I just recently adopted my 3.5 year old Shih-poo from a local rescue group. He is great when I am home - follows me into every room I walk into, even if its just 3 feet away from where I was standing seconds before. He loves people and he loves other dogs. He plays with toys if I'm there with him, but then if I walk away, will drop the toy and follow me. He has only eaten every other day as well.
The first time I left him alone, I put a gate up and when I got home, found that he knocked it over and was clawing at the front door the entire time. Plus, my neighbor said that he barked/cried the entire time.
Today when I went to work, I used his crate. When I came home to let him out at lunch time, I found that he had gotten his lower jaw stuck in the wired crate door and I actually had to get someone to come and cut it with wire cutters.
I left him in my closed bedroom and he clawed up my door and removed my door stopper. Also, crying and barking was involved.
Even with that behavior, he did not go to the bathroom in the house.
He has no problem holding it until he is outside.
Just looking for some advice about what to do with his barking/crying/digging when I am gone during the day or brief times at night. My vet recommended Cloricalm, but I would like to see if I can correct his behavior without any drugs first.