# Being Alone



## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

Roshi's been in daycare for a month now - everyday between Monday to Friday. On Saturday and Sunday I am mostly home. Now, I'm starting to worry (yes, I'm always worrying) that he can never be used to be alone since there's always a human around.

I now noticed that whenever I go upstairs to get ready for work, or go for a shower (takes me about 15 min), and he downstairs alone, he will bark and howl. Am I just expecting him to always be quiet? Or him barking/howling a bit normal? And when he is older, it will stop?

Should I start training him on the weekend to be alone? I'm not saying leave him 8 hours at home... but like I go out shopping for an hour or two (oh gosh I need new shoes!), or go out on a lunch date? 

I try to exercise/play/train him before I head out, just tire him out. I do not make a fuss when I do leave/come home. None of those, "good bye my little one, blah blah blah..." I just put him in the pen. Grab my stuff. Leave. Come home. He's excited. I ignore him and just go off to put away my stuff. 

Is this a good start at least? Should I start pulling him out of daycare and just go 4/5 days I work?

I know havaneses are velcro dogs, but I do also believe that ALL dogs could be trained the way you want him to be - especially when they are young. And velcro is not what I want.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

It sounds like you're doing fine right now. Short shopping trip, etc. on the weekend is enough time for now. He will settle down more as he gets older.


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## coco (Feb 26, 2011)

I've never left Coco alone for more than 2 hrs. at a time and he's 6 months old. I'm retired so I'm here, but now I'm not sure if it's a good thing either? It sounds like your doing just fine though and I'm sure he's alot happier then being alone all day like some dogs in my neighborhood are. I never thought I would worry like this over a dog but it's the face, ohh that face!!!


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

coco;390838 I never thought I would worry like this over a dog but it's the face said:


> LOL! I always say... he's a dog. Let him be a dog. Don't baby it.
> But sometimes it's just too hard not to.
> 
> Ok... I guess I'll continue just leaving him in his xpen with a pee pad and go out a little more on weekends... (like 2-3 hours for shopping - as if that's enough! :suspicious: or a movie)... just to get him used to being alone.


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## inlovewithhav (Feb 18, 2011)

As someone who has to be gone from the home for long periods I am in the same boat as you. When I get home Kipper has been out of his x-pen for about 2 hours (my oldest son lets him out) and will come running to say hi to me when my son lets him out the door. If he is in his cage when I get home I will go up and tell him hi, same as with the other dog, take care of putting my stuff down and then get him out of the cage. I am first one up in the mornings (usually) and first priority is to get him outside to potty, after that he can be with me when I am getting ready for about 10 minutes, I fill his morning bowl up, put it in his x-pen........ catch the springy little thing (he knows he goes in there when I put food in his pen) give him a kiss and tell him I will be home in a little bit. I have done this routine with ALL of the dogs that I have had and one had huge SA issues from when my husband was in military (before he met me). Seems to have worked so far fingers crossed- Shelly


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## Pooch (Nov 23, 2010)

I've had Fionn for 2 weeks now and he's 13 weeks old. I leave him for 3 hours in his crate with no problem and today I did for 3 1/2 hours and he was fine. I put some kibbles and peanut butter in a kong and freeze it and give him that before I leave - he loves it! This past weekend was our second together and I made sure I put him in his crate once a day for 3 hours to keep him used to the routine. Both times I pretended I left the house but I was actually home reading in peace and quiet...ahhhh.... There wasn't a peep from him the entire time and I actually had to wake him up. My lifestlye is such that I need to know I can leave him for periods of time to go for dinner, a movie, run errands, etc., so I am ensuring from the get-go he is used to it and so far he is doing just great!


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

You are very very very lucky. My guy out of no where developed a habit of peeing in his crate when he's awake. If he's napping, he can "hold" for 4 hours (tried it this weekend, when I need to catch up on sleep). He can also sleep through the night for 7 hours now. 

And yeah, just to be on the safe side, I have to take him out every 1.5 hours. I don't know when I can bump that up? SIGH. I keep a log, and seriously have 15-20 potty breaks a day. OMG. What is wrong with him?!


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

I doubt that anything is wrong with him. He's a puppy, and puppies' bladders have small capacities.


