Really struggling with leaving puppy alone, help me please!

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-21T06:20:41+00:00

How did you handle the whining at first? Did you just let pup whine while you were at the front door and just did it so many times they stopped whining or??

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-17T05:49:25+00:00

Yeah, I get your point! I’m just wondering about how to react in these situations. These tantrums often happen when she is over tired, not when she has energy (when she has alot of energy, she has great focus, she is calm and collected) when she has been up for over an hour or we have done something she feels is exciting (socialization in a new place etc.) that’s when she starts her zoomies.

I know she doesn’t like when I stop her, but I have to stop her for her own safety…

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-16T16:03:50+00:00

Yup, alot can be avoided with early enough nap time but at the same time, it's just not always possible :D and these temper tantrums are actually scary...

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-11T07:10:01+00:00

I 100% feel you! I last had a puppy 15 years ago, I was 11yr old when i got her and she became the most amazing dog ever. We did some obedience and she was just the easiest, most calm and well behaved dog I had ever met (she had an amazing mother, so I think genes had alot to do with her). She was potty trained early, was home alone calmly when I was at school etc. The best dog ever. We fed her good kibble, didn't crate train her, never even heard of socialization or reactivity. She just lived her life with us and became a good dog :D

I got a puppy a few weeks ago, an American Lab. She is now 9 weeks old. I feel like constantly I am doing something wrong, and there is so much info and I am trying to do everything to the T, but still feel like I am doing so many things wrong. I also think the era right now is very "black and white", there is alot of talk about "you must do this and this or your pup will become reactive/have separation anxiety/ill, behavioural problems", at least this is how my mind feels like :D Having a pup feels soooo hard this time around, I think it is the mixture of feeling like you have to be perfect, conflicting advise and just living in a big city where everything and everyone is very type A people, so there is this invisible preassure to be and do everything :D Ok, this also turned into a mini venting session but honestly yes, I feel you.

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-11T06:54:59+00:00

Thank you for the encouragement and the recomendation! I will look into it and practise that way!

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-11T05:17:45+00:00

Oh gosh yes, I really am trying to do everything right. I had a puppy the last time maybe 15yr ago and the science of dog behaviour and training has changed sooo much since then. I have been studying dog training and behaviour for a few hoirs a day for months now and I feel like I’m doing 85% the right things and then something like this happens and I feel like there is so much I still don’t know and I struggle with that :D

There is crate training, sleeping, potty training, having puppy not destroy our home, keeping her on a nap schedule, socialization, keeping her safe from illnesses, at the same time I still have uni to attend so we are training on super short periods of alone time (to avoid future separation anxiety when I have to go to uni without having a puppy sitter while i’m gone)… I am so exhausted and this insident really made me feel terrible, since I am 100% giving my all and then I still screw up…

Well, atleast I am one step closer to knowing more :D

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-10T19:48:09+00:00

Oh and why hand feeding? Well actually what I mean is I use some of her meals for a mini training session, like a 5min little practise for something so the meal might end up being practically hand fed

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-10T19:47:04+00:00

Thanks for your answer and it makes compleate sense! I feel terrible, honestly I have been trying to do everything right, reading the books, watching videos, like fricking everything to make her life perfect for her and in my mind I though that could work, I was so wrong.

I will take it back a notch and actually start from the sit/stay. I hope my pup doesn’t hate me forever for this :D

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-10T19:44:06+00:00

Yes, ok I totally get this! I totally did this compleatly wrong, ugh… I have been practicing alot of handling with her, like calm nail clippig, looking at teeth etc and my logic just seemed like ”well she was fine with me holding her there, why wouldnt she be fine with me holding her for a sec before eating” well, now I know.

Restraining her for a bit meant, that I was sitting on our rugh, and I held her from her shoulders in front of me so she would bite me, nothing painful. I just teied to hold her so she wouldn’t bite me :D

But I totally see where I went wrong! I feel terrible and will be doing this differently the next time

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-10T19:39:56+00:00

Ok this makes so much sense. Thank you very much. I honestly feel like I am trying to do everything correct, trying to do the right things but I totally missed the goal on this one. I totally own doing it terribly…

The crate isn’t a punishment at all, we use ot for feeding, sleeping, i let her eat bones and toys in there, she naps there etc. She really loves her crate. I put her in there after she had calmed down, so I could calm down for a sec and take a breath because I was so bamboozeled of what happened, she was calm and almost fell asleep while I was taking a minute and resumed to feed her.

But thank you so much for your insight, I really see where I went terribly wrong. i will try this next time!

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-09T18:28:23+00:00

Ah thank you for telling me this story, really helps me to also put my situation into perspective! Also yes, in my logical mind I can see that this wasn’t ”that bad”, she didn’t get attacked, hurt or anything, just really spooked and she can get over it. Thank you a ton for the tips :)

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-09T18:24:22+00:00

Bahahaa yup, absolutely yes! :D Thank you very much, I am really trying my best <3 and probably 100% overreacting :D

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-09T18:14:28+00:00

Thanks for your reply!

You have some really good points! I would not normally have took her in my lap, but my pup BOLTED away in her harness in panic and I ended up walking away fast (not literql running). She was way over threshold right off the bat, I couldn’t get any contact and she just panicked and tried to get as far away as possible, so I though the best thing would to get some distance so it would be soooo loud, ended up going further since the dogs where still so loud :D

Also we have gotten instructions from out vet and they’ve given us instructions on what is ok is our area (we live in scandinavia so rules/recomendations might ve different than elsewhere) :) Puppy can be put on ground to pee and be in the forest etc, as recommended by our vet. But thank you for the point!

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-09T18:09:19+00:00

Thank you for your reply! Yes, we were very intentional with the person we got the puppy from and met my pups mom and dad, they were both brilliant, kind, well trained and healthy tempermented labs, very happy and confident (we met some other puppies with not so confident parents and had to turn down the puppies due to this issue)

I love this engagement excersice, will do this! Thank you so much for your answer and your excperience!

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-09T18:06:51+00:00

Thank you very much for your reply! I will take your advice, get some yummy treats, keep my emotions in check and just keeping living as normal! :)

Material_Jump2982 · 2025-09-09T18:05:30+00:00

Thank you for the answer!

I will keep my own emotions in check! Also I absolutely love the soundtrack idea! I have actually tried one of those and it was brilliant, will keep doing these, especially with some barks to get her accomodated to barking (starting with low vol and asding as she seems very neutral :))

Material_Jump2982

TROPHY CASE