[Grifforama]

We have just brought our havanese pup home from the breeder. He is 8 weeks old.
I spent all day with him on Monday, as I could work from home, but this was only a temporary arrangement, and my wife and I are now working full time away from home.
He is very comfortable in his crate, and he has a pen with wee wee pads which he has been trained to use.
He has as much water as he should need and some food and some safe toys.
We have left the TV on low for the day.
We know that he will cry a lot today, but I have a couple of questions.
1. Should I come home at lunchtime to see him, or is this going to give him a false sense that I will always come home at lunchtime (which I can't do)
2. Should we start getting him used to staying in his crate with the door shut during the day ? In which case, I guess we should get a larger crate with space for the wee wee pads and space to play and sleep ?
Thanks Dave

[labman]

Yes, come home at lunch. I never like to see any dog, let alone an 8 week old left more 4-5 hours. Let him out to relieve himself, feed him and play with him some. Then a final trip outside and then shut him back in the crate. Stick with a small crate, even blocked off just leaving room for him, no food, water, wee pads, etc. just a safe chew toy or 2. Wee pads and papers only create an extra step in training the dog to go outside, and often create confusion and problems. Some dogs will shred them too.

There is more information that will help in the sticky at the top of the forum. Start at ''What does a puppy need?'', https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802

[Grifforama]

Thanks labman

We don't have him locked in his crate at the moment - he is in his pen, which has his crate in it. He is very comfortable with his crate, and tends to sleep in there without any problems.

Do you think we should start locking him in his crate ?

[RubyPitbull]

Grifforama, please follow labman's advice for when you are not at home. When you are at home, the pen is fine. Leaving him with weewee pads once he really starts teething is not a good idea.

If you have problems coming home on a regular basis, is it possible to find a family member, friend, neighborhood teen, or an elderly person in the neighborhood, who is retired, who would be willing for whatever fee structure you come up with, to come in every few hours and do what labman suggests you do at lunch? Do you have professional dog walker's in your area? I don't know what time you leave in the morning or what time you come home at the end of the day, but you might want to set up a two or three hour "puppy needs attention, training and walks" schedule over the course of the next month or two. This is a very traumatic time in a puppy's life. He has just been separated from his mother and siblings. To suddenly find himself all alone at this age is not good. Dogs are pack animals and need the constant reassurance of having someone from their pack (you and spouse) around for comfort. If you leave him alone too much at this stage in his life, you will not have a happy, well balanced dog. He very well might become more of a loner without the ability to bond with anyone or anything. Early socialization is of the utmost importance in a dogs life. Please don't set him up for failure and give what I am saying careful consideration.