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## Pooch (Nov 23, 2010)

Fionn will be home with me 2 weeks tomorrow and only 2 nights have I had to get him up at 2:00 a.m. to pee. Every other night I take him out somewhere between 10 and 11pm to pee and he sleeps through the night (his crate is next to my bed). I work out in the morning so I wake him at 5:00a.m. to pee, put him back in his crate and he sleeps til 7:00. I work out, shower, prep my breakfast, then attend to him. I'm at the point now where I'll leave him in his ex-pen for an hour or so while I go out or do things around the house (I just got back from an evening run and he was in there for an hour...no problem...when I came in the room he was awake and just start shaking his bum and wagging his tail!). From day one I've really worked on making sure he was okay when I'm not around. The first day or so he cried when I put him back in his crate in the morning or in his expen, but only for 10 mins or so. I never went to him when he was crying. Now he's fine...he really never cries. I've noticed in the last day or two he's holding his pee longer and I'm only taking him out every 1.5 to 2 hours. He is a really good pup.... The one thing that has been making me crazy is his wild behaviour around 5:00 every night - he runs around like he's possessed!!! Fortunately he wears himself out but oh my, he is a wild one for about a half hour every night!!


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

You're experiencing RLH - Run Like Hell. welcome to the club. It is especially entertaining when you have two Havs! :whoo:


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Pooch said:


> Fionn will be home with me 2 weeks tomorrow and only 2 nights have I had to get him up at 2:00 a.m. to pee. Every other night I take him out somewhere between 10 and 11pm to pee and he sleeps through the night (his crate is next to my bed). I work out in the morning so I wake him at 5:00a.m. to pee, put him back in his crate and he sleeps til 7:00. I work out, shower, prep my breakfast, then attend to him. I'm at the point now where I'll leave him in his ex-pen for an hour or so while I go out or do things around the house (I just got back from an evening run and he was in there for an hour...no problem...when I came in the room he was awake and just start shaking his bum and wagging his tail!). From day one I've really worked on making sure he was okay when I'm not around. The first day or so he cried when I put him back in his crate in the morning or in his expen, but only for 10 mins or so. I never went to him when he was crying. Now he's fine...he really never cries. I've noticed in the last day or two he's holding his pee longer and I'm only taking him out every 1.5 to 2 hours. He is a really good pup.... The one thing that has been making me crazy is his wild behaviour around 5:00 every night - he runs around like he's possessed!!! Fortunately he wears himself out but oh my, he is a wild one for about a half hour every night!!


Right on.


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

Roshi never cried on his first night! Even now when he barks/whines when I'm not around, I don't go to him. When he stops, I count to 30 before I go to him. If he starts again, the count resets. Still, he hates being alone. It's not like my heart aches for him... but I really need to get ready for work (like eat breakfast). I can't stand there for 10 min to wait for him to shut up!


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## inlovewithhav (Feb 18, 2011)

Kipper just hit 6 months and that seems to be the turning point for him, he knows where he wants to go potty (always outside-potty pads are ignored in the house now) and he can hold it for a lot longer then he could just a few weeks ago. Trust me it has been a long 4 months with him and the potty especially when I am in the back of the house doing laundry and my children are "watching" him..... yeah I have had my share of suprises....hmmmmm I wander if I can just stop doing laundry and cleaning and say that I have to watch the puppy to make sure there are no accidents since they wont do it ound:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

CrazieJones said:


> Roshi never cried on his first night! Even now when he barks/whines when I'm not around, I don't go to him. When he stops, I count to 30 before I go to him. If he starts again, the count resets. Still, he hates being alone. It's not like my heart aches for him... but I really need to get ready for work (like eat breakfast). I can't stand there for 10 min to wait for him to shut up!


I think you can go past his crate or pen and ignore him, if you have to get about your morning. It might make it even more clear to him that what needs to stop is the barking and carrying on. We had some difficulties last year when my son was home from college for the summer,a nd was getting up REALLY early for his summer job. We did NOT want to start our day that early, and Kodi thought that since SOMEONE was up, he should be able to get up, have breakfast, go out, etc. We had Robbie just go straight by Kodi's pen without een looking at him. For the first few days, Kodi put up a LOT of protest. after that, he figured it out, and waited quietly for "regular" wake-up time from then on. This summer, same routine, but he remembered after just one morning of quietly whining to get up with Robbie.


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

This morning was somewhat successful. I went back to basic and broke up my routine a bit. And he just sat there and waited for each 5 min interval of time. A little whine when I'm heading down the stairs, probably excitement. So that's good. I guess I"ll just keep at it and build up the time again.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

CrazieJones said:


> This morning was somewhat successful. I went back to basic and broke up my routine a bit. And he just sat there and waited for each 5 min interval of time. A little whine when I'm heading down the stairs, probably excitement. So that's good. I guess I"ll just keep at it and build up the time again.


Sounds perfect!


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