Like children complaining about early bedtime; whining in the crate usually happens when puppies either have too much energy to rest or if they feel worried or uncomfortable inside their crate. It is really important to remember that a crate should not be used to hold your dog for long periods of time. Crate training always works best when your puppy is given breaks to exercise, play and bond with you and your family.
Step One
When your puppy begins to whine it is important that you do not approach him. Every time you give him attention he will think that he is being rewarded for it. Instead make a noise that he will associate with bad behaviour, “tsst”.Step Two
As soon as your puppy is quiet and calm reward him with a treat. Don’t give him too much praise otherwise he might actually think that you are rewarding his whining, and move away as soon as you have given him the treat. Repeat this process everytime he stops whining. Your dog will begin to learn that you (the pack leader), will only reappear when he is calm and quiet.
Step Three
After a few times of rewarding your dog and correcting his behaviour, open the crate door and invite him out. Repeat this process several times a day (or every time he is in his crate) so that your dog begins to understand how he needs to behave to work for a reward.
How to stop a puppy crying in crate is a top-tier skill for new and experienced pet parents who have just introduced a puppy to their home.
A new puppy in the family is a joyous occasion, but puppies require hard work and consistency. Without it, your puppy won't have a good behavioral basis, and you probably won't have a good night's sleep. You'll need to leash train, potty train, obedience train, and crate train your new puppy, and they all have their own challenges.
The first step to crate training your puppy and learning how to stop your puppy from crying in their crate is to get the right dog crate. It's best to choose one that has a dividing panel so the crate can grow with your puppy - that means you won't have to put your puppy in a too-large crate (which can promote potty accidents), or buy a new one as they get bigger.
Once you've got the right crate, you can work towards stopping the problematic puppy behavior that may crop up when you put your furbaby in the crate. That often is endless whining and crying, which can be incredibly frustrating for everyone in the home.
While training your puppy is a process, rest assured that by following the tips we've gathered, your furry friend will soon learn that their crate isn't a punishment but rather a safe space for them to rest and recharge in.
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While you may be worrying that something is seriously wrong with your little one, crying in the crate is normal puppy behavior. Quite often, crying in the crate is a sign of separation anxiety as your dog has to get used to being away from you and your other family members. It's especially hard on puppies, who may be sleeping alone for the first time since leaving their mother and siblings.
Loneliness, fear, boredom, missing their littermates, missing you, and needing the toilet are all common reasons for crying and it’s a natural response to finding themselves in a new environment, says vet Linda Campbell (opens in new tab).
“Dogs new to being crated may whine or cry because they are not accustomed to the confinement,” she says. “Puppies, recently separated from their littermates, are often confused and lonely and will vocalize.”
It's important to remember that puppies and dogs are highly social creatures and they hate being separated from the members of their pack - which includes you! But, rest assured, with a few weeks of patience and perseverance when it comes to training, your puppy will soon learn that you always come back and this will help them to settle down.
How to stop your puppy from crying in their crate
Even with the best training practices, you may still find your puppy cries or whines to begin with during crate training. But the most important thing during this process is consistency.
Start the training early on to avoid your puppy picking up any bad habits or behaviors that will be difficult to curb when they get older, and try and remain patient as you continue training. Here are a few tips to help you get your puppy to stay quiet while they’re in their crate.
1. Pick the right size crate
We know, it seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how much crying comes from pet parents choosing a crate that’s too small. While they may be small, your puppy still needs enough room to stand up, turn around comfortably, and play with their toys (but not too big that they can use one end as a personal bathroom).
Many of the best dog crates come with dividers that allow you to expand the size of the crate as your puppy grows. This can be a great way of both saving you money in the long run by ensuring you don’t have to purchase a new crate when your pup gets older, while also letting you create a space that feels both cozy and roomy.
Just like with your own home or apartment, when it comes to your puppy’s crate it’s all about location, location, location! It's really important that you don't put your puppy's crate too far away from where you and any other family members spend the bulk of your time. So, avoid the garage and basement and any other spaces that have a cold feel to them as this may cause your furbaby to feel especially isolated.
