Why is my senior dog suddenly destroying his crate and escaping?

Question

I have a 9 year old dog who has always been crated but suddenly he has been tearing up his crate and escaping. What can I do? I am at a loss and I can't leave him loose in my house all day. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 45 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Crash! In most cases, dogs who tear up their crates and try to escape from them during the day have severe separation anxiety. This is a serious problem that will require professional help to treat, so I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan to work on his anxiety. This may include prescription medication to help keep him from panicking while you work on training him to be more comfortable by himself during the day. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org If you don't have a behaviorist nearby, you could also consider working remotely with a trainer who specializes in this problem, such as Malena DiMartini: https://malenademartini.com/

Why is my senior dog suddenly destroying his crate and escaping?

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