As soon as I pick up my keys.....

[mybabe88]

I need some help figuring out a solution to this problem I'm having!
OK I had a wire crate for Prince that I would put him in when I went to work. BAD idea!!! He goes absolutely NUTS in there. After I would leave I believe he would calm down but when I got home not even being gone long he would have did #1 and # 2 in the crate. I didnt understand because I would take him out before I left and he would do # 1 & # 2 outside. So I just thought that he was "stressed" from me being gone so long, so i started coming home during lunch and even then he would have either done # 1 or # 2 or both. So I stopped putting him the cage all together and bought a gate to close him off in the kitchen at night or when im gone. I was laid off from my job and now I only go to school 3 times a week for about an hour and my boyfriend is at home with him then. So the only time Prince is home alone is if we go out on weekends. Other than that I now take Pring EVERYWHERE with me. If he can go I take him no questions asked. But, when I cannot take him I put him behind the gate and he is very calm UNTIL I pick up my keys. Then he goes INSANE!!!! He pees and something poops BEFORE I even get out the door!!!! And I always take him out before I leave. And when I get back he is running free in the house or either waiting at the door because he always finds a way to get out of the gate. I even put two heavy chairs in front of the gate and last night he actually moved one the chairs onto the carpet!!!! How did my 6lb baby do this!!!!!!!!??????? I plan on setting up a video camera next time I leave to see how he does it!!!!!! LOL..... Please help me no matter what I do he gots NUTS!!!!!!!! At night he is fine, but as soon as I pick up my keys he turns into to Godzilla or the Hulk or something with super stregth!!!!!!!!! I'm sick of him using the restroom when every I put him in a crate or behind the gate and I'm sick of him finding ways out of the gate! I would rather put him behind the gate because I hate the crate. How do I fix this?? He doesnt use the restroom in the house other than when he is secluded. What are good gate brands for smaller dogs so they can't get out??? HELP!!

[Yorkielove1]

Mine did the same thing when she was younger. They are so smart! I eventually just let her have her roam of the house. She hates crates and she hates gates more, so I wouldn't know what to tell you!

What little escape artists they are!!!

[Ashley V]

Okay, let me ask you, is his poop normal? I think he has seperation anxiety...

We went through this with Smokey. When we got him he was 6 months old and had been shifted from home to home like a piece of furniture. By the time we got him, he had diaherria anytime we blocked him by himself. Even if we were in the same room sleeping, he would instantly have diaherria. After 2 weeks of scrubbing crates, floors, and giving him baths, we let him and Chip have free roam of our bedroom together and voila! He was cured and he gained back the 7 lbs he lost from getting sick. To this day if we leave him gated by himself, he freaks out. Is there a way you could get him a companion? Take him to a doggie day care? Take him to a friend's house that has a doggie friend? If not, there are herbal supplement type things that you can get to calm him down. I haven't tried any of those, but I've heard mixed reviews as to whether they work or not.

[mybabe88]

Originally Posted by Ashley V

Okay, let me ask you, is his poop normal? I think he has seperation anxiety...

We went through this with Smokey. When we got him he was 6 months old and had been shifted from home to home like a piece of furniture. By the time we got him, he had diaherria anytime we blocked him by himself. Even if we were in the same room sleeping, he would instantly have diaherria. After 2 weeks of scrubbing crates, floors, and giving him baths, we let him and Chip have free roam of our bedroom together and voila! He was cured and he gained back the 7 lbs he lost from getting sick. To this day if we leave him gated by himself, he freaks out. Is there a way you could get him a companion? Take him to a doggie day care? Take him to a friend's house that has a doggie friend? If not, there are herbal supplement type things that you can get to calm him down. I haven't tried any of those, but I've heard mixed reviews as to whether they work or not.

The poop looks normal actually. At night he is fine... there was only once he got from behind the gate at night and slept by my door. So my only problem is leaving the house. He is 8 months old and I don't want him just running the house because every blue moon he will still chew on some things. Prince actually should be getting a sister in about 5 weeks, but she will only be 8 wks old (thats why i want him out of this habit, so i have time to housebreak her as well). I pray to god that a playmate helps and doesnt hurt. I take him to play with my friends Chihuahuas but one of them are way too hyper and prince is pretty laid back so that wasnt a good fit.

[Mom to Hot Rod]

You might want to try an expen. It is a wire pen that is pretty sturdy. Some members have said their little ones have climbed out...they have a cover for it as well. I have a 24" tall one and have not had that problem.

The other thing is maybe try "leaving" and coming back in to get Prince used to you going out. Stand outside the door for a minute and come back in and increase the time that you are "gone". I kinda did this with mine and now they just stand there looking at me when I do leave. They never know when I am going to leave for a long time or come right back in.

When I come in, they usually attack me and I make them sit down before I pick them up. I think this helps with the whole leaving thing. Good luck and congrats on your new little one coming home.

[mybabe88]

I setup a video camera today before I left the house so I could see how he was escaping.....I caught him on tape escaping and he 'bout broke his neck!!!!! I need suggestions on gates, but I will post the video as soon as I figure out how to get it on here!!

[QuickSilver]

It sounds like separation anxiety to me too. Try changing up your routine so he doesn't poop instantly. For example, pick up your keys, and then sit on the floor. Put your keys next to you. Pick up your keys and let him sniff them. Walk in a circle. Read a magazine.

I think you're going to need to get him to calm down before you can start to address separation anxiety normally, which you usually do by going out and coming back in for short periods of time.

You might also try throwing him a really, really good treat when you pick your keys up to allow him to focus somewhere else for moment. Something chewy like jerkey or thick like peanut butter is ideal because it will take a bit of time for him to eat.

[mybabe88]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

It sounds like separation anxiety to me too. Try changing up your routine so he doesn't poop instantly. For example, pick up your keys, and then sit on the floor. Put your keys next to you. Pick up your keys and let him sniff them. Walk in a circle. Read a magazine.

I think you're going to need to get him to calm down before you can start to address separation anxiety normally, which you usually do by going out and coming back in for short periods of time.

You might also try throwing him a really, really good treat when you pick your keys up to allow him to focus somewhere else for moment. Something chewy like jerkey or thick like peanut butter is ideal because it will take a bit of time for him to eat.

OOOOOOO nice idea!! Thanks everyone for your suggestions!!!! The video is crazy! He went wacko... I'll try to post is ASAP!!!

[Marilize]

I dealt with separation anxiety with Cash when he was about the same age as yours - 8 months. He used to go crazy and tear up my house when I leave. Wherever I left him, it would be left in ruins.
Your dog has a trigger - the sound of your keys - just as Cash did. What I did is play with the keys while I am sitting on the couch and every time I walk by them I would pick them up quickly, jiggle them and put them back down. The doggies get tired of getting excited for nothing very quickly.
I used to put Cash in the bathroom as well. I am a student and couldn't afford a expen, crate or gate, so I got him used to the bathroom by putting him in there with his bed, his food, water, and toys. This actually didn't help. He tore up the bathroom - ripped the toilet paper to shreds, pulled down the towels, etc. So, I simply left him to roam the flat - it wasn't very big anyway and he was fine.
I always got him some activity balls, kongs and the like, so that he wouldn't be bored when I am gone. He liked these so much that he actually looked forward to me going to the cupboard before leaving and he didn't freak out anymore.
Also try ignoring him for a few minutes before and after you leave. And if he freaks out, ignore him. This is very difficult - especially when you get home - but it helps.
Hehe, I just remembered: Cash used to pull down my pants while I was getting dressed. As soon as I tried to put on a pair of shoes, he would run off with the other one. Clever little bugger.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope this helps.