# play pen training puppy



## dominopup (Aug 4, 2011)

Hi, 

I am new to this site and found previous threads very helpful and hope people may be able to advise me. I have an 8 week old cocker spaniel puppy, he is very good generally, (we picked him up 6days ago). We have managed to crate train him during the night, we are getting there with his toilet training (all poops are outside, few wee wee accidents inside, majority outside). We have taught him sit, down, wait,(he sits at doors and waits until we invite him in) come and just today to give his paw :smile5:
However the problem is his play pen training for when we have to leave for short periods. He is very good at going in, he will go to his bed, play with his kong toys and even let me close the gate. The problem is when I try to get him used to me leaving and coming back (I would walk ten steps, he whines, i wait until he is quiet, click and treat upon my return). The longest I have been gone is 2-3 mins, ( i went out the front door and came in the back door) I have a baby monitor so i can hear what he is doing when i am not there, for that 2-3 mins he whined and whimpered constantly. I have done 3 sessions of just getting him used to the play pen before i have left him, clicking and treating when he settles in it, open the gate, click and treat when he wants to stay in/goes back in himself etc etc. I really dont want to see him stressed or suffering from separtion anxiety, any tips or advice on what i can do better? what i should try instead or should i just persevere?? He also follows me or my partner around the house and whimpers when he cant see us. is this to be expected?

thanks in advance for any tips.


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## grandad (Apr 14, 2011)

dominopup said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am new to this site and found previous threads very helpful and hope people may be able to advise me. I have an 8 week old cocker spaniel puppy, he is very good generally, (we picked him up 6days ago). We have managed to crate train him during the night, we are getting there with his toilet training (all poops are outside, few wee wee accidents inside, majority outside). We have taught him sit, down, wait,(he sits at doors and waits until we invite him in) come and just today to give his paw :smile5:
> However the problem is his play pen training for when we have to leave for short periods. He is very good at going in, he will go to his bed, play with his kong toys and even let me close the gate. The problem is when I try to get him used to me leaving and coming back (I would walk ten steps, he whines, i wait until he is quiet, click and treat upon my return). The longest I have been gone is 2-3 mins, ( i went out the front door and came in the back door) I have a baby monitor so i can hear what he is doing when i am not there, for that 2-3 mins he whined and whimpered constantly. I have done 3 sessions of just getting him used to the play pen before i have left him, clicking and treating when he settles in it, open the gate, click and treat when he wants to stay in/goes back in himself etc etc. I really dont want to see him stressed or suffering from separtion anxiety, any tips or advice on what i can do better? what i should try instead or should i just persevere?? He also follows me or my partner around the house and whimpers when he cant see us. is this to be expected?
> ...


You are doing all the right things. Keep it up and he will eventually settle. Everything takes time, so be patient. Nothing will get fixed in 5 minutes. It may take a few weeks.


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## Andromeda (Nov 21, 2010)

What behaviour are you clicking?
Not staying calmly in the pen, more your presents. (It looks more like you are teaching pup stay command.)
That can confused the puppy. With crates or pens when owner come back all good things stop. You are leaving puppy with kong/bone to associate your absence with something good but you are taking it away when you come back. Puppy learns that being left alone isn't bad thing. 
Instead of disappearing stay with puppy in one room but keep him in the pen. He cannot fallow you but still can see you and when he will settle treat him with food. When he will be fine try to move to another room and immediately come back. If puppy will cry wait for a few second of quiet and then back and release hi from pen. Work on duration of your absence slowly. I wouldn't do big fuss after entering the room. Rules are similar to those from crate training. Optionally you can put the puppy in the crate if he is okay with it. Maybe a smaller area suits him better.


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## dominopup (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks for the replies. I was clicking him for sitting calmly in his pen. should i click and treat when he goes into pen, offer stuffed kong then leave him to it?? what would be a reasonable amount of time to leave him for to start with?? when i do return to release him from the pen i ignore him, make a cup of tea/get a drink, potter about for a while then open the gate. I dont make a fuss when i leave or come back. He is excellent in his crate at night, not a peep all night, we let him out to pee pee outside, perfect. He is such a good boy, maybe its me expecting too much too soon :huh: 
Good things come to those who wait eh!


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## Andromeda (Nov 21, 2010)

I wouldn't click him. Clicking can make him more excited and he can go into working mood - my dog does. 
With clicker you have to watch out what you are clicking and not always what you click is what you want to click 

Start with few seconds and you will see what the puppy will do. What you want to do is ex 2s, 3s, 5s, 1s, 4s, 6s,1s, 10s...
If your puppy can stand longer time maybe change seconds for minutes?


