New dog keeps scavenging when we leave
We’ve had him for about 3 weeks, he is extremely loving and patient with our little kids. He also listens to commands well.
However he seems to have separation anxiety, and copes with it by scavenging everything.
We have left him on our main floor while sleeping with a gate up. A couple times he has knocked over the gate and whined at our door.
Then sometimes when we come down in the morning there is a loaf of bread half eaten.
More recently we left for 1 hour(!) for a soccer game, and he chewed up a dirty diaper.
He gets PLENTY of attention when we are here, and I work from home so that is 95% of the time.
I am thinking a crate will be necessary while we are gone, and possibly at night (though Im worried about whining/barking while we sleep).
I understand we just need to keep food put away, but I am wondering more about why the separation anxiety and how to address that directly?