Leaving puppy home alone

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Elaine921
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 5:15 pm

Leaving puppy home alone

Post by Elaine921 »

I have a 10 week golden Cocker Spaniel puppy (show type) that my fiancé and I have had now for two weeks. He's not had his final vaccinations yet so I am unable to walk him at the moment. So his exercise currently consists of a run around our medium-sized garden for 15 mins in morning and 15 in evening. We play in the house with his ball and tug toy as well. Training-wise he's doing well with toilet training. He does a pretty good sit and leave it. We've just started stay command which he's starting to get the hang of it.

I just wanted advice on how to get him used to being alone. This is both my partner's and my first dog. I'm off all summer until September as I'm a student so I was planning on devoting my summer to getting puppy off to the best start training wise. However, a friend of mine pointed out that I'm going to have to get puppy used to being alone for when I go back to uni. I know it's maybe a bit late in the day now, but any advice on how to do this? Do I gradually build it up bit by bit or do I just take the plunge and go away for 30 mins/ an hour and leave him to cry it out? I've been trying to practice by putting him in his crate and going a walk around the garden for 10 mins or going a walk to the local shop (15 mins away). He enjoys being in his crate but when I left for the journey to the shop yesterday he was crying when I left and crying when I got back. Do you think this was too much for him or I should go away longer? Obviously cos I've been with him so much I feel bad leaving him but I know he's got to get used to it.
JudyN
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Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Dorset, UK
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Re: Leaving puppy home alone

Post by JudyN »

Building up gradually is the way to go, always trying to keep within his comfort zone. This might mean just leaving him for a few seconds in another room at first, after a bit walking out the front door and coming straight back in again, and so on. Ideally, if there's not time to progress far enough so he's comfortable being left for a few hours, you need to arrange a dig sitter/walker/day care so he's never on his own longer than he's happy with.

There's more detailed info here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=20143

Hope that helps, but do ask if there's anything you're not sure of :D
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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