While it is tempting to spend every waking moment with a new puppy, the reality is that you simply won’t be able to do that. One of the biggest life lessons a breeder can instill in their puppies is the confidence needed to self-soothe and handle being alone. For most puppies, the first time they are alone and separated from their littermates is when they leave for their new homes. This can be overwhelming for them in general, getting accustomed to their new life, and they will now be expected to spend time all alone without company.
Puppies are very social creatures. They absolutely need to interact with other dogs and people to become well-adjusted dogs. However, at some point, you will need to leave the house, and they will have to be alone, hopefully crated or contained for their own safety. My practice with my puppies, to help send them to their new homes better prepared for their new life, uses dog exercise pens to start getting them used to periods of confinement. I have three pens set up in various rooms and have placed crates in each one. I start with very short periods of alone time for each puppy while I am in the house, just not in the same room. I put toys and appropriate chews in there with them. In addition, I bring them breakfast or dinner there, so they have a positive association with being separated from everyone. If you have an older puppy, I do suggest using exercise pens to start the crate-training process when you first bring them home.
Set up the exercise pen with their crate inside it, and start feeding them their meals in the pen. Reward them for being quiet and settled when leaving the room, keeping their time alone short and sweet. I start by leaving the room for just a few minutes and returning with treats. Sometimes I even join them in the pen for a cuddle or play session after I return. If your puppy whines or cries, it may be tempting to free them, but please resist, as doing so will teach them that carrying on gets them things. Instead, stand a few feet away from the pen with treats ready and reward them when they settle themselves down. As they start to understand that they are OK, I will place them into their crates with treats or a bone and close the door for a few minutes. Most puppies by this time understand that they are going to live and that you will return.
It is important that when you start leaving your puppy alone, you do so with no fanfare. Try not to get into the habit of telling them they will be OK and that you are leaving or making a big fuss when you return. Calm, cool and collected exits and entrances go a long way to preventing separation anxiety and giving your puppy the feeling of “Oh, my God, they are leaving me.” Always try and wait to free the puppy when they have settled down on their own from an exciting return home.
Raising a confident, well-adjusted puppy starts with teaching your puppy to relax on their own. It can be easy if you stick to a routine and reward them heavily along the way.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
