# HELPP! Pup cries when left alone



## dylano (Jul 6, 2012)

_Hi, my names dylan and I just recently got a 8 week puppy. I purchased him a week ago making him 9 weeks old. I'm quite confused and struggling to decide what the problem is with him.

Since I have got him he has not been alone for more then 5 mins as i am home 7 days a week. When i am not around (shower/kitchen ect)or when he has to sleep, he is in an indoor run which has a puppy kong(which he is not interested in) blanket and crate (always open but he doesn't use). when im around he has the run of the living room
Issues are as follows
1) when ever I put him in the indoor run he cries and barks even if im in the same room 
2) when ever I leave the living room he sits outside the door I've jut exited and if i dont return with in 30 secs he will scratch the door ect. (i have noticed it is mainly me but has done it to other people a few times
3) he also follows me around the living room 

When he is sleepy/not active he does not follow me or whine when I leave the room/hes alone. When he Is asleep and he heres me go out the room he will look up and see me leave but he just goes back to sleep

What can I do to make sure hes ok with being alone as come september i will be starting work and he will need to be left alone for at least 4 days a week. I can arange someone to come round at 12 to feed him and let him out 
Thanks_


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I've always had the philosophy that life isn't fair and the baby has some tough life lessons to learn as he matures. When I leave a puppy and he cries I look at it as a learning experience for him. In fact I often leave a puppy for an hour or two just so he learns that crying doesn't do any good and I always come back for him. As they get older I leave them for longer periods of time.


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## breyer08 (Jul 4, 2012)

Yes, that is just part of him learning to get used to the run/crate. You should probably start putting him in the crate or run for a little longer time, gradually working up to the amount of time you'll need once you start work. That's what I've been doing with my 13-week-old puppy, Ava. In the beginning, she worked herself up a LOT when she went into the crate, and tried scratching, howling, barking, whining, etc. Basically, a big tantrum! But you need to ignore it. Do not let the puppy out until he calms down and is quiet. If you let him out when he is making a fuss, then he will start to think that his tantrum is what gets him out of his crate, so he will get louder and more insistent. Do not give in! After a few days (or maybe a week) it should get better, and gradually the fuss will subside until there is no protest.

Also, every time you put him in his crate, give him a treat--and make it something really special. If he doesn't seem to like his kong, a trick my breeder friend told me is to spread a little bit of peanut butter on the back of the crate. Ava LOVES that, and now she puts herself to bed when she knows it's time.  Hang in there. There is nothing wrong with your puppy--he is just getting used to the new routine.


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## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

My puppy will be 11 weeks old tomorrow, and he has gotten much better about crying when we leave him alone. I left him during the past week for the first time to go to the dentist, and then left him twice to go to the mall, and he went in the crate fine. Hopefully your puppy will do better as he gets a bit bigger.

Make sure to never take him out of the crate/dog run while he is fussing (unless you think he has to go to the bathroom). I make sure my puppy is being quiet before taking him out so he doesn't think fussing will be rewarded.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

If puppy has separation anxiety, he isn't getting enough separation.


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## AJT (Jun 20, 2012)

breyer08 said:


> That's what I've been doing with my 13-week-old puppy, Ava.


My puppy's name is Ava too! Ava Las Vegas to be exact but we call her Ava. 

For the OP, slowly work up the amount of time that she needs to be in the crate. I started by putting treats in her crate for the first week than slowly started crating her for 5 minutes about 3 times a day. Sometimes I was with her, other times I was not. Every time I let her out I praised over and over again with her favorite treats. Once we worked up to an hour or more she got her kong with awesome goodies stuffed inside of it. Now she whines a bit but decides sleeping is better so she can pass the time quicker to get to the kong.


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## dylano (Jul 6, 2012)

Hi. I do have a crate for him but he doesn't use it. I do feed him in it but it has a divider do he can go fully in. Should I get rid of the divider a Feed him in there? Also how do I go about starting the crate training process and my pup don't accept treats and does not like kongs. 
Thanks for your all your help, I was getting Really stressed thinking he may have a serious problem


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Buy a plastic kennel.
Select a nap time. 
Take puppy out to go to the bathroom.
Put your puppy in kennel.
Walk away.
Return 1 1/2 hours later. 

I do this around 11 AM and 5 PM. He also sleeps in his crate at night.


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## JPF (Feb 5, 2011)

He sounds like a normal puppy. Our puppy hated the crate at first. A combination of ignoring the whining, playing "crate games", and feeding only in the crate taught him to eventually love his crate. Be patient, this phase will be over before you know it.


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## dylano (Jul 6, 2012)

Hi thanks. Will start getting him used to being alone in the following weeks. Will put him in the run a few times during the day and ignore him and when he's been quiet for a while I will praise him. I will also get him used to the crate by feeding him inside and slowly Closing the door 
Is this good? 
Thanks


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## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

I might have done it wrong, but I just stuck Ruki in the crate at night. His crate is by my bed, and at first I made up a spot on the floor right next to his crate and stuck my fingers through the bars. He would lick and nibble at my fingers then go to sleep. At first he would whine if he woke up and I was on the bed, so I would go back next to the crate. Then after a few nights if he woke up I would just talk to him and that seemed to work. then I started putting him in the crate and going right on the bed (he can see me from the crate). I kept the light on for a bit, and would just talk to him a little. Now I can just put him in and he is fine. He doesn't whine if I leave the room.

but I did stick him right in and close the door, even the first night.


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## narako9 (Jun 29, 2012)

I had the same issue with mine but when she was left in the SUV.
At first I would go back and try to quite her down, but that didn't really do anything, then I just didn't pay any attention to her and I think after the second time that I did that she stopped crying. The other thing she used to do is jump tha cargo area and wait for me at my seat, I started taking her back inside the car, and not from the outside and that taught her that her place is there and she is to go in and out from the back door. I actually left my phone on couple of times in the car and checked after I came back to see that she didn't bark and also she stayed in her place.
It's just like a baby, they're after the attention, if you give it to them they'll continue doing whatever got them that.


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