question about leaving my dog for first time

[ladyearl]

Hi there

Planning on leaving Tess alone for first time since she came on Saturday. She's OK when she knows I am upstairs and I just left house for 10 mins and watched her through the back window. She lay down but was staring at the door. When I came back she didn't go mental or make a fuss until I greeted her. Do you think she'll be OK? I know you can't answer this really just stressing 'cos she's doing so well with everything and I don't want to mess it up at this stage.

She does have a crate but I have not really shut the door on it with her in it yet as it's early days and she wouldn't have been in one before although she will happily go in herself occasionally.

She's had plenty of exercise today and I will only be about 1 and half hours.

thank you

 

[gunnergundog]

So, between now and Saturday you need to practice leaving her for increasingly longer periods of time. If you encounter problems arrange for someone to come in and sit with her rather than push things.

Leave her with a radio on; ensure that she has had a good play and toilet before you leave; give her a kong to amuse herself.

Don't make any fuss when leaving her or when coming back, just be very matter of fact about it.

If she's not ready to be left in her crate, then put the crate in a pen and leave her with the door open.

 

[ladyt25]

I was like this with mine but actually, she was fine. I left her with a kong and that did the trick to start with. A couple of weeks ago I left her for 3 hours in the evening and she was fine when i came back - although she had decided the sofa was a muchmore appealing 'bed' than hers! Lol

Mine isn't a chewer though - I learnt that quite early on, and although she was/is quite attached and had a little bit of separation anxiety to start with she has never created when I have left her.

 

[ladyearl]

I did it and she was fine, so glad. Not sure about between now and Saturday ref. But anyway it all went well. Nothing damaged, nothing chewed and she didn't knock me over at the door yeah ) Just waiting on the neighbour report in case there was howling and yowling.