How and when to teach a puppy to be left alone at home etc.

Hi there,

may I have a question please, actually more than one

I've had Stella for over 2 weeks and she hasn't had to be left alone yet because I work from home most of the time.
She sleeps downstairs in her bed with a TV on.
Usually she's completely fine apart from some whines and some pee stuff in the morning - it is not such a big deal I guess - she's only 10 weeks and she does a pee now and then inside, especially when distracted by something or when I forget to take her out often enough. I just clean it and say nothing. I praise and reward her when she does it outside so she'll get there
When I go upstairs during the day she whines and howls, the same when I go with rubbish to the bin or something.
I really wouldn't like to distress her but I know she has to learn that nothing happens when she's left alone for a while.
So what would you recommend?
Is she too young to start with it or is it OK and the sooner the better?
I'd really love to go to my gum or stuff, it would take just about 30 minutes at the beginning so I hope if she was tired by a play and sleeping I could leave and she would maybe whine but then after couple of days she'd learn that I always come back?

Other thing I wanted to ask - sometimes she growls and pretends to be biting and showing her teeth when somebody holds her when she wants to do something else. I don't do it myself but sometimes it's difficult to explain to visitors that she's not a toy...
I think it's normal that she expresses her feelings but I think it could be quite scary of she was doing it when bigger?
It happened just 2 or 3 times otherwise she's really a sweetie and loves attention and playing and cuddling though she's able to entertain herself alone as well which is great I think.

One last thing I'm thinking about going to feed her raw (now I feed her with wet food ZiwiPeak mostly) and what surprises me when I read about it is feeding chicken wings and carcasses etc. - I've always heard that chicken bones are dangerous (could get stuck)?

I'm sorry for such a long post and thanks in advance for any suggestions
Best wishes
Marie

Hi there..... with the growling issue, my girl would do that when she was a baby if I moved her from somewhere she wanted to be but I did'nt (usually my daughters bed) I was told that some dogs do this when so young.....but I would deff keep an eye on it incase it gets out of hand. (my girl stopped after a few weeks or so) You certainly would'nt want her doing it as she grows and matures. Hopefully it's just a baby thing and she stops doing it soon.

As for feeding raw, you mention the chicken wings and carcasses. If the bones are raw, they are a lot safer. You should never give your dog cooked bones of any sort....this is when you are asking for trouble.

I'm sure somebody else will be along soon with more advice / suggestions.

nothing wrong with chicken bones ,, my 2 are sat in the sharing a small chicken between them they love it.

however i do always keep an eye on them wen they are eating bones though doesnt hurt to be safe

For leaving her alone do it after she is walked or exercised. Start off with 5-10 minutes and increase it from there. Also make sure she has plenty of toys. It may take awhile but she will get the hang of it.

As the others have said - raw chicken bones are no worry. They are actually quite soft and easily digested (a bit sad, really, how young chickens are when they are slaughtered these days but at least it makes them even less dangerous than regular bones). You always have to adapt the size of bones to the dog you're feeding, though. Some dogs chew nicely, some not so much. A puppy started on raw will generally learn to chew and swallow, it's harder when you transition an adult used to gulping down kibble. You just adjust what you feed to the eating style of your dog - a "gulper" that doesn't chew properly need bigger pieces/bones so it's forced to chew.

As for teaching to be alone it's great to start now. Make sure you never return (=reward) when the dog is whining. You can start by just leaving the room for a few seconds - if you manage to come back BEFORE she starts whining it's brilliant. Then slowly work to be away for longer, but always make sure she's quiet before you return, even if it gets boring. It can help to give her a nice treat to keep her focus when you leave.

I'm in a similar situation - I work for a school so I've been at home on vacation since we got our puppy. He'll need to learn how to be alone for a few hours in September so I've been trying to crate him whenever he can't be supervised (i.e. when I take a shower, run quick errands, do laundry) and he seems to be quite happy and comfy in there. I always exercise him first. He whines a bit because he knows I'm at home but he quiets down. He sometimes just hops into his crate (on his own) during the day and has a snooze.

you have been given alot of good advice aboth =) .. growling, my girl does this lol .. she growls while she plays with her bro and she growls if you run after her playing, she is a very vocal one my girl lol, but its only always playfull, never nasty.

Put a radio In the room you keep your puppy In, Give him a treat when you leave him, And when you arrive, So he will get a good vibe about been left on hes own, Sometimes takes time, But eventually he get message somtimes he will be on hes own!