Boone is a Jekyll and Hyde dog. When he is around people, he is a wonderful, loving, well-behaved dog. In the two days he has been with me, he has been perfectly calm and gentle.
What, then, is the problem?
I remember when we had Boone as a puppy. I attempted to crate him at night, but he barked for hours. During the day when I went to work, I left him in his crate until my son got up. Too much crate time? Probably so, but it may have also been the beginning stages of separation anxiety. He tore at the bars of metal crate, breaking the welds and bending the wire.
His history in other foster homes and in his second adoptive home also indicates difficulty in being in his crate and destructive behavior when left alone.
No family can be with their animals ALL the time - even when one has an issue with separation. Neither can any family run the risk of having their home destroyed! My feeling is that he needs an experienced owner who is in a situation to have Boone in proximity for the majority of the time and can work with him to help ease his stress.
I am not a dog trainer and have no confidence that I have either the time or skill to be effective in helping him. When I picked him up on Friday, he looked sad and defeated. I want for him to find a family situation where he can go with his owner most of the time or have a family member home with him. A person who works outdoors and needs a companion/helper might be the ideal situation. He is eager to please, seems to be very intelligent, and would be happy to be up and moving.
Tomorrow I will explore one option that may provide him an alternative for the expectation of constant companionship from his owner that he seems to crave. A day care situation may help give him the human and animal contact to keep him upbeat and on a positive track.
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