Oi! Need more foster dog advice - Separation anxiety

[DeChRi]

So our foster dog has been very docile and affectionate the last 2 days. Perfectly behaved, house broken, kind and gentle with kids, etc. Today I left for 30 minutes to run to the store. Came home and he had tore out the screen to the livingroom window (I'm talking 5.5 ft window, heavy metal framed screen), was torn clean out of the window frame with the metal frame broken in 2....the window pushed open half a foot, the woodwork around the window torn to hell with claw marks, and dog gone.

I started to carry in my couple bags of frozen groceries while I processed the situation and the flipping dog comes trotting over from behind the neighbors house and in the front door and just keeps on loving on me like usual.

So my question...is this severe separation anxiety and can it be helped? In the immediate, I have to leave him for 2 hours today and about 4-5 hours tomorrow. We have a large metal crate. Do we leave him there?

[Ola_]

Yes - use the crate. Give him food-stuffed toys if you have any (kong with peanut butter smeared in it, nylabone with some cream cheese rubbed on the chewed part, even a hollow bone with whatever soft/squishy stuff you have around).

Be sure to give him some good exercise before you head out each time - 30+ minute brisk walk is my starting suggestion, but I don't know what kind of dog it is. If you play fetch or something stimulating like that instead give him at least a few minutes of mellow time to calm down before you leave.

[DeChRi]

Thanks, Ola. He is a boxer. I brought up the crate, put a blanket he slept on as well as a couple sweatshirts of mine in there with him. he won't fetch or play, but I did get him out for a walk. I also put him in the crate a couple times earlier today when I was sitting right next to him. Fingers crossed as I am heading out soon and hope he hangs in there!