# Puppy cries if I leave her outside



## iveywk (May 10, 2010)

Hi all,

I don't know if I have a problem or if it my puppy being a puppy. She's nine weeks old and and being crate trained thats going fine. When she goes in after she eats her treat she might cry for 30 - 60 seconds and then is fine. 

If I put her outside in my backyard she usually plays with the neighbors puppy or will chew on one of her toys or balls away from me. If I go inside it's fine until she realizes I'm gone. This morning she cried for almost six mins and then stopped. I gave her about minute and then went out. 

Is this her getting used to a new place still? I'm just worried, it's my first dog I've raised by myself I don't want to mess her up. 

Thanks!


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## theyogachick (Aug 2, 2009)

This is normal. We brought home a 12 week puppy three weeks ago. For the first couple of weeks, she would not go outside without one of us. If we put her outside and went back in, she would run towards the door and bark and bark and bark because she hated being alone.

She is better now. She still does it from time to time, but she is better. I would say that 9 weeks may be a little young to be leaving her alone in the backyard for a long length of time. 

How long have you had her?


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## iveywk (May 10, 2010)

I've had her for two weeks now, I guess she is actually 10 weeks.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

Young puppies/dogs are hardwired to stress and cry when their caretakers disappear. It's a survival instinct.
Your pup is far too young to be left outside alone, and certainly not with another dog, period. Puppies are like infant children, everything goes in their mouths and this in itself can be a serious problem. There are other reasons too..bad habits happen, you are not there to reward any housetraining opportunities, someone could steal the pup..etc etc.

As much as it is important to start "alone" training early to enable pup to learn to be alone for periods of time and prevent SA issues, this involved alone IN THE CRATE with a long lasting stuffed kong and short periods building up to longer ones. Any other unsupervised time is a risk.


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## Finkie_Mom (Mar 2, 2010)

Cracker said:


> Young puppies/dogs are hardwired to stress and cry when their caretakers disappear. It's a survival instinct.
> Your pup is far too young to be left outside alone, and certainly not with another dog, period. Puppies are like infant children, everything goes in their mouths and this in itself can be a serious problem. There are other reasons too..bad habits happen, you are not there to reward any housetraining opportunities, someone could steal the pup..etc etc.
> 
> As much as it is important to start "alone" training early to enable pup to learn to be alone for periods of time and prevent SA issues, this involved alone IN THE CRATE with a long lasting stuffed kong and short periods building up to longer ones. Any other unsupervised time is a risk.


Agreed. I have yet to leave my puppy (6 months old) outside without me. Not only because my fence isn't level and she could possibly squeeze under if she really wanted to, but because I want to be sure to keep an eye on her. IMO, there's no reason to just let the pup out and leave it. 

If it's for exercise, I know my girl wouldn't get any if I just left her there. She'd most likely lay around eating grass or something, and come back in just as hyper as she was before I let her out 

If it's about housebreaking, you should be the one to take the pup outside to go to the bathroom, reward, maybe some play outside, and then take the pup back in. And keep the pup on a leash, so that they cannot just play and not go to the bathroom.

Stick with Cracker's advice about further researching crate training using a kong or other long-lasting goodie. Keep de-sensitizing her to the crate, and soon you should have no crying/whining at all when you ask her to go in.

And I would also be wary about leaving the puppy alone with your neighbor's dog. Too much could go wrong in that scenario, IMO...

Best of luck with your girl!!!


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## Robrowe (Jan 25, 2010)

The behavoir is normal but I strongly suggest not leaving a puppy this age unattended. They are fearless and very curious at this point and will get into anything and everything, some of which my pose health hazards.


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## KellyJ (Mar 1, 2010)

Why does she need to be left outside alone? My cocker spaniel is 5- we adopted her about five months ago though. And my pyrenees mix puppy is 9 weeks. Neither one of them have ever been left outside alone before.... I wouldn't recommend doing that esp. since your puppy is so young... she's just a baby and babies get scared when they are left alone like that.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

I would second the advice about NOT leaving her outside alone! You never know what could happen! 
Lots of plants can be toxic to dogs, they can eat bugs and just about anything! They could get an upset tummy (or worse) from eating something outside, and since you weren't there, you wouldn't know!
Also, you never know when the neighbor's dog could be having a bad day, or not feel well, and that could cause aggression and fighting!


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