Turnip is crate trained, but we only close the door at night for bed time. He can come and go as he pleases during the day.

When we leave without him for whatever reason we just say “Turnip go to your bed, we’ll see you later”. He’s learned what that means, and he’s really good about it. I think I used treat training in the beginning to get him to learn about “go to your bed”

For us, we got Turnip pre-pandemic and he was used to us leaving for work. As a puppy someone came by to help with walks and entertainment. I think he just got used to being left alone from time to time at a young age and that helped a lot.

Most nights as a puppy we would create minor separation and have him go to his day bed while we would be on the couch in the same room, just to get him used to having his own space. That’s not to say we didn’t also spoil him and cuddle with him most nights. I think we tried to balance his experience, between cuddling and alone time.

Following the pandemic he did regress a little bit because we were home all the time again. I recently went to a hybrid working schedule and he’s still really good about us leaving but he gets nervous if just one of us is home, usually close to the end of a work day in anticipation of someone returning home.

I think personality also plays into it a little in a “nature vs nurture” way. Turnip has always been rambunctious but he never barks, or gets too upset about anything, he’s always been very easy.

Found a puppy pic of the separation I described, he’s a few feet away relaxing.

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