The fact it was the FIRST TIME the puppy had been out and OP wasn't watching it is the issue. If it was your first dog you wouldn't know how dog-proof your garden is yet. The puppy could've dug under the fence and escaped, OP wouldn't know until it was too late. The puppy might have got overexcited hurt itself or anything..

Yes, I do agree that the first time your puppy should be watched (which is this situation) but I was actually referring to the people who say YOU SHOULD NEVER LEAVE YOUR PUPPY ALONE! I personally don't see why you wouldn't be out there playing with your puppy but eventually you do have to let them out alone.

I still wouldn't leave a really young puppy on its own though. I understand you can't keep an eye on it 24/7. Where I live people steal puppies a lot. I'd be out there playing with the puppy! You don't have pets just so they can sit their and look pretty, they need attention! OP clearly didn't research before getting their pet..

You can let a puppy out for 5 minutes to pee unsupervised. If OP left the puppy out longer than that, it was stupid but still not a YDI. If it was only 5 minutes there's nothing wrong with that.

it was the puppy's first time outside. ever. I've had dogs all my life and work with rescues. I see first hand the results of idiots like this. I WALK my dogs every day and don't leave them out alone. OP definitely deserves it. the puppy does not :(

that would hurt, im glad youre not advising anyone else to do the same

It was probably in a fenced yard. You can leave a puppy alone in a fenced yard for 5 minutes to pee.

From reading between the lines here OP was negligent. They either left the puppy for a while or their garden is not secure! If someone has time to break into your garden and run off with your dog you either left the dog too long or don't have proper fencing..

you can EVENTUALLY leave a puppy outside, but when it's a NEW puppy and it's the first you've let it out, you have to watch it, you can't wander off, even for 5 minutes. that's why so many people end up saying "but I was only gone 5 minutes...." when something bad happens. a lot can happen in 5 minutes. and a new puppy, in a new environment, even a fenced in yard, can still get into trouble. they'll look around, explore everything and maybe even find or dig their own hole under the fence. like geeksaresexy said, if you're gone long enough for someone to break into your yard and take your puppy, you were gone too long. but that's assuming it was a fenced in yard, if it wasn't, then this puppy was in a lot more danger than just having someone steal it.

Exactly! You wouldn't leave your toddler out in the garden on its own would you? Puppies are basically canine toddlers!