6-7 Hours Crated... because of a wedding

 Tiring him out is good. Also make the departure as calm as possible. No cuddling, or anything.

There's something out there, I think it's called Rescue Remedy but I'm not sure that will help.

Others will have better suggestions then this but that's the best I've got.

 Do you have a small room that would be safe to leave him in, with his open crate? That's what I do when I  have to leave for a long time. My dogs climb ex pens, LOL.

If not, he should be fine. It's only one time, and he's old enough to hold it. If you leave him water, make sure it's secured so he can't spill it. You don't want him to have to lay in it.

 What makes you think he has separation anxiety? Has he done anything dramatic before?

If possible I would leave him in a closed-off room, too (maybe a bathroom?). With his crate open, food/water/toys, and maybe a blanket. But if that's really not an option, crating for 6-7 hours is far from the worst thing that could happen to him. Especially for a one-time thing. He'll be fine, don't worry too much.

If you're worried about him getting into trouble, though, I would remove his collar in case he gets worked up and gets it caught on something.

TysonSS

Because it's on Thanksgiving I can't ask any family friends or any of my friends to watch him

Are you sure nobody could stop by just to check on him and let him out around 8pm.  I know it's a holiday but by 8 o'clock I'd think most people would be pretty much winding down.  (just a thought)

that's really not that long, honestly. I know quiet a few dogs that are crated longer that that - daily, with no problems.

I know there are some days where a foster of mine will have to be crated for 8 hours, due to work emergancies and such. Things happen, he'll be fine. I wouldn't stress over it, you'll just make him more nervous.

Hylands "Calms Forte" would work great -- give him 2 tablets and let him chew them up.  It won't drug him but it will help him feel a bit sleepy.  Not habit-forming and it's actually made FOR babies (human ones)

I think he'll most likely be fine.  If I have to leave for around that long (my dogs are still chewers and crated when we leave), sometimes I'll leave the radio on nice and low to the radio station I normally listen to, which is the classical station (I'm boring lol).  I've heard that helps animals with seperation anxiety. 

Most of the local area rescues offer dogsitting. You could call and see.

All but one of the foster parents and myself are dogsitting for Thanksgiving. So its not unusual.

if you usually crate him when you leave, i would crate him this time as well. it really isnt the worst thing in the world. on the other hand if he is not used free roam of even a room he might find the situation even more stressful than he would staying in his crate! also a frozen kong could keep him busy for quite a while.

seriously though, relax. he will be fine! if he can hold it that long, he will be just fine! a few weeks ago my dogs were crated for 13-14 hours, because i got stuck outside the city and couldnt get home. they were fine.

and a calming drug might be a good idea, if he has seperation anxiety...

I think I would for go the water. They make it through the night without drinking so he should be go for 6 hours. Less intake less output.

I agree he will be fine. If you are feeling bad about leaving him he will pick upon it so go into with a good feeling, crate him and leave don't talk.

 There are treats made by Sniffers 101 that have calming herbs in them.  Also, have a radio or TV playing.  It simulates people being about in the house, and helps block any upsetting noises from outside the room.  I would not leave a six month old loose in the house - too much likelihood of chewing something that he shouldn't.  Darken the room as much as possible to simulate night, or a rainy day (a rain noise CD, without the thunder, is a nice idea).  If you do stuff a Kong, don't put too much in it, so that he doesn't need to defecate before you return.  You can use a Buster Cube, and just put a few kibbles in for him to get out.  Try to simulate his night time routine as much as possible, as if you were just leaving him there for a Sunday afternoon nap or bedtime.  No wordy departures, and get your keys and other "signals" done before you place him in the crate.

By the way, whining or barking is not necessarily separation anxiety.  Some dogs do call to their "packmates" as they leave, but it usually subsides by the time 15 minutes goes by.  Then, they get bored and sleep.  True SA dogs will chew up the woodwork trying to escape to get to you, or may bloody their mouths attempting to get out of a crate.

Do a "trial run" to see if he'll be ok on the real turkey day.  

I think he has separation anxiety because he'll cry and bark for much longer than fifteen minutes. I think the record time was about 1 hour 1/2 when we were trying to put him to bed at 12 midnight... I'm not sure if he's ever tried like... crashing into the sides of his crate to get out or anything...

  those hyland "calm forte" sound really good right now. could i get them at giant's or a cvs? or some grocery store like that? and i'll probably do the tv idea thing too and i was going to put like a blanket over the crate but he'll like... grab it.. and pull it inside ..

i was thinking about asking a neighbor to stop by and check but i dont think my granpdparents (who live with us and are coming to the wedding and pretty old fashioned) feel comfortable giving out a key to someone whose not family... not to be stereotypical but my grandparents are traditionally chinese so .... they're not so open and trusting with things like that 

Lavender Oil. Get some lavender oil, it has some serious calming affects(on me anyway) I've heard of people rubbing a drop between the eyes and one each ear to help calm animals - it works well on horses so why not a husky pup? That's about all I can input on this - maybe ask someone like Callie who has more herd experience...?