Alone Time Training
Your puppy has probably been with people and other dogs his entire life by
the time you get him. So, leaving him alone can be a very upsetting experience.
You want to change his mind about this right away with Alone Time Training now.
You can do that by helping your puppy understand that settling down and being
alone is a good thing and it doesn’t necessarily mean the fun is over forever.
Settle Down
Teach your dog the skill of calming down. Get your puppy to play with you for
fifteen seconds and then say “Settle Down” and have him stop and lay quiet for
three seconds. Play for fifteen seconds, quiet for 5, then play for fifteen
seconds and quiet for 7. Slowly increase the time you ask him to sit still
before resuming the play session again. This is sending an important message
that sitting quietly will bring back playtime!
When you have to leave him for longer periods of time like half an hour, give
him the same cue “Settle Down” and hand him a Kong to chew on while you do some
work at your desk. Your dog should be in his alone time area whether that be a
crate or a bed.
Crate Training
The housetraining program we outline in our
Housetraining section does a little bit of the work for you by requiring
your dog to settle in his confinement area. If you have a crate for your
puppy or dog already, this is a great place for him to be while he is alone.
Your dog should love his crate. You can do this by making it really
enjoyable. Put treats and special toys inside so your puppy has something fun to
do while he's in there.
Bed Training
You can also create the same excitement over a bed if you want your dog to
settle there. Tie a leash so the dog can only be on the bed. After a while of
straining, they will lay down and start chewing on their toys. Start doing this
while you are in the room with them. After several successful sessions, try one
when you are not in the room.
Alone All Day
Chewing activity peaks at dawn and dusk. Remember dogs sleep most of the day.
The majority of their destructive behavior happens right after you leave and
just before you get home. You can manage your dogs behavior by giving him
freshly stuffed Kongs when you leave and upon arrival use a fork to get all the
stuffed food out of the Kongs that your dog missed. This will teach your dog to
chew on the toys when you leave and wait to chew until you get home.
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Frequently Asked
Questions - Alone Time
Training
Won't my puppy be sad that he's in his crate a lot?
Dogs enjoy the safe feeling of being inside their
crate. It provides a den like space for them that makes them feel
comfortable. If your dog doesn't immediately feel this way, you can help
him along through the process by giving him wonderful things from the crate.
Feed him in there, give him his toys in there and hide special treats so when he
goes in on his own, he finds a great surprise!
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Green Paws Training Options
We absolutely love puppies, mostly because they're cute but also because we have
the opportunity to prevent bad dog behavior from ever happening with them.
How wonderful! To accomplish this we offer
Puppy Manners Class, Puppy
Playgroups,
New Owner Consultations and
Free Puppy Seminars every other
week. We also offer our premium
Green Puppy Academy!
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Books and Tools
Before and After
Getting Your Puppy By Ian Dunbar
Crate Padding and Blankets at
www.petdreams.com
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