16 Tips To Stop Your Puppy Crying At Night

Even though your puppy crying at night may make your heart sink, just know that it’s normal. This is particularly when they are new to your home. It’s important that you deal with the issue in an appropriate manner so that your puppy feels comfortable and safe with you. Treat them how you would treat your child!

Here are the top 16 tips to stop your puppy from crying at night. Follow them and you’re good to go!

Why your puppy cries at night?

Before we get to how to stop your puppy crying at night, it’s important to know why they’re crying in the first place. Mostly it’s because they need something or for a valid reason, so don’t ignore it. Knowing the possible reasons behind it could help you get to the root cause of the problem and deal with it better. Pay attention if your puppy is crying and tend to it at the moment before it gets worse. Keep in mind that your puppy is small, just like a child is and so the way that you approach this should be gentle because you don’t want to scare them or make them uncomfortable in any manner. No matter what you do, do not punish them because that won’t help the situation and instead will just turn them against you.

 Here are some of the main reasons why your puppy may be crying at night:

1. Their Bladder is full

This is one of the most common reasons for your puppy crying at night. If they haven’t relieved themselves before sleeping or have had food and water right before sleeping then this may cause them to be uncomfortable and cry. Your little one may not know how to communicate to you that this is the problem so may just cry instead.

2. Fear

Fear is another major reason why your puppy could be crying at night. They could be scared or feeling unsafe, especially if they are sleeping far away from you. Understand that this is not something that they’re doing on purpose. Just like a small baby cries out of fear and unfamiliarity, so does a puppy. It is normal for them to be scared, if they are away from their families then there’s even a bigger reason for them to feel uneasy.

3. A change

A big change could be a reason why your puppy may be crying at night. For instance, if you have moved into a new place or gotten the house painted or any other kind of change, it could make your puppy uncomfortable and the unfamiliarity could cause them to cry.

4. Pain

Another reason why your puppy could be crying at night is because they could be in pain. Maybe they have hurt themselves or pulled a muscle or are just generally in pain and don’t know how to get the message across.

5. Attention

One of the most basic reasons why your puppy is crying at night could be because they just want attention. Since dogs are social creatures this is a common reason for them to cry. This is especially if crying in the past has gotten them sympathy and rewards they may have learnt it and keep continuing to do so. They also have separation anxiety so even if you are in the next room this could cause them to be upset because they are used to having company. This is especially in the beginning because it will take them time to become used to it.

Tips to stop your puppy from crying

1. Crate train your puppy

If you’re wondering what that is, crate training involves training your puppy to sleep in a crate. This isn’t as simple as it sounds and involves creating a positive association with the crate so that your puppy feels secure in there. If you crate train them the right way this will stop all the crying. Think of it as training a baby to sleep in the cot. Put some time and effort into crate training your puppy and you’ll see the difference that it makes.

2. Tuck them into bed

Just like you do with a baby, your puppy too needs to be tucked into bed to feel safe. If your puppy is crying comfort them and maybe stay with them for a while until you feel like they’re okay. Remember, puppies are young so it’s normal for them to get scared, all you need to do is be there for them and make them feel comfortable. Tucking them into bed before sleeping is also likely to prevent crying so you may want to try it.

3. Keep them nearby

Try keeping your puppy close to you, if not in your room then somewhere nearby. Knowing that they are in close proximity to you will make them feel a whole lot safer and will stop them from crying. This doesn’t mean letting them sleep in your bed because that will only spoil their habits, instead if you are crate training then keep them in a crate close to you.

4. Tire them out

A great way to avoid your puppy from crying at night is to tire them out so that they sleep well. If your puppy is tired after a long day, there are fewer chances that they will be crying at night and will instead be fast asleep. There are so many ways for you to do this and it doesn’t just involve physical exercise, you can even train them, get them to do puzzles etc. which will be as effective in tiring them out. Their energy will be so consumed that they won’t have any left to cry at night.

