Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Helloooo. Our lovely little monster is embarking on his first full day home alone tomorrow. By full day I mean from about 1-6 or so. My plan of attack is to leave him gated in the laundry with the door open to the backyard, his bed, lunch, lots of toys, water, tasty things to chew and a kong. Possibly leaving the radio on but not sure that's essential. What are we missing? What can we do to minimise stress? He hasn't had -lots- of time alone in the last few weeks, partner works from home 4 days a week but has been popping him outside on his own for an hour or so a day but he does carry on. Am I right to assume he'll get over it when he doesn't get a reaction or realises no one is home? I've left him home to go to the shops etc and find he just sleeps, but I am a bit tougher than OH. Anyone wanna try training him up? The ultimate challenge! So really, what can we do to make sure the neighbours don't hate us and puppy isn't a misery all day? (Might drop in next door on my way to work and give them the heads up) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) The plan of attack should have been starting since you got him, leaving him for longer and longer stints so he was getting used to being on his own from the start. So now is his routine being with someone most of the day, and you are changing his routine? Don't make a fuss when you leave, just give him a kong or something, leave him with tv or radio, and walk out the door. No hugs or kisses or big fusses. Edited June 20, 2013 by minimax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 The plan of attack should have been starting since you got him, leaving him for longer and longer stints so he was getting used to being on his own from the start. So now is his routine being with someone most of the day, and you are changing his routine? Don't make a fuss when you leave, just give him a kong or something, leave him with tv or radio, and walk out the door. No hugs or kisses or big fusses. I leave at about 7 and he's on his own til about 10 or so while the other half sleeps in a bit (works late ) He only carries on for a while and takes himself to bed, then he eats his lunch outside and plays for an hour. I honestly was just asking for pointers, not to be told how wrong I've been doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Sorry to sound so blunt, that was rude. I apologise! Feeling sick and sorry for myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 The plan of attack should have been starting since you got him, leaving him for longer and longer stints so he was getting used to being on his own from the start. So now is his routine being with someone most of the day, and you are changing his routine? Don't make a fuss when you leave, just give him a kong or something, leave him with tv or radio, and walk out the door. No hugs or kisses or big fusses. I leave at about 7 and he's on his own til about 10 or so while the other half sleeps in a bit (works late ) He only carries on for a while and takes himself to bed, then he eats his lunch outside and plays for an hour. I honestly was just asking for pointers, not to be told how wrong I've been doing it. The pointer was, you aren't going to fix a lack of training overnight, so Don't make a fuss when you leave, just give him a kong or something, leave him with tv or radio, and walk out the door. No hugs or kisses or big fusses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) My dogs are home alone for about 8 - 9 hours a day. Nacho worried a bit the first couple of days after I went back to work but I had been leaving him alone for stints while I was on holidays, he just mostly sleeps now although whenever I check the webcam some of his toys or his kong have moved around lol. Maybe take him for a big walk to tire him out before you leave and give him a kong. Also don't make a huge fuss when you leave or come back. Nacho doesn't get let out of his pen until he's calmed down a bit so he knows comings and goings are not a huge deal. I leave the TV on too. They love Dr Phil. Edited June 20, 2013 by moosepup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 has been popping him outside on his own for an hour or so a day but he does carry on I can understand why your partner is fretting. I used to shove my puppy in a crate when I was out. That was before I knew about crate training. The most important thing - is not to reward the puppy for "carrying on" so I play a game that is akin to a kids play ground game "what's the time mr wolf" or "creepy up" ie if the puppy is misbehaving - I back off turn and walk away, but if the puppy is behaving how I want, I approach and reward with treats through the top or let the puppy out. Puppy is supposed to sit and let me attach the lead first, but we're still working on that. She doesn't bolt out the door - which is my strict criteria. The other thing I do that I think helped - was I'd set the puppy up for me going out and then I'd go out and shut the door and then I'd go back cos I forgot my sunglasses, and then I'd go out, and then I'd go back cos I'd forgot my umbrella and then I'd go out and then I'd remember I'd forgot... repeat for coat, notebook, last minute pitstop, lunch, coffee thermos, chair, phone, turn the iron off (I have one that turns itself off and I haven't used it for years. .... And I'd also go out, walk around the block and listen for noise... and I'd tell my neighbours, and check back with them if they heard anything... Essentially - you do heaps of repetitions of what you want, only reward the good behaviour, and start with really short periods of time and build up by varying amounts more or less - but increasing the average time... And some puppies just don't get over it. And then you have to try other things or consider doggy day care or someone to visit at lunch time or maybe even another (calmer) puppy (though you'd want to be careful about this, sometimes a second dog can make things worse). