Why do your puppy crying, and how can you comfort your pup?
Like human babies, dog babies (puppies) also cry for different reasons. That’s their way of communicating. When puppies grow up, they eventually stop crying because they adapt to being more independent. But before that happens, puppies will cry for different reasons. We tend to think they are in pain when they cry or whine, but that’s not always the case. So, if you have a puppy at home, it’s better to know how to deal with this issue properly.
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If you have a puppy at home, they sometimes make crying sounds or whining sounds like this.
You can watch the video below to see how they look when they cry or howl. This video has a lot of cute puppies crying.
This puppy crying is common, but there are reasons for this to happen. So let’s talk about them and how you can prevent puppy crying.
Why do Puppies Cry?
Dogs are mammals, and dogs have interacted with humans for thousands of years. History shows that dogs have become human friends around 15,000 years ago. There are hundreds of new dog breeds because they have evolved a lot with human care.
The main reason why humans and dogs can have special bonds is that both species are highly social. Both feel affection toward the other, and both care for the other.
Regarding puppy crying, there are multiple reasons for a puppy to cry. Just like human babies, puppies also cry for the very similar reasons just like these.
- Your puppy is feeling lonely.
Puppies are social creatures. They need to be around other people. This need will become more severe when they are separated from their mother and other siblings. Therefore, your puppy can frequently feel lonely when they are alone. When that happens, the pup will do the only thing it can do, which is cry.
But lucky for you and your pup, there are ways you can help your pup with this issue. You can keep them nearby. You can use a crate in areas where people stay and put the pup inside the crate. The puppy will feel more like a part of the family with this. Another advantage you can get by keeping your pup nearby is that the chance of your pup biting furniture and destroying them will reduce a lot.
- Your puppy does not feel well.
If the puppy has an illness, it will cry or whimper continuously. Therefore, if your puppy cries non-stop, then most probably, your puppy is feeling uncomfortable thus not feeling well. The best solution for this is to take your pup to a good veterinarian.
Also, if this happens, observe for other symptoms of illness. It can be dizziness, no appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, vomiting, or even increased breathing rate.
Notice your pup licking or scratching one area, or maybe even biting that area. That can be a symptom of an infection, allergy, parasites or any other kind of skin problem.
Whatever the issue, it means that your pup is suffering and needs medical treatment. So take your precious puppy to a trusted vet and explain the situation, and they will sort it out.
- Your puppy is hungry.
If your puppy often cries before meals that could mean that your pup is hungry. This is entirely normal for a growing puppy. If you have doubts that your puppy is not eating enough, you can get advice from your vet and change the diet to get more nutrition. If the pup looks a bit thin, then add more food. If your pup looks a bit round, then cut back a bit.
If your pup doesn’t eat much, try feeding them from your hand. It will tend your pup to eat more.
- Your puppy is scared.
Fear can cause your puppy to cry. If your puppy sees someone that they don’t know or maybe an unfamiliar object, it could trigger anxiety, and cause your pup to cry. This can also trigger panic attacks even.
You can learn more about dog panic attacks and anxiety from this article on Can Dogs have Panic Attacks.
The thing your puppy is afraid of can change, so don’t panic if something doesn’t make your puppy anxious, but then it makes your pup nervous all of a sudden. There are fear periods that are very common when your pup is 8 to 12 weeks old and 4 to 9 months old. It can also happen when your dog is 1.5 to 2 years old.
You can see if your puppy is afraid by observing their body language. If they are afraid, then their ears back and tail down. If you notice that, remove your puppy from that situation immediately. After a couple of days, you can expose your pup to a less severe version of what they experienced. If your pup’s behavior gets worse then you should bring your pup to a vet and explain the situation.
- Your puppy needs affection.
As mentioned above, your pup has been separated from the mother and siblings. Therefore, it will seek affection from the new family members. So your pup would cry when they need attention. If you are not at home all day with your pup, they will miss you and will want to spend time with you when you get home.
It’s crucial to acknowledge your pup when you walk into the door. Give them affection. It’s also a good practice to pay attention to your puppy when you are with it. This could help them calm down. But keep in mind that you must not give too much attention because then that can spoil your pup. This will make your pup craves more and more attention.
- Your puppy is just bored.
Another unusual but probable reason is that your puppy is simply just bored. When the pup has a lot of pent-up energy, they will look for a way to get it out. So they will cry. You can play with your pup and offer them some exercise so they can burn that energy. This will calm them down after a while.
