How to teach a puppy to be independent
Hi everyone! I recently got a mini-goldendoodle puppy, and I immediately ran into a problem: he can hardly stay alone even for a few minutes. Every time I go to the kitchen or bathroom, he starts whining and following me around. I’ve read that it’s important to teach a puppy to be independent from an early age, but so far all my attempts end up stressful for both of us. Has anyone experienced this and can share some proven methods? I’m especially curious about how to gradually teach a puppy to stay calm when I step away for a short time, without yelling or using punishments.
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I had a similar situation with my mini-goldendoodle. I noticed that small steps are key. At first, I would leave the puppy alone for just a couple of minutes, giving him a favorite toy or treat, and gradually increased the time. Short “alone” sessions in different rooms also helped a lot, so he learned that I always come back. If you want, you can check out this list https://loveofpuppies.com/available-puppies/mini-goldendoodles-in-arizona/ ,it has useful tips on socialization and early training. Personally, a combination of treats, a calm tone, and gradually increasing alone time really helped — now he can stay alone for 15–20 minutes without stress.