How To Stop My Puppy Howling And Crying?

by Becca

Crate Training A Puppy Is A Kind Thing To Do

Crate Training A Puppy Is A Kind Thing To Do

I love your website! I have a question - Do you have any advice to stop our puppy from whining, howling, and barking at night or when left in a room alone?

We do not crate train and never wish to. We've had 3 dogs before and have never had this problem - she constantly cries whenever left alone.

We've only had her a week but want to break this before it can't be stopped or it gets too much.

Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

Reply from Pauline (Web Owner)

Hi Becca,

I’m so happy you like my site (thanks!) and so very sorry to hear you’re having problems this early on with your new puppy.

Assuming your puppy is fed, watered, not in pain, and is comfortable, it sounds like she may be crying because she’s suffering from separation anxiety.

You can read more about separation anxiety in dogs here and you can learn how to reduce/remedy her anxiety here.

Because you’ve only had your puppy for one week, she’s probably also missing her mother and her litter mates. My recommendation would be to give her lots of cuddles and attention (did I really say that? I'm sure you're already smothering her with affection!)

If she has a blanket with the smell of her mother and siblings, keep her wrapped in it, or at least in her bed to comfort her.

I understand you're not planning on crating her, but I would truly recommend that you at least consider it - this is not a cruel practice, I promise you.

Dog crates can offer a puppy a small haven of their own; somewhere where they can get peace and quiet and somewhere to go to help them feel safe and secure.

Our Cocker, Max, has a crate and we rarely lock him in it now, but he still likes to lie in there with the door open and he often sleeps in it instead of his bed (or sometimes, ours) – it’s his den!

Please take a look at our articles on crate training. They will explain why crate training a puppy isn't cruel, as well as outlining the benefits.

If you do decide to crate your puppy, follow the link to learn how to successfully crate train your puppy.

You will need to teach your puppy to be alone from time to time and this must be done gradually.

If you read the above articles, you’ll find everything you need to successfully crate train your puppy and stop the separation anxiety.

One word of warning – don’t go to your puppy and pick her up when she cries, particularly at night. If you do, she will only learn that crying gets her what she wants and she will learn to do that for just about anything – and that will drive you nuts!

If she simply won’t stop crying at night, bring her crate into your bedroom and leave it by the side of your bed. If she cries during the night, you can comfort here with the sound of your voice or a gentle stroke, but leave her where she is.

When she drops off to sleep, if you’re not too sleepy yourself, you could take her crate back to its normal place.

Good luck, and let us know how you both get on.

Comments for How To Stop My Puppy Howling And Crying?

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Advice for Anonymous With 9 Week Old Pup
by: Anonymous

Hi, if you need help with your puppy peeing and pooping, try this page here: potty training your puppy. It will help you to teach your puppy how and where to go potty and you will have her dry in no time.

Good luck!

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9 Week Old Puppy - Need Some Advice
by: Anonymous

We have had a puppy for about a week. He has stopped crying at night but has now started to whine when I leave him and also if he's not on my lap he wants to be held or played with all the time. He is only nine weeks so does not go for his jabs until next week. We have been using puppy pads in the kitchen and we have a cage but we do not shut him up in it.

My partner brings him into the lounge in the evenings but he never seems to go on his puppy pads in there. He has also started not weeing and poohing on his puppy pad in the kitchen

Please I need some help!

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Such Good News!
by: Pauline (Web Owner)

Hi Debbie,

That is such good news and thank you for letting me know. It's always very rewarding to get feedback from visitors (positive or negative) and in this case it's very definitely positive!

Thank you once again.

Good luck to you and Ellie!

Kind regards,
Pauline

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Unbelievable results
by: Debbie

Hi Pauline

I just want to say a massive thank you for your help and valuable information regarding crating Ellie and how she was suffering separation anxiety.

We got a cage on Saturday and Ellie has been amazing. We were expecting a rough ride but she loves her crate and goes into it no problem.

During the night she is amazing. No wees or poos. Sleeps all night. We left her for a few hours on Sunday and Monday and today and she was fantastic. Again I thought we would end up with poo and pee in her crate but nothing.

She is actually a different pup! She is happy and just a pleasure to have...she always was but now she is amazing.

Last night she wasn't very well. She ate a dead rotten rabbit and vomited a few times, but thank God she is fully recovered!

I just want to say thank you so so much for your help and support. Your website is invaluable and changed our home to a less stressful one and now Ellie is such a happy pup.

THANK YOU!!

Debbie

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You're Welcome!
by: Pauline (Web Owner)

Thanks Debbie, and good luck.

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Thank You
by: Debbie

Hi Pauline, thank you for your speedy reply.

We are going to get a cage tomorrow and see how Ellie gets on. I love her so much and to think she is suffering anxiety is hard for us. I just want her to be happy as she is when we are with her... I get stressed thinking about her when I am out!

I will let you know how we get on.

Thank you
Debbie

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Is it too late to crate at 6 months old?
by: Pauline (Web Owner)

Hi Debbie,

No, it's not too late to crate your puppy at 6 months old, however, it may take a little time and patience.

You can learn how to crate Ellie here. Stick with it and you will get there.

It sounds like your puppy is suffering from separation anxiety which is what's causing her to act up when you're not home.

Take a look at this article to see what you can do to help make her feel a little more comfortable (the crate will really help here).

The main thing is to help Ellie understand that she can be happy on her own. It will take time but I'm sure you'll feel it's worth it. Here's the article on puppy separation anxiety.

Hope this helps Debbie, please let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,
Pauline

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Is it too late to crate at 6 months old?
by: Debbie

Hi, I'm at a loss with my cocker spaniel Ellie as she is so destructive when we are not around. She has destroyed our suite, pulls curtains down skirting boards, when we are at home she is an amazing dog.

We are contemplating having to give her up... It would break our hearts but what can we do? Would it be too late to cage her now? Some days she's great but then she pees and poos on the kitchen floor even when she has just been out. Help please...

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Thank You!
by: Becca

Hi Pauline, Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. On Saturday we went out and bought her a crate in the end, since then she hasn't cried once at night and the door doesn't even need to be shut.

She loves sleeping in there and is even playing in her crate too!

Now we've all been getting sleep we - couldn't be happier with her, I will upload a photo at a later date, when I get my laptop back from being repaired.

Thank you so much for your advice, and the website is brilliant, it's a home page for my phone and is very helpful. :-)

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Crying Puppy
by: Bob T.

SnugglePuppies with a real feel heart beat solve the problem every time, for 15 years.

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