This is a recent question from a reader of my website: 

Question:  I recently adopted a Boxer from an animal shelter. According to them he had been with a family for a short time then sent the SPCA due to inability to care for him.

We tried a crate the first two nights and he was able to get out the second night. We have realized he needs to be near people.  Example, he doesn’t like to be outside on a chain unless we are outside, even if we go inside for a few minutes he will whine some and want to come in.

We are having problems housebreaking him. He urinates and defecates in the house when we are gone or sleeping even if he has done so outside prior.  This behavior seemed to decrease over the first month we had him.  We then went away for five days and had a house sitter and he was horrible.  She would walk him and he would do his business or seem to then once back in the house he would urinate and defecate more.  It has been two days since we have been back and he has continued this behavior though not to the degree he did while we were gone.

Now he has started going through the garbage and taking items off the kitchen counter.   He is a loving dog but exhibits this negative behaviors (inconsistently) and we cannot find a reason for it.  Any advice?

Answer:  No need to analyze in depth the reason why he does these things.  He simply does these things because he hasn’t been trained not to.

First things first, you need a better crate.  Yes, he does need to be around people.  All dogs do.  The purpose of the crate is to teach the dog to be calm when people aren’t around.  Getting your dog crate trained is going to fix the house training and garbage diving problem and will once and for all teach your dog how to be alone.