I am an emotional Mom..HELP!

[HebaZaidi]

I left Mojo for the first time since i got him on Friday.. It is sunday evening and i hadn't left the house. I figured since I have to go to work tomorrow, I should start getting him used to his play pen (bathroom with baby gate) for a couple hours before i leave him tomorrow for 6 hours.
As soon as i put him in the bathroom he started crying.. I shut the front door and BROKE down crying. I felt so awful.. i couldnt have any fun..and an hour later came home to find him crying. I took him out and broke down again.. I just felt so bad and so guilty..

Is there anything I can do to make it easier for him? I puppy proofed the bathroom, left him with a puppy mattress, a tshirt i had been wearing, his chew toys and water and food..and wee wee pads.. ANYTHING i can do to make my baby stoo crying when i leave? Or do i just need to suck it up and hope he will get used to it?

Please please help me.. I can't quit my job..and cant take him with me either..

[romeos mommy]

i have a dog walker come when i'm working. i think it helps with the stress.

[Rae Rae]

It's so hard to leave them, especially when their still puppies, but I think eventually they get used to it. I would also leave a tv or radio on for him, so there's some sort of noise. Are you shutting the bathroom door or leaving a gate? I think a gate would be easier for him then shutting the door.

Don't worry about being emotional, it's perfectly normal!! When I was on vacation last week I couldn't think about my two or tears would start coming. And I hate leaving them while I go to work/school as well, just something you gotta do though.

[LoveMyJake]

Try leaving him for really short periods of time, like 5 min. or so. Keep increasing the time, and he will get more used to it once he realizes you WILL come back.

Don't make a big deal of leaving. I know that's hard because if you're like me, you want to hold them and kiss them and reassure them. But, it really is best not to make a big deal.

I have had alot of separation anxiety issues with my boys. When I first got Jake, I was working full time. I got ill a couple months later and had to be off work for 6 mos. so he got very used to me being with him all the time. I went back to work, and it took him awhile to get used to it. It broke my heart to leave him. I only leave him alone for about an hour, and then my hubby comes home (I work eves). It still was hard for Jake, but he got used to it. Then, I got Jackson and it seemed that helped Jake alot because he had a companion. But, now I've been off work ill again so they are both soooo spoiled! I am going to start leaving for very short periods of time throughout the day, just to go outside, so they get used to me leaving again. This way, when I go back to work, they should be okay.

Good luck! I know it's sooooo hard to leave them!

[paulapoo]

Maybe a t.v. or radio? I leave the t.v. on for my guys.
We working Mom's understand exactly how you feel. Everyday I think I need to marry a rich man so I can stay home with my babies!!

[HebaZaidi]

Haha..yes it would be great if i just didnt need to work and could stay home with him all day.. but sigh..

I am leaving the bathroom door open and have put in a baby gate.. i left the bathroom lights on..but leaving the tv one is a great idea! Thank you!

I will also try putting him in there while im home for short intervals.. its hard though.. i just want him next to me when im home..

It is so heartbreaking to hear him cry.. i know this will pass..i just want it to happen soon.

[Sloan]

My recommendation....start crate training him now. I did that with my puppy when I first got him and it was hard to hear his whimper and cries but eventually, they become comfortable with it and it becomes their special place. You just can't baby them when they cry (believe me, I know it's not easy) but they will really work you over if you cave into them and go and check on them all the time....just like human babies.

Now, I'm not suggesting that you leave him in the crate all day or for any really long length of time but I think that if you get him used to it and he is familiar with the process....then you can leave him in the bathroom with the crate and the door to the crate open so he can go in and out as he pleases. Just a thought. I can tell you more details about my crate training experience and the success I've had with it if you would like....just let me know. I have a whole system....Now I just tell my 6 mos old pup....Derby get in the crate...& he runs & hops right in. But I really think it is very important to do that early on when you get the puppy.

[cocoster]

i use to keep coco in an exercise pen when he was a puppy. i always leave coco with a kong filled with his favorite things... i.e treats, kong fillers, chx meat, doggie cookies, etc. it keeps him occupied at least until i'm out the door. sometimes it seems like he's happy to see me go because of the kong! he would jump into the ex pen when he sees me with the kong. i leave the radio on as well. and try to drain his energy (i.e go for a walk in the morning) to get him tired.

i know exactly how you feel. it breaks my heart to leave him... it was especially hard when he was a puppy. it's like leaving a baby by himself! but don't worry about it too much because he'll end up sleeping most of the time anyways. good luck!

[Mom to Hot Rod]

As suggested, I would leave a radio or tv on. While Hot Rod is used to me leaving, he will still whimper from time to time. It's hard but they do get used to it. Good Luck. I know it's hard.

[Archie's Mom]

I had the same situation when I got Archie -- I got him on a Thursday evening and took Friday, Monday and Tuesday off abd then had to go back to work. The thing is -- he is going to cry for a few days when you first leave him. He will get over it. One day about two weeks after leaving him alone, I realized there wasn't a peep from his x-pen as I prepared to leave. Concerned, I rushed back to his area to see if he was OK. He was just sitting there looking at me as if to say, "What?" From that point on, he was fine. You really just have to be brave and leave without making a big fuss over him or the fact that you are leaving. I always left the TV on for him so he could hear voices, his favorite blankie and toys, water, food, etc. Good luck!

[For My Coby]

Oh my gosh.... that first work day is KILLER (for us).

You've already gotten good advice. It's so hard, but try not to be too emotional at the leaving time. You want your puppy to learn that it is TOTALLY NORMAL for you to leave.

Small crates worked better for us as they have to settle right down as there is no room for anything else. And just be consistent. Our older dog has the run of the house, but Coby is still crated whenever we leave. When we put on our shoes and coats, without a word, he simply runs into his kennel and waits for his treat (there's still a treat for him every time). The last couple of weeks, when I put my lip gloss on, he runs in his kennel.

Good luck. It's so hard at first.

[slahey2000]

I know how you feel! When i first left Linus, he would bark and cry in his x-pen. I would stand outside the door and listen to him, and he would just bark and bark. After a month or so, he stopped barking. I've heard that it's better for them if you just nonchalantly leave, with no big production (cuddling, snuggling, drawn-out goodbyes), because the will internalize that you leaving is a big deal, as opposed to you acting like it's not a big deal. With that said, it still breaks my heart leaving Linus! Pretty soon you'll start thinking about adding a sibling . . .

[xxmxaxrxyxx]

welcome to YT...i don't want to sound mean but you will have to suck it up and eventually he will get used to it...hehe...trust me i been there

[diach]

It is soooo hard to leave them. When I first got Murphy I would put him in his x-pen. He would bark and cry. This lasted about 2 weeks. When he learned I would come back, he was fine. I always give him some treats before I leave. Leaving him becomes a treat. My first Yorkie would sit by the cabinet I kept the treats. Somedays it would feel like he wanted me to hurry up and leave so he could get his treats. Then,he would go lay on the couch. They do adjust to your routine.
Other suggestion- I have a web-cam. When I started leaving him I would use my computer to check on him. It gave me the piece of mind that he was not crying or barking all day. Now, I only plug it in when Murphy is not feeling well.
Good Luck!

[HebaZaidi]

Thank you everyone!
All your suggestions were wonderful...
It's so much better to get advice from people who are in the same position!