Your pup must get both physical and mental exercise. This will help improve your pup’s overall behavior and decrease crying by a lot.
Why do puppies cry at night?
In general, if a puppy cries at night, it is most likely because its needs are not being met. It can be that they need to go potty or need reassurance. Whatever the case, figure out what your puppy needs and give it to them. It can be that your pup is hungry or is afraid or needs to be closer to you. Remember that the first few nights are the hardest. After that, it will get much easier as your pup gets familiar.
You can learn more about puppies crying at night from this link.
How to comfort a crying puppy?
You can do things for your precious pup to help with crying. If your puppy is constantly crying or whining without a specific reason, you can do these things for your pup.
- Potty train the pup
Puppies can only hold their bladder for a little while. But you can’t take your pup out at night for a toilet break. So, if you have to take your pup outside for a pee break in the middle of the night, make sure you follow these tips.
- Don’t talk much with your pup when you take them out in the middle of the night. The reason for this is that the puppy has to understand that this is not a fun time. Otherwise, the pup will think that you like taking it outside in the middle of the night.
- Don’t praise your pup. Don’t give any treats or anything. Just take the pup to the usual potty spot and wait till it finishes its business.
- When the pup is done, please give it much praise, so it knows that’s the right thing to do. Remember only praise your pup after the deed is done.
- Take the pup to the usual sleeping place and leave without any commotion.
If you are interested in how to potty train a pup, you can read this article on How to Potty Train a German Shepherd Puppy.
- Provide comfort (comfort does not mean attention)
Keep in mind that every time your puppy cries, they need something. As mentioned above, they might be hungry or not feeling well. Maybe they want comfort. But keep in mind that if you comfort your pup every time it cries, it will encourage the pup to cry more. So your pup will cry again and again when it feels like it. Therefore, you can provide comfort but not attention every time your pup cries. If you can observe that the pup is crying for attention all the time, then giving attention every time will only increase the crying. Keep that in mind when you comfort your puppy next time.
- Take your puppy out every day.
Taking out your puppy every day will give the puppy the necessary daily exercises and mental stimulation. It will also make the puppy freer and won’t feel trapped all day. This is a very effective way to deal with a crying puppy. This method will cover multiple above-mentioned reasons to cry. It will give the pup to burn pent-up energy and give you and the pup some time to bond. This will provide comfort to the pup, and also it will help the pup if it’s just bored.
- Crate train your pup.
Crate training your pup is also an excellent way to help a crying puppy. But keep in mind that the pup must feel safe inside the crate and should be able to get out if they feel like it. Don’t lock the pup inside the crate because it will make the pup feel trapped. When the pup gets comfortable in that crate, it will feel like the pup’s own home. This will make the pup feel safer. Crate training is also a great way to deal with a puppy that cries at night.
- Stick to a daily routine
This is also an important thing to do with every puppy and doggo. Sticking to a daily routine will ensure safety to the puppy so it will stop crying. After a couple of days, the puppy will get used to the routine and will follow that daily routine. This is also a good thing to do if you want to train your pup correctly. Sticking to a daily routine is actually one of the first steps of training a pup. This will give the pup the idea that there is a specific time to do specific things like eating, playing, sleeping, etc.
- Limit distractions
Don’t put lots of toys and treats everywhere. This may confuse the pup, and sometimes, it will be hard to understand why the pup is crying if there are lots of distractions. Limiting distractions at the sleeping area is also a good way to help a puppy that cries at night.
Puppies will stop crying when they grow out of it.
You can help your crying puppy by doing the above-mentioned things. But keep in mind that puppies will stop crying eventually. Just like human babies, puppies also grow out of it. When they grow up, they will become more independent, which will stop them from crying all the time. Some puppies may take more time than others, but they will stop crying at some point.
FAQ
- What are the signs of fading puppy syndrome?
Fading puppy syndrome is also called early death in dogs. If the puppy has this syndrome, it will show these signs.
- Vomiting
- Salvation
- Continual crying
- Failure to gain weight
- Difficulty breathing
- Ignored by the mother
- Low weight at birth
- Painful abdomen
- Diarrhea
If you see these signs on your puppy, take it to the vet as soon as possible.
- How long does puppy whining last?
It depends on the puppy. Some puppies cry at night for up to 2 weeks, but some puppies only cry a couple of days (maybe only one or two days).
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