at home with the dog during the week

I actually have left him home alone uncrated a lot.  I tried to crate him originally, but as I was saying before the separation anxiety was too much and he would be do distraught it was just a bad scene.  I had to get him over the anxiety before I went back to the carte. He's actually been alone for up to 5 to 6 hours uncrated, he never has any accidents or anything.  He's almost perfectly behaved.  Almost.  That was until this past weekend I left him alone for a night and he tore apart part of the couch cushion.  So I've decided he can't be left home alone in the living room, or any room with valuable stuff!  So now I just gate him off in a hallway connected to a safe, basically empty extra room.  He has his dog bed in there, his toys, he's really fine as long as theres nothing there to tempt him.  I would like to get him used to the crate but it's going to take some time.  But theres really no urgency since he's well behaved, so I'm working on it gradually.  When I'm home, he's allowed free reign of the house and he's very good.

But to bring me back to my earlier question, since you are home with sumya all day, does she have problems when you finally do go out?  It's great that she goes in the crate, I'm just wondering if you think all the time spent with her makes leaving her that much harder.  That's really my big concern at this point....being too attached

Thanks for the responses and help everybody, was curious about other people's situations.  I wasn't really trying to make it a thread about crate training, just about whether it's healthy for dogs to be allowed to be always at your side when you are home a lot.

IMO I think he would be fine to be around you.   Just give him something to occupy him (like a nice big bully stick) or what not while you work.   I think IMO by him knowing you are home may be more issues with keeping him separated then when you are home.

My husband gets laid off during the winter, and is with the dogs 24/7.   I notice no differene when we leave or what not.  

However daycare is a good thing, even if you do one half day per week just to get him some socialization and some playtime esp during winter months.  Trust me, he will sleep for like 2 days after a full day of romping at daycare.   On horror stories, you have to find the right one.  We have been to three different ones, all different.  I like the ones with webcams, ones that separate big dogs from little barky dogs and ones that dont employ 19 year old without a trained adult.  The one I like has webcam, has CPR certified adult caretaker, and only allows a certain number of dogs in.   I hate the ones that cram them in there to make a buck.   Also shall something go on, you are right down the street and can come get him.  Worth a shot!!!

We are usually home 24/7 with our dogs and haven't had much trouble with any separation issues.  We have two so they have each other and that makes a difference.  We did notice that Teaki was really anxious when we left her alone right after we lost our other two boxers (she had never been alone).  She didn't tear anything up or go on the floor just cried alot when we were getting ready to leave.  Now when we do go out Ziggi gets put in the cage if it will be for more than an hour and Teaki has free run of the house.  We are slowly leaving Ziggi out of the create a little at a time so eventually he will also have free run of the house.   The dogs are always with us all day long, following us from room to room but they do entertain themselves by playing with toys or playing with each other.  Boxers are big pack animals and LOVE to be with their family.