If you’re wondering how to stop a puppy crying at night, you’re in the right place.
Let’s face it, it’s never pleasant to hear a puppy cry. When it’s your own pup doing the crying, it’s even more of a worry.
Are they in pain? Lonely? Hungry? Do they miss their old family? Hate their new one?
If they cried the first night and then stopped, it wouldn’t be a big deal. But when the crying goes on night after night, it gets distressing. And – let’s face – kind of frustrating.
Because while you might love your puppy to the moon and back, we’re all human, and we all get a bit testy after the 8th sleepless night in a row.
The good news? This won’t last forever. You’re not going to be dealing with a howling dog five years down the line (well, you might, but that’s a whole different problem and a question for a very different day).
Ultimately, all puppies cry at some point. It’s how they communicate. If you can figure out exactly what they’re trying to communicate (and don’t worry, getting into a puppy’s mind is a lot easier and a lot less painful than it sounds), you’ll be well on your way to soothing those cries and getting some much-needed rest.
Before we start looking into the explanations and solutions for nighttime crying, I’ve got a quick heads up for you.
As you’re probably all too aware by now, the first few weeks and months of raising a pup come with some very unique challenges, crying being just one of them.
If you want some help getting through the teething problems, take a moment to check out the Online Dog Trainer Program from Dan Abdelnoor. (see video below)
As well as answering some of the most common puppy questions, it offers basic training tips that can help nip any behavioral problems in the bud before they develop into anything more serious.
If you want to set the best possible foundation for your pup’s future, be sure to check out the video…
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Why Do Puppies Cry?
The first few weeks after bringing a new puppy home are magical. Or at least, that’s what everyone says.
But you know what? People lie.
Sure, it’s exciting, and it’s fun, and it’s all kinds of wonderful. But you know what else it is? Hard.
Because a puppy isn’t just a little ball of fun and fur. They’re complex, challenging, and sometimes, a heck of a lot of work.
That doesn’t make them any less of a delight or any less rewarding. It just means we have to face reality. Not every day is going to be smooth sailing, and not every night is going to be quiet.
It also means we need to be prepared to slip into Sherlock Holmes’ shoes and get down to some detective work every now and again. After all, no puppy is going to spell out exactly what they need, why they need it, and when they need it. If you want to find out, you’re going to have to work it out for yourself.
Fortunately, it’s not as hard as it sounds, at least in the case of nighttime crying.
And although every dog is different, most puppies cry at night because…
They Want to Play
Picture the scene. It’s 10.30 pm. It’s dark, everyone’s winding down and preparing for bed. You’re tired, your kids are tired, everyone’s tired… except your puppy.
They’ve got no idea what time it is. They’ve got no idea you’ve been up for 16 hours and really need your bed.
To them, it’s still playtime. But suddenly, they’re all alone with no one to run around with, no one to jump on, and nothing to do except sit and wait for someone to get up and play with them.
So they do… For two minutes.
After that, they give up on the idea of patience and start whining and wailing to speed things along.
Because dogs aren’t dumb. If they cried a few nights and got a response, they aren’t going to have any trouble in putting 2 + 2 together and coming up with you.
They’re Too Tired to Sleep
Pups are a lot like toddlers in some respects. They like to play, play, and then play some more.
When they start getting tired from all the running around, they won’t do the logical thing and take a nap. They push right on through.
By the time they come to go to bed at night, they’re so overtired and wired, the last thing they can even think of, let alone actually do, is drifting off into the land of nod.
Unfortunately, a sleepless night for them all too often means a sleepless night for you.
Related Post: What To Do If Your Puppy Won’t Sleep At Night
They’re Scared
Most of the time, crates are great. As well as helping out with potty training, they give a pup a safe refuge to rest up and relax in.
But if the crate isn’t introduced the right way, or if your pup develops negative associations around it, it can quickly turn into a source of fear.
If your pup starts crying from the second you pop them in the crate to the second you take them out. And if the crying is accompanied by panting, trembling, drooling, or desperate attempts to escape. They might very well have developed a deep-seated fear of those metal bars.
If the crying isn’t confined to the crate but happens whenever you leave them alone, it could be a symptom of more generalized separation anxiety.
Remember that your pup has been through a lot over the past few weeks. Adjusting to a new environment is hard, even for an otherwise confident pup. And until they start thinking of your home as their home, there might well be a few tears at bedtime.
They’re Lonely
Just a short while ago, your puppy was surrounded by their siblings and mother. Now, they’re all alone.
