Separation Anxiety - Can you cause it?

We adopted Allie at supposedly 8 weeks July 1st, 2007. We got home and took her to vet only to learn that she was more like 4 weeks old. I had hoped as she's gotten older that she wouldn't develop any attachment/behavior issues from being taken from her mother too early.

Up until recently, she's been a confident, well adjusted and as obedient as a just-over-a-year-old Lab could be. I've noticed lately that she's gotten much more skittish and velcro-ee than ever before. I've been blaming it on myself, as I am an overly "needy" person and tend to get really attached to people and animals very very easily. Allie is my heart dog, and she has been since I saw her , 2nd to smallest in a litter of 11 worm infested and flea ridden puppies being toted around in a too tiny plastic carrier. She was my husband's birthday present, but she attached herself to me and it's only gotten more pronounced as time has gone on.

I can't leave a room without her following so closely that I trip on her. I can't sit down on the couch without her laying on me or against me. We can't have her crate in our room at night as she cries constantly. She's fine with the other two girls in their room at night. She whines and cries when I leave the room and she can't go with. Just lately, she's been pushing the tray of her crate out so she can destroy the carpet underneath. When we go to Petco or Petsmart, she gets skittish and jumpy, walking with her tail between her legs and starting at every little noise.

I feel like I've been over-showering her with attention since the day she came home, and it's now coming back to kick me in the arse. I've either raised a spoiled brat (HIGHLY possible) or all the socialization that we did when she came home was for nothing.

Any suggestions? I feel like a dumb*ss for letting my dog get this way Or am I just over-reacting? Or could it be something else?

I think that people can cause their dogs to have separation anxiety.... Or at the very least, we can help to bring that out in a dog who might be preconditioned to having it anyway, if that makes sense.

I also think that dogs' personalities aren't solidified until they're about 1 1/2-2 years old.... and these traits can still come out no matter what we do.

Good news is, we can also stop separation anxiety. There are probably a lot of little things you are doing that accidently reward her clinginess and her anxiety, little things that you're so unaware of that you wouldn't even think to mention them here. That's why I think it would be important for you to work with a trainer/behaviorist to work through this.

Absolutely it can be caused by people, although well intended. Very honest of you to admitt to being 'needy' yourself, in most of the cases that I have had direct experience with this has always been the case, although most people don't see it or admitt it, bravo to you. Thats the first step in helping her.
When you crate her, don't talk to her or make eye contact, calmly put her in when she is quiet let her out or say yes and give her a treat while in the crate, reward the behaviour of her being calm and quiet even for very short periods of time, working on duration.
The first thing to do is not make an event of you coming or going, you have to ignore her for 15- 20 minutes before leaving which means no talking to her and not even making eye contact etc or saying bye. The same when you come home, just ignore her and don't make a fuss or an event of you coming home.
It is best if she is crated when you are away to help with this.
If she gets stressed by you putting on your coat or picking up the car keys, then do this all the time in the house until she doesn't react to it. Then put on the coat, go outside and come back in again making no fuss with her.
Teach her to lay on a matt or dog bed and to stay there, until you can leave the room without her following you or you can sit on the sofa without her in your lap etc.
Crate her while you are in the house, let her get use to you being away from her, when she is quiet and content then you can let her out, but again don't make a fuss.
Remember she is no longer a victim, she is no longer that poor pitiful little puppy but she is a wonderful dog that is well loved and in a caring home.
This has taken a while to develope and it wont go away over night, it will require lots of understand and dedication on your part to teach her that life will and does go on without you always being near.
My own heart dog could have easily been turned into a SA dog, but I saw the signs early and worked very hard over a period of about a year and he is great now and doesn't get upset when I leave.
If you have any other questions, just ask or you can pm me anytime.
Good luck