retraining a dog?

Question
I have two dogs, one  is a very well-behaved german shepard, the other is a boxer/shephard mix that I have had longer, this is the one I am having so many problems with, I recently got married and they were boarded for 9 days, since we have been home she has pooped on my floor everynight while we are sleeping, I am at my wits end!! I feel like i am not going to be able to keep her much longer! I called the vet and they told me to start crating her at night, normally she is only in there while I am at work, today I came home and my normally crazy but sweet dog broke through the bars on the crate and was running around the house, please give me some advice on what could be causing this totally psycho-dog behavior???? I can't see how it's possible for her to destroy the crate the way she did, how long do you think it will take for her to get used to being back in the crate, and how many crates will I have to go through in the process??? How can I help her and still keep my sanity??? thanks

Answer
Hi Katherine;
Have you consider that she is possibly suffering from separation anxiety?
When she was boarded, she may have thought you were not coming back.
Separation anxiety is just sort of a mild nervous breakdown.
They can get very anxious and go back to old ways, or even start bad behavior.
I personally don't like crates, AT ALL. I don't use them.
But if she didn't object to the crate before and does now, it could be she is just having reactions to feelings of insecurity she doesn't understand.
Go to this site and read what can be accomplished with animal massage.
I have used this Tellington-Touch method for years as a training tool, to correct bad behavior like aggression and excessive barking, to calm fears of thunderstorms etc, and for pain relief.
The ease I can give my older dogs who suffer from Arthritis makes it well worth knowing, by itself.
She is getting used to another person in the house. He whole life and routine she was used to has changed, so she may be acting out because of thaat, and maybe she is just so insecure.
I would say something about being in the crate mmay remind her os a bad experience in one, maybe where she was boarded.
Could you confine her to an area where she can do less damage for awhile?
You may have to give up the crate entirely.
We board our dogs and think the people can be trusted, but sometimes they can't.
Go check this site out, and you can order a video from there to learn how to do the massages.

    www.lindatellington-jones.com

An obedience class to retrain her would certainly not hurt, and might fix the problem.
I would recommend a group class. You would handle her and a trainer would teach the class. Petsmart and Petco both have weekend classes.
I really recommend the massages though, as a 5 to 15 minute calming massage would probably make quite a difference in her.
Charlotte