Hi Everyone.
I am hoping someone could help me with my routine for the 8 week old pitbull puppy we brought home on Saturday. I am not currently working so I am home with her everyday, so for my sanity I am trying to get her into a good daytime routine.
Her crate is located in our bedroom, that is where she takes naps and sleeps. Then we have a playpen in the living room which we try to keep her confined to but she doesn't love it yet. She cries if she is not entertained and cries if she can't see me while she's in it, but has no problems when I put her in her crate to sleep. I have been sitting near her in the playpen and she seems to calm down, but as soon as I walk away she whines.
She is usually falling asleep every night at 9:30 and she wakes up around 6, so she is sleeping a full 8 hours at night. When she wakes up we go right outside to go to the bathroom then into the playpen for breakfast. We feed 4 times a day, sometimes in her bowl other times I scatter her food, do a kong, or I have a food puzzle game. I don't usually use these first thing in the morning I use them throughout the day.
After this is where I am lost. I am trying to do the 1 hour awake, 2 hours sleep and it is working a little bit so far, but during the awake window I am having a really hard time. I am trying to figure out ways to tire her out that don't always consist of lick mats and kongs because I am worried between that, feeding and training she is eating too much and I don't want her to get sick.
When she has a lick mat or something like that it occupies her, but if it's just a plain chew toy she could really care less and then she just whines.
What can I do to not only help myself with some sanity, but help her learn to independently play on her own with toys that aren't food related? I know she is only 8 weeks old and just a baby, but I need to figure something out.
submitted by /u/LonelyWill8383
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