Puppy Spice came home 10days ago,she has been an angel,clean and dry since day 3, when we gave up on the crate and gave her a playpen instead!She took to it straight away,eats in there,goes for her naps in there and around 9-9.30pm takes herself off to bed!Last night she slept from 9.30pm until 8am still clean and dry!

What I need advice on now please is when and how do we start to get her used to be left on her own for short spells? She plays in her pen with the door open all day,but keeps coming in and out of the lounge and kitchen to check we are still there,should we shut the door of the kitchen and lounge for short spells,to see if she copes on her own or is it too soon?

She is not going to be left alone when we return to work on 5th Jan,as hubby is taking her with him on the three days I work,but there will be occasions when I need to leave her for shopping,dentist etc.Not long periods of time but I want her to realise she has to 'fend' for herself occasionally for short spells.She will be 10weeks on Tues.

We have begun training such as sit,down,stay and she responds well.Also we are socialising her with people and yesterday she met my son's fully vacinnated GSD and after about 1/2hour they were playing together well,although we didn't leave them alone for a second! she chased Sasha's tail and even though Sasha is only 9months old herself she tolerated this tiny bundle of fur ever so well.

Jacqueline

Sounds like a lucky puppy - and lucky owners too! You can start getting her used to being left as soon as pssible, just for a minute or 2 to start with & gradually build it up from there. I take it she is sleeping on her own anyway? If so, it sounds as if you shouldn't have too many problems. There are always times when you have to leave your dog alone when something unexpected crops up, so a dog who is used to being left alone is one less thing to worry about if you've got a crisis on your hands!
If your puppy gets used to being left gradually, she won't suffer from anxiety when she is left alone when she's older.
Good Luck, she sounds lovely!

Oh she's doing well! I think Dizzy would be dry at night if I could just be a little quicker at getting downstairs - I hear her on the paper as I hit the top of the stairs most mornings :rolleyes:

I'm about to start with the other training and tonight will be her first night without my other dog for company - I'm a little worried about her seeing sam as pack leader  :o

I know you've told me before but what breed is she? Was it a weaton terrier?

She's a black and white border collie,with a little ?merle patch on her head (from Dad's genes I think).I put down some newspaper to begin with,as that is what the breeder had done with the litter,but all she did was chew it up so we dispensed with it and she just runs to the back door to go into the garden when she needs to do her 'business'.

I know we have been really lucky and the only accident in the house was when she got involved with my Dad's sock,trying to part it from his left foot and she got over excited! and when I haven't been quick enough opening the door,as she sometimes stops play or eating and literally charges to the door to be let out!

Today's training has been on fetching,she returns a tennis ball to me, but not to my husband! even if he rolls it along the lounge she charges pass him with a little growl and returns it to me! He (hubby) has been sulking all afternoon :)

We've just been doing 'sit' with Dizzy but every time I say her name she sits before I give the command :rolleyes: guess we should say 'sit Dizzy' instead of 'Dizzy sit' :)

If you've any of Spice's bc brains left there's a Dizzy Dane needs a little help ;)

Hi

I got my puppy, a chocolate labrador, when she was 8½ weeks old. I had vacation for 3½ weeks. The first week I used to get her used to her new home. And Then I started leaving her alone. In the beginning just for a minute or two and when my vacation were over, she was able to be alone home. And has been ever since. Luna is now almost 9 months old.

She has never whined or barked or destroyed anything when I left. She just lay down and slept. I had my neighbours listen. I live in an appartment on the 3. floor. And they never hear her.

But its never to soon.

Good luck and happy new year to you, your family and your puppy

Jeanette and Luna

when you say you had vacation and after that you left her alone do you mean while you worked. I do hope you dont mean full time as that is far too long to leave a dog on its own let alone a little baby.

Hi
Yes and no. Until she was about 5 months old and completely housetrained, I had my downstairs neighbour walking her. But when Luna was 5 months old, my neighbour didn't want to walk her anymore, "because Luna is housebroken now". Apparently I had misunderstood her, when we talked about it, before I even got Luna home. I wanted her to walk her as long as possible, but she only wanted to walk Luna, until Luna was housebroken.

So since she was 5 months old, she has been alone, when i'm at work. This is not an ideal situation, but we don't have dogwalkers/sitters here in Denmark, unfortunately.

But I know, that when I leave, Luna goes to her basket and goes to sleep after chewing a hidebone.

Jeanette and Luna