# how to graduate to a play pen home alone



## jiffy (Jun 24, 2014)

Hi everyone! this is my first real post (aside from my intro post) on this forum! so glad i found this while frantically googling for any puppy advice!

my cockapoo is about 16 weeks now (got him at 12-13 so i've had him for almost 3 weeks now!) and when i got him, i took a day off then worked from home the next hiding in my bedroom to ease him into being alone. For the most part he only would whine, cry, bark a bit for a couple minutes then he fell asleep.. now, that night i had a major breakdown because i had to go to work the next day. i also caught him jumping on top of his plastic crate and almost jumping out of the play pen! he's an escape artist!!! 

that next day i set up my laptop, played music and turned on a camera so i coudl spy from my phone at work... i didn't trust him to roam so i put him in the crate.. 

its been 3 weeks and he still whines, barks cries for random amounts of time until he tires himself out and sleeps.. it can range from 20 minutes to an hour before it happens. I'm lucky my neighbors at my apartment are all at work so i haven't received any complaints or anything!

i've tried putting treats in there and food and his favourite chew toys..he doesnt touch them when i'm gone and when i come home at lunch to let him out and walk him, he'll go for the food in the crate afterwards! 

i've also have tried a couple training sessions where we set up the play pen to block off the front door and sometimes he'll sit, and sometimes he'll start climbing.. here's a picture of him climbing while doing some trial runs just standing out in the hallway.










today for the first time, i've left him in there with a bully stick which he absolutely loves! not a single peep from him when i left and walked down the hallway from my apartment. i think i can slowly start to associate that when i'm gone, he gets an awesome treat and therefore no need to fret!

however, the issue is, i've tried taking that away from him inside the crate before (teaching him go to bed) and he's growled at me and bit me once and drew blood  so i don't know what's going to happen when i get home at lunch to let him out/walk him or if he'll even come out and i'll have to try and take it away again! 

what are your thoughts???


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## jiffy (Jun 24, 2014)

update.. i checked up on him and he seems to have stopped chewing on the bully stick and now he's going bonkers in the crate and scratching it (i see it shaking, etc). normally he'll do this for a couple minutes then stop and calm down..but i have really high anxiety watching him do that!! 
i think my anxiety level is sometimes higher than my puppy's! how long does it take for him to get into the routine of me leaving for 4 hours at a time? i come home at lunch and walk him and then im back out for another 3-4 hours!


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

I can't seem to get the video to work on my iPad but reminds me of another poo. Tracey?

At that age I never left them for more than three hour. But they were in a crate and needed to be taken out as I didn't want them to pee in the house. The length of time is mostly about the length their bladder can hold it. Once I was running late and Beemer must have just gone nuts because he pulled his cover in his crate and it was soaked with his pee. 

As for leaving them alone, well at 16 months one minute is too long. Though they tolerate it better. Still their preference would be 24/7 where I am or where they left me. 


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## jiffy (Jun 24, 2014)

sorry! i just took a screen shot of the video and posted it as an image  

that makes sense. they're young.. however, due to the nature of my job, i can't be with them 24/7 as this is probably unrealistic for most  

will he get better? i don't think he has separation anxiety becuase the whining and crying isn't constant and he isn't chewing on things constantly in his crate..but of course, i feel like i'll know for sure once he's able to roam around..


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Hi,
He looks gorgeous! Is there someone who can come in while you're out? Four hours sounds a lot in one stretch so soon and for him to do that twice in a day is a very long time for such a young puppy to be alone in my opinion. As you didn't have long off work to get into a routine gradually, that could be why he is showing signs of not settling down. Did you talk to the breeder about your work hours and how to manage a puppy? Have you closely considered your leaving routine - you may be able to work on varying your habits so he doesn't get anxious when he sees/hears certain things happening.

By the sound of it he may be happier in a safe area rather than closed in a crate, I can't play the video but if that's your kitchen is there a safe bit to cordon off maybe? A baby gate might be more stable than the play pen too - and knowing he's a climber I'd certainly be removing his collar, puppies can have some unpleasant accidents with collars and play pens. I'd also be very wary of leaving him with an edible treat other than a filled Kong - there's such a choking hazard with unsupervised chew sticks. That would also deal with the immediate issue of the possessive guarding of a high value treat, does he also guard other things?

Sorry to pose all these questions but the well being of your puppy is obviously paramount.


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## jiffy (Jun 24, 2014)

hi! thanks for your response those are all great questions! 
i think you're right.. i might be leaving him alone for those stretches for too long starting from the beginning.. and i have been varying the leaving. i never make a big deal of it either and leave quietly. I've put on my jacket and shaken the keys a bit too and just sat on the couch to try to 'desensitize him' 

I think i will remove the bully stick now when i leave. he does settle down though after awhile and it doesn't go on forever which is great.. he'll fall asleep and rest. I think finding a baby gate is goign to be the next best thing so that he doesnt have the horizontal bars to climb over. (it's not a video .. i just took a screen shot  )

thanks for your thoughts! it's always welcome! 



Mazzapoo said:


> Hi,
> He looks gorgeous! Is there someone who can come in while you're out? Four hours sounds a lot in one stretch so soon and for him to do that twice in a day is a very long time for such a young puppy to be alone in my opinion. As you didn't have long off work to get into a routine gradually, that could be why he is showing signs of not settling down. Did you talk to the breeder about your work hours and how to manage a puppy? Have you closely considered your leaving routine - you may be able to work on varying your habits so he doesn't get anxious when he sees/hears certain things happening.
> 
> By the sound of it he may be happier in a safe area rather than closed in a crate, I can't play the video but if that's your kitchen is there a safe bit to cordon off maybe? A baby gate might be more stable than the play pen too - and knowing he's a climber I'd certainly be removing his collar, puppies can have some unpleasant accidents with collars and play pens. I'd also be very wary of leaving him with an edible treat other than a filled Kong - there's such a choking hazard with unsupervised chew sticks. That would also deal with the immediate issue of the possessive guarding of a high value treat, does he also guard other things?
> ...


