# Puppy crying at night



## Sian.Hay (Feb 15, 2015)

Hello, 

I recently got a german Sheperd Cross from the RSPCA. He was ten weeks old when I got him and I have now had him for one week. He still cries quite a bit at night when he is by himself and so I was hoping others could share their experiences as to how long it took for their puppies to stop crying. Did anyone find any tricks that helped speed the process up? 

Any comments would be much appreciated.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Sian.Hay said:


> Hello,
> 
> I recently got a german Sheperd Cross from the RSPCA. He was ten weeks old when I got him and I have now had him for one week. He still cries quite a bit at night when he is by himself and so I was hoping others could share their experiences as to how long it took for their puppies to stop crying. Did anyone find any tricks that helped speed the process up?
> 
> Any comments would be much appreciated.



I'm sure there are many methods used by numerous members of this forum. I have never used a crate with any of the 3 GSDs I have had over time as the pup was kept in the bedroom with me ..with the door closed and bedroom "dog proofed". I do recall the first night or two, I spent on the floor beside her until she nodded off and if she woke up..I probably joined her on the floor again until she went back to sleep. After that, I would hang my arm over the edge of the bed and let her lick it, smell it..whatever until she would go to sleep. Somehow I had it in my head that if the pup was aware of my presence in more than just scent recognition, it would bring comfort to her and settle her down....and so it seemed to work as planned.

Downside of my method....I spent a few nights not sleeping very much but I expected this as getting her house trained required frequent trips outside in the very beginning anyways.


SuperG


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

I am on the other end of the scale. I crate train my dogs, all of them. I find it makes housebreaking easy, gives you a safe and quiet place to put puppy when your tired of supervising and need a break.

I do the opposite of many here, crate went in the downstairs rec room so we all slept well. I feel its important for puppies to learn its ok to be away from us. Max time whining crying has been 2 days.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I put Seger in a crate and put him on the bed at night for the first week. As soon as my fingers were at the crate door, he would settle and sleep. After the first week, I was able to put the crate on the floor and he was fine. My breeder some crate training with her puppies before they leave her so I'm very fortunate that way. I spent a lot of time tossing treats into a crate, feeding him in his crate, doing Crate Games with him as well. You can get the Crate Games dvd for about $30.


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

I did the same as SuperG, no crate, shut the bedroom door, stayed on the floor until he fell asleep.. I am a light sleeper, so I heard him everytime he woke up.. Carried him outside. At apx 3 months I started leaving the bedroom door open..


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Pups are all crate trained, but sleep in the bed with me for the first few weeks or so. I have found that as they grow and gain confidence they naturally move away. The crate training is done initially during the day, when the pressure is off.
That said, I have done it the other way and after a few days the pups calm down and settle in their crates at night. A teddy or blankie to snuggle helps.


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## dhaney81 (Nov 5, 2014)

My 5 month old is crate trained, and I think having it next to my bed has been a big help. Before you put him in the crate make sure you've played with/tire him out, feed/watered, and let out right before he goes in. That way you know there's nothing he really needs, he just misses you. Also since he's so young you'll have to get up and take him out every couple hours, he can't hold it all night.


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## Ruger Monster (Jan 29, 2015)

Ruger cried for a few days after we got him. The first night he literally screamed for 2 hours in the bathroom, and chewed some of the molding off the door before we let him sleep in our bed with us, where he immediately got quiet and went to sleep  . He'd hop off the bed every time he had to go to the bathroom - I was sleeping so lightly, I was exhausted the next day! The BF didn't want him to get accustomed to sleeping in our bed, so the next night we had to plan differently. We put him in his crate downstairs, he quieted down after an hour or so. A couple nights later he'd only whine for about 15-20 minutes, but did that for a week or so. Now when I put him in his X-pen/crate combo, he's quiet when we go to bed.


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## mauser1 (Feb 24, 2015)

The crying is part of their puppy instincts. If they were in the wild and a pup got lost, it would scream so that the pack would find it. My puppy did this crying thing the first couple nights because my boyfriend didn't know what to do except ignore him. One day I took a half hour and actually "trained" him to realize that when left in his crate, it did not mean that we would he gone forever. You put them in the crate and shut the door on it. They'll start crying about it. Sternly say "no," and more than likely the pup will be quiet for at least a second or two. It's critical the first couple times that, as soon as the puppy is quiet (even if it's for like 3 seconds) you immediately praise them and go back to them. I would tell him he was a good boy in a happy voice, then go up to the crate, open the door, and pet him and tell him he was a good boy. This reinforces that if they're quiet, they get attention and you'll come back for them. After praising, shut the door again and go sit down. Repeat and try to slowly increase the amount of time they're quiet before getting the praise. It only took about a half hour of doing this to get him to completely stop during the nights.

Also, this is really important: give your pup the benefit of the doubt on this. If they start crying, especially after you've done the above "training" session, wait until the puppy quiets down for a second and then take them out to see if they were hungry, thirsty, or had to go out. Then take them back to bed. This is a big reason why I wouldn't let my boyfriend just put him and the crate down in the basement when we slept on the 2nd floor. No, we couldn't hear his annoying screams. But what if he just REALLY had to pee? It's kind of cruel to make a young puppy hold it all night if they had to go before you even fell asleep. Puppies are like real babies, you may have to get up once or twice in the middle of the night for them to go out.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Sian.Hay said:


> Hello,
> 
> I recently got a german Sheperd Cross from the RSPCA. He was ten weeks old when I got him and I have now had him for one week. He still cries quite a bit at night when he is by himself and so I was hoping others could share their experiences as to how long it took for their puppies to stop crying. Did anyone find any tricks that helped speed the process up?
> 
> Any comments would be much appreciated.


We never caged our pups or dogs. The old way is to cut down an adequate size cardboard box (just high enough so the pup couldn't climb out) line it with an old shower curtain liner, a throw away towel and a small stuffed animal toy. We kept this beside the bed, when the pup would wake up at night, they were close enough, we could reach our hand down to pet and utter a few calm reassuring words. This, along with potty trips outside evey 3 hours did the trick. Plus - you get to see some really cool stars outside that I bet you haven't noticed in a long time and it's an excellent bonding time a cage will not provide. 

With my last two. I used the shower curtain liner piece with old blanket pieces, towels and just put them right beside my bed. They stayed like velcro because they were scared and weren't used to the house. After the 3rd night or so - I moved them to the kitchen and laundry room and blocked that area off at night for the next few weeks until they were done with their paper training. Initial cries, but not over 5 minutes. Ah, peaceful sleep!

Once they're potty trained, I just have them in the bedroom with me at night, I do block the door with a gate though as they will wander out into other rooms at night and chew stuff or potty - they won't do that it in the bedroom when you are there and it is well "puppy proofed". (electrical cords, etc).

That's how we do it without a crate. It always has worked and always will.


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## gnet158 (Mar 29, 2014)

Our Toby (RIP) cried off and on for a week straight, I slept with him every night during this time. Then on the 7th day he stopped and was fine ever since. I think he cried because he missed him mom.

Hans on the other hand was easy, he didn't cry and took to his playpen with no issues. He sleeps in his playpen everything and is calm. I think your boy might miss someone or another dog he was attached to at the shelter. Give him time, maybe sleep with him for a week to see if that helps.


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