[BlondeYorkieMom]

Originally Posted by Archie's Mom

I got Archie at 12 weeks (he's 2 1/2 now), and after his first week home, I returned to work (guess you could call it my puppy maternity leave!). When I'm away from home (I have a long work day) he's in his X-pen with his pee-pee pads, water, food, toys, blankies, a rug and bed. We call it his "condo." Because I started him doing this so young, he happily accepts his X-pen as a safe place to be when Mommy is away. After about a week of crying when I left home, he settled down and has been fine with it ever since. When I come home and he hears me in the house before I come to let him out, he's calm and waits patiently for me to come. A few tips:

1. When you leave, do not make a big deal of it. Get him situated and quietly leave the house (even if he's protesting). When you come home, approach him calmly (don't rush in and make a big fuss over the poor baby who has been home alone all day!)
2. Make whatever area you put him in comfortable and puppy-proofed (try also leaving a shirt of yours with him so he can smell your scent).
3. Do not leave him alone with clothes on or his collar -- he could accidently injure himself by getting hung up on something.
4. Leave a TV or the radio on for background noise.
5. As a puppy, they can get hypoglycemic of the don't eat and expend too much energy -- make sure he eats before you leave for the day (as he may not eat properly when you are gone). Always leave him water, of course, and I think it's good to leave a little food.

I'm sure others in this forum can give further advice. You are going to LOVE having a Yorkie! Congratulations.

Great advice! I do all of that when I have to leave my little guys.