09 Crying at Night
Description
This article is from the Your New Puppy FAQ, by Cindy Tittle Moore with numerous contributions by others.
09 Crying at Night
Your puppy wants to be with the rest of the "pack" at bedtime. This
behavior is highly adaptive from the standpoint of dog behavior. When
a puppy becomes separated from its pack it will whine, thereby
allowing it to be found and returned to the rest of the group. This is
why so many books on puppies and dog behavior strongly recommend that
you allow your puppy/dog to sleep with you in your room to reduce the
liklihood of crying at night.
Try moving the crate into your bedroom. If your puppy whines, first
make sure it doesn't have to go outside to eliminate. This means
getting up and taking it outside. If it whines again, or doesn't need
to go outside, bang your hand on the crate door and say something like
"NO, SLEEP" or "NO, QUIET". If the puppy continues to whine, try
giving it a toy or chew toy and then simply ignore any continued
whining. If you don't reinforce the whining by comforting it (other
than to take it outside -- which is OK), it will eventually learn to
settle down. Also, be sure to have a vigorous play session JUST BEFORE
you are going to go to bed. This should poop it out and it will sleep
much more soundly.
Alternatively, you can designate a spot for your puppy on the bedroom
floor. Keep the door closed or put a leash on it to keep it close to
the bed. When it whines or moves about, take it out to eliminate.
Otherwise, as above, say "NO, SLEEP."
Puppies that cannot sleep in the bedroom for whatever reason may be
comforted by a ticking clock nearby, and a t-shirt of yours from the
laundry.
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