I have a male pup about 7 months old. He has not been neutered. He has separation anxiety.

Symptoms are:
He's fine in the crate if he can see me. If I leave him in the crate and leave the house, or put the crate in another room, or we go to a new place (hotel, friend's house, etc.) and I crate him, he barks, whines, pants, salivates and tries to dig out of the crate. He will carry on for hours.

I don't work a typical 9-5 and thus don't have a structured "routine." Most days, though, I work from home and he stays next to me in his ex pen. I emailed Cindy about this and she agreed it's separation anxiety, and pointed me to some Leerburg articles on this.

Am I right to think that I need to change his routine to leave him in the crate in a room far away from me during the day until he gets used to not being around me? Should I start leaving him in there except for training & walking times? I can usually spend all day near him, but the times where I absolutely have to go somewhere and can't bring a dog are turning out to be really problematic.

Exercise does not seem to help for instance, I ran him like crazy last night, and later crated him for bed and to take out the garbage at 1am. Usually at that time of night he's dead tired, but while I was gone taking out the trash he started acting up and I waited outside the house until he settled down for a minute, then went inside really fast before he could start acting up again.

He does not mind being in the crate so long as he can see me. Oddly enough, he is usually calm in the crate when he's in the car, even if I leave him for a few hours. However, now that the weather is getting hot, I can't keep putting him in the car.

I'm hoping there are some specific actions I can take to help this.

Oh, BTW, though I have never done the LB "pack structure" work, I have no doubt that he respects me as pack leader, his obedience work is excellent etc etc etc.

Is this only when crated?

Has this been always, or was there a triggering event?

Have you taught stay with markers, and do you have busy-toys?

Does he follow you around when uncrated?

Where are you in the practice of leaving the room very briefly and randomly and returning before reaction is triggered?

Is there another person he knows who can be part (even a small part) of the "coming in unexpectedly soon after you leave" practice?

Have you left him a worn article of your clothing along with a busy-toy? What was his reaction?

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Is this only when crated?

Well, anytime I leave him for more than a couple minutes I crate him. But he does seem to get nervous if I leave him even without crating for a moment (to get the mail from outside, for instance).

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Has this been always, or was there a triggering event?

I can't think of a time when he was not like this. Maybe when he was really young (2-3 months).

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Have you taught stay with markers, and do you have busy-toys?

I have taught him "down" and "sit" with markers, but not a generic "stay." I have tried leaving bones and chews with him when I leave the house, and they are usually only half eaten by the time I come back - i.e. there's still plenty of flesh for him on the bone so he must have only chewed it for a brief while.

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Does he follow you around when uncrated?

Absolutely yes, but occasionally will run off into the other room if he gets bored from me just sitting at my desk. There he will play with a toy, chew on a bone or whatever.

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Where are you in the practice of leaving the room very briefly and randomly and returning before reaction is triggered?

I have not done this at all, formally. Informally, I will sometimes crate him, then go to another part of the house that sounds like I'm leaving (using the same door I exit from) and try to get back before he starts freaking, which takes a maximum of 3-4 minutes. Should I be doing more?

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Is there another person he knows who can be part (even a small part) of the "coming in unexpectedly soon after you leave" practice?

I can probably dragoon a friend into doing this on a short term basis if you think it will help.

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Have you left him a worn article of your clothing along with a busy-toy? What was his reaction?

No I have not done this.

What is the specific routine for your coming and going? Specifically, what happens when you put him in the crate before you leave? What do you do; what does he do?

Even more important to me, what exactly is the routine like when you get home? How does that go--from the moment you open the door and walk in, to when he gets released from the crate?

I'd like to see the response to Tracy's questions too.

Most of my own first like of "attack" with apparent S/A revolves around extremely casual leaving and returning (extremely casually) before anxiety is triggered.

When I mentioned a second person, I meant a second person who could also be an actual "relief" person in the event that you do leave, but who begins by being a part of the desensitizing practices.

This sounds kinda like the type of S/A that might have sprung from becoming reliant on your presence early on. For me, this is probably somewhat easier to work with than the kind that is mysterious in origin (some event that happened while boarded or home alone but can't be identified).

That doesn't mean easy. Just maybe somewhat easier.

I do start with and stay patiently with accustomizing him to brief and random leavetakings, returning casually (no fanfare) before his anxiety starts. I increase this very slowly.

Frequent exercise is good. I know you mentioned it, but it's crucial so I'm mentioning it again.

I do leave a scented article of clothing with a dog who doesn't eat fabric.

I don't reward attention-seeking.

I leave on a nearby talk-channel radio.

