[celstu1]

Hi knowledgeable people! Need your help for a very severe problem.

My friend has a 50lb mixed breed dog. (we think part Pit) it's a female she rescued at the pound when she was just a puppy. The separation problems started right away, the pup would eat through metal crates when they would leave the house. They cannot crate this dog because she has literally gone through about 5 crates before she was 1 year old. One time she bent the metal tray at the bottom and dug through the carpet and even into the floor boards to get out of the crate.

The dog is now 5 years old and have been to a behaviorist, doggy day care (kicked out) and most recently on doggy prozac. The vet has done testing and there is nothing wrong with the dog physically health-wise, no tumors or anything.

The dog is sweet and loving and wonderful with the kids and absolutely NO problems when they are home. When they are not home though, the dog literally TEARS the house apart. Tearing full length of molding off the doors and windows, digging huge holes in the walls, ripping up carpets completely off the tacking.

The doggy prozac was a last ditch effort this week to try to calm her down when they leave the house but they came yesterday to the WORST mess yet from her and they were only gone from 1 - 230pm. Her husband freaked and said thats it, I'm taking her to be put down (they don't want to put this problem on someone else) but she cried and said NO. She knows she won't be able to save the dog much longer if she can't figure out how to calm her down. I don't blame her honestly... she has spent hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to get help and professional training for this dog and THOUSANDS of dollars to fix the damage in the house. They have a chain link fenced in yard that she is now relegated to when noone is home and the neighbor is coming to let her out to run around a few times a day, but this is not a permanent solution, this can't go on for a winter in New England so something needs to be done this summer. The dog is no longer allowed in the house when they are not home.

I can't say I blame her.... I don't know if this is a chemical imbalance or what is going on but NOTHING is helping. I asked her to give me a few days to see what I could find out. I wanted to ask you guys here for some advice, and I want to see the holistic animal groomer that I take my dogs to to get their nails done. I want to ask her advice also. My friend is willing to try ANYTHING at this point, she DOES NOT want to put this dog down, she loves her, her daughter loves her.