A Labrador is not a breed that enjoys being solitary. Their very nature and purpose in life demands close contact with their ‘people’ and they find it extremely stressful to be left alone for long periods of time. If it is absolutely necessary for you to do this then you need to think up some strategies to lessen the stress on your puppy and you need to be prepared for problems.
- A good idea is to provide an indoor or outdoor kennel available for when you are not there with your puppy. An outdoor kennel with a run; (Remember your fence will need to be at least five feet high and be strong enough to contain an adult of up to 40 kilos) would be the least stressful for them but an indoor cage or crate as long as it is large enough and they are used to it will be adequate enough. A stressed out Labrador can cause a lot of damage, so it is best to avoid leaving them for long periods of time. If you do come home to find a disaster area, try and look on it as a learning experience. Punishing your puppy when you come home will only teach him/her to be frightened of you.
- Leaving toys with your Labrador puppy is something to be treated with caution as Labradors have very strong jaws and could chew them up and cause themselves damage if they swallow them.
- Leaving them at night can cause problems too. Start as you mean to go on. Sometimes, by putting your puppy’s bed by your bedside cures any separation anxiety but not everyone may wish to do this. If this is not for you, then putting your puppy in his or her crate/kennel is fine, and you will have to turn a deaf ear to the yelps for attention. Usually, after a few days, as long as you are firm but kind and provide a routine that your puppy can rely on, then they will accept going into their crate/kennel and start to treat it as their refuge and home.
- If you need to leave them in a car then a good strong guard is advisable. Leave them for only a few minutes at a time to start with and don’t make too much of a fuss when you come back to them. A quiet word of praise if they have been good is sufficient, otherwise ignore any accidents or destruction.