Training Westies?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
We have a 12 week old Westie puppy who we have now had for a few weeks. Most of the training is going well apart from teaching her to stay alone. We both work full time but have taken a few weeks off to be with her and try and get used to staying alone – but this is not working. We were advised that Westie are very independent and would be ok to be left alone. We leave her in the kitchen when we go out but she does nothing but bark. She is fine left downstairs if we go upstairs (but she knows that we are still in the house). Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Related West Highland White Terrier posts:
My suggestion is that you crate her. My 2 dogs were crate trained and the house training was very easy. This is the first time I’ve used a crate, all my other dogs were confined to a small area. If you’re apprehensive about a crate, don’t be, it isn’t a lazy or cruel way to train, it’s a safer easier way to do it. I’ve had other pups chew doors, door frames, furniture when confined. My pups knew the drill, I’d say goodbye and they would go into the crates. I’d give them a small treat and a toy and never had a problem. Of course, I wouldn’t leave them for 8 hours crated, I had a dog walker until they were at least a year old. I very rarely crated them while I was home, except to take a shower, etc., while independent (more stubborn I think) they are social little dogs and always need to be busily involved in family goings on. Good luck.
To start with I have to say I don’t agree with anyone getting a puppy if they are going to be out at work all day. Dogs (any dogs) are pack animals and need the company of the pack around them so once you do sort this problem out (and it can be sorted) I hope you have made arrangements for some one to come in while you are out at work to spend some time with the pup (not just out to the toilet and in again). Initially someone will need to come in twice per day and from about 6 mths once per day.
That said, you need to take baby steps with this and make sure you only ever return to your pup when she is quiet. Start by leaving her in one room as you go into another, if she is quiet return almost immediately, keep things low key, don’t make a big deal but maybe drop her a little tit-bit. Gradually increase the time you stay away 1second to 3 seconds to 5 etc. but if she does start howling don’t return, wait until she shuts up (even if it is just for a second or two initially) Practice this regularly and increase the time you leave her for and the distance you go (from just behind the door to up the stairs to the bottom of the garden) but the main thing is don’t return unless she is quiet so inform the neighbours what is going on, explain that it won’t be forever and ask for their support.
Your puppy should be crated when she can’t be supervised. It is dangerous to leave a puppy to her own devices in a large room, and it undoes valuable training. She will protest at first – barking, crying, scraping at door – but she’ll get used to it.