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 My dogs are home alone for about 8 - 9 hours a day. Nacho worried a bit the first couple of days after I went back to work but I had been leaving him alone for stints while I was on holidays, he just mostly sleeps now although whenever I check the webcam some of his toys or his kong have moved around lol. Maybe take him for a big walk to tire him out before you leave and give him a kong. Also don't make a huge fuss when you leave or come back. Nacho doesn't get let out of his pen until he's calmed down a bit so he knows comings and goings are not a huge deal. I leave the TV on too. They love Dr Phil. He's not getting much in the way of walks yet, being a large breed and not yet had his second vacc, but we play a good game of tug and do some quick training! I don't make a big deal of it, I just scoot out the door, more cause I am always running late than any careful planning! Who doesn't!? Lucky they took Jerry Springer off, never know what he might learn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory the Doted One Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 My dogs are home alone for about 8 - 9 hours a day. Nacho worried a bit the first couple of days after I went back to work but I had been leaving him alone for stints while I was on holidays, he just mostly sleeps now although whenever I check the webcam some of his toys or his kong have moved around lol. Maybe take him for a big walk to tire him out before you leave and give him a kong. Also don't make a huge fuss when you leave or come back. Nacho doesn't get let out of his pen until he's calmed down a bit so he knows comings and goings are not a huge deal. I leave the TV on too. They love Dr Phil. He's not getting much in the way of walks yet, being a large breed and not yet had his second vacc, but we play a good game of tug and do some quick training! I don't make a big deal of it, I just scoot out the door, more cause I am always running late than any careful planning! Who doesn't!? Lucky they took Jerry Springer off, never know what he might learn! You'll rot their brains! It's the ABC around here...largely because there are no fat blasting, tummy tightening, fabo vacuum cleaner ads to stress them out. And I'm not gonna get started on the insurance ads, they are too young to worry about me popping my clogs and leaving them with no income. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackC Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 With Koda I was also worried as a first time owner, I did the rounds outside to make sure that to the best of my knowledge he was safe alone as I don't have indoor access for him, etc now its very routine for him and he is home alone from 7:30am till 12:30, then 1pm till 6pm unless my partner is only on one shift then she is home at 4pm, another month and we may increase that to 7:30 till 6pm. I do not feed him breakfast till I leave, this gives him a good hour of munching, playing and sleeping before he gets bored, my guy usually likes a nap after he eats for about 20min then usually plays with his toys for another 30min (or a walk if i'm home) so I used this to my advantage and feed him just as I leave so he occupies himself for a while. I do the same when I pop home at lunch time to check on him / give him a walk. I usually hide a bone in the yard before I leave, dig it under a few different places so he has something to search for, bugger has found them all so far so he's got a good nose. he has allot of toys but we only have 3-4 outside at a time and rotate them so he doesn't get bored of them, we also have a large plush dog out there which is his favourite toy, he plays with it, sleeps on it and uses it for company when we are not there. we have plants out there and he has destroyed 3 so far but I'm pretty happy with that considering there are quite a few out there he seems content with the toy rotation and bones he has a kennel and a nice large bono-fido bed under the alfresco table so he can sleep or relax if he needs in a few different places. I always leave the radio on inside the house at a medium/high volume so if he does get a little lonely he can hear noises in the house and doesn't fret as much the first week was hell for me, I could hear him moaning each time I got home from my car the other side of the house, but now most times I am home he is outside playing or resting and his fretting when I open the back door is significantly less than what it was at the start I am a sook and give him a good cuddle when I get home but its a boy cuddle with lots of stomach rubs and scratching, he loves his stomach rubbing First thing after a welcome home scratch is I get the pooper scooper out and clean the yard of anything he "deposited", been doing it since say one and I think it helps keep him healthy and my yard a nice play to play and be in. Change his water out there every time I go out, so once in the morning, once in the afternoon and again at night, the inside house water gets changed once a day food, he is fed brekky just as i leave for work, lunch just as i leave from seeing him at lunch time and dinner about an hour after i get home. Its been