[luvlee]

Hi, welcome to YT.

I'm glad to hear that you're protecting your baby with the crate but I do think that 8 hours is too long to leave a 9 week old puppy.

You'd be better off purchasing a small exercise pen (24x24). You can put it in your bedroom or bathroom & close the door to keep the cat out. (Temporarily move the litter box if you have to -- Cats are so easy!)

Leave tv or radio & light on. You can put a bed, water and toys in the pen too. Put pads completly covering the inside of the pen. When you begin active training, you can remove the pads slowly and your baby will probably only head for the remaining pad.

Also, puppy-proof the room just in case the little bugger figures out how to get out of the pen!

It takes a bit of time.

To train, you have to monitor what she eats. What goes in, must come out. No graze feeding or snacks. You have to learn what her schedule is. Some dogs have to go 15 - 20 minutes after eating. My Lucy waits an hour.

You really have to dedicate time to this process. I would suggest, if possible, that you hire a pet walker/sitter temporarily while your baby is very young. That way, she can get some afternoon relief too.

Is there any way you can return home on a lunch hour? That would be great.

Hope this helps. Good luck