Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:32 am Post subject: Leaving 8 week choc lab alone for periods of time
Hi all.
"Max" our 8 week old choc lab has been with us for 1 day now, the 1st night was okay, the girlfriend did comfort him twice during the night, but all seems ok now, he has eaten his 1st solid meal.
my question regards to at what point is it safe to start leaving him on his own (for short periods of time only) so that he becomes accustomes to being on his own, and hopefully stops whinning?
He has a radio on to keep him company and loads of toys, but still whines when he wakes up.
Any advice will be gratefully accepted.
I think short periods are okay from now really. Providing pup has a safe place - do you have a crate.
I didn't leave Basil for the first week at home though and he wasn't a whiner so your pup may need time to settle. I would leave him in another room to get used to time on his own in his crate. i also used to put him in his crate when he fell asleep so he would get used to it.
The first time i left him it was for 1o minutes to go to the postbox (thats my view on a shorttime at 8 weeks age ). I made sure he was toiletted and sleepy before i left so that he wouldnt be as stressy and i could then reward him on my return.
We left Archie for about an hour at 8 weeks,but we gave him exercise in the garden first so he was tired.Has he got a blanket that smells of his mum?We bought this huge teddy for him to cuddle and he preferred to sleep in a cardboard box rather than his bed as it was more cosy.We also had this puppy toy which you put in the microwave to keep him warm.
I have left mine for an hour or two at that age (I do need to shop afterall )... like Jackie said - I usually did/do this after they have had a play session and been out to toilet, so they are naturally wanting to sleep anyway.
In Jake's case I pop him in his crate, give him a treat, making sure he has a cuddly toy in there to snuggle with and leave the radio on, he seemed fine. There was no barking when I left and he was fast asleep with I came back. You'd be amazed how quickly they get used to little routine - Jake is now 12 weeks nearly and when the treats come out he jumps in his crate automatically!!!
It is important, as above that you DO leave him alone for short periods from day one literally. You can cause him and yourself 'issues' if not, potentially.
As the other posters said, a good run in the garden WITH YOU, not shut out on his own, that is never any good for a puppy, back in, a biscuit, a safe place such as a kitchen or his crate, and off you go. Get eeverything together so you say goodbye then LEAVE, don't faff or come back in and out for things, just go. let him cry, he will drift off to sleep and you will soon be home.
Just drive round the block twice a day if you had no plans to go anywhere! never shut him away for this if someone is at home that he can hear and might come and respond to him when he is crying. He needs to learn there is no point in crying and as his security levels grow, his crying will stop.
he needs to have some alone time, just an hour, maybe two, once or twice a day though to learn to be alone whilst he is at this wonderful flexiable, impressionable age. later it will be harder to teach.
Di
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The boys!
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Thanks everyone.
He has a ticking clocking, Radio2 on the radio (wise choice??) and water bottle at the bottom of the crate.
His first proper night was hugley successful, only heard him whinning a couple of times at 4.30am, which we didnt attend to. Apart from making a mess (vet says he has diarrhea) he was more than happy.
He has now been left for 15mins with no noise.
On a different subject, when toilet training is it best to start assocaiting him with a "toliet" word first then try and get him onto the training pads, or move him onto it as soon as he begins to squat?
We keep seeming to miss him squatting at the moment.
Many people skip the paper training more or less nowadays and go straight to outdoors toiletting.
Try taking pup out to the toilet after play, sleep and food - about every half hour or so to start with.
The signs to watch for are sniffing and circling - squatting may be too late. I never did this but apparently if you pick pup up even once its started weeing they will stop and then continue when you place them on the paper (if thats what you choose)
The toilet word get trained in as they are physically going. eg as Basil wees we would say ' go quickly' in time when you take them out and say the words it reminds them they are there to toilet and not play
Am i right in thinking that i can not take him outside until he has had at least his 1st set of jabs?
Vet will be doing this on Thursday assuming that his poo has solided up a bit.
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)... like Jackie said - I usually did/do this after they have had a play session and been out to toilet, so they are naturally wanting to sleep anyway.