Instead, choose an area where you tend to spend a lot of time, like a living area as this will help your pup feel more secure. You might even want to consider investing in two crates and keeping one near the end of your bed at night so your puppy is still in the same room as you. Not only can this help your furkid feel less lonely, you’ll also be able to hear when they need to be let out to go to the toilet.
3. Get your puppy comfortable
One of the best ways to help your puppy get used to their crate and even eventually enjoy it is to make it as comfortable a place as possible. You want it to feel warm, cozy, and inviting so that your puppy feels safe and secure. Start by investing in one of the best dog beds and furnishing it with a nice, soft blanket. Donut-style options are great as they have higher sides than other designs and because they're often self-warming, they can help mimic the warmth of your pup's mother, which can bring them a lot of comfort.
After you've chosen a bed, consider popping in a few puppy toys so that your little furball has something to play with. Chew toys can be really good as these will help soothe their sore gums while their adult chompers are growing in and a plush toy is another great addition as these are great for cozying up with. Make sure it's a toy that is safe for them to be alone with.
Make sure your puppy sees their crate as a happy and comfortable space to hang out. With that in mind, never use the crate as a form of punishment - you want every experience to be a positive one so that your puppy associates good things with being in their crate.
4. Give them plenty of exercise before crate time
A tired puppy is most definitely a sleepy puppy, so one of the most powerful weapons you have in your arsenal when it comes to getting your puppy to stop crying in their crate is playtime! The more energy your puppy burns before you pop them into their crate, the more likely they are to go straight into snooze land.
Once it’s time for them to be crated, give them a toy that can be filled with treats so that even when they’re settling down, they still have something to amuse themselves with until they fall asleep. We love the Kong puppy toy which is great for smearing with peanut butter or dog paste, and it's rubber, so it's a great teething toy too.
5. Factor in potty breaks
Just like a toddler, puppies can’t ‘hold it’ for anywhere near as long as adult humans and dogs can and crying is often a sign they need to go to the toilet, so you’ll want to factor in potty breaks.
So, how often should you get up during the night to let your puppy out for a toilet break? Well, a good way to think of things is to take the age of your puppy and add one. That means that a three-month-old puppy will be able to wait around four hours before they need to go to the toilet again, which means in an eight hour period, you'll be wanting to let them out twice.
However, when you’re learning how to potty train a puppy, there’s no such thing as too many breaks, so feel free to take them outside more until you get a sense of how often they need to go.
6. Ignore their whining
There's nothing more heartbreaking than having to stand in another room and listen to your puppy crying with no end in sight. It's incredibly hard as a pet parent to not want to rush in and soothe your stressed out little bundle of fur, but it's really important that you do resist the urge to do that, as it will only make things worse in the long run.
According to veterinary technician Linda Campbell (opens in new tab) you should avoid giving your puppy any attention until they’ve gone quiet. “The goal is to teach the puppy that quiet, calm behavior results in a release,” she says. “The puppy can be released after waking up from his nap or after a few minutes of quiet behavior.”
What if your puppy still won’t stop crying?
Sometimes you can read and implement all the tips and tricks in the world and it still won't be enough to get your puppy to stop crying. If you're really having a hard time putting an end to this behavior, there are a couple of other things you can try.
First up, place a blanket over the crate. While this sounds simple, it can actually be really effective. A blanket will help make the inside of the crate that much darker, which can be very comforting for puppies.
There are also a range of puppy sleep aids on the market that can also be useful in helping your young one to settle. And remember, the most important thing is that your puppy knows that you’re in charge - if you don’t respond to every cry, they’ll soon get the message that whining isn’t an effective way to get what they want.
If you find that your puppy's crying continues weeks or months after you've exhausted all of the above suggestions, have a chat with your vet, who will be able to rule out any underlying health issues and offer advice and guidance on how best to proceed.