How Long Can I Let My Puppy Cry At Night

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So, you got a new cute puppy, and all the while it was with you, it was completely fine. But as soon as you put it to bed at night, you hear your cute fido crying a few hours later. You are not the first owner to experience it and obviously won’t be the last.

Your puppy spent the last few months with its mother or with a litter of puppies, and a change in environment affects everyone. And most probably, it’s because of that. But, it passes soon, and if the crying doesn’t stop, the reasons could be different.

Crying is the only way your dog can express sadness and loneliness. Apart from loneliness and the plight of the new home, your dog could be hungry. Most new owners are not aware of the dietary needs of their puppies, and they feed them too early before bed. And in the middle of the night, your puppy gets hungry and starts crying.

We know it is very frustrating to get up every night to console your puppy when it starts crying. And, you are probably here to find out how to stop it from crying. But, before moving on to the solution, you need to understand why your puppy is crying at night.

In this guide, we will discuss a few reasons why your dog is crying at night, how long it can last, and a few tips to get you and your puppy a good night’s sleep.

Puppy crying at night how long does it last? If your puppy has spent the first week or so sleeping next to you, and has now been moved into their permanent night time quarters, you should find that any puppy crying at bedtime will be brief. We’re talking ten or fifteen minutes, for maybe a couple of nights.

Questions to Ask Your Puppy’s Breeder or Shelter:

  • Can you introduce the puppy to a crate so they’re somewhat used to it?
  • Ask the breeder or shelter for other suggestions – they are likely experienced in this!
  • Ignore the crying! Very important.
  • Accept that you won’t get much sleep the first night or two.
  • Wear ear plugs.
  • Don’t feel guilty. Puppies typically adapt quickly.
  • Apologize to any neighbors, roommates or whoever else might be bothered by the crying.
  • Know that it will get better! The second night will likely be easier than the first night.

    • *If you just got a new puppy, download my free puppy training guide. Click Here

    How Long Can I Let My Puppy Cry At Night

    Puppy Cries In Crate When I Leave The Room

    Nearly all puppies will cry, bark, whine and howl the first night home, unfortunately. They will bark that first night or two in their crate, but after that it gets better.

    If at all possible, I recommend bringing your puppy home on a Friday or Saturday or on a day when you don’t have to work the next few mornings.

    The crying and howling is heartbreaking and stressful to listen to but unfortunately it’s totally normal. It’s rare for a puppy not to cry that first night home!

    How Long Do Puppies Cry? Here’s How it Went with my 8-Week Old Weimaraner:

    Night #1: Remy cried nonstop from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. or so. The crate was in our living room. I think having it in our bedroom might’ve helped.

    Night #2: Not a peep! I think he was exhausted!

    Night #3: About 2 hours of crying. I think we had moved the crate to our bedroom for a few nights by night #3.

    Night #4: No more night crying. Woo hoo!

    We moved the crate back to the living room after a few nights because we sleep better in general without our pets in our bedroom. It’s fine if you want your puppy to sleep in your bedroom if that’s what you prefer.

    Now, getting our puppy to stop crying at 5 a.m. because he wanted to start his day was another challenge. Remy had a bad habit of crying every morning because wanted to get up and eat! This seems to be a common problem with puppies and young dogs.

    For that issue, see my post: How to get your puppy to sleep in.

    How Long Can I Let My Puppy Cry At Night

    FAQ

    Should you leave a puppy to cry overnight?

    Ignoring them at night won’t help them build confidence and may make them worse which isn’t what anyone wants. They need to be taught how to be independent slowly. We would never recommend ignoring your puppy when they cry at night, especially in their first few nights.

    How long do you ignore a crying puppy at night?

    If your puppy seems to be howling literally nonstop, then try to at least wait for him to be quiet for 5 seconds. Take him directly outside (no playing, no attention) and then back in the crate. He’ll probably cry again, so just be a “mean” dog mom or dad and ignore him.

    What do you do when puppies cry at night?

    Although initially you may experience plenty of sleepless nights, it is better to ignore any barking or whining at night from the get go. As long as your dog is comfortable, it will come to no harm and this attention seeking behaviour should only last for a short time.