6 year old Yellow Lab behavior change

Question
I have a 6 year old Lab Hoover - who has been a typical Lab since we adopted him at 8 weeks old.  Crate trained very quickly and we kept him that way for the 1st 1 and 1/2 - then we trusted him to roam the house when we were out.  He has never had an accident or done anything damaging until a few months ago.  I believe he is trying to get our attention.  It started that when people would visit he would run to get something - a shoe, a stuffed toy (kids toys not his) anything and then would chew it.  He then got an ear infection and started with allergies (chewing his paws and his rear)  Vet gave us allergy meds and he started taking food off the counters while we were out (NEVER DID THIS BEFORE).  He is fed twice a day so its not like he is starved.  We thought it was the meds so we stopped the meds.  Now the past week - he has taken anything he can get off the counters, tissues, papers anything.  I left 4 pieces of bakers chocolate square out one night by mistake - he ate them (he vomited once but was ok) and the next day he ate the recipes of the food I made the night before.  The only thing I can make of it is that I have stopped letting him sleep in our room at night (because he snores)that was in the beginning of the summer.  Any thoughts of what would change his behavior so drastically and so quickly?  I am going to have to crate him when we go out if he keeps this up.

HELP - Thanks
Gary

Answer
It wouldn't hurt to talk it over with the vet.  Even ask about a fix for the snoring.  

My best idea is that it is the sleeping in the bedroom thing.  Being thrown out of the bedroom is a big thing with a dog.  It would be a huge demotion in rank.  

More attention including obedience lessons may help.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm