Being alone doesn't come naturally
Being alone is not natural for dogs. If you ever plan to leave your puppy home alone, you must begin training alone time from day one — and while you are home.
Start small: the crate and a stuffed Kong
Start with short sessions in the crate with a stuffed Kong or other chew item. Good times to crate your puppy come up all day:
- While you're watching TV
- Paying bills
- Talking on the phone
- Eating dinner
Having your puppy in the crate while you are home lets them experience zillions of short absences instead of one long, scary one.
It's nice having them follow you everywhere, but you don't want that forever — it gets old fast when your dog is 3 years old and still following you every time you go to the bathroom, get a drink from the kitchen, wash your hands, answer the phone... you get the idea.