Separation

[Schouiffy]

I think you have what you can have to start with. Puppies are normally upset when you leave, they are still trying to make sense of the world around them. It's a difficult part of the puppy stage, accepting that you will have to make your dog upset. All of us work. Does your other dog stay with him ?

I think the greater objection from some members is the age of your puppy, and the time spent alone. Reputable, responsible breeders don't place puppies before the age of 8 weeks old, they are not done developing yet. Puppies are placed between 10-14 weeks. It might not seem like that much but weeks for a puppy are like months of development in human terms. Whilst I am surprised you have a dog this young - unless this is a rescue pup you found - I think from reading your post you are doing all you can do. Getting your neighbors to come and check in on him will help, but it boils down to the fact ALL puppies struggle to be home alone - when there are no humans and no furry companions to make them feel safe. You have set yourself a greater challenge at the moment by taking on a puppy who is even younger, and therefore with even less capabilities to cope than an older puppy. That's not to say it can't be done, but rather to help you understand that it is a hard but doable process and to help you accept that truth.

[basilboy7]

I thought puppies were usually ready to go to owners at 8 weeks old? My other dog stays in another room usually… I had been closing the room door thinking it would make the puppy feel safer. My other dog usually doesn't go in my room, would it help or hurt to have her walking by while he's in his crate/playpen? I could put him in a different room but I read puppies do best in your bedroom so you can hear them when they need to go potty at night and that changing the place of where the crate is might make it so they don't recognize the crate?

[Voodoo]

You have to slowly learn a dog to be alone. That's something that isn't natural for them. They are pack-animals. Their survival and succes depends on the pack. Not in order anymore in this context, but they still have that pack-instinct. So you really have to teach them that beeing alone isn't going to hurt them.
How long it takes is different for each dog. Best to start with just seconds, then a minute, few minutes… and so on and on. But make sure you allways return before they start panicking. Giving him something to do will help. Having a constant pattern for leaving the house also helps. Saying the same words every time when you pick up your keys and put him in his bench. He then will know you are leaving and will learn that it's nothing to be upset about. But he doesn't know that now. So if you leave and he is sleeping, when he wakes up, he doesn't know what's going on and will panick.

If it is possible, you can maybe let him stay with your neighbours when you are at work the next few weeks, while you are learning him to be alone.
If he is panicking now, and you continue that way, chances are it's going to be very hard in the future to change that.

Quite frankly, I do NOT put water in a crate when I go to work [for the puppies]. What goes IN, must come OUT!

I would never put a puppy 8 hours in a bench without water!! If they are thirsty, he should be able to drink!

[Schouiffy]

No they are not, by any means ready to go at 8 weeks old. I think Tanza asserted this on another of your posts from a different thread. Reputable breeders don't allow their dogs to leave before 10 weeks, because responsible breeders know serious neurological / psychological development is happening in these weeks. For example, bite inhabitiion, as I understand it, is cemented in the final weeks - so the pups learn how to play bite without hurting their littermates. Some dogs can struggle with hard biting and nipping during play as adults because they have missed this period with their littermates.

Perhaps others will have a different opinion, but I think it can't hurt to leave the door open, place your other dog's bed by the crate, so your other dog can sit by the crate and let your puppy know he is ok. At 8 weeks, there is no WAY you are going to get a puppy to hold it's bladder for 8 hours, but you might see a difference in anxiety levels. I agree with Voodoo and some others, it might be best in these starting weeks to get more people involved. The slow and steady brings about a confident pup. I know for me, the longest I ever left my puppy at 15 weeks was 4 hours, any longer and I booked a puppysitter.

[basilboy7]

Well if I would have known that I would've brought that up with the breeder… From what I read on the internet... they're ready to go at 8 weeks so that's what I trusted. Well, I can't change that now. What can I do to help my pup learn these things that he was supposed to learn with his litter?

[lvoss]

Enroll in puppy socialization classes with a positive reinforcement trainer. These classes should include socialization with other puppies, people and environmental enrichment.

[Voodoo]

@basilboy7:

Well if I would have known that I would've brought that up with the breeder… From what I read on the internet... they're ready to go at 8 weeks so that's what I trusted. Well, I can't change that now. What can I do to help my pup learn these things that he was supposed to learn with his litter?

Over here, pretty much all puppys go to their new owners at the age of 8 weeks, and that's not a problem. You have to make sure that you continue learning them their lesson's in life, if you get one home at 8 or 10 weeks.
If you know some people with good social dogs, bring your pup in contact with those dogs and all will be fine.
But be carefull with puppy socialization classes. Some are a great help, but if given by a person who isn't as good in it as he should be, you can get in trouble. As an example; in most of the puppy classes, you find dogs of all breeds, from 8 weeks to 6 months. And often they let all the pups loose so they can play together. But a little 8 week old Basenji pup surrounded by 5-6 month old Dobermans, Labradors… can be a disaster. You often see that the more timid pups are completly overrun by the larger and older pups. And chances are that then your pup will learn that attacking is the best defense against that. Or maybe you have 'the bully', and when he can overrun the more timid pups, he will learn that that is fun. Either way, you are then learning him a behavior you don't want to see! Not all the classes are that bad, but many are.
I only let me pups play with social adult dogs and pups I know very well.