Sure, they’ve got you, but at the moment, you’re still the stranger who dragged them away for their old, happy life and dumped them in a new house full of new things, new faces, and new rules.
They’re confused, they’re scared, and they really, really want their family. So they call out to them, night after night, in the hope they hear and come running.
Heartbreaking, right?
But before you book a return trip to the breeders, remember – all things pass. In a few more weeks, your pup will be so in love with their new life, they won’t pay a second thought to their old one.
They’re Hungry
Filling your puppy full of chow just before bedtime is asking for trouble. But remember, tiny tummies need to be filled little and often.
If they’ve been running on empty for too long, they’re going to let you know about it.
They Need the Bathroom
If you’re crate training, all those late-night cries could be your puppy alerting you to the fact they’re in need of a bathroom break.
Crate training works because dogs hate soiling where they sleep. Rather than make their bed dirty, they’ll cry and whine to be let out.
If they tend to settle down to sleep easily enough but then wake you up with their cries a few hours later, it may simply be time for a dash to the yard.
How to Stop Your Puppy Crying At Night
If all those sleepless nights are taking their toll, don’t let things rumble on in the hope they’ll eventually get better of their own accord.
In some cases, they will, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to make life more comfortable for your pup and easier for yourself in the meantime.
Before we start looking at some of the solutions to the problem, remember to check out the Online Dog Trainer Program when you get the chance.
Not only does it offer some valuable tips and advice on how to deal with individual problematic behaviors. But it’ll give you a great insight into how to create a full, comprehensive training program designed to stop problems before they start.
Now, back to those solutions…
Address the Root Cause
Before anything else, try to figure out exactly why your pup is crying.
If they’re crying because they’re scared of the crate, for example, you can take them to the bathroom as many times as you want. But providing you keep putting them back in the crate, they’re going to keep right on crying.
Likewise, giving them a snack to chew on isn’t going to do a single thing to help a pup who’s crying because they need to pay a visit to the bathroom.
So take a few moments to really figure out what’s going on…
…If they cry, tremble and pant from the moment you put them in the crate to the moment you let them out, the crate is probably the problem.
…If you feed them their last snack at 3 pm, they might be hungry.
…If they’re too young to have developed bladder control and haven’t emptied themselves in a while, they might be desperate for the bathroom.
…If you’ve only just bought them home, they might be overwhelmed and scared by their new environment.
Sometimes, it could be a combination of things. Try to fit as many of the pieces of the puzzle together as possible. It may sound like a lot of extra work, but the better you understand the problem, the better chance you have of solving it.
Make Time for Potty Breaks
If you put a 2-month-old puppy to bed at 9pm, don’t expect them to stay there for the full 8 hours if they’ve had a long drink and no bathroom break beforehand.
Puppy bladders are quick to fill and even quicker to empty, and there’s no use relying on bladder control to see them through until they’re at least 4- 6 months old.
Always make sure to take them for a trip to the yard before bedtime to buy yourself a few hours of extra shut-eye.
Related Post: How To Toilet Train A Puppy In 7 Days – The Quick & Easy Way
Wear Them Out
It may be a cliche, but a tired dog really is a happy dog.
Although pups need plenty of naps throughout the day, they also need plenty of activity. Obviously, that doesn’t mean hitching them to a leash and taking them for a 10-mile hike, but it does mean providing them with enough fun and games to wear them out.
If they’re good and pooped by the time they hit the hay, there’s a good chance they’ll sleep on their pillow rather than cry on it.
For more tips on how to lay the best foundation for good behavior, remember to check out the Online Dog Trainer Program.
Get Cozy
Getting used to a new environment can take time. Some pups will naturally take a little longer to adjust than others. In the meantime, you can make things easier for them by making their bed as comfortable as possible.
Make sure they have a few warm blankets to snuggle up in. If you can get one from the breeder that carries the scent of their mother, so much the better.
Add a few safe chew toys in case they wake up in the middle of the night and get bored.
Remember that positioning can make a big difference, too – avoid setting their bed up somewhere that’s too hot or too cold, or in the line of a draught.
To minimize any anxiety or loneliness during the first few weeks, it’s worth keeping the bed close to your own to add some extra reassurance.
Wrapping Things Up
Nothing pulls the heartstrings quite like a crying puppy.
Fortunately, things are never quite as awful as they seem. Your pup might sound like their heart is breaking, but in all likelihood, they just need to pee.
Even if it’s something more serious like loneliness or homesickness, it won’t last forever.
Remember… identify the root cause, apply the solution, and be patient. Some things may take longer than others to deal with, but with the right combination of support and reassurance, even they’ll pass soon enough.
