Dog scratching at door molding. Any ideas how to stop it or the damage?

[sbj405]

I have a 3 y/o mutt separation anxiety. It's mostly managed and he stays in the basement all day w/o incidence usually. I have plexiglass on the door going to the upstairs which prevents damage, but lately he's been tearing apart the molding. Ideally, I'd like to get him to stop, but if not does anyone have any solution to stop any further damage? Please don't tell me crates/gates or the usually separation anxiety things as I have tried everything with this poor pooch and he's a million times better than when I got him.

[LuLu550]

1. Got the same problem with my new mini schnauzer

for a different reason. She sees the reflection of her favorite ball in the patio window and she scratches at the window and molding trying to get the reflecton ball. Good Dogs, Great Owners book says pop a balloon in the dogs face and then put balloons where you don't want them to go. I taped blown up balloons on the window but she just nudges them aside and keeps going at it. Now I'm squirting her with a squirt gun. All the while saying "off" to the bad behavior and "good girl" when she gets off.

I'll let you know if it works.

[RadicalMom]

3. Why is the ball where she can see its reflection? Why not put the

offending item away? The behavior should solve itself.

[radfringe]

2. a friend of mine

wrapped the door moldings in remnant carpeting.

It didn't stop her dog from scratching at it -- but it saved the molding

[sbj405]

5. interesting idea. may give that a try. thanks!

[RadicalMom]

4. Please remember that dogs are pack animals, and need company...

Does he need to be locked in the basement every day? It is no surprise that he is scratching at the door. You might consider getting him some company. After owning dogs for twenty-five years now, I would never want to ask one to be a solo animal again. Sometimes a cat or a talkative bird can help, but another dog is usually best. It can also help to turn on a radio, turned to news or talk (not Rush, though) when you're not with him, and a fan running provides white sound, and they are less nervous with that.It's not only separation anxiety.

[sbj405]

6. He has company in the form of another dog

I have tried every possible combo of placing him somewhere in the house and the other options have led to more destruction or him hurting himself. I'm not putting him in the basement to be mean, it's for his own safety. There is less for him to get into down there. Again, I have done/do all the typical things (music/tv/clomicalm/patricia mcconnel "I'll be home soon" program/ Tellington touch therapy/etc.) for him. He also gets a Kong stuffed with peanut butter when we leave. :shrug:

He really is a great dog, though.

[RadicalMom]

7. Well, TTouch, too? I have one who was eventually cured of separation

anxiety, but his exhibited as chewing obsessively. I used the Kong and a zillion ideas, until I decided to coat some "bait" paperback books with Bitter Apple gel, and that stopped it. For scratching like that, hmmm. I do know we've used the carpet remnants that someone else posted as a suggestion, to keep the horses from chewing wood, and it worked for that. Wire mesh didn't work for the horses, but coarse screen or what they call "hardware cloth, could work as well, if the holes were just big enough to make scratching it unpleasant, but not so big that he would tear his toenails in it. I've used some of the Bach Flower Remedies with some of the animals, and they can be effective. Rescue Remedy (from the health food stores) comes to mind, to quiet anxiety. Beyond that you should talk to someone who is well versed in them. This is going to sound strange, but I have used loadstone (a natural magnet, available at some "new age" stores, and rock stores), which we hung in a medicine bag, again from a new age or native American shop, and hung from my horses neck. It helped him to calm down, by changing energy patterns. Also put some in the water, and can do tht with water in a container which is then poured into the bowl, again affecting energy. So, you could hang a small bag on the guy's collar, and see what happened. It helped my horse quite a bit.

[sbj405]

10. Thanks. I think I'll try the carpet. We did resuce remedy

before the clomicalm. I hope this dog realizes how lucky he is. I'm sure many people would have long since returned him to the shelter.

[ernstbass]

8. My 4 dogs have torn up the molding

by my back door. I have plexiglass on the wall but the molding is scratched and I just repaint it every so often. They race to the door and scratch and jump when they see something in the back yard. Obviously they are not well trained!

[kslib]

9. Tried meds?

My cat used to have such severe SA that she would get stress-induced bladder inflammation and spray every time I left, or didn't pay much attention to her or even went through any "getting ready" motions. I tried for 3 years to do behavior mod/holistic and pheremone therapy/play and touch therapies, and it only got worse. I finally broke down and talked to the vet about amitryptaline. I didn't want to "drug" her, but the dose is low enough that she still wants to play and cuddle! She's quieter, but that may be due to less stress and not "doping effect." When I used it in conjunction with the therapies and pheremones, we were able to reduce the dosage to this level and, eventually, we'll wean her off. Sounds like you may need some medicine intervention to give the behavior therapy a chance to work!

I did notice you've used clomicalm. Is that a drug? If so, you may not want to give up this route, different meds and dosages have different effects. For instance, one of the vets that I went to gave my Gracie Valium, but she was just too sleepy, not a good quality of life, so, after that vet was unwilling to prescribe anything else that was acceptable to me, I found one that did.

Also, are there any vet colleges or big hospitals near your home? Many of them have behavioral specialists that may have some different ideas....

Good Luck!!!!