How much freedom should our dog have inside the house?

Question
We have a 2 1/2 year old Border Collie/Lab mix and he is a wonderful smart, energetic, loving dog. We work and go to school, so he is kept in a 4' X 5' "room" in our basement all day.  He spends between 8 and 10 hours there on weekdays. We put toys and treats in the room and he tolerates it OK.  We started doing this because as a puppy he would chew everything -- baseboards, wallpaper, his own dog bed, etc. -- when he got bored.

Now that he's matured, we're debating about giving him more freedom (like, upstairs in the kitchen/den area that has windows) so his days will be a little more pleasant.  Should we?  If so, what would be the best way to test whether he will become destructive again?  He has had an intact dog bed for several months now, in his "room", and has not bothered it. We do have carpet in the den and, of course, nice furniture.

Answer
Hi Terri,  Give him small amounts at a time.  As long as he isn't being destructive, you can open up bigger and bigger space to him.  He probably has matured enough to handle it now, but to play it safe, small amounts is the way to go.    Hope this helps,

Dawn