I am in need of some urgent advice. Last Wednesday I adopted a heartworm positive 2 yr old mixed breed dog from the shelter. I believe he has severe separation and confinement anxiety and don't know what to do.

Long story short, I spent about 5 days attempting to get him used to his crate. He would get in there to retrieve treats and he wouldn't even mind the door being latched as long as he had his stuffed kong. However as soon as he was done with the kong, he would dig, bite and shake the crate, try to use his weight to open the latch, etc... On about day 4 I left for about 10 minutes to find out he had escaped. I put him back in there and figured out that by all his biting and shaking of the crate he got one latch undone. Then he pushed and squeezed out of a very small opening.

I figured it will take more time for him to get used to the crate so yesterday I confined him in my bedroom when I left the house for about 30 minutes. I came back and I believed he did fine. However, last night when it was time for bed (he was sleeping in my room for the past 4 nights just fine), he started flipping out and scratching at the bedroom door even though I was in the bedroom with him.

Then this morning I had no choice but to put him in my room. I came home from lunch and the carpet and carpet padding by the door is shred to pieces. So I tried to put him in the crate with the treat. He fights me and does not go in. I tried to take him to a dog park in my complex the other day, even there he would dig and bite at the chain linked fence and try to escape.

So I hate to say it but I believe I am out of options but to return him to the shelter. He is absolutely unwilling to be kept in a crate and shut in the bedroom (even when I am there). I do not have a yard (and the way he acted at the dog park not sure even that would help). He only seems content with a free roam around the house when there are other people there. There is no way I can spend 18 hours a day with him. I've thought about forcing him in the crate and reinforcing it with D Links and carbeeners. However, he still bites and digs out it consistently (I'm surprised he hasnt broke a tooth or has injured his paw). I've read that I can put a muzzle on him in the crate but what kind of way of that is for him to live.

Other then that he is a great dog. Does anyone have any advice for me before I have to take that awful drive back to the shelter. So far he seems house broken and great with people. If i do take him back to the shelter I just hope he gets adopted by a new family then can give him the attention that he deserves.