How to Stop a Puppy Crying

Puppies sleep several times over the course of a day, but only for a few hours at a time, so it's entirely normal for them to wake up several times during the night and cry or bark to get our attention.

Let's run through the best techniques and tricks to stop a puppy crying at night or when we leave them alone at home.

Stopping a Puppy Crying at Night

The first thing we need to know is that a puppy is the equivalent of a human baby — simply a little creature who needs to be with their mum. If our puppy isn't with their mother, it's entirely normal for them to cry and bark; they simply miss her and are calling for her.

That's why we need patience, plenty of patience, since they may well cry not just for one night, but several. To help the puppy settle into their new home as well as possible, it's best to follow these simple guidelines:

• Adopt the puppy in the morning, so they have the whole day to get to know their new home and family, sniff everything and so on…
• If possible, rub a clean cloth over the puppy's mother for a while so it picks up her scent. Leave that cloth at night on the puppy's bed, so they can smell their mother and settle down.
• Put a small ticking clock under their bed; this way they'll hear a gentle "tick-tock" similar to the sound of their mother's heartbeat.
• Put a bag of warm water in their bed, or under a blanket in their bed, to mimic their mother's body heat.
• Leave a dim light on at all times, so they don't wake up in complete darkness and get scared.
• Never go to them if they cry at night, because if we do they'll get used to it and cry any time they want our attention.

Can I Sleep With My Puppy?

Of course! But only if you're planning on letting them sleep with you always. If it's only for one night or a few days, better not to do it… because it'll be far worse afterwards to get them used to sleeping alone.

Even so, if it doesn't bother you that they might wake up several times during the night and possibly wake you up too, wanting to play… you can sleep with them and stop them crying that way. Just remember that from that point on they'll always need to sleep with you.

Stopping a Puppy Crying When Left Alone

It's not only puppies who cry in this situation — adult dogs do it too, because of what's known as separation anxiety. If we put ourselves in their shoes and imagine our family leaving and abandoning us alone… wouldn't we cry too? Well, they bark, cry and sometimes break things.

To stop a dog crying when left alone, we should try to train them from puppyhood, following these guidelines. If they're already an adult, we'll put them into practice too, though it may take them longer to take them on board.

It's very useful to teach them to stay alone by leaving the house for a minute and coming back in. This way the puppy will see that nothing happens because you only went out for a minute.

Over time we'll gradually increase how long we spend out — from one minute we'll move to five, from five to fifteen, from fifteen to thirty… It's all about progressing gradually, week by week.

This way the dog learns to be alone, though you can also use these simple tricks that help a great deal:

• When you leave the house, leave the TV or radio on; the dog will hear voices and won't feel like they're alone.
• Use "Kong"-type activity toys, putting food inside so the dog stays entertained trying to get it out.

We need to be patient and work on this every day; a dog doesn't get used to being alone in two days… it takes time. Remember a good walk before leaving them alone helps a great deal in keeping them relaxed.