I start a system of accustomizing him to being alone-ish with a chewy or toy while I'm home (which sounds like you have going a little bit already).

I don't have contact until he's quiet and calm. (I haven't let him get all worked up first, before starting this "rule.")

I step outside and back in quietly and quickly several times a day, only gradually lengthening the time. I would not wait until a "real" leavetaking was imminent before starting this. I'd make it a fact of life.

This is all pretty much what any S/A article will tell you, but I'm saying it can work, and your situation sounds like a less-than-terrible one.. I think you can slowly and gradually begin to fix this.

That is, it reads like a desensitizing practice is needed for a dog who learned to be too dependent on you.

But others will have more, too.

 Quote: Tracy Collins

What is the specific routine for your coming and going? Specifically, what happens when you put him in the crate before you leave? What do you do; what does he do?

Even more important to me, what exactly is the routine like when you get home? How does that go--from the moment you open the door and walk in, to when he gets released from the crate?

Also, what parts of prep for leavetaking trigger his anxiety?

Shoes, keys, lights, cell phone, etc.?

FWIW, this may sound very stupid, but I'll suggest one tiny piece of the puzzle; when I desensitized Sadie's SA, I included some verbal markers (Bye bye; Daddy's coming back, etc,etc.). Maybe it didn't make a difference, but I think the soothing did, so It's something I do to this day.
I had an uncle who stayed with me for a short while, and for some reason his presence made her SA worse. She also has much less anxiety if I leave her in the yard rather than in her crate (pbly due to self-gratifying behavior when unsupervised).

 Quote: Tracy Collins

What is the specific routine for your coming and going? Specifically, what happens when you put him in the crate before you leave? What do you do; what does he do?

There isn't really a "routine" per se, though since I am usually running late for appointments, I do get in a bit of a stressed/rushed mode where I am running around, getting dressed, showering, getting my things together etc. just before leaving. Also when I have a morning appointment, I will wake up early to get him out of bed, feed him and walk him. He usually gets his first feeding and walking in the late morning.

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Even more important to me, what exactly is the routine like when you get home? How does that go--from the moment you open the door and walk in, to when he gets released from the crate?

This I think I am doing "by the book." What I mean is, since I know he has problems, I will come home and wait anywhere from 5-20 minutes after getting home before I go to his crate and let him out. When he does come out, I don't pet him or praise him, just calmly put his leash on right away (if he's jumping I'll make him sit) and then take him outside to relieve himself. I deliberately act indifferent to him until after he has been outside and starts acting "normally," which doesn't take very long at all once I get him out.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Most of my own first like of "attack" with apparent S/A revolves around extremely casual leaving and returning (extremely casually) before anxiety is triggered.

I'm realizing that this is something I can work on. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm usually rushed when leaving and he knows that when I'm rushed, I'm going to be leaving soon. For instance, if I run around trying on shirts, ties, etc. back and forth to the closet, then crate him while I shower he will start barking and crying in the crate. Normally if I crate him while I shower, he is perfectly fine.

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This sounds kinda like the type of S/A that might have sprung from becoming reliant on your presence early on.

This is entirely plausible to me. I have been following LB methods since I got him at 8 1/2 weeks and really took to heart that you never leave the dog unsupervised until its almost a year old. I had him tethered or ex-penned next to me all the time, and in the crate for bed time. The fact that I'm home for most of the day meant that I spent even more time than most with him.

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I do start with and stay patiently with accustomizing him to brief and random leavetakings, returning casually (no fanfare) before his anxiety starts. I increase this very slowly.

OK I will start doing this.

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I start a system of accustomizing him to being alone-ish with a chewy or toy while I'm home (which sounds like you have going a little bit already).

Do you think it would help if I moved his expen one room over so he's still in earshot, but not next to me all day?

Thanks everyone for all the help. I really felt at a loss about this and was worried that it's "unfixable."

Just to chime in, Amber had horrible separation anxiety, she destroyed blinds, etc. For a couple of months I kenneled her at a kennel and worked with her when I was at home. I would bring her into a room give her a treat, then close the door partway and talk to her, then gradually I built up to closing the door and continuing to talk (or sing constantly) then backing further away, then over time stop talking for longer and longer periods and getting further and further away from the door. Eventually going outside etc. I always made a point to give her a treat before I "left" and ignoring her for a little bit when I came home. When I do leave for work or whatever, I say "I'll be right back" and she will go lie down in the living room. I do leave the TV on for her (silly I know) She's reliable about being left alone now. Good luck to you and your pup, it takes time but you can get them over SA.