How to Stop a Puppy Crying

Puppy crying? Bringing home a brand new ball of fluff is a magical time. But what do you do if your puppy is crying at night, or cries when they’re left alone, or when you put them in a crate for downtime? Your puppy crying is often as distressing to you as it is to them.

We’ve rounded up some top tips to ease the transition.

How to stop your puppy crying when left alone

As much as we all may like it, it’s not always possible to be by your puppy’s side 24/7.

And, as you will soon come to learn, your puppy will cry just about every time you leave them in the beginning. Some puppies will also cry when they’re left alone at night.

Click here for some useful ways to help them gain confidence in being alone, after reading our tips below.

Crate training can stop puppy crying

Learning how to crate train a puppy can be a great way of teaching puppies to be on their own. If you do it correctly, it should help stop your puppy crying because they’ll see it as a place of comfort.

What you want to do is teach your puppy that their pen or crate is a place to relax, and not a place of punishment or confinement (positive reinforcement dog training is crucial). To do this, one tactic is to serve your puppy meals inside their pen or crate. After all, there’s nothing like food to win over a dog!

If the pen is large enough, play with your puppy while they’re inside it – here are some suggestions on games to play. Also, set aside special toys that they only get to play with when they’re in their crate or pen.

You want them to see this space as fun, relaxing, comfortable and positive.

Start leaving them alone slowly

Once your puppy comes to enjoy their pen or crate, you can incrementally start leaving them there for longer stretches of time. The same goes for you leaving them at home alone.

Remember to start slowly, with as little as a few minutes at a time, and then work your way up. You want your puppy to learn that even if you leave them, you’ll always come back at some point.

Remember, crate or pen confinement is a temporary measure as you get your puppy used to being alone.

They should never be confined to a crate the entire day, and the same goes for leaving them alone inside your home. Instead, the crate can be left with its door open in a space where your puppy can climb in and out as they please.

This is why pet door inserts are also a great idea, for pets that are past the baby stage. They give cats and dogs easy access to outside through one of your doors, so they can come and go as they please.

Wear your pupper out!

Another reason your puppy might be crying at night is because he or she still wants to play and has excess energy.

That’s why it’s so important to give your pupper plenty of stimulation during the day. Puppy play (playing games with them) not only wears them out, it teaches them skills.

Walking with your dog regularly is also important – depending on your dog breed, age and health this could be a daily commitment. Not keen on doing this or you’re unable to do so? Here are some tips on exercising your dog without walking.

Puppy crying? Keep a routine

Dogs love routine. They may love it even more than those fancy bones you keep buying them.

To establish a comforting routine for your pupper, try to make sure they go to sleep in the same place at the same time every night. The same goes for exercise. Once you start taking them for walks, try to do it at the same time every day.

Also avoid too many changes in the beginning, such as people coming in and out the house, major changes in light or sounds, or lots of moving about. Think of your puppy as a newborn baby that needs a calm and familiar place to gain confidence.

This is sure to help stop your puppy crying from anxiety.

Always check puppy’s needs are being met

Before you start stressing about separation anxiety in pets or building a routine, make sure your puppy isn’t crying simply because their basic needs aren’t being met.

Are they hungry or thirsty? Do they have a place to potty? Could they perhaps be wounded, ill or in pain?

If you’ve met all your puppy’s needs and they’re still crying, it might be a good idea to pop into the vet for a check-in. You don’t want to risk an illness or injury going undetected.

But most of all, enjoy your furball! This is the start of a lifelong, super rewarding relationship between you two. Now that’s enough to get us crying!

We know you just can’t get enough of your new ball of fluff. Did you know that PD Insurance offers free dog insurance? You read that right. You’ll receive one or more months of pet insurance absolutely free when you sign up with PD Insurance online!