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## jiffy (Jun 24, 2014)

*overwhelmed!!*

OK.. so just an update..and some more detail...

its my 3rd week into owning Hank and he can't seem to be alone! to me i think it's mild separation anxiety right now... 

i've left him in his crate for 4 hours at a time while i was at work and spied on him.. i'd come home at lunch to walk him and try to tire him out.. then left him in the crate again for another 3 hours or so until my boyfriend comes home and lets him out.. 

i just dont know how to put this into words! i'm on the "puppy" diet and i've lost weight just worrying and i have extreme anxiety when i watch him from the spy cam.. i don't trust him to leave him in the play pen since he climbs out and i feel bad for putting him in the crate for so long.. ideally we're looking for a better play pen with only vertical rods so he doesnt have any leverage to climb.. but i also feel like he can knock it somehow..

i've read so many things on how to ease him into being left alone but i am just so overwhelmed with how to do this!! i live in an apartment so i dont have enough rooms to section him off... my boyfriend and i can sometimes work from home but it's not something we can do all the time for the next couple months... from time to time i have nervous break downs and they feel like anxiety attacks just thinking about him.. he whines and cries and i feel like he'll go to the extreme of trying to escape and hurt himself


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

It sounds miserable for you and for Hank. Have you any family, friends or neighbours with dogs who you could barter some dog day care with? Either that or could you pay for him to go to day care? He sounds lonely and frantic and I am not convinced that leaving treats or working out a better crate arrangement is going to help. How are you finding him otherwise? Is he friendly and learning well and is the puppy nipping starting to ease off?


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## jiffy (Jun 24, 2014)

he's so great otherwise..hes getting potty training down... still a work in progress but he's getting better.. (he goes on my balcony and not outside just yet!)  he learns well and i try to do 2-3 short training sessions a day (based on my puppy class homework) .. he's into kibble and will lose interest in treats.. but either way, he's learning well.. he socializes pretty good with other dogs and puppies although still a little shy.. no nipping really... we are strict with implementing the rule that teeth on human flesh is absolutely not acceptable.. 

literally just us leaving stresses him (and myself) out.. 

im trying to just desensitize the sounds of the door so that he doesnt think much of it and just spent 10 mins going in and out of my apartment door... he was in his playpen at the time chewing on a bully stick but as im coming in and out and hes sitting or playing i would click and give him a treat.. .. i think im just going to have to keep that up for the next little while ....


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

I'll be honest I stopped watching or recording because I was freaking out with each whimper they made. You also may want to get blackout shades so you make it dark. Whenever I put them in the crate, I would put a dark sheet over the whole crate and make sure all the blinds were closed so it was dark in there. When he naps when you are home do you out him in the crate? Make nap time the same routine as what you do when you leave. Same thing as sleep time. That way it's familiar. Also, maybe put a dark sheet on the fence so that it looks like a solid unclimbable wall rather than a ladder. 

Lastly, your worries are are just signs that you are a good poo mom. Like I said, Beemer used to cry bloody murder when I left him in the family room (he still does on occasion) just to take a pee. The wonderful thing about leaving is you always come back. So think each time someone comes home to check on him is the happiest moment of his life. Dogs focus on the present. That's why once you leave they don't know if you'll come back. Train him that leaving is just a cue for coming back. Put him in the crate and walk out the door and come right back and get him out and give loves and treats. Repeat with longer intervals. Again, the moment he sees you all is forgiven if not forgotten for him. He still gives you kisses right? My two greet me the same way regardless of whether I leave them at home alone or pick them up with daycare. Given all of that. Once he has shots, doggie daycare is a great way of socializing and associates being away from you with fun play. My rule is if he gives love and kisses and you come home, all is forgiven and enjoy the time together. 


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## jiffy (Jun 24, 2014)

i think you're right... i really need to stop monitoring him 24/7 at work.. it's not healthy for me.. 

just now i put him in the crate for a nap while i am working from home this afternoon and he's been sleeping ever since and no peep from him which is a good sign... 

i think overall, i need to trust him and myself when i leave for work and not have my eyes glued to the puppycam... i know 4 hours at a time is not ideal for his age but he holds his pees and poops and only had a few accidents very early on.. i once ran home in the rain and was pushing 4.5 hours and he still had not peed in his crate.. i was so impressed and made sure to give him tons of love and attention after he went pee outside..  

i'll have to look into having someone come by to let him out.. perhaps play with or walk him during lunches to help relieve me from that every day.. it starts to become an issue when i can't focus on my full time job and affects my performance  

as for the playpen climbing situation.... until i can find a better way to increase his space, i think i have to keep him in his crate for the time being.. hes still got plenty of room to standup turn around stretch, etc. (But not too much room!) 

thank you guys for some great responses.. it's helped me to calm my anxiety a bit.. advice is always appreciated!

breathe amanda, breathe!!


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Breathing always helps!


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Also, your worries are normal. That's how I found this site because I thought I was ruining them and couldn't take it anymore how much I thought I was failing them. Would be in tears. It not only gets better but you will look on these early times and wished you focused more on enjoying him (I know I did and do). He is awesome sauce that he can hold it. You must be doing something right. 


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## jiffy (Jun 24, 2014)

If I graduate him to a play pen how long would you leave a 4 month old pup?? Do the same rules apply? I would put a puppy pad in there just in case but he knows to go outside. Would that confuse him??


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