[Adrianhj]

Hi all. I am the proud owner of 2 dogs and 2 cats and have had animals all my life. One of my dogs who took a while to house train does something that I really can't get my head around and have tried everything to resolve. He is a confident young spitz who is fully toilet trained when myself or my partner are around. He is very very hyper active and is walked around 6 times a day. However he constantly poohs and pees in the house if left to his own devices and has to be crated if we leave the apt which I hate doing. He is fixed. If left alone he will pooh and pee on sofas and beds where ever he can. Even if myself or my partner shut a door he will start chasing the other animals and jump around and start barking at them and then poohs and pees. He knows he has done wrong once he has done it as he becomes very submissive and looks scared but he will not stop doing it and we have tried everything. He seems a very happy dog and knows so many tricks but this behavior will not seem to stop and we have seen behavioral therapists the lot but he won't stop. Does anyone have any advice. Not sure it's desperation anxiety as he has access to people all the time with a dog walker and I work from home. Any help or advice much appreciated.

[Lucky098]

Some dogs suffer from a disease called separation anxiety.

Seeing as how he has a lot of activities in his life, his disease is not full blown and obnoxious. Yes, his pottying in the house is annoying, but he hasn't graduated to destruction.

You say he is young, how young? I personally don't trust any dog under the age of 5. They are just too full of themselves and test the waters.

But seeing as how he does this when alone, I would stem back to separation anxiety. You can try medications both prescription or natural to help... Melatonin is a great natural supplement that helps dogs chill out who suffer from anxiety. You could try and see if the supplement works on your dog.

Honestly, he gets out enough where him being in a crate while you are gone is not mean or cruel in any way. He does not live in it and he gets out plenty. Crates keep good dogs good. It prevents him from being naughty and ruining your things. Don't feel bad that he needs to stay in it while everyone is gone.

As for his guilty looks.. those looks are just a good deploy to prevent you from getting madder at him. Unless you catch him in the act of soiling your things, he doesn't connect the two together.