Please, I need advice! I adopted a dog about mid July. She is a border collie/black lab mix, and is 3 years old. I don't know her history as she was a stray at a shelter. For the first month, I went to work everyday and she was a very good dog at home- only once did she have an 'accident' on the carpet. Also no chewing, etc. I was then laid-off from my job (early Aug.). Now I am home a lot and take her with me when I leave as much as I can. The problem is this: When I have to leave and absolutely CAN'T take her, even if it is an hour or two, I come home to her having 'done her duties' on the carpet. I always make sure she goes outside to do so before I leave, so I know she is not being made to wait too long. She has also started doing some chewing that she never did before. She is a dog that follows me everywhere, even inside the house. She has to be in the same room with me all the time. She has a crate that she sleeps in during the night next to the bed (we have cats that run around and she likes to chase). I don't really want to put her in a crate all the time when I leave, since she is in there at night, but I have had people say it would be fine..........The main thing I want to understand is if this is maybe separation anxiety, and what I could do about it, or is it something else? It is puzzling to me because she was fine at first when I was still going to work everyday. Maybe she is just getting spoiled by my being home, etc. so much? ANY ideas &/or suggestions would be welcome, because I don't know what to do and I Love her a lot!