I'm looking for TALL pet/baby gate recommendations that can contain my 3 year-old lab-mix. Right now I have a 34' inch tall "Munchkin" baby gate between the kitchen and dining room. It's sturdy enough, but my dog just jumps over it whenever she's left alone. Lyla has separation anxiety and destroys things whenever she's been given free reign of the house. For her safety, and my peace of mind I want her to stay in the kitchen. Unfortunately, all of the "extra tall" gates I've found online don't go much higher than what I already have. The archway is 83' inches tall, so I need something closer to that height. Also, Lyla will scratch or break any gate that's flimsy. If any other owners have had similar issues (or success stories!) with keeping keeping their dog contained please feel free to share. [Note: Crating will not work for our home situation, so please don't suggest it!]
Whether you use crate training or keep the dog in the kitchen, the main problem here is the separation anxiety - not the stair gate. Even if you (somehow) find a stair gate taller than the tallest stair gate, the dog is still going to be just as anxious when shut in the kitchen, as she would be when able to jump over the gate. Arguably - more anxious, because she has less control over her situation and will feel she can't escape it. So, the thing you really need to be working on with a behaviourist, is the separation anxiety - not stair gate shopping... that is a red herring. The best book on separation anxiety (by far) I've read, is: http://a.co/d/8k8Ozb6 Malena (who wrote that book) also has a website, where she offers online coaching and training to owners who are working with separation problems in their dogs: https://malenademartini.com