5. Play some calming music

If you find that your puppy is crying even though you tried to make it stop, you may want to play some calming music. According to research, some types of music are known to be calming to dogs. Not only will it distract them from whatever is causing them to be upset but it’ll also help in bringing down their heart rate. It’ll also help block out external noises that may be the cause of your puppy crying in the first place.

6. Take them to the bathroom before sleeping

One of the biggest reasons why puppies cry at night is because they need to relieve themselves. Their bladder may be full which is making them uncomfortable causing them to cry. If you find that comforting them isn’t working you might want to take them to the loo.

This can be avoided altogether if you make it a point to take them to relieve themselves before they sleep.

7. Create a routine

Puppies need familiarity as a sense of security so you may want to create a routine for them. This includes waking up at the same time every day, going about the same daily tasks, having meals at the same time, sleeping at the same time etc. Having a routine will make your puppy feel comfortable and safe. This way they’ll be reassured that you will be there in the morning to give them breakfast and they’ll know what to expect. Uncertainty could be the reason behind their fear and crying in the first place so establishing a routine can help you solve that problem.

8. Make their crate comfortable

Provide your little one with a comfy and cozy crate to sleep in. Place a warm blanket for them in case they feel cold and put in things that are familiar to them that’ll make them feel safe. It could be anything from an old t-shirt of yours to one of their favorite toys. The idea is to make it comfortable and puppy friendly so that they don’t cry or feel unsafe.

9. Give them a treat

If your furry baby is crying at night you can soothe them by giving them a treat. One of the reasons for their crying could also be the fact that they are hungry so giving them something to eat could solve that problem. Of course, you shouldn’t make a habit out of it. Only if it happens once in a while, give them a treat that can help distract them and make them feel better.

11. Massage them before they go to bed

To help your puppy calm their nerves and feel relaxed, massage them every night before they go to bed. This doesn’t have to be an elaborate massage, it can be a simple one. Start at the neck and then make your way down, remember to use long strokes. The more relaxed your puppy is before going to bed, the fewer the chances that they’ll cry.

12. A bedtime scent

One way to stop your puppy from crying is by surrounding them with a scent that is familiar to them. Have a bedtime scent, which is basically a smell that they associate with bedtime. It can be in the form of essential oils or even an old t-shirt of yours that has your smell. Dogs are big on scents so this will greatly help in calming them down and stopping them from crying.

13. Give them a toy to cuddle with

A cuddle buddy is a great way to make your puppy feel comfortable especially if they cry at night. Just like you would give your child a stuffed toy, you can give your puppy a toy to cuddle with too. This will give them a sense of comfort and cause them to be less scared when they sleep at night.

To make it even more effective, give this toy to them only at bedtime. That way going to bed won’t be a dreaded moment for them and they’re less likely to throw a tantrum by crying at night. They will associate this toy with bedtime and it’ll be better for both them and you. There are a variety of toys available so pick any that you think your puppy would like to cuddle with.

14. Don’t respond every time they cry

This may not sound like a good idea but it could be useful in preventing them from crying. This is for those cases where your puppy may be crying every night or often enough, let them know that you’re there but don’t respond each and every time that they cry. If you keep responding and giving in then they’ll make it a habit.

Sometimes you just have to ignore them to ensure that they’re not just doing it for attention. Of course, it goes without saying that if you feel like it’s a genuine reason, like maybe it’s their first week with you then don’t ignore it because that could also make it worse and lead to more behavioral problems. If they are just doing it for attention and you ignore them then they’ll automatically stop after a while.

15. Limit food and water before bed

An hour before your puppy sleeps, stop their food and water supply. This is because if they go to bed with a full bladder then they’ll probably wake up at night crying because they need to relieve themselves. Chances are that it’ll happen more than once during the night so you’ll want to limit it.

16. Medication

This should be the last resort. If none of the above strategies seems to be working then it could mean that your puppy is in pain and might need medication. You should take them to the vet and get the matter further investigated. They can give them the required medicine, which will ease their pain and stop them from crying. It will also help them sleep better.

Each of these tips will help your puppy stop crying at night. Not only will it make their lives easier but yours too! Try out these amazing tips and watch them work their magic with your little one.