Leaving pup!

[Wolfiefan]

I can't. Like at all!
She sleeps and naps alone but when she's awake she cries if i leave long enough to visit the loo!
I'm going to seek proper professional help and I've looked at resources online. But how did you get your dog used to being left?
So as not to drip feed she's nearly 18 weeks. A giant breed. We also have cats and kids so I can't let her have completely free roam in the house!

[Wolfiefan]

Evidence!

[BiteyShark]

If DDog is safe, doesn't need to toilet etc I would leave it some safe toys and ride out the crying and when they stop return praise and then leave again building up the time spent apart.

I know others disagree with leaving dogs etc when young but I see it as them learning that it is ok when you leave and you will come back and forth etc. Mine can now easily last 2-3 hours before gettin whiny and actively looks forward to times he knows he is going to be alone because that is the only time he gets a sticky stuffed kong to lick :)

[FlyWaxSleepRepeat]

My pup is 15 weeks now, he's had to get used to being left alone in the kitchen (with me across the hall) as I work from home and can't have him in the room with my client, so he's left for anything up to 1.5 hours at a time.

When we first got him I had 2 weeks off work and built up to leaving him, starting with a couple of minutes. I didn't make too much of a fuss as I was leaving or coming back so as not to make it a 'big thing'. His crate is his 'safe space' and while we're out he goes in there of his own accord, we've never ever shut the door on it or locked him in there but if I'm going out say to do a food shop so I know I'll be a while I leave some treats hidden in his crate for him to sniff out.

Sometimes when left he whines for a minute or two, other times he's fine.

I find a good walk (which is only 20 minutes for his little legs ) first thing in the morning helps, he settles much better and sleeps a lot.

[Bluebell9]

I'm teaching my puppy to be ok with being on his own for a few minutes at a time. He has a big crate with room for a bed and puppy pads to sleep in at night and if I have to leave him to go upstairs to the loo, I put him in his crate with a kong teething bone with treats in. I know he is safe in there. Sometimes he cries if he notices I'm gone, if he does, I wait for him to stop before I come back in, otherwise he'll think he crying makes me come back. I started this off by just closing the crate door for a few seconds and then closing it but not leaving the room, working up to leaving the room for a few seconds then minutes.
I hide treats in his bed randomly during the day for him to find, so that going in his crate is a positive thing. He'll happily take his toys in his crate by himself to play and to see if more treats have magically appeared!

[Floralnomad]

Is she the same with other family members or is it just you ?

[TrionicLettuce]

But how did you get your dog used to being left?

Using this method. I've found it to be extremely effective and have got several puppies used to both crates and being left without any crying or upset at all. It sounds very long winded but with a young puppy you actually get through the early stages really quickly.

We've currently got four dogs, now all adults, who are completely happy being left uncrated for several hours with no problems. They rush to where they get left when they realise we're off out, settle straight down once they've had their biscuit each and there's no fuss when we get home. We've filmed them when they're alone and other than the odd bit of play and bed rearranging they just snooze away quite contentedly.