A new puppy at home brings happiness and joy, but sooner or later you will have to leave him alone at home. This separation anxiety can cause your pup a great deal of mental anguish, so it’s very important to slowly get your new friend used to the realities of life. Animals show a wide range of emotions and, unlike dealing with a human being, we cannot reason with them through language. Leaving a new puppy alone can leave him feeling hopelessly abandoned, creating fear and distrust, so be sure to take steps to slowly introduce him to independence from her.

1. Start with a short-term separation period of thirty to sixty minutes. Although this may seem like a blink of an eye to us, for a puppy, this period of time is enormous. Speak in a soothing tone and lock him in the house alone for less than an hour. When he gets the idea that you will always come back, lengthen the time apart until he can relax. Work schedules and emergencies may justify leaving you for eight hours or more, and you need to make sure that the pup has taken all the necessary steps to reach this goal.

2. The new puppy gains confidence when he hears the sounds of human voices. For your initial short-term separations, leave the radio or television on to keep you company. The sounds of the media do not replace the person he loves, but the voices distract him from his loneliness.

3. To deflect her cranky attitude, make sure you have her favorite toys and snacks within easy reach. Creating your own activities with a ball or chew toy works wonders to calm and quiet a frightened pup and he can bid his time on his own terms until you come home.

4. Remind your pup that when he has to go, it’s no big deal. If you play into the situation with a very nervous tone in your voice, the puppy will get the idea that leaving is a bad thing. Rather, he needs to learn that people have things to do and places to go that don’t include him and that you should be back before his next meal. Greet him warmly when you answer the door, but if you’re always playing the role of drama queen, separation anxiety can be made worse.

5. If you must leave your puppy after dark, be sure to leave a small light on or plug in a night light. The dark room may encourage him to take a nap, but total darkness can be stressful for a baby puppy. A room with a light is enough to keep it quiet until you get home.