Weimi/Lab is great, but chews only when left

Question
I got him when he was suppose to be 8 month old (neutered etc)  but believe he was no more than 5 month (just had al his adult teeth. He was house broken in 3 days, has never been to obedience school but this is because he sits, stays, lays down, shakes, heals, sits when I stop as we walk..all on command. He has been truly easy to train and is VERY sweet. For 2 months after I got him he was fine home alone, never chewing anything, he has lots of toys to chew. Some use to be stuffed animal which probably did not help, not they are all Kongs/Nylabones etc. Then however he started to chew pillows etc. So I began to crate him when I left, which he did not like much. Now, about 10 month later, I tried again and for over a month he was great out loose. Now though he is chewing again, bed spreads, magazines etc, but wont even touch the rawhide I may leave him, his toys etc. When I am home (most of the time as I work from home) he never chews anything but his own stuff. When I crate him I can leave a peanut butter filled Kong in his crate and he wont touch it for 5 hours! I come home, let him out, he dances around, goes into the crate to get the Kong, and eats the peanut butter. The only thing he eats in his crate is something like Pupperonies.

I know the answer is to crate him when I leave. How do I get him to enjoy his crate though, rest in it on his own etc. at his age? Right now he only goes in when I ask him to and have a treat in my hand. I have just started putting his food in the crate, but has not gotten hungry enough to eat in there yet, we are on day 2. The caret is downstairs, he sleeps in his bed upstairs with me at night, next to my bed. Sorry for the long winded email, thanks for the help!  

Answer
Thank you for all the details.  You would be surprised how many times I am trying to answer a question not knowing the age, sex, or if spay/neutered.  Since you told me all that, and that some of the usual things have failed, I can go on to other things.

It is possible for a dog to do very well in his obedience commands as yours does, and still not acknowledge the owner as the leader.  Unfortunately many people spend money on classes and the instructor fails to teach them their proper role.  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.  Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

If the top dog decides to crate a lower ranking one, it needs to accept it and make the best of it.  I don't think any dog enjoys left behind in a crate.  My dogs are quite accepting it, willing entering the crate at the command ''Kennel''.  I am not sure you can do a lot more to make the dog happier in the crate, but stronger leadership may make it acceptable.  

I would discontinue the rawhide and any other consumable chews.  The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into
pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages.  If you are not
there to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs.  Keep a
close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in
pieces.  Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed.
These problems are the worst with, but not limited to, large, aggressive
chewers such as Labs.