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my parents gave their dog with separation anxiety a rawhide or nylabone with a little peanut butter when they were leaving to distract her

I prepare Kongs with peanut butter/cream cheese in them ahead of time and freeze them. Then I give one to my pup before I leave. It takes him hours and hours to get through one so it affectively keeps him distracted while I am gone.

@MrsBrewer: a frozen kong is a great way to go, and they aren't too messy. I've experimented a lot, and found that kibble mixed with a little bit of wet dog food is the best combo. My favorite thing to do is to make my dog go to her bed and watch me hide a handful of kibble around the room. I then walk to the door, say the release word, and know she's going to stay busy for a little bit! Remember that how you come home is just as important as how you leave--walk in calmly and let him outside to reinforce that it's no big deal if you leave, and no big deal when you come back.

I don't think what you're seeing is separation anxiety though, which is a good thing! Separation anxiety is usually seen with destructive behavior, and physical signs of stress (panting, whining, and so on).

@MrsBrewer: I have two labs and we just crated them through that period. Have you thought about an obedience class if our pup won't listen?

We did the high value treat when our dog went through a similar phase and it really helped us get through that period. Frozen kongs are his favorite and he also loves these balls with a dried sweet potato or dried chicken breast treat in them http://www.amazon.com/JW-Pet-Company-Extreme-5-Inches/dp/B0002DJXGC/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1376345275&sr=1-2&keywords=hollee+roller+dog+toy .

It might also be worth spending some time to make the crate a really desirable place too. Our dog went through a phase where he wasn't a fan of the crate and we kept giving him treats to go in and we stashed his favorite toys in the back of it so he would go in to get one to play with. On stormy days our dog seems skittish so we crate him those days and he seems to prefer it.

Good luck!

@MrsBrewer: our dog used to hate his crate. We gave him a treat every time he went in on command and now he loves it. So much so that I can't bring myself to take it down even though I know he doesn't need it. Please watch that what you give him during the day isn't something he can choke on like a raw hide.