3. Handle loneliness effectively: there are a few different things you can do to help them not to get too lonely while you’re away
- Give them an old t-shirt that you have worn a lot to keep in their kennel (and remember puppies chew, so don’t give them anything you’re going to want back in one piece) so that they have something that smells like you nearby.
- Buy a large, long bone with a big hollow in the middle and fill it full of peanut butter, cottage cheese, whatever they see as a treat that is going to take them a long time to get every bit out of (can’t easily reach with their paws or tongue). Present the bone to them when you are leaving for a duration and crating them. Make sure you take it back from them as soon as you return and wash it thoroughly. This treat is only for when you are gone for awhile, don’t use it at other times.
- If they are crying at night, take them outside to go potty. After they go, praise them and put them right back to bed. At Kika’s Klee Kai, we have found that 100% of nighttime whining is bathroom related, if it’s legit. If they get out and want to play or won’t go potty, put them back to bed and leave them for the night. They clearly don’t need to go, and it’s important not to reward them (with you!) when they are simply whining.
- Some people have found leaving a ticking clock nearby helpful, as it may mimic the sound of their mother’s heartbeats.