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## dominopup (Aug 4, 2011)

I have been advised to put his crate, which he sleeps very well in at night, into the room where we want him stay when we are out? will this work or would it make him assocaite his crate with us leaving??
it is very stressful to hear him whimpering in such panic... i hope we can get it right, for our puppy more than us.. we want him to be happy.


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## Andromeda (Nov 21, 2010)

Crate for dogs should be a safety den. Place to relax. 
I don't understand one. Puppy is left alone during all night long in his crate (is crate door closed?) and he is okay, is he?
So what is a difference between crating the puppy on the nigh time and on time when you are out?
Did you do crate training if yes you can do exactly the same training with pen.
You can put crate in the corner of the room and put pen around it so puppy will have his den and area to play, maybe that make him more comfortable.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

dominopup said:


> Thanks for the replies. I was clicking him for sitting calmly in his pen. should i click and treat when he goes into pen, offer stuffed kong then leave him to it?? what would be a reasonable amount of time to leave him for to start with?? when i do return to release him from the pen i ignore him, make a cup of tea/get a drink, potter about for a while then open the gate. I dont make a fuss when i leave or come back. He is excellent in his crate at night, not a peep all night, we let him out to pee pee outside, perfect. He is such a good boy, maybe its me expecting too much too soon :huh:
> Good things come to those who wait eh!


I think the clicking and treating on your return may be confusing him tbh. The idea of it all is to leave them with a goodie each time, Kong, safe chew, treat ball or toy, Leave them with no fuss no goodbyes, return equally with no fuss and before they get too stressed. Let them out ignore for a further minute or two then the attention. Personally I wouldnt do any clicking and treating while he is in the pen. The goodie is his reward and the good association for being alone.

You can do things too, like leaving a radio on low on a talking station, leaving a t-shirt or jumper you have worn so the smell re-assures him, leaving a large stuffed toy to mimic a litter mate to cuddle up too as he would in the litter. DAP
Dog appeasing pheromones can help an artifical version of the pheeromone mum emits to calm and soothe pups you can get a Plug in diffuser or a spray to spray on the area he is left in. You need to start for short periods and build them up like you are doing. It is early days, I would do the resting periods alone after he has done some activity too, a play in the garden or a training/play session, he will be more likely got rid of excess energy then and be more content with his kong or chew wind down activity. Feeding his meals in the pen will make another good association. How about trying him in the crate instead of the pen, or if its big enough put the crate in there too. If he already associates the crate with rest and relaxation maybe that wouldnt be a bad idea.
I Would stop the continuous allowing him to follow you around too, and build these short periods of pen time into his routine.


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## dominopup (Aug 4, 2011)

Thank you Sled Dog Hotel.

He has a stuffed toy dog in the pen and we already have the DAP diffuser  and the radio on. We are going to get a ticking clock today and I will put a tshirt in his pen. Hopefully he settles and starts to enjoy his pen and his alone time...
my partner suggested feeding him in his pen also,, i wasnt sure. i was coming on here this morning to ask advice on it.. you have already answered...:smilewinkgrin: thanks
will try all these tactics today. wish us luck.

Thanks again


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Good luck, it as early days, but if you keep a constant routine they do get used to it as it becomes normal. Repeatedly leaving him for very short sessions while you are in, also teaches him that leaving him also means you will return. Also by doing it slowly and building the time up, it learns him to cope at his pace and also means he doesnt get over stressed. Keep us posted how you are getting on.


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## dominopup (Aug 4, 2011)

Hi, 

We had a very good day today!!
He went into his pen this morning, had a little play with his kong then got into bed and had a little snooze. I opened the gate to let him out, about 1hr later, and he came to the gate, looked at me and went back to his toys/bed  so i closed the gate again and went to living room. I have a baby monitor in the room so i can hear him, he was good as gold, i could hear him chewing his toys etc. He was in there for 2hrs without a sound!! progress i think! At lunch time i went in, ignored him for a few mins, opened the gate, i asked him to 'come' and he did, he went outside did a wee and came back in. he had his lunch, we had a playtime, then went back into his pen again ON HIS OWN!!! I left the gate open, cleaned up dishes etc, closed gate and left! that was at 1pm and he woke up about 230! Its like we have a different puppy!! He went back into his pen again approx 5mins ago! 
Its like a totally different dog!

thank you so much to everyone who advised me, im going to keeo doing what im doing and hopefully he will grow into a happy, confident puppy who doesnt mind being left alone for short periods 

thank you!


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