It’s 2am again and you’re wide awake while your brand-new puppy cries in their crate like the world is ending. If this sounds like you, take a deep breath – you’re not doing anything wrong and you’re not alone in this experience. Like crying babies, puppies cry at night and it’s one of the most common challenges for new puppy owners in the first few weeks at home with their new pup. However, puppy crying at night is temporary and fixable.
Read on to learn more about why your puppy cries at night and what you can do to fix it immediately so that your puppy and you can both enjoy sleep free from crying and noise in the middle of the night.
Why Do Puppies Cry at Night?
Before you can fix the problem, it helps to understand what’s actually going on with your puppy.
1. They’re Away From Their Litter for the First Time
For the first 8 weeks of life, your puppy never slept alone. Your puppy was with this mom and siblings; they had the warmth, smell, and heartbeat of their mum and littermates right beside them to snuggle with. Suddenly, they are placed in a new home in a crate or a new room all by themselves. This is separation anxiety in its most basic, biological form.
2. Their Bladder Is Tiny
Young puppies physically can’t hold their bladder for a full night. Crying is often simply your puppy telling you they need a toilet break, not necessarily that something is wrong.
3. New Sounds, Smells, and Surroundings
Your home is filled with sounds that you have never before heard. The noises of your home are overwhelming for a puppy used to being in one place all of its life.
4. They Haven’t Learned to Self-Soothe Yet
Puppies don’t know how to sooth themselves. Similar to human babies, self-soothing is something they learn and build over time, and they need the right support from their guardians to get there.Â
Is It Normal for a Puppy to Cry Every Night?
Puppies will cry during the first few nights – this is normal and to be expected. However, most puppies will settle and significantly reduce crying during the night within one to two weeks post arrival at their forever home. Should the crying be severe and not subside after two weeks, or if the puppy also displays other signs of distress, a visit to the vet to rule out any physical illness may be warranted.
How to Stop a Puppy Crying at Night: 7 Things That Actually Help
1. Set Up the Crate (or Sleep Space) Properly
Make it warm and cosy. Give them a blanket that smells like their littermates, a soft bed, and a covered crate (with enough airflow) to help keep the people feeling safe and secure.
2. Tire Them Out Before Bed
A puppy with pent-up energy will have a hard time settling. A short play session and a final toilet break an hour before bed will help set them up for a calmer night.
3. Keep the Crate Near You (At First)
Many trainers recommend starting with the crate in or near your bedroom for the first week or two. Being close to you is reassuring to your pup, and you’ll hear them if they genuinely need a toilet break. You can gradually move the crate further away as they learn to settle better.
4. Stick to a Consistent Bedtime Routine
Dogs thrive on predictability. Try to have the same wind-down routine every night — toilet break, a little water, settle in the crate, and then turn off the lights. A steady routine teaches your puppy’s body and brain that it’s time to sleep.
5. Don’t Rush In at the First Whimper
This one is hard, but very important: if you rush to your puppy’s aid the second they make a sound, you are accidentally teaching them the association that crying = attention. Give a minute or two to see if they settle themselves when they start crying before intervening.
6. Keep Night Toilet Breaks Boring
If your puppy does need a genuine toilet break, keep the lights low, keep your voice calm and quiet, and avoid playing or excited greetings. You want them to learn that night-time is for sleeping, not playing.
7. Be Consistent, Every Single Night
Puppies learn through repetition. Chopping and changing your approach night to night (letting them into your bed on some nights, but not others) will confuse them and can extend the crying phase.
What NOT to Do
- Don’t punish crying. It won’t stop the behaviour and can damage trust.
- Don’t bring them into your bed just to stop the noise, unless that’s genuinely where you want them sleeping long-term — puppies learn fast, and habits formed now can stick.
- Don’t ignore prolonged, distressed crying entirely. There’s a difference between mild settling grumbles and genuine distress that needs a response.
The Truth: Every Puppy Is Different
Some puppies take three nights to settle in. Others take three weeks. A puppy’s breed, age, personality and what happened in their life before they came home with you all play a part in the settling in process. There’s no such thing as a trick to raising a puppy. Instead, there are techniques to understanding your puppy and applying them appropriately.
This is where most new puppy owners get stuck – they’re not doing a bad job, they just don’t know how to raise a puppy and there’s a plethora of advice online that’s contradictory to other advice shared on other blogs and websites.
Want a Step-By-Step Plan Instead of Guesswork?
If you’re tired of trying to research from various sources all day, we can help. Our online puppy training course can help walk you through exactly how to set up your puppy’s sleep routine, crate train confidently, and handle night-time crying the right way from day one — plus everything else that you need to know in the first few crucial weeks (toilet training, biting, socialisation, and basic obedience).
You’ll get lifetime access, work at your own pace, and feel confident and supported instead of overwhelmed.
Sign up for the Do Good Doggy online puppy course →
Because a well-settled puppy makes for well-rested humans — and that’s good for everyone in the house.