Dog acting out to new situation

Question
My dog and I moved to a new state, and I started a new job, leaving him at home for up to nine hours a day alone. He started chewing up my things while I'm away, and he's had some potty accidents. He has twice pooped on the floor and then eaten it. He also has been biting a lot and does not respond to my reprimands. I feel like he's upset with me for leaving all the time. I have started putting him in his crate while I'm away to save my belongings and to rein him in. He is a one-year-old shih-tzu. We also have taken a few trips back to my home state, and he has considerable anxiety on the five-hour trips. Please give me some advice to make his life, and mine, more tolerable.

Answer
Hi Megan,

Thanks for writing to me about your dog's recent change in behavior.

It is clear to me from your description that your dog is having the equivilent of a nervous breakdown!

His entire world was turned upside down and now he is being left alone for long hours without exercise or stimulation.  He has developed separation anxiety and perhaps in his mind he feels abandoned, unloved and even punished for something he doesn't understand.

It is understandable that you would want to crate him to save your belongings from destruction, but crating for more than five, perhaps six hours is considered to be cruel for a dog.

What your pooch needs is some exercise and stimulation during the day.  He needs something to look forward to.

My suggestion is to get a dog walker to take him out in the middle of the day for vigorous exercise and fun.  If you can find it, the best solution would be doggie daycare or perhaps alternate a walker on some days and doggie daycare on others.  

Perhaps you can find a neighbor to watch him in their apartment or home...someone that would like to have a dog but doesn't want the responsibility and could use some extra cash.

You can also leave him a kong filled with pellets of dry food, fill a raw or smoked marrow bone with peanut butter, leave the TV on for him or classical music, buy toys that challenge the imagination etc, but please do not crate him for more than 5 hours.  

Additionally, nine hours is way too long to go without emptying the bladder.  Down the road this can lead to early kidney disease or even cancer as the kidneys and bladder filter out toxins in the body and if the toxins are just sitting there, the entire immune system is effected.

I hope that what I have described doesn't sound too harsh but the truth is that your dog is being seriously effected and it isn't his fault.

Even getting a cat or another dog would be extremely helpful because that would provide company and stimulation.   Locking him up will only increase his anxiety and depression and eventually his behavorior may become irreversable.

I wish you the best of luck in finding the perfect solution for your beloved best friend.

Regards,
Shelley Davis