Help me please

Bailey did about £200 of damage to our house last night (as you know, we're in rented).

Bailey is like a puppy, she cannot be left without being destructive.

I emailed her previous owners this morning and told them what had happened (I've had to take today off work as I've been up since 2.30am with Bailey).

They've refused to take her back and have asked me to rehome her! I need to work (today is going to cost me in the region of £100 just to take the day off) and she can't be left alone ... what am I going to do?

They told me she was fine to be left on her own ... apparently this is so not the case.

I've emailed three rescue centres and am waiting to hear back - can anyone give me some advice?

Have you got a room where she can't do much damage where you can leave her safely? I'd try a long walk before you leave.. try and tire her out first, hopefully its just down to anxiety due to the new home and part of her settling in process, poor girl. please don't give up yet.

No, we haven't. We thought the room she was in would be okay but she's done so much damage.

I do feel dreadful but she can't be left on her own - she get really, really stressed. We left her for as long as we could last night but she just got worse.

I'm sorry to sound harsh but to pick up a dog up and expect to leave it in a new environment is not v. realistic.

Why did you pick her up when you knew you had work - could you not have picked her up at the weekend or taking some time off to settle her first?

I am sure with TIME she can be left but this girl is very stressed out right now.

She needs to adjust to her new environment and has been through an awful lot in her life it would seem.

I would invest in a dap diffuser (will find a link) and a dap collar to help with the stress.

She needs very gentle handling it would seem.

I haven't read all of your previous posts but have you owned a dog before ?

So people with lots more experience in rescue I'm sure will have some better advice as I have always had dogs from puppies who have not had the stress your girl is going through.

do you have any idea what her sleeping arangements were like in her old home? did she behave like this there? I am really hoping its just teething probs, Maybe if you have a day off today You'll bond a bit and she'll feel more settled.


has she got access to treats (filled kong that sort of thing)

What sort of destruction is it? chewing or scratching at the doors?

did you leave the radio on for her last night after?

No, I haven't had dogs before but my partner has. We specifically asked her current owners whether she would be okay to be left for 2 to 4 hours as we both work.

They said she was fine. They said she would take to her bed and stay there.

She hasn't stopped pacing since we picked her up last night and barely slept last night.

And no, we didn't expect to get a good nights sleep last night but we did not expect £200 of damage and for me to spend the whole night awake in the living room with her.

Dap link as promised - vets sell them or can buy online.

http://www.doggiesolutions.co.uk/erol.html#1X0

I think you need to invest in a secure safe place for her.

I feel for Bailey she is obviously pretty stressed out right now.

When are you due to be off on holiday? if you can persevere till then or get someone to look after her or even doggy day care (some kennels will allow you to leave your dog in during the day - it's not ideal, but at least an option) then when you are off you can work on the leaving her. I would reccomend a crate/cage, a good quality one so as to minimise her injuring herself. Make it appealing for her toys etc feed her in it and gradually build up the time you leave her. If persistent this really can take as little as a week - again not ideal byut a solution. She may be incredibly stressed. Can you also leave something with your scent on t with her, or even better if poss and if you are confident her previous owners were good to her, get something with their scent on it to leave with her.

Again a really last resort option but a muzzle maybe an option but you would have to monitor how she acted so as to ensure she couldn't injure herself or become even more distressed. I would say that this option would be totally last ditch and really would have to be monitored very closely as the last thing you want is more distress or fear to be instilled into her.

As Halleybella said - don't give up just yet if at all possible

Good Luck

I left the radio on but it didn't make a difference.

Apparently she used to sleep under her previous owners' bed.

They said she paced a lot and would wear herself out and then go to sleep.

She doesn't understand treats - she was brought up in a kennel in a back garden. She doesn't understand playing with a ball, chewing a toy, playing in water .... nothing. I managed to teach her to get in to her basket last night so she's not stupid but she is like a puppy.

We didn't get a puppy because we knew we couldn't handle it and wouldn't have enough time to give it the attention it needed or deserved.

what sort of destruction is it? chewing or scratching?