# Left alone



## Joanna (Aug 23, 2014)

So Ralph is 9 weeks and unfortunately he needs to be alone for 3 hours a day.

We have him in the kitchen with his playpen and his crate, with the crate door open. I recorded him today and within the 3 or so hours, he had 3 spells of crying/howling lasting 10, 20 and 30 minutes. Silence other than that.

He is crate trained(ish) at night and sleeps through from 10-5:30 in his crate with no accident but like to give him the space in the day so he can have a bit more of a play.

The howling in the day is a tad concerning for neighbours and whilst I know he's only 9 weeks old, I just wondered on your opinions if he will calm down over time with the way we are doing it?

He has plenty of toys and a frozen Kong but if you can recommend anything else then that would be wonderful too.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

He's just lonely and prob anxious, also he's trying to learn what is right and probably gets a bit stressed about the toilet too if he's used to going outside. 

Can anyone pop in after and hour or so to let him out and play with him for 15 minutes?


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Three hours is a very long time for a nine week old cockapoo. Would it be possible to find a sitter for him until he is a little older? Maybe a retired neighbour who would lend a willing lap as at that age he will mostly just sleep? I've always read number of hours alone to age in months, so just over two would be tops right now.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Ideally he should have a good walk to tire him out before you leave him. He is obviously too young for this. Maybe play with him before you go out so he is tired, ideally the 3 hours you are away will be his sleep time and he will hopefully get into this routine. I agree he is still very young to be left alone for 3 hours.


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## Joanna (Aug 23, 2014)

We will walk him plenty as soon as he is old enough.

I'll get someone to come in after some time, get him used to it. As he gets older though, I'm hoping he gets more comfortable.

Thanks for your swift answers.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Just remembering back... At this age, Nina slept from 9-12 but she had a very structured routine, even from the breeder which I think was excellent and I would do it again for the first few weeks. She would have been up from 7.15, outside to toilet, breakfast by 8, back out to toilet and a little play and cuddle before she would crawl back to her crate at 9 and not budge until 12 on the dot, out to toilet, lunch, play and cuddle then sleep again. This was pretty much it all day until about 12 weeks. If your pup isn't used to sleeping for 3 hours at a time, it will be difficult to introduce this. He will be lonely if he is awake and as he's such a baby he will fret and be anxious. I think it's too soon to leave him for longer than and 1-1.5 hours at a time.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Joanna said:


> We will walk him plenty as soon as he is old enough.
> 
> I'll get someone to come in after some time, get him used to it. As he gets older though, I'm hoping he gets more comfortable.
> 
> Thanks for your swift answers.


He will get more comfortable as he gets older. Just make sure to practice and train him that it's okay to have alone time. It's much easier to do this after the housebreaking is mastered. 

Good luck.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Mine are regularly left for three hours, but as little pups they were not left for that long. 
However if you can do as Ruth suggests and ensure that the period that she is left for is a time when she would normally sleep it would be easier. Dot used to be crated for 2 hours most mornings between 9 and 11.


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## Hollysefton (Sep 28, 2013)

I agree with making it part if his routine. When I got Murphy me and my partner took half days in turn off work. So from 10weeks he was left for for maybe 1-2 hours. At first I used a puppy cam but listening to him cry broke my heart! It was useful however as I showed him pacing in the kitchen and working himself up, the next time I left him for an hour, I played with him, he had a wee, and then I took his collar off and shut the crate. He wasn't able to pace and work himself up as much and went to sleep quicker. If u can have someone go in after an hour and half that would be ideal. Speak to your neighbours, I told my that my pup was in training and they might hear him cry alittle, but if it persisted I gave them my mobile. I think people are more understanding if forewarned! Haha

He WILL get used to it, Murphy doesn't cry anymore and goes to sleep when I leave for work. Just build up the time slowly. Maybe leave your pjs in his crate, the scent will be comforting. X 


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

If he's crate trained, I would leave him in the crate, door closed - where he is more likely to settle down and sleep - maybe leaving him out with all that space and no one around made him anxious?
I used to crate my Ralph, and cover with a blanket.


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