The Early Days Of Crate Training

The early days of crate training can be surprisingly difficult for new puppy parents.

A puppy who seemed calm during the day can suddenly begin barking or whining once the house goes quiet for the night.

For many people, this is the moment when uncertainty sets in.

They want to respond in a way that helps their puppy feel safe, but they also worry about accidentally reinforcing behavior that could turn into a long-term habit.

It can be hard to tell what’s actually happening in those moments.

Understanding the difference between these situations is one of the most helpful things a puppy parent can learn during the early stages of crate training.

The Most Common Question I Get

“When my dog is crying/whining in his/her crate at night, should I let them “cry it out”, so as not to encourage this behavior?”

This question is, BY FAR, the most common question that I receive on crate training.

The best response often depends on why they are vocalizing.

In most cases, puppies cry for one of three reasons:

They feel uncomfortable or scared in a new environment
They are trying to get attention
They need to go potty

The hard part is understanding which is which.

Understanding the difference between these situations helps you respond in a way that supports crate training rather than accidentally reinforcing unwanted behavior.

The rule of thumb that I use is to determine the nature of their VOCALIZATION & BODY LANGUAGE.

Feeling Uncomfortable In A New Environment

If your pup is feeling uncomfortable in his/her new environment, their barking/howling will be high-pitched, repetitive and non-stop. This barking/whining will can be accompanied by pacing in the crate, panting and lip licking behavior.

These behaviors are all indicators of a panic attack.

In these instances, I would start by recommending that no matter how annoying this behavior gets (and it can get REALLY annoying), to not exacerbate this behavior by yelling at your pup to stop or by pounding on the crate. This might be incredibly temping to do, especially if you are sleep deprived, but it should be completely obvious that intimidation doesn’t eliminate fear - it makes it worse.

I also wouldn’t let them “cry it out” in this instance. In their panicked state, the best course of action is to soothe them. And the best way to soothe them is by either utilizing a measured and reassuring tone of voice to let them know that everything will be ok, by laying down/sleeping next to the crate, or by sticking your fingers into the crate to give them a loving pet/scratch.

If those methods aren’t working as well as you need, I would recommend that you periodically open the crate and pet them while they’re still inside the crate, and after a few minutes, to gently re-close the door to the crate.

I’d also recommend that you assess whether you think the bedding you’ve put into the crate is making them too hot. A cozy bed to some can be an uncomfortable furnace to others.

Moving the crate (at least in the early stages) closer to your bed, if not right next to it, really helps as well. If you can, put the crate on top of your bedside table so that if you have to put your fingers into the crate, you can do so without getting back up from your bed multiple times a night.

And lastly, as many others recommend, make sure to fill the crate with fun, engaging and soothing toys (especially this one), chews and treats to get their minds off of their current situation, but make sure to periodically assess what is working and what is not, and swap them out with things that do.

REMEMBER: A puppy is a baby dog. They have been taken from the warmth and safety of their litter and introduced to an environment wholly unfamiliar to them. Especially in those early days, make sure you prioritize their desire for safety and security over your desire for peace, tranquility and comfort.

Trying To Get Your Attention

This type of barking is more demanding in nature. It’s repetitive like the uncomfortable barking described above, but it’s not as high-pitched. The tell-tale sign to look out for is their body language.

For example, are they pacing, panting and lip licking, as per the above, or are they observing you intently to see if their actions will get your attention to let them out?

In these instances, I would recommend that you try to ignore it as much as possible, but only after you’re sure that this behavior are not signs that they need to go potty (which I will describe below).

That said, ignoring behavior and doing nothing about it are not the same thing. By using some of the tactics above to soothe them without taking them out of the crate will lovingly reinforce to your pup that you care about them, but that their current behavior will not lead to the outcome that they want.

It’s not about being the “alpha”, but about showcasing that certain behaviors lead to certain outcomes, and that others do not.

Needing To Go Potty

Almost always, our pupz will indicate that they need to go potty by restlessly pacing and moving around the crate BEFORE vocalizing via barking/whining. And this makes sense because they are trying to find some place in the crate where they can go potty without soiling their environment.

And this is why many trainers advocate to get a large crate, but not one so large as to provide a de facto restroom “wing” of the crate.

As such, if you see or hear your pup pacing and moving around the crate without barking or whining, I recommend that you gently and quietly take your pup out of his/her crate and move them to a Fresh Patch nearby to go potty.

This is a box filled with real grass, and will replicate the act of going potty outside, without going outside. This is good for really young pupz that aren’t fully vaccinated yet, but also for you, so that you don’t have to go through the ritual of repeatedly going outside (especially in the winter), at least in the very early stages of puppy parenthood.

I’d also recommend that you place a nightlight by the Fresh Patch before going to bed so that you don’t have to turn on the room lights, or worse yet, use your phone’s light, to ensure that your puppy is actually going potty.

PRO TIP: make the entire affair incredibly boring. Your pup might initially try to move off the Fresh Patch, but when they do, quietly lift them up and reposition them on the Fresh Patch. After a short time, they will understand what’s going on and go potty (if they had to go potty). And after they do, I recommend quietly praising them with a quiet “yes!” and a few pets, before taking them back to their crate.

In those early days, I would recommend recording when your pup is going potty so that you can anticipate this schedule. Remember, it’s all about mindset: doing something that you already know is going to happen can feel different than doing that exact same thing, but feeling like it’s unexpected or a surprise.

Eventually, by using some of these methods above, you’ll be able to get on a regular schedule where your pup will sleep through the night in an environment that they now feel safe, looked-after and secure in - your home!

Conclusion

Getting through the very early stages of crate training your newly-adopted puppy can be tough, but by following the recommendations above, you can ensure that you’re doing things in the right way, even if you’re completely delirious!

For a more in-depth, step-by-step guide on crate training, check out our infographic that we created on the very subject.

That said, you don’t have to go about it alone!

Contact me today and we’ll create a personalized puppy training plan for you, your family and your pup together!

And lastly, for additional information on this topic, we’ve created an accompanying podcast episode on this very subject, which you can listen to below:

What To Do When Your Puppy Whines in His Crate At Night