den then it is okay.---Gate being left open!!

In some respects I'd have to agree. I feel that anymore time spent in a crate than 4 hours per day TOPS is not right. Not 4 hour sitting, I'm talking 4 hours in total for the entire day.

[gambler-girl]

Originally Posted by Todd

In some respects I'd have to agree. I feel that anymore time spent in a crate than 4 hours per day TOPS is not right. Not 4 hour sitting, I'm talking 4 hours in total for the entire day.

Your not a dog so how would you know? drivers are locked in their cars or trucks everyday for longer then that, people are locked in their houses for longer then that so what do we do about them... every dog and person is different, we all have different wants and needs, no such thing asa 4 hour rule for many that is to long others could care less....

GG

[Dogbert]

We have a similar situation. We have a wireless fence we use for both home and at our cottage. Simply unplug the transmitter and take it with you. I found ours at Home Depot. Good Luck.