Learn How to Stop Puppy From Whining at Night

Did you just get a new puppy and it won't stop whining at night? Are you crating your dog and following every rule and tip to crate train him but your dog's whining is driving you nuts? If this sounds like you than please read on!

Keep in mind that if you just got a new puppy and it won't stop crying unless you pick him up, do not make this a habit. When you do this, you are reinforcing to your dog that any time he is unhappy, you'll give in to what he wants to make him feel better. You may not see the problem with this until it becomes a habit and soon you're dog will be behaving in other ways that is not acceptable but has only been reinforced since he was a puppy. You do not want your dog to think that crying to get what he wants is acceptable behavior.

With that said, remember your puppy is a very young animal. Never scold or yell at your puppy when he is sad. The last thing you want to raise is an aggressive or insecure dog. It will take a lot of time and practice to create a schedule for your puppy to become accustomed to. Once he has a schedule, he will feel less anxious. He is new to his environment and around strangers. He will cry for quite some time until he feels more secured. Along with proper training, you can help dissipate his whining for your peace of mind and for your brand new puppy too!

The best way to do help your dog feel secure is to crate train him. Dogs have natural den instincts and will feel safe and secure if he has a special confined space just for him. This is great if your not at home because he will feel very anxious that he's alone. Don't forget to get an appropriate dog crate that will fit your dog when he is full grown.

Make sure he has a cozy dog bed in his crate as well as some chew toys. Make his crate as comfortable as you can. Don't put water or food in his crate. It's not a mini apartment for your dog but a place to feel safe and comfortable in. Make sure to feed your dog come morning and create a feeding schedule for him.

At night when you are sleeping, cover his crate with a blanket. By covering his crate with a blanket, he won't see you or anyone until hit's morning. This will help prevent him from whining for attention.

Before bed time, take your puppy for a long walk and make sure he goes to the bathroom as often as he needs to. Play with your puppy and do your best to tire him out. This will help him sleep throughout the night. Similar to children, a puppy can't hold his bladder for a long time and the more tired he is, the longer he will sleep.

At night time, your dog will most likely whine and cry. If this happens, put his crate in a different room where you can't hear him. I know it will be very heart wrenching and you'll be so tempted to let him out but refrain from doing this. You need to stick to the plan if you ever want this to work. Also, avoid any scolding, punishment or negative attention while he is in the crate. The very last thing you ever want is for your puppy to associate bad experiences while he is in his crate.

You are going to have to take your puppy outside at LEAST a couple times throughout the night. A puppy can only hold his bladder for how many months he's old plus one in hours. For example, if he's 4 months hold, he can hold his bladder for only 5 hours. If he's 2 months old, he can only hold his bladder for 3 hours.

Wake up earlier than usual to take your puppy out. Once your dog learns that come morning, he will not be forgotten and will feel more secure that you will not abandon him. This will be tedious but this is what being a puppy owner is all about.

No matter how much your puppy whines throughout the night, do not go to him, it may seem cruel but you will only reinforce that every time he cries, you will come to all his beck and needs. Remember, a puppy is different from a baby, your dog will need to learn how to self cope when he feels anxious. You will only make it so much harder for him in the long run if you don't allow his cries to be ignored. If you can hear it, put your dog in another room or a blanket on top of his crate. If he can't see you, he will feel less likely to cry.