K....I have a 2yr old Boxer. We NEVER leave him upstairs when we leave home. Too much stuff that could get messed up. We have a finished, but unfinished basement. Several months ago we let him just stay down there while we went shopping. We came home and he destroyed something that was not his. I vowed then it would not happen again. Well, since we got rid of the other Boxer we have been babying the hell outta this one. Showing attention to him like crazy. So yesterday before we left for work the wife says "you want to leave him out in the basement".....We head down there and pick up stuff that just can't be damaged and left him down there. I even gave him the "don't F up speech". I got home yesterday, walked in, opened basement door, took him out to potty. Came back in, went downstairs and holy hell. He went ape shit. He pulled all the couch cushions/pillows off, ripped the zippers off and pulled the foam out and had it everywhere. A few down pillows opened...feathers everywhere. I simply went upstairs and placed him in his cage. No yelling. Kinda proud cause I usually freak out.
I have no idea how a person knows when it's safe to leave a dog alone in their living quarters..I feel I can never do this with him.