It was definitely easier dog training before my daughter. I always said when we lost our beautiful boy that we weren't in a position to get another dog. But if a dog was on my doorstep I would take it in.
Thing is when he does things destructive I get really angry (how can you not) and he really goes into himself. I know I'm doing more harm than good. And when the anger has passed you have a clear head to think (and get advice) x

I'm lucky my dog Pip did very little damage and lucky that my neighbours were understanding about his barking and howling.
have you tired leaving a large duvet on the couch so she can bury herself into that . i have small blankets on my couch and my two tend to bury themselves underneath them . I've sat on them sometimes when I didnt know the were there

About the peeing on the bed , this isnt done out of spite . Spite or revenge is a human thing
Peeing in beds is common behaviour with cats and dogs when they are upset, your scent is a comfort to them and its the most strongest in your bed. They add there own scent to yours to reassure themselves and feel more secure.

Fortunately although my first Pei suffered from separation anxiety, it wasn't acute so dealing with was never much of a problem.

I just wanted to add though that when my present Pei Georgina was having one of her panic attacks, due to her being partially sighted, I found a thunder shirt helped to calm her down. The downside of them is that in summer she got hot wearing one.

I also gave her Dorwest Skullcap and Valerian tablets which are extremely effective, even more so than a DAP collar. The other thing I looked at was her diet. Although she's only ever been fed grain free kibble occasionally for breakfast, I cut it out completely and gave her raw chicken feet or necks instead.

I made sure she had plenty of sleep. Many people don't realise that a dog needs around 17 hours sleep, made up of snoozes during the day plus at least 12 hours sleep at night. As with humans the less sleep the more stress!

Just tiny changes but put together they actually do make a difference.

Yes, you're bound to feel angry and upset. Would it help if you think of Eric as a special needs dog ! perhaps its best to leave the room until you have calmed down , it really is important.
He really doesnt know why you are angry and he is going to feel more insecure and therefore become more clingy. Something you dont want! Generally you want him to feel relaxed and confident so he can cope on his own without you .

Dogs, like humans , repeat behaviour that is rewarding to them. This is reinforcement . He gets something back from chewing and destruction . it makes him feel better so he will keep doing it. It helps him cope.
If he has other alternatives to make him feel better and becomes more settled and less angsty and calmer about you leaving , he wont feel the need to do it.
This is how following behaviour modification plan helps .


He, like all animals, have no comprehension of what carpets and furniture are and what they mean to us. The carpet is just something underneath his paws , no different to him from grass or concrete so while he knows you are angry he's not going to understand why and its scary for him.

I've always lived in a muli pet household and have developed a relaxed attitude about the state of the furniture , I gave up having carpets years ago, its so much easier washing wee off the lino than carpets
What I get back from my pets , the enjoyment of having them and the affection they give back to me is worth far more than having a smart and tidy house.

Good points Chlosmum, seemingly small things can make a big difference.
Rescue remedy is often recommended too and for stressed humans.

I can really sympathise with you. Georgina, my Pei girl was never destructive, but because she lost her sight at 4 months old and it took nearly 9 months and 5 operations to restore her sight to normal, she lived in an almost permanent state of panic which made coping with her extremely difficult, especially when she had a panic attack in the middle of the night, after being woken up by an owl hooting! I didn't realise how many swear words I knew!

Like you, I'm very aware that getting angry is counter productive and reflects in your body language which is quickly noticed by your dog. I still sometimes feel angry with Georgina who can be very stubborn and non-cooperative, but when I do I count to ten, relax my shoulders and do everything slowly whilst mentally cursing the day she was born. If I want to moan about her I talk to my other dog and tell him quietly what a ****** awful sister he's got, and what are we going to do with her!

But when all is said and done I wouldn't be without her for the world!

I filmed for one hour (and then the battery ran out) in that hour he probably slept for half of it and spent the rest crying, digging and trying to escape. He played with his Kong and treats for very little time. Feel ten times worse about everything now knowing he is so stressed in the crate. But to leave him out of the crate I'm really worried what he will do destruction wise x

So, I needed to go to tip and to shop to get a few bits. Left both dogs in utility room with the crate door opened and filmed.
Interesting footage. Was gone for 40 minutes, he looked out of utility room door for a few seconds then went and laid in his crate! Checked door again, couple of whines, then back in his crate. Completely different to previous footage.
No destruction, nothing! X

Well Done Eric

Wow ! That is brilliant. Well done Eric.

That is a great start . The more he chills out when you are gone, the more he will improve overall.