Ferd is a puppy and playing. She is not misbehaving and it's OK to leave her. Leave Ferd in the ex-pen with toys and install a different potty tray. Puppies play with anything that isn't tied down. Use the crate at night or for an established nap time.

You will be able to housebreak Ferd very quickly if you use a potty tray. But, you must also keep her confined, if you don't have eyes on her and do not give her Free Rein around a room until you're confident she will go to the potty tray. Train her one room in the house at a time.

I've tried almost every potty training tray type made including Fake Grass Turf. I didn't like the Fake Grass Turf because it smells. You can wash it but the more the puppy pees and poops on it the harder it is to get the odor out.

I have not tried Real Grass. However, I would think it will smell after the puppy pees and poops on it numerous times. And... Ferd will probably play with the grass, too.

This is what I found that works. The UgoDog.net (Company does not sell on Amazon) or the Byliss Klean Paws Potty Tray (Sold on Amazon.com) are my favorites. You can get potty trays with sides that helps keep the puppy inside the tray. If I had a do over - I would try that tray.

You want a trays that clamp down over a paper potty pad or pellets that are put inside the trays. (The trays I've suggested have enough room for equine horse pellets.) With this type of set up a small breed puppy will NOT get into the tray and tear up the paper. Easy clean up. With a small puppy you'll probably need to change out the pad every other day, may every third day. The poop is on top of the tray. Pick it up and throw it away in the stool. As the dog gets older and bigger you'll have to change the paper pad out every day or twice a day because of the odor.

Another option is to use Equine Horse Pellets inside the potty trays. Several of us on the forum prefer the Equine Horse Pellets to paper potty pads, because the pads have an odor. The Equine Horse Pellets are used for horse bedding and has no odor when peed on. As an analogy ... It works like Kitty Litter in dog potty trays.

The Equine Horse Pellets don't have to be changed as often because there's no odor. Just throw it away and put new pellets in the tray. You can buy Equine Horse Pellets at Tractor or Farm stores. It's about $5 for a 40lb bag.

In the end the pine pellets worked best for me. I really like them, more than I expected.

Can't really help with that particular behavior but I can relate as mine also isn't thrilled if I forget something and I'm in and out - it's like the excitement doesn't have anywhere to go! How is she greeting you when you get home? Maybe that would be a good place to start if you don't think it's boredom, since working on self control is a something that will translate to other things you may want to teach her. It's hard to find things puppies can chew safely without supervision but maybe giving her something to chew for a while before you leave would help?

Trying out the pellets this week! Just need to find them... Looks like I can get them shipped to a local ACE hardware but we don't have any feed stores very close to philly.

Kojo (at 4 months) is excellent about using pee pad and going outside when weather permits. But he pooped outside just twice. He just keeps holding it while outside until I finally bring him in. Then goes on pee pad. I have tray type with grill over top. Kojo hates the grill so keep it off. When he poops usually gets half on edge. He sometimes has one last little ball of poop which falls when he jumps out of pee pad. Then somehow sits on little ball. Butt wash time.

But I cannot trust him. Even if I just saw him poop and pee, I let him out of ex-pen in limit of roon his pen is in. It is like he saves some just to poop and pee on laminate floor. So won't poop outside and reluctantly uses pee pad for poop. Still has accidents while I am watching him. But I don't get to him fast enough to get him to pee pad. At least it is limited to one room.

I have dining area and hallway to rest of the house barracaded with weighted Chewy boxes. But he is getting so smart. I have a Houdini here. He jumps against boxes moving them just enough to get out through. First thing he does is get bathroom rug and drag it out to where his ex-pen is. I want to put a gate at hallway but that also gives him access to kitchen. But maybe better than him breaking through box barracade to get to rest of house. I thought box barracade a temporary thing. But looks like longer term now.

I read that Havanese are notorious for being difficult to housebreak. They are just so smart and very particular about toileting.