# Leaving puppies in the house alone?



## Laura--x (Dec 9, 2008)

How long should you give it before you leave a puppy in the house alone?

We've had our 11 week old springer spaniel for a week nw. Not yet has she been left on her own, we'd have no house left if we did!! lol

I'm scared to leave her on her own atm.. just incase she tears the house apart, or she gets scared for being on her own. 

How long would you give it before you left them alone? Is there anything i can do to build her up to it? I have sometimes left her in the living room whilst ive gone upstairs to get changed, 10 mins or so, and usually wen i come down shes weed on the floor! And i just hear her constantly cry and whine.. i hate it!


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## Fleur (Jul 19, 2008)

With mine I taught them to sit and wait. Then would put them in a sit ask them to wait and step through the door way, turn imediatly back to them and give them my release command, a treat and praise. It helps if someone can hold their lead at first so it is impossible for them to get it wrong - ie try to follow you - . 
Gradually I worked it up so I could step through the door and close it count to 10 and come back in with out some one holding their leads

Once that was done I would go up stairs for a few minutes etc, after about 6 weeks we could pop out for an hour or so and leave the in their crates with a frozen kong and they would be happy.

Now at 22 and 9 months they are left for extended periods of time and are absolutely fine.

With a young puppy I would crate train her so when she's left she can't get into any mischief 
If I'm going out now I ask them to sit wait if they try to follow and say the release command "OK" as I shut the door.


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## Laura--x (Dec 9, 2008)

See i dont have a crate or a dog cage or anything. So should i get one?

She is good with sitting, staying is 50/50, if shes in a hyper mood she wont listen !


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2008)

As she is destructive it may be best to get a crate, unless you can clear out a whole room
I think you should be leaving her for short times already, it doesn't have to be long 15-20 minutes gradually make it longer, otherwise it will be worse later if she is used to having you around all the time. If you don't like to hear her whine, go out for a while.


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## Laura--x (Dec 9, 2008)

Ok thanks 

If i do go out and come back and shes teared the place up, How do i cope with it? How do i punish her? Will she realise if i tell her shes been naughty and lock her in the kitchen or something?


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2008)

The idea at this stage, is not to leave her where she can do this. This is why a crate would be good. If she has nothing to wind her up she won't need telling off. You could leave her with a stuffed kong for the first few times. 
Don't leave her with anything that could choke her or she could tear apart
Crates can be bought quite cheaply secondhand, as hopefully you wont need it for too long before she's good.


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## Fleur (Jul 19, 2008)

If you don't witness her doing it and are unable to correct the behaviour you cannot punish her. If you come into a room with a torn up sofa and shout, she will think that your coming home is something bad, she will have no idea you are yelling about the sofa.
Don't leave her in situations where she can get into trouble, she may well harm herself.
If my pups chewed something I didn't want to I distracted their attention onto something they were allowed. My rule was if I was stupid enough to leave stuff out then it became their property:lol:
I would definately crate train her so she can be left for short periods with out getting into trouble.
My 2 use their crates as their beds, they love them. When they were very small I had a play pen area attatched to the side so they could toilet on the paper if we weren't there to let them out.
Hope this helps


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## crazydoglover (Dec 14, 2008)

i crate train all my puppies. Now that pop and pip are older, they dont need to use one (i do occassionally just to keep them used to it for when my friend looks after them during my holidays) so i just have Lilly in the cage at the moment.
make the cage a fun place, leave the door open when you are at home and make it her bed or safe place so she doesnt associate it with you going out and her being left IE- negative stuff!
i just put newspaper in the bottom (no blanket) when they are going to be in a while like overnight or if im not in so that if they do have an accident its easier to clean up.


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