Is the joy of your new family member wearing thin because your puppy won’t stop crying and whining in his crate? His crate is supposed to be his happy place, and nothing is more frustrating than when it’s a torture chamber instead. The good news is, there’s a lot you can do to nip the crate whining in the bud so it doesn’t become a prolonged problem. These tips can help stop your puppy from crying in his crate so you’ll both sleep at night. Table Of Contents
Why Do Puppies Cry At Night
Your puppy might cry the entire night or he might only cry for an hour or so until he passes out. They are all different!
Some puppies whimper softly and some scream and carry on like they’re being harmed!
Remy cried the entire first night (nonstop for 7 hours) and then he didn’t make a peep the second night because he was so tired!
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Questions to Ask Your Puppy’s Breeder or Shelter:
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How Long To Let Your Puppy Cry In His Crate
If you do have to crate your puppy more than you’d like (long workday, tons of errands to run, etc.), make sure you spend extra time playing with him or taking him on walks in between crate times. And don’t forget that a puppy’s bladder can’t go for long periods of time without relief — no more than a few hours at a time at first.
According to the Animal Humane Society, leaving a puppy in a crate for an 8-10 hour workday is “not an appropriate way” to crate train. If you have times when you can’t be there, ask a neighbor or hire a pet sitter to give your pup a break. The more attention they have while outside of the crate, the less time whining and crying once back in the crate.
You don’t have to lose sleep over your puppy whining in his crate at night. First, you need to make sure you’ve taken care of his needs before bedtime.
Puppies have a lot of energy (as you well know!), and they need to work it out before going in their crate at night. Take your dog on a long walk and play with him before bed, so it burns off that energy.
FAQ
Should I ignore my puppy crying at night?
How do you stop a puppy from crying all night?
- Tire him out. Don’t let your puppy take a cozy nap at your feet right before bed. …
- Limit food and water before bed. Cut your puppy off from food and water about an hour before bedtime. …
- Keep him close. …
- Use music to calm. …
- When crying continues.