[hviola]

I have had her almost 2 weeks now.
Pretty much I havent left her home alone since I've gotten her. (I have the summer off from work.)

1. She sleeps all night by my bed and doesn't whine.
2. When she gets tired and sleepy I put her in the crate and she goes right to sleep.
3. If I put her in her crate wide awake, she whines and barks.

I have read over 30 websites on crate training. I basically put her in when shes tired and she is fine. But when do I put her in to train her to be alone? I really can't teach her to be alone if I just put her in when shes tired. This is the part I dont understand. Am I really supposed to put her in and let her whine for an hour till she stops or falls asleep?

Does anyone have like a 'sample' of what I can try to begin training her to be alone? In late august, I go back to work and she will need to be alone 3 1/2 hours at a time. I will come home to let her out during lunch. But I dont want to bring this on suddenly with her.

Edit: Also, she whines if I have her in the exercise pen outside. Im always in view outside with her there while I work on the garden.