[ReeseyReese]

My mom and I got a Chihuahua (Reesey) about 2 weeks ago. Since it is summer, we have been able to stay home and take care of her. We have left the house for maybe an hour or two but we put her inside the crate so it was fine.

Next week, I start school and my mom has already started work (she works within the school system so she goes back earlier than I). We will be gone for 8 hours which is pretty long. We have decided to put Reesey in my room because that is where she's most comfortable. Since this is the week before I go to school, we decided to put her in my room every 2 hours until my mom has come home.

Reesey has her crate, toys, and potty pad in there. Next week when I actually go, we will put her food in there also.

For the 2 hours she's in my room, she cries a lot. Like, a ton with silences in between. I wonder if it's because she can sense I'm still in the house or what.

I've read that you can't leave puppies alone for that long because they might develop Separation Anxiety but there really is no other option.

I don't think we thought ahead to this moment.

Is there something I can do to make her more comfortable? I don't want to leave her alone that long but I don't know what else to do. :Cry:

 

[HollowHeaven]

When I first got my chihuahua, he came to us in July at about 9 weeks old and as soon as school started, he was being left alone all day, from 7:00 a.m to about 5:30 p.m or more.
I left him with puppy pads because I knew there was no way he could hold it that long and they worked amazingly. House training him was none the more difficult. We left him with his potty pad, a reasonable amount of food and water, his bed and his toys. He was just fine and still is. Always very happy to see us when we got home, but he didn't develop any problems from being home alone that long.
Is your mom able to get home at any point during the day to maybe take him out to the potty/walk him?

 

[ReeseyReese]

I'm glad someone replied!

My mom can't come home because she works far away from our home. We do have a family friend that may be able to stop by from time to time.

Reesey is used to going on the potty pad so hopefully she makes no messes.

We also leave on the radio for her.

 

[Wicket]

It'll something she'll get used just like sleeping alone. It's good that she's potty pad trained, it'll help a lot knowing she has a place to go when she has to go. There are few other things you can do to help make things easier for her. First, play and exercise her before you go, the less energy she has the less energy she has to dedicate to crying and being anxious. Next, food toys, if you can keep her occupied, it'll give her a distraction and reward for being alone. You can put yummies in a kong and freeze it, kibble dispenser, hide treats in her bedding, keep her busy. When you leave, and when you come home, ignore her for a few minutes until she calms down. If you don't treat it like a big deal, you give her no reason to be overly excited/anxious when people are coming and going. When you finally do greet her, be as quiet and calm as possible. If she get anxious when you do certain things, do those thing over and over again; grabbing your keys, putting on your coat, going in and out of the door. Do them until they hold no meaning, just because you go in and out of the door doesn't mean you're leaving. I hope this helps