[CyrusMom]

Hello all, glad I found this forum, lots of great info.

I just adopted a 19 month old Rescue, he's a great boy with mostly good behavior and follows commands except that I am having a few issues that I need help with.

Seperation Anxiety, he is right next to my feet at all times, if I am out of his site he goes into an anxious state, even taking a shower is a problem, if I put him in his crate he howls and throws himself against the sides of the crate, bites the wires, a real temper tantrum, I don't let him out until he is calm which takes quite a while. His crate is covered. He sleeps well at night in the crate, I leave the door open and close my bedroom door and he willingly goes into the crate and sleeps all night in the crate with the crate door open. I have tried to find posts on the forum concerning his high anxiety and crate temper tantrums. I have had him for a week and that's still an adjustment period I'm sure, but need some advice on how to deal with his anxiety and temper tantrums.

Lacking knowledge of play - Since the day I brought him home, he has no concept of a toy, he doesn't understand what a ball is and to chase it when I throw it, I keep working with him, but he's much more concerned with staying at my feet, he will take no chew toy, he tries to chew on all wood surfaces in the house, he buries treats in the rugs. How do I introduce him to chew toys and exercise with toys? When we are outside and I am trying to introduce him to play, all he wants is to jump on me which I don't allow.

We are working on the jumping and pushy I want attention now issues, and I do like the idea of standing on his leash - but I have to train him to not chew on the leash in the house...... otherwise he's learning to stay off of me - slowly :-)

Cyrus is great on walks, heels, sits when I stop, follows command, ignores loose dogs and people as well as loud noises (doesn't startle) we've worked everyday, I take him over to the skate park where there are objects for him to jump and climb. The issues above appear to be our problems at this time.

Thanks, and sorry for such a long post.
Steph