First off relax and take a deep breath! It gets better with time I promise :wink2: . Sticking to a routine if you can is a good idea but you don't have to be super strict about it. What kind of living situation are you in that you are worried about neighbors, is it a house or an apartment? This pup needs to learn to be independent, mine was the same way... if we left the room even to go to the bathroom he would cry bloody murder. What I did was set up two crates, one in the bedroom where he would sleep and another in the family area so he could observe us during the times we were busy and had to get things done yet this way he could still feel included. An X pen would also work or baby gate a safe area with nothing he can get into. Unfortunately this part is tough and he WILL cry... maybe talk to your neighbors and show them the new puppy and explain to them that he misses his mom and siblings and it will be a few weeks of noisy adjustment... unless they are completely unreasonable people they should understand. Something I did with my puppy to work on the crying was reward him with a clicker and treats when he was quiet. This is not an instant fix but takes time... put the pup in the family room crate and take one step back, even for a milisecond of silence click and reward. Slowly progress to two steps, three steps, etc. If he starts to whine before you can click and reward then you went too far and need to go back to your previous step. Eventually practice stepping out of the room for one second and click, praise, reward. Eventually pup will learn that you will always come back and it isn't a bad thing when you leave. The results from this method are good, my puppy could be left home alone out of the crate without destroying things at 4 months old and he has never exhibited any separation anxiety. Don't be afraid also to just put the pup up for an hour so you can have a break and let him cry it out... it feels harsh but if all his needs are met (pottied, fed, water) then he is just crying for attention. Do not let him out while he is crying, always let him out when he is quiet and reward for that behavior. Shape the behavior you want to see more of, patience is key. Be careful you don't overdo the exercise, at this age walks should be him free roaming and moving at his own pace. Remember that just like babies puppies also get cranky when they are tired and will misbehave more... sometimes a cranky puppy just needs crate time and a nap. The most helpful advice I was given when raising my puppy was to take his kibble for the day and put it in a treat pouch, puppy doesn't get any food or treats but his MEALS. Start young and shape those good behaviors, actively work with him and have your treat pouch on 24/7. If by the end of the day he still has most of his meal left then you didn't work with him enough. Before you go outside potty have him sit at the door and wait, click and treat. On your walk if he sees another dog and is interested, click and treat. If he is laying on the floor relaxing, click and treat. This way you are constantly training the pup and showing him appropriate behavior. Use toys to redirect inappropriate mouthiness or chewing on items he shouldn't. Teaching new tricks at that age is so much fun because they are just little sponges, get him engaged in you! There are lots of great tips out there! Everyone has different ways of raising puppies so i'm sure you'll get lots of different suggestions and responses, just do what works best for you and your situation. You're going to miss these puppy days soon!!!
Yeah it has even gotten better in the last couple days...only thing driving me crazy now is the hard biting during this teething phase.