[Quercus]

@Schouiffy:

I think you have what you can have to start with. Puppies are normally upset when you leave, they are still trying to make sense of the world around them. It's a difficult part of the puppy stage, accepting that you will have to make your dog upset. All of us work. Does your other dog stay with him ?

I think the greater objection from some members is the age of your puppy, and the time spent alone. Reputable, responsible breeders don't place puppies before the age of 8 weeks old, they are not done developing yet. Puppies are placed between 10-14 weeks. It might not seem like that much but weeks for a puppy are like months of development in human terms. Whilst I am surprised you have a dog this young - unless this is a rescue pup you found - I think from reading your post you are doing all you can do. Getting your neighbors to come and check in on him will help, but it boils down to the fact ALL puppies struggle to be home alone - when there are no humans and no furry companions to make them feel safe. You have set yourself a greater challenge at the moment by taking on a puppy who is even younger, and therefore with even less capabilities to cope than an older puppy. That's not to say it can't be done, but rather to help you understand that it is a hard but doable process and to help you accept that truth.

I respectfully disagree. Lots and lots and LOTS of responsible breeders place puppies at 8 weeks. Ten weeks is probably ideal…but eight weeks will not adversely effect most puppies. Six weeks is too young, and many people who have puppies separated from their litter at that age have dogs with rough mouth issues. But eight weeks is a really standard age for placing puppies in a home here in the US.

[Quercus]

@Voodoo:

Over here, pretty much all puppys go to their new owners at the age of 8 weeks, and that's not a problem. You have to make sure that you continue learning them their lesson's in life, if you get one home at 8 or 10 weeks.
If you know some people with good social dogs, bring your pup in contact with those dogs and all will be fine.
But be carefull with puppy socialization classes. Some are a great help, but if given by a person who isn't as good in it as he should be, you can get in trouble. As an example; in most of the puppy classes, you find dogs of all breeds, from 8 weeks to 6 months. And often they let all the pups loose so they can play together. But a little 8 week old Basenji pup surrounded by 5-6 month old Dobermans, Labradors… can be a disaster. You often see that the more timid pups are completly overrun by the larger and older pups. And chances are that then your pup will learn that attacking is the best defense against that. Or maybe you have 'the bully', and when he can overrun the more timid pups, he will learn that that is fun. Either way, you are then learning him a behavior you don't want to see! Not all the classes are that bad, but many are.
I only let me pups play with social adult dogs and pups I know very well.

I completely agree. IMO, it only takes a Basenji one bad/scary encounter to decide other dogs are trouble…and unfortunately most puppy play sessions have the attitude 'let them work it out'...which isn't necessarily bad...but a one shot lesson for a Basenji about how to interact with other dogs isn't necessarily good either.

[basilboy7]

So far he's had interactions with my 13 year old lab mutt who will now let the puppy come in the same room but is still wary of him. She's this way with my sister's 3 year old golden retriever as well. However, my puppy can tell that she's uncomfortable with him and approaches her slowly now. He's also played with my sister's 3 year old golden retriever and they love each other. Basil acts like he's the same size as the retriever and they try to play tug o' war with each other and run around together. I think their friendship is great because Basil isn't afraid of her and yet if he gets too rough Makena (golden retriever) will bark at him letting him know to stop… which works!... I wish I could bark Most of the problems I'm having seem to be interactions with humans... he bites my ankles or socks while I'm walking... and if you're cuddling he'll suddenly try to bite your chin or lips really hard. I've tried the high pitched "ah" which worked the first two times because it surprised him but has worn off since. I've also given him a treat and praise if he walks around with me without biting my ankles or if he's on the floor playing with a toy instead. Is there anything else I should try?

[tanza]

Just be consistant because they forget pretty quickly

[DebraDownSouth]

The issue is age, not that no one who works should own dogs…but you knew that was the issue.
While most basenji breeders seem to prefer 10 wks or older to place, I wouldn't say 8 wks for placing is a crime. But a breeder who placed a pup knowing you would leave it 8 hrs a day... sorry that does send up red flags.
I think having your neighbors play with him is quite a perfect idea! He gets his day broken up and fun and socialization. However, I would never leave a puppy 8 hours without water and some food. Puppies have a hard time maintaining blood levels, which is why 3 to 4 meals a day are given and slowly weaned down to a couple by the time they are about 4 or 5 mos old.

Biting... if the noise doesn't work, say NO in firm voice and walk off. Second the teeth come out, NO, walk off. They eventually learn. I don't mind the biting, btw. I work on teaching them to use soft teeth. But that's me.

[khanis]

@Voodoo:

I would never put a puppy 8 hours in a bench without water!! If they are thirsty, he should be able to drink!

That may work for you in Belgium, but a dog can live without water for 8 hours, as can a human.
What goes IN must come OUT.
Giving them the water and expecting them to hold it at such a young age is a set-up for failure.
If they learn to not pee in the crate because they don't have water… they will learn that the crate stays dry and it is nice to have a dry crate.
Perhaps you have trained more puppies than me... but this works. Period.
I have done this many many many times and the dogs don't have an issue with it.