I adopted a 3 month old puppy a little over a month ago (he’s currently 4 months old). I live alone and work a full time job. I have been crate training him (having him in his crate when I go to work and when he sleeps at night). I come home on my lunch break to let him out of his crate for potty so he’s alone 3~4 hrs max. He is such a sweet and smart puppy that follows me everywhere. He would immediately freak out when I go to work and cries for about 30 mins and he would settle. Same thing after I leave during my lunch break. Recently, he started to not go in his crate when I throw treats in there. I think he now knows that when he’s in the crate, he will be alone.
Trainings I’ve done with him:
-not engaging with him when I come home until he settles down
-turn on dog music before I go (often times when I’m home as well just so the music doesn’t trigger me leaving)
-giving him high value treats (when I come home and check, he ate his food but will still cry, howl, bark when I leave)
-crate training that is now not working at all (he will go in to eat the treats when I’m not looking and will come out immediately)
-getting ready beforehand so that I’m not rushing myself
-leaving 30 sec and coming back in multiple times to show him that I will always come back
-desensitizing the door and my bag by doing all the actions and coming back to sit down without leaving
I left him one day to free roam (still checked in during lunch times) but I’ve noticed that when he free roams, he isn’t able to settle down at all until I come home. When he’s in his crate, he settles down within 30 mins.
All the resources I see online are not possible for me because I would have to leave him alone while I’m at work…
I don’t know what to do and I feel lost. I want to hear how you guys overcame separation anxiety while working full time while living alone. This is my last cry for help before I spend couple grand hiring a private trainer to help me.. I’m just worried that I’m stressing my puppy out when he’s alone.
submitted by /u/thdud112
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