Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener) Dog Behaviour and Obedience Trainer

Puppy Crying at Night

The First Nights

It's entirely natural for a new puppy to call out for someone to come when separated. Pups alone in the wild would not survive without this alarm system. Therefore all your new dog is doing is following instinct. Either in the nesting box or in the wild, a puppy learns very quickly that when separated from the pack, calls for help will allow other members of the pack to quickly locate him.

If the puppy is very distressed and clearly upset, then I will often suggest allowing it to sleep in your bedroom, but within an indoor kennel/crate. Then over a period of time move the crate in stages to the spot where you want the puppy to stay for instance the kitchen.

However it is vital to have a play-pen as well as the crate with paper down in the playpen NOT THE CRATE so that the dog can defecate and urinate. Shutting the crate door on a very young puppy could be a total disaster. It can cause crate aversion and toileting problems, it will definitely cause anxiety. Therefore until the pup is at least twelve to thirteen weeks old I would not shut the crate door overnight. (See toileting with a crate)

Then over a period of time move the crate in stages to the spot where you want the puppy to stay, for instance the kitchen. You will normally know if the puppy seriously distressed if it starts throwing itself at the bars trying desperately to escape, defecating or urinating in the crate is also a sign of distress.


If you decide that the bedroom is not the best place for the puppy, and their are some very good reasons why pups should not be allowed upstairs. Not least the fact that the bones are soft at this age and the pressure on the joints of the front legs whilst manoeuvring downstairs can cause a condition called over- run. This is when the bone between the pastern and the forearm (see points of the dog) pushes over the forearm joint causing lameness and premature arthritis

The first thing you need to know about how to overcome this noise problem is you must ignore it, to go down and scold the puppy would be counter productive, irrespective of whether your appearance is positive or negative the fact that you appeared at all in response to the cries will have reinforced this crying instinct. If noise never elicits a response, then the pup will learn that this method of communication doesn't’ work.

What never works is waiting whilst the puppy makes more and more noise then finally becoming exasperated and going to the puppy. All that would teach the little horror was being especially PERSISTENT really works!

Punishment does NOT teach your dog to be quiet, any more than it would a baby crying. Punishment or anger would stress him more' and could create behaviour problems or affect your future relationship with your pet.

You can help your puppy accept the separation more quickly by introducing the area you want the pup to stay then carefully. Feed favourite treats in this area, if you are using a crate then you can leave a stuffed Bone or Kong in the crate as you go up to bed

I am a staunch advocate of crate training. Correctly introduced it speeds up the toilet training process, gives the pup a secure and comfortable den and a bolt hole in times of stress. It can also be an invaluable asset when the pup gets older. Situations where a dog may need the ability to accept and relax in a crate include: recovery from medical problems, travel, emergency, and adjustment to a new home or a new family.

Obviously the best time to introduce a crate is when they are puppies. See my Toileting with a Crate on the main home site.