Crate training is a great way to transition your puppy to go potty outside. We start your puppy on crate training. He/she learns that the crate is a happy, peaceful place in which he rests. A simple schedule you can go by to get you going on crate training with your pup is to have your puppy sleep in the crate at night and anytime during the day when he naps. I also recommend moving your puppy around the house in the crate. For example, one day have your puppy in the dining room or kitchen in his crate where it is a very active area. Then a couple days later move him into a bedroom or office where it’s a littler quieter. What this accomplishes is it teaches your puppy that being in the crate anywhere is okay and normal. So when you travel or if you ever board your puppy, he will be okay and won’t have anxiety. Crating your puppy frequently and in different rooms where you are not around will also help prevent separation anxiety.

“Separation anxiety in dogs describes a condition in which a dog exhibits distress and behavior problems when separated from its handler. Separation anxiety typically manifests within minutes of departure of the handler.”

To prevent Separation Anxiety in your puppy you will need to teach your puppy now from the moment you pick him or her up that it is okay if he is not with you all the time. Do not comfort your puppy when he or she whines for attention. This is a disservice to your puppy and will cause him or her extreme amounts of anxiety in the future when you leave him or her alone which is bound to happen at some point in your puppy’s life. Dogs whom have Separation Anxiety will exhibit excessive amounts of whining/barking, chewing up his or her’s bed, toys, and even crate. If left alone in the house, some dogs have ripped the entire house apart. Your puppy does not have separation anxiety, this is caused by humans not training their puppy correctly. Just remember to teach your puppy that it is okay for him or her to be alone.