Help! My dog is a real devil

Hello everyone,

My name is Gen, I live in montreal (Qc, Canada) And I would seriously need some help and feedbacks about my young dog...

Eben is my lab/Bernease Moutain Dog cross, he's my best friend and I really love him much, He's smart (when he wants) protective (but not overly jealous). generaly he's the perfect dog I could ever have asked for. When I got him, I was living in a rather large apartment, though in the city. Now, because of life and work situation I had to move to another place, smaller, but closer to a dog park. I get him theer at least once a day, he really seems to enjoy the time there. I also try to spend as much time as possible with him. My roomate as well, really like him, so she spends time with him when I'm working.

The big problem is that we just can't leave him alone unless he is restrained (now in the bathroom, unfortunatly...) in a room, because he will create chaos and mayhem in a very unpleasent way, destroying everything, pooping/peeing on the floor (though he is generaly clean now)

Working in the video game industry unfortunatly makes it impossible to stay here all day, I work usualy around 40h a week, generaly that, but when there's games that have to be released, it's overtime, I feel bad enough that I have to leave him alone in the bathroom, now I get back and he literaly climbed up things to destroy other things... My roomate works in the mornings, get back home during the day, leave back in the evening, so he's not alone -that- much now, but it's in those time that he creates the chaos.
I don't understand why, because, last week, he was allright, sure, still had to be in the bathroom, but stayed calmly with his toys, ate and didint pee on the floor. Now I hear he peed once again, and literaly destroyed -everything- he could get his fangs/claw on, that would include a part of the wall (wtf!)
He is now going on 9 months and healthy, cudly and playful like every puppy should be.

I was thinking about getting a babygate to use the kitchen as his "room" when we are gone, but this would be taking a huge risk (bigger room, mean bigger place to create chaos), I really hate leaving him in the bathroom since it's tiny. (we're moving in a bigger place in july, but for now we'll have have to deal with here...) But the ktichen would make it easy for him to at least play and I'll leave the radio.

He also whines a lot when I leave him in the bathroom, which he never did when he was crate training (the crate wasn't mine and I had to give it back, so can't have one for now)

I really love him, I wouldn't want to have to get rid of him for that, because I know he's inteligent and understands... I just wish he understood chewing and destroying things are not cool...

just a small note, Eben is clean, he was for months, but he recently peed two days in a row when he was confined, and I noticed he also didn't eat as much...

Gen

Your dealing with separation anxiety. I had a dog with this, she was severe. I had no blinds or curtains left, no vinyl floor by the door, a hole in the bathroom wall( all the way through, she got out), torn up carpet....you get the idea. I had a crate I started using, a very sturdy metal one, not a cheap one. She managed to bend the bars and even break some of the welds and got out. She was only a beagle. If she were outside when I left, she was generaly ok, but I didnt lke to do that and only did when I was gone maybe an hour or less. Not an option for you of course.

I never could break the habit myself. There a few training excersizes and that can be helpful, some are so severe that they need meds, I doubt yours is that bad from the sounds of it. Im sure someone else out here will be more helpful than me. Its not the end of the road, it will take time and effort to correct this behavior. My dog didnt care for toys or treats...so training was next to impossible. One thing I have heard is get them something really special, some sort of major bone, or a kong with an awesome treat (in there eyes....) something that for one will take time to finish. They only get this when you leave. You first start by giving it to them and leaving for a few minutes and return. Then you repeat this process by adding only a minute or two to each trip out the door. Eventually there supposed to want you to leave so they can get there special treat. They are also learning that you will be back. This is just a generalization to the process. Im sure there are other ways out ther also.

If you just type in a search for separation anxiety in dogs you will bring up a ton of information to read through.

thanks
i'll check it out
I'll try to control the time i'm going during the weekends, little by little. I'll see what that gives

but if anyone else has ideas, i'm all ears

There have been many discussions here on Separation Anxiety - try doing a "search" for it and you'll see many threads and suggestions!

Here's one ....

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=71458