working well so far. Is Gus a digger Steph? check your fences and make sure you can't easily dig under then, I used bricks up against mine to create a small barrier so he digs against the bricks and not the fence, seems to be working well so far. JAck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 has been popping him outside on his own for an hour or so a day but he does carry on I can understand why your partner is fretting. I used to shove my puppy in a crate when I was out. That was before I knew about crate training. The most important thing - is not to reward the puppy for "carrying on" so I play a game that is akin to a kids play ground game "what's the time mr wolf" or "creepy up" ie if the puppy is misbehaving - I back off turn and walk away, but if the puppy is behaving how I want, I approach and reward with treats through the top or let the puppy out. Puppy is supposed to sit and let me attach the lead first, but we're still working on that. She doesn't bolt out the door - which is my strict criteria. The other thing I do that I think helped - was I'd set the puppy up for me going out and then I'd go out and shut the door and then I'd go back cos I forgot my sunglasses, and then I'd go out, and then I'd go back cos I'd forgot my umbrella and then I'd go out and then I'd remember I'd forgot... repeat for coat, notebook, last minute pitstop, lunch, coffee thermos, chair, phone, turn the iron off (I have one that turns itself off and I haven't used it for years. .... And I'd also go out, walk around the block and listen for noise... and I'd tell my neighbours, and check back with them if they heard anything... Essentially - you do heaps of repetitions of what you want, only reward the good behaviour, and start with really short periods of time and build up by varying amounts more or less - but increasing the average time... And some puppies just don't get over it. And then you have to try other things or consider doggy day care or someone to visit at lunch time or maybe even another (calmer) puppy (though you'd want to be careful about this, sometimes a second dog can make things worse). He's a bit of a softy. I might invest in earplugs, sounds silly but he feels awful when he really gets going, which does sound like he's being eaten alive. I do a similar thing at night, he knows to go on his bed, so if he whines after a toilet trip, I send him to bed and he gets a treat and he's pretty good and will crash again. I think if we were considering another dog it'd be an older one. This puppy thing is exhausting! Eventually I'd like to adopt a pal for him, but we're not ready yet. He's way too impressionable! Thanks for the pointers, I might do just that. Start with some more trips to the shop and in and out of the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 My dogs are home alone for about 8 - 9 hours a day. Nacho worried a bit the first couple of days after I went back to work but I had been leaving him alone for stints while I was on holidays, he just mostly sleeps now although whenever I check the webcam some of his toys or his kong have moved around lol. Maybe take him for a big walk to tire him out before you leave and give him a kong. Also don't make a huge fuss when you leave or come back. Nacho doesn't get let out of his pen until he's calmed down a bit so he knows comings and goings are not a huge deal. I leave the TV on too. They love Dr Phil. He's not getting much in the way of walks yet, being a large breed and not yet had his second vacc, but we play a good game of tug and do some quick training! I don't make a big deal of it, I just scoot out the door, more cause I am always running late than any careful planning! Who doesn't!? Lucky they took Jerry Springer off, never know what he might learn! You'll rot their brains! It's the ABC around here...largely because there are no fat blasting, tummy tightening, fabo vacuum cleaner ads to stress them out. And I'm not gonna get started on the insurance ads, they are too young to worry about me popping my clogs and leaving them with no income. :laugh: I don't want them panicking over the state of the world either, I'll be putting on a Disney movie (not Up! though! ) and that's that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Is Gus a digger Steph? check your fences and make sure you can't easily dig under then, I used bricks up against mine to create a small barrier so he digs against the bricks and not the fence, seems to be working well so far. JAck Nope, no digging so far. He's really very good. Likes to eat my Kale and Spinach plants, but hey, extra vitamins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackC Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 thats good, he may start though if left outside for longer periods, just keep an eye on it, koda only does it when he wants to hide a bones or find something he lost lol :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 We have a shell sandpit in the shed if need be. Will get it out once it stops raining. Would rather it not be a mudbath... