How to stop my dog from eating the window?

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AmandaB

We have a shelter dog that was never crate trained. The people who were fostering the dog warned us that we might not be able to do it because dog to won't associate the crate with a safe place. If he is in the crate, he either causes damage to himself or breaks the crate to get out.

In the past two weeks, the dog has started eating one of our windows when we leave. The curtains and screen are shredded, the curtain rod is broken, the sill has splintered in two, the left window trim was torn off the wall, and the handle is barely hanging on. He could get splinters in his stomach or something!

We've tried sedating him, but he throws the pill up. It doesn't matter how we feed it to him. He'll swallow the pill about 30 minutes before we leave, and when we come home the window has new damage and the pill is floating in a puddle of bile on the floor.

What can I do?
He's about four years old, and is fixed. He is a very lazy dog, and barely bats an eyelash when we leave. When we come home, he just wanders up to us, wags his tail, and turns around. And sometimes he doesn't even bother greeting us. I'm not sure if this is separation anxiety or not.
He has a kong; it doesn't interest him, even if food is in it. He isn't alone during the day; we have another dog (that can't even reach the window, so I know which one is causing the damage). Out of that list of ways to tell if your dog has separation anxiety, the only item that fits is that the behavior only happens when we're gone.

Answer
Everyone is giving you advice for chewing problems. This is Separation Anxiety....NOT a simple chewing problem.

I've been there...it's not fun having your house destroyed! This is a panic response to your leaving. S.A. is very difficult to treat and takes a LOT of patience and time. Rather than sedation, I would ask your vet for an anti-anxiety pill...doesn't sedate, but helps controls the anxiety - that panic feeling.

You may also want to try a DAP collar or scent emitter. This releases calming phermones into the air for him to smell and is supposed to calm him down. They're spendy, but some say they're worth it. Others say it's a waste of money. I suppose it depends on the dog. The fosters in our group use it with mixed reviews.

Then, I would find a temporary solution...have grandma stay with him while you're gone, bring him with you if you can, doggie daycare, etc... You can use this to help keep your house and dog safe while you're starting your treatment training program with him. (SEE LINKS below for the specifics on the treatment methods)

Ideally, he would get a bunch of exercise before you leave for the day to get out some pent-up energy...like a long, brisk walk. That will increase your chances of success, though I know realistically, I don't even have time for breakfast before I zip-out the door in the mornings, and you may not be a morning person either.

I'm putting some links to the exercises/treatment methods used to put a stop to the insanity of separation anxiety. The methods are too long to type here, but these sites should give you a good idea of what to do and give step-by-step instructions. We actually had a dog behaviorist come out, which, if you can afford it, I highly recommend (not a trainer - a behaviorist).

Though it's true that many dogs need some time to get used to a crate, I've never fostered a dog with S.A. that didn't totally destroy the kennel and exhaust him/herself when put in it, so it's more than him not associating it with a "safe place". I would work on the S.A., and then try the crate training.

The people that fostered him should have disclosed this problem to you because it is severe and one of the most difficult behavior problems to treat. If you're willing to work through it, or can change some things to make your lifestyle fit, then great!
Your three best options are:
1 -work through it...it could take months of long daily training sessions that may or may not be successful,
2 - change your lifestyle so that someone is always home with him or send him to doggie daycare during the day,
3 - return him to the rescue group where you adopted him.

In response: That's what our foster dog did....he was totally cool all the time....didn't seem upset when we left or anything...that's why I was totally shocked when I came home one day and he had tried to eat his way through the front door!

SEE THE LINKS BELOW FOR THE SPECIFIC METHODS

What are the reviews on different dog boxes for a truck?

ruphalfa

I have a regular cab truck and train dogs. I was looking at dog kennels and covering it with a tarp vs these dog boxes. What are the pros and cons of these dog boxes?

Answer
If you are not going to get a real vehicle to transport dogs safely in-such as a van, I suggest that you purchase a camper shell for your truck AND install a sliding rear window in your cab (if you do not have one-but who doesn't) so that the animals can get heat and air.

Crates in the back and a tarp? No responsible dog owner would let you transport their dogs like that.

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Title Post: How to stop my dog from eating the window?
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