WHEN a puppy joins a family it is an exciting time for us, and sometimes frightening for the puppy. We tend to want to keep the new arrival around us all the time that we are in the house – perhaps feeling that as we are out to work during the day we have to make it up to the puppy by having him under our feet all evening, weekends and days off.

Unfortunately this is not the best plan to follow as it can cause over-dependency on the owner and separation anxiety related problems. Allow your puppy to have some time alone while you are in the house, (in a secure garden or in the kitchen behind a child gate or in their own crate).