chewing when left

Question
Hi Jen

we have a 6 months old black male lab, who has been very easy to house train etc from being 8 weeks old - he has not required a crate since being 11 weeks. There is usually someone with him most of the day, and we take him out with us a lot. However, occasionally we do have to leave him for periods of perhaps 2 or 3 hours, which when he was younger, was never a problem - he has his toys, and nothing was ever disturbed. However, in the last few weeks, he has been more anxious when we have had to leave him,(again, I stress we only leave him very occasionally) and on a few occasions, he has chewed things - footwear in particular, and has had a few goes at the doormat - it is usually things in the doorway area. We move things now when we go, but it has thrown us more because it is only recently this has been happening, and never when he was much younger, when it would be expected. Any advice?

Answer
6 months is about the age they start getting in trouble again.  Just crate the dog again.  I find many folks get lazy and think they have the perfect dog when it's just a few weeks old, and then think that once the puppy hits the "teen years" it will also be perfect.  Dogs will chew, potty inside, and be a general nuisance when they hit the teen years.  Take a step back, retrain, use the crate again, and things will get back to normal in a few months again.