Leaving your puppy alone: These training tips will help you succeed.
Dogs are pack animals that dislike being alone. However, your dog will occasionally have to stay in the apartment without you. With the right dog training, he can learn this quickly. Learn here what’s important and when your puppy can cope with temporary separation from you.
Why it’s hard for puppies to be left alone
Before starting training, it’s helpful to understand why dogs find it difficult. After birth, a puppy is always surrounded by its mother and siblings. When it moves in with you at around twelve weeks old, it loses its familiar pack. If the separation happens too early, it will struggle with separation anxiety for the rest of its life.
The first few days in the new home: don’t leave the puppy alone
Once the puppy arrives at your home, everything is new for it: new smells, a new environment, and new routines. The young dog needs to get used to all of this. Therefore, it’s essential to build a strong bond in the first few weeks before the puppy can be left alone. However, you should start with this immediately after the puppy arrives—bring him up and teach him the basic commands.
The right time: When can you start leaving your puppy alone?
After another two months, at approximately 5 months old, the puppy can do more than just its normal chewing. Training to begin exercises for later life alone. His mental development is so far advanced that, with the right exercises, he can learn to manage without you, free from stress and anxiety.
The training begins in small steps.
Start the training by going to the bathroom alone. Timing is crucial. Your puppy should be fed and have an empty bladder. If he’s lying relaxed in his bed or playing with his favorite toy, you can briefly disappear into another room. This should be done as discreetly as possible. Return just as inconspicuously as you left.
You will do this after your return.
Don’t give the puppy any special attention; continue with what you were doing before. This way, the young dog will gradually learn that it’s not a big deal when you disappear. Elaborate farewells and overly enthusiastic greetings will only make it harder for the dog to be alone.
What to do if your puppy is always following you around?
Walk back and forth in the apartment until your dog loses interest in following you around. While this might seem strange, it’s essential for later training success.
💡 Remember: The day will come when you have to leave your puppy alone because of work, shopping, or running errands.
Going outside without the puppy
Once the puppy has learned to stay in a room without you, the next essential training steps follow.
Open the front door and go outside. Avoid any farewell gestures or words. Your departure should feel completely normal to the puppy.
Close the front door.
After a brief moment, go back inside. Again, pay no special attention to your dog.
Increase the amount of time your puppy is left alone gradually.
Next, take out the trash without the puppy or spend a short time in front of the house.
How long you leave the puppy alone during training depends on how well it tolerates being alone. Start with five minutes and gradually increase it.
How should the puppy behave in your absence?
Your dog should not whine, bark, or destroy anything while you are gone. If he does, reduce the time you are away. Incorporate practicing leaving your puppy alone into your daily routine.
What time of day should you practice leaving the puppy alone?
Plan your training sessions around your work schedule to prepare your puppy for times when you’re away. If you train at the same time every day, your dog will get used to those times, making it easier for them to be without you while you’re at work.
I work full-time: How long can puppies be left alone?
If your dog has learned to stay alone for an hour or two, that’s significant progress! But how long should you leave your puppy alone?
As a general rule: as little time as possible. If you are going to be out of the house for more than two hours, you should hire a dog sitter. Adult dogs should not be left alone for more than four hours.
In which cases is a dog crate useful
Some dogs have great difficulty being separated from their owners. Even after weeks of training, they will only stay alone with loud protests or will destroy furniture in the absence of their familiar people. If your dog is one of those who suffer from severe separation anxiety, you can try leaving the puppy alone in a crate with toys and treats.
What is a suitable dog crate?
It’s a crate that’s actually meant for transport. While most dogs feel most comfortable when they can move around freely in the absence of their owners, some dogs see a crate as a safe space and feel perfectly at ease in it.
How big should the dog’s crate be?
This dog crate should be large enough for your puppy to easily turn around and stand up in, even as a fully grown dog. It should be comfortably furnished. Your puppy’s favorite toy and a bowl of fresh water should also have designated spots inside the crate.