black lab puppy unable to leave owners side

Question
QUESTION: My fiance and I just got an 11 week old black lab. He is awesome!! He is submissive but confident. Sawyer sits,stays,comes,releases on command and is heals when walked on a leash. Here is my problem...Sawyer will not let me out of his site. He even insists on being in the bathroom with me where he happily plops down while I shower or get ready for the day. Although he loves his "pappa" he still insists that I am in his vision. I will be returning to work very shortly and he will have to be spending alone time (crated) and I am terrified that this will impact his behaviors and cause severe anxiety! How do I prepare him for the separation?

ANSWER: Although I as a rule don't crate a puppy when I am around to watch it, I do think you need to start leaving him alone for short periods.  Are you leaving him alone now when you go out to the store or other places?  The sooner you try leaving him for short periods, the better.  I think many of the separation problems come from puppies never left by themselves while young enough to accept new things.  

I have always avoided leaving a puppy more than 4-5 hours in the day time.  If you can't make it back at lunch time to give him a break, see if a neighbor or professional dog walker can.  Once he is a little older, look into doggy day care.  

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Good news on the home front! To respond to your questions....up until 3 days ago our crate had not arrived, now that it is here Sawyer has taken very well to spending his nights in it, hence he has been with my fiance and my self when going to do errands. He has yet to be left totally alone in his crate but I have taken your advice and crated him  with his favorite toys for 15 minutes at a time while I go about my business which includes being out of his sight. He has settled in quite nicely and he gets plenty of praise for being such a gentleman. He is also leaving my side and finding other areas of the house to lay down and either sleep, play with a toy or just hang out! We are very puppy proof but I peek at him without his knowledge "just in case". He  will be spending approx1-2 hours alone beginning this week. My anxiety as decreased dramatically which has probably impacted him in a positive way! He's a very intuitive animal. My next question is where I can find an organization in Maine.. preferably the Bangor area but Midcoast would also be an option that offers training for potential therapy dogs. In doing some research he seems to have a perfect temperament for such a job and as an RN I have seen the impact that a therapy dog can have on a  patients overall well being. I am also curious as to what age training should begin. Sawyer has learned to sit and stay, he will not approach another animal unless given permission to do so, he comes immediately when called, drops whatever he may have in his mouth with the command "release". Sawyer is excepting of any new situation thus far and is definitely a people puppy. He is extraordinary with children. He will not jump but sits independently to receive their attention. He met his first 8 month old this week-end. The baby was laying on his stomach and reaching out for Sawyer...with the mothers permission and my hands at the ready in case he was not gentle... Sawyer laid down nose to nose and place his head on the ground. The baby proceeded to clutch an ear while Sawyer continued to lay very still and allow the touching to continue. I want to make it VERY CLEAR that my hands were at the ready to pull Sawyer away if he made a move! I would appreciate any info that you may have on this subject and whether you feel he may be a possible candidate. Thanks again for your help, Brenda

Answer
Glad to hear things are going well.  It could also be partly adjusting to his new home.  Sometimes time is very important.  

For therapy, try http://www.tdi-dog.org/ or www.loveonaleash.org I need to follow up on my application to the second one.  I have an 8 year old retired dog guide I am already taking to a nursing home.