Seperation Anxiety

 sounds like some full blown separation anxiety. Please keep in mind that fixing this is not easy. It takes time and a whole ton of patience. It is not something you can nip in the butt and expect to be corrected right away.

Some things to try:

• change the kennel type. It sounds like you're using a wire kennel. You might want to try plastic. Or even an exercise pen.
  
• Thundershirt - this helps calm a dog. It is like swaddling a baby
• Lavender inside the kennel
• Meds prescribed by your vet.If your dog is bending bars and pushing crate pans, that is pretty serious. Meds would really help and wouldn't be for the long term, only while you work on desensitizing the dog to you leaving
  
• Desensitize the dog to you leaving/being gone by leaving for 1 min then returning, leaving for 2 mins, returning, etc.
• Make no fuss over the dog when you leave or return. Act like it is no big deal.
• Leave the dog with frozen kongs or other long lasting chew / treat toys
• feed all meals in the crate.
  

If you believe that your dog has SA or what some are calling separation distress in it's milder forms, I'd advise you to get the booklet 'I'll be home soon" written by Patricia McConnell.  The suggestions made above are good ones but the best way to overcome SA is with counter conditioning.  This booklet is only 38 pages and very inexpensive and will give step by step instructions on how to counter condition a dog to your absence.  

This is a good article about SA.  As the article says, thirty years ago we'd never heard the term and now it's used a lot but not always correctly.   I can't know whether the SA label fits your dog.  I don't think any of the suggestions above or protocols in the McConnell booklet or the article below would do any harm and they can help with a dog that displays any level or separation distress or anxiety.

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/11_7/features/Canine-Separation-Anxiety_16044-1.html

Jewlieee,

I am sorry if you misunderstood me, by nip it in the butt, I did not mean a quick fix.  I meant I wanted to address it now rather than wait until it possibly gets worse.

I think I will try the meals in the crate (I have read about that)

She is already capable of destroying a metal crate so I don't know if plastic is the answer (plus it would limit her vision to see that things are ok)

But thank you for taking the time to reply.  

JackieG, thank you for the link, it has already given me clues as to what may have caused this.  She is a rescue, and has moved around alot in the 4 months before we got her.

Thank you, I will do some reading on this, and keep my fingers crossed.  I just her to have a happy home, and I know we can give her that and more.

 The reason I mentioned the plastic crate vs the wire crate is because I don't know if the real issue is separation anxiety or a dislike of the crate itself. That is also the reason for feeding meals in the crate. (make the crate a happy place) Some dogs don't like wire crates and some dogs don't like plastic crates. Put them in the one they dislike and you can get behavior like you describe. I have a dog who hates plastic crates but does ok in a wire crate. Also, one of my dogs loves the den like feel the plastic crate gives him. Given a choice, he always pics the plastic crate. Your concern about destroying the plastic crate is valid though, so I do understand. I had a husky who had SA pretty bad and she destroyed every crate I put her in. She was least likely to hurt herself in a plastic kennel though simply because there aren't as many routes of escape. No tray to move, no 6 sides of wire to peel apart. She only had to work on the front door of the plastic kennel - which I rigged so she couldn't easily pull it apart.

ok, thank you.

She does not have an issue with her crate, she likes it, and goes in there by herself, that is one thing I guess she always had was a crate for safety.

She has just attached herself to me, if I go into the bathroom, she lays outside the door wating for me.  If me, my DH and other dog are outside with her having fun and I come in the house she sits by the door and howls.

So far the only two complaints I have about her is her anxiety some times (it only happens if I come home and don't stay home - like she knows I should come home and stay with her always) and the other thing is she is a bullie with our other dog.

I still have a positive thought on taking in a rescue, just I am trying to get use to a puppy and these things.  Patience, is what I need and advice from people who have experienced these things.  Thanks

First off, I admit I do not have any experience with this, so maybe I'm totally off.

But, you said that during the workday your dog is in her kennel and fine. Could that maybe make a difference in how you respond to this? I thought SA would occur any time you left. Just a thought.

Tara,

 Thanks for asking for a follow up.  She is getting better, I have been giving her an old shirt of mine when I leave, so she doesn't get as bad.  And it is odd, but she really only gets like this if I leave the house at a time that she is not use to.  As if to say to me, where are you going.

She is really turning out to be a nice dog, it is just the puppy stages that are wearing on me.

And she still howls for me, if I am in the house and she is outside with my DH.  She is such a silly dog.  I actually made contact with a girl that took in her sister and we are comparing notes - they could be twins they act pretty much the same.

Thanks.