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory the Doted One Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 My dogs are home alone for about 8 - 9 hours a day. Nacho worried a bit the first couple of days after I went back to work but I had been leaving him alone for stints while I was on holidays, he just mostly sleeps now although whenever I check the webcam some of his toys or his kong have moved around lol. Maybe take him for a big walk to tire him out before you leave and give him a kong. Also don't make a huge fuss when you leave or come back. Nacho doesn't get let out of his pen until he's calmed down a bit so he knows comings and goings are not a huge deal. I leave the TV on too. They love Dr Phil. He's not getting much in the way of walks yet, being a large breed and not yet had his second vacc, but we play a good game of tug and do some quick training! I don't make a big deal of it, I just scoot out the door, more cause I am always running late than any careful planning! Who doesn't!? Lucky they took Jerry Springer off, never know what he might learn! You'll rot their brains! It's the ABC around here...largely because there are no fat blasting, tummy tightening, fabo vacuum cleaner ads to stress them out. And I'm not gonna get started on the insurance ads, they are too young to worry about me popping my clogs and leaving them with no income. :laugh: I don't want them panicking over the state of the world either, I'll be putting on a Disney movie (not Up! though! ) and that's that. :doh:I didn't think of this. (not being an ABC watcher myself.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackC Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 you could put the whole series of lassie on usb and have that playing in the background :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 My dogs are home alone for about 8 - 9 hours a day. Nacho worried a bit the first couple of days after I went back to work but I had been leaving him alone for stints while I was on holidays, he just mostly sleeps now although whenever I check the webcam some of his toys or his kong have moved around lol. Maybe take him for a big walk to tire him out before you leave and give him a kong. Also don't make a huge fuss when you leave or come back. Nacho doesn't get let out of his pen until he's calmed down a bit so he knows comings and goings are not a huge deal. I leave the TV on too. They love Dr Phil. He's not getting much in the way of walks yet, being a large breed and not yet had his second vacc, but we play a good game of tug and do some quick training! I don't make a big deal of it, I just scoot out the door, more cause I am always running late than any careful planning! Who doesn't!? Lucky they took Jerry Springer off, never know what he might learn! You'll rot their brains! It's the ABC around here...largely because there are no fat blasting, tummy tightening, fabo vacuum cleaner ads to stress them out. And I'm not gonna get started on the insurance ads, they are too young to worry about me popping my clogs and leaving them with no income. :laugh: I don't want them panicking over the state of the world either, I'll be putting on a Disney movie (not Up! though! ) and that's that. :doh:I didn't think of this. (not being an ABC watcher myself.) I can picture Dory and Willow worrying about Turkey, growing unemployment and Tony Abbot. Haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory the Doted One Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 My dogs are home alone for about 8 - 9 hours a day. Nacho worried a bit the first couple of days after I went back to work but I had been leaving him alone for stints while I was on holidays, he just mostly sleeps now although whenever I check the webcam some of his toys or his kong have moved around lol. Maybe take him for a big walk to tire him out before you leave and give him a kong. Also don't make a huge fuss when you leave or come back. Nacho doesn't get let out of his pen until he's calmed down a bit so he knows comings and goings are not a huge deal. I leave the TV on too. They love Dr Phil. He's not getting much in the way of walks yet, being a large breed and not yet had his second vacc, but we play a good game of tug and do some quick training! I don't make a big deal of it, I just scoot out the door, more cause I am always running late than any careful planning! Who doesn't!? Lucky they took Jerry Springer off, never know what he might learn! You'll rot their brains! It's the ABC around here...largely because there are no fat blasting, tummy tightening, fabo vacuum cleaner ads to stress them out. And I'm not gonna get started on the insurance ads, they are too young to worry about me popping my clogs and leaving them with no income. :laugh: I don't want them panicking over the state of the world either, I'll be putting on a Disney movie (not Up! though! ) and that's that. :doh:I didn't think of this. (not being an ABC watcher myself.) I can picture Dory and Willow worrying about Turkey, growing unemployment and Tony Abbot. Haha. This would explain Dory's greying muzzle (nothing to do with Willow at all!), and Willow's burgeoning frown lines (nothing to do with her trying her hardest to be the cutest, most beautifullest puppy at all). Willow was crushed to hear Turkey was not a bird, therefore not a meal. She was a little mixed about unemployment, that would mean more time at home...but who would pay for her toys? And in regards to Abbot....bafflement.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 This would explain Dory's greying muzzle (nothing to do with Willow at all!), and Willow's burgeoning frown lines (nothing to do with her trying her hardest to be the cutest, most beautifullest puppy at all). Willow was crushed to hear Turkey was not a bird, therefore not a meal. She was a little mixed about unemployment, that would mean more time at home...but who would pay for her toys? And in regards to Abbot....bafflement.... It's the reaction we all have...she can be comforted by that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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