HELP w/ separation anxiety PLEASE
Hello, I am new to this forum so bear with me...
I adopted a 9 month old terrier mix in April after putting my 17 yr old yorkie down. It might have been a little too soon but we got another one anyway. Bella is an awesome dog, she was already potty trained in fact she never asks to go out she just waits till you take her. She knew to sit & lay and we have taught her to shake so she certainly isn't dumb....she was found on the side of the road in Oct with a broken right leg so no one knows what happened there. The rescue place had her in 2 seperate foster homes and one family had tried to adopt her but they had big dogs that picked on her so she was returned. And has bad as I am we have called them 3 times to take her back...but we still have her. She is very loving but also super needy as in she is up my butt all the time...so hence my first problem. When I leave for work I have to go out the front door and walk around to the garage because she destroyed the carpet leading to the garage. Everything is always fine when I come home for lunch to take her out, but of course I can't stay long and that is when the destruction happens. Every night she has destroyed the throw rugs I have down so today I took them all up but the ones by the front door...well she didn't destroy them but the carpet around the entry, and I mean destroyed it. I always give her a chew bone when I leave but I guess they don't last long obviously. I have been working on the crating thing but as of right now she will only lay in it with her feet hanging out, when I close the door I tell her good girl and give her treats and walk away...then she starts digging at the crate and yelping...I also live in an apt so...I put a shirt & toy in there too. But when I open the door she goes bonkers with excitement like I just came home. She gets taken out every night to the park and gets to run without the leash for as long as she wants or wears out. I have sprayed the carpets with hairspray and rubbed tobasco sauce on them (read that on another site) obviously that didn't work either....I am desperate to stop this....I called a trainer but he wants $300 for 4 1 hour sessions which will be my last ditch effort...I don't want to have to giver her away but at this moment it's getting tempting.
Any and all suggestions here would be greatly appreciated as I am at my wits end with her...:(
Thank you, Cheril