My Puppy Won't Stop Crying at Night: What to Do
Updated: 3 days ago
It's two in the morning, it's dark, and your puppy is crying in the crate, waking the whole house up. Everybody on the internet has told you not to go to them or they'll learn that crying works, and you're lying there not knowing what to do. Night crying is really common in the first days and weeks, because your puppy has just left their mum, their littermates and everything that smelled familiar. If everyone's been asleep, nine times out of ten it's because they need a wee. So here's why puppies cry at night, a simple plan for the first night, what I do in the crate, and how to get to a full night's sleep without leaving your puppy to cry it out.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Puppies cry at night because they miss their mum and littermates, need the toilet, feel too hot or cold, or haven't yet learned that their new home is safe. For the first nights, keep your puppy close to you, ideally in a crate or pen beside your bed, so you can tell the difference between a stir and a real need. Take them out quietly if they need the toilet, then straight back to bed with no play. Respond kindly, as comforting a young puppy won't spoil them, but don't turn it into a party. Get the crate feeling safe during the day, keep the last hour before bed calm, and once your puppy is sleeping well, move the crate further away a little at a time. Most puppies settle within days to a few weeks.
STRUGGLING WITH THIS RIGHT NOW?
You don't have to work this out on your own
If your puppy is crying at night and you're running on no sleep, Puppy Club walks you through it step by step.
ā A crate plan for the first week
ā A troubleshooting lesson for the nights it goes wrong
ā Short games that make the crate somewhere your puppy wants to be
Online, at your own pace. 14-day money-back guarantee.
IN THIS POST
ā Should I ignore my puppy crying at night?
ā Where should my puppy sleep?
ā Crying in the crate at night
ā Make the sleep space comfortable
ā How long will my puppy cry at night?
ā Moving your puppy out of the bedroom
ā When your puppy was fine and starts crying again
ā When crying is something more
ā FAQs
Why puppies cry at night
There's nearly always a reason, and it's worth working through them before deciding your puppy is just protesting. Often it's more than one at once.
Missing their mum, littermates and familiar smells
Needing the toilet
Too hot, too cold or uncomfortable
New sounds, like the fridge humming, pipes or people moving about
A busy evening that's left them unable to switch off
Hunger, if the last meal was very early
Remember that a few days ago your puppy was sleeping in a warm pile with their brothers and sisters. Being alone in the dark is a big change. Crying is their way of saying "where has everyone gone?", and that's a perfectly sensible thing for a baby animal to do. Being calm alone in the day helps at night too, so read how long you can leave your puppy alone, and how to teach them that being on their own is safe.
Your first night plan
The first night sets the tone, so keep it simple and close. You don't need a perfect routine yet, just a calm one.
1. A calm evening
Avoid visitors and wild games in the evening. Give your puppy a short training game or a sniff in the garden earlier on, then let things wind down.
2. Last meal two to three hours before bed
This gives your puppy time to digest and go to the toilet before you turn the lights off. Water can stay down until bedtime.
3. A final toilet trip
Take your puppy out to their usual spot just before bed. Wait quietly, and praise calmly when they go.
4. Bed beside you
Pop your puppy in their crate or pen next to your bed, with soft bedding, something that smells of you and a safe chew. Lights low, voice soft.
5. Respond, but keep it boring
If your puppy cries, a hand near the crate and a quiet word is often enough. If they're restless after a few hours, take them out for the toilet, then straight back to bed.
Should I ignore my puppy crying at night?
I don't sit comfortably with either extreme. A young puppy left to cry until they're exhausted isn't learning that night-time is safe. They're just learning that they're alone, and that can make the crate and bedtime more worrying, not less.
Equally, I wouldn't rush to scoop your puppy up at every tiny noise. A puppy who whimpers as they turn round and resettle is fine. What matters is the difference between a puppy resettling and one who's getting more and more upset. With your puppy next to your bed, you can hear which it is and respond quickly, which usually means the crying is short.
Where should my puppy sleep?
There isn't one right answer. It depends on your home. I tend to have my puppies in a crate next to my bed, then gradually move the crate out of the room. Other people sleep in the living room with their puppy for the first week or two, then go back to their own bed once the puppy has settled.
Both work. What I'd avoid is putting a brand new puppy downstairs on their own on the first night and hoping they'll get used to it. Close at first, further later, is far kinder and usually quicker. Some families are happy for the puppy to sleep in the bedroom long term, and that's fine too.
Crying in the crate at night
If your puppy cries the moment the crate door closes, the crate probably doesn't feel safe yet. Bedtime is not the time to introduce it. Start during the day, with the door open, a few treats scattered inside, meals fed in there and a chew to enjoy.
When your puppy is choosing to go in and relax, close the door for a few seconds while they're chewing, then open it before they worry. Build up slowly. Leaving a distressed puppy in the crate in the hope they'll get used to it doesn't teach them it's a safe place to sleep. Read how to crate train your puppy.
Make the sleep space comfortable
Soft bedding that suits the room temperature
A quiet spot, away from sudden noise or bright light
A crate or pen big enough to stand, turn round and lie down
Nothing unsafe to chew
An old T-shirt or blanket that smells of you
Some puppies like a light cover over part of the crate, so it feels like a den. Make sure there's still plenty of air. White noise or a quiet radio can help soften sudden sounds, especially in a busy house.
Night-time toilet trips
Young puppies often can't hold on all night. Many eight-week-old puppies need one or two trips out in the night at first. If your puppy wakes and cries, take them out quietly, with low lights, little chat and no play. As soon as they've been, praise calmly and go straight back to bed.
Some people set an alarm to take the puppy out before they wake and cry, then push the alarm a little later every few nights. Over the weeks, your puppy will go for longer. Read solving night-time toilet training problems.
A calm evening helps
A busy evening makes it much harder to settle. If your puppy has zoomies, bites more and seems wired around 7 or 8pm, they're usually overtired, not under-exercised. Young puppies often need 18 to 20 hours of sleep a day.
Keep the last hour before bed quiet, with a short toilet trip and a chew, rather than rough play. A puppy who has had good naps through the day often sleeps better at night, not worse. Read why puppies need more sleep than training.
How long will my puppy cry at night?
Every puppy is different. Many cry for the first few nights and are settling well within a week or two, especially when they're close to you and the crate already feels safe. Some take a little longer, and that's normal too.
Look at the trend rather than one bad night. Are they settling more quickly? Crying for shorter spells? Sleeping for longer between toilet trips? If so, you're heading in the right direction.
Moving your puppy out of the bedroom
If you'd like your puppy to sleep elsewhere long term, wait until they're sleeping well beside you. Then move the crate a little further away every few nights, to the doorway, then the landing, then the room you want.
If crying starts again, go back a step for a few nights. There's no deadline, and going slowly now saves a lot of broken nights later.
When your puppy was fine and starts crying again
Sometimes a puppy who was sleeping well starts crying again. Look at what's changed. Visitors, a busy weekend, a new routine, teething, a change of room or the start of adolescence can all unsettle sleep for a few nights.
Go back to what worked, keep evenings calm and make bedtime easy again. Most puppies settle back quickly.
When crying is something more
If your puppy seems in pain, is panting, shaking, being sick, has diarrhoea, or can't settle at all however you help, speak to your vet. A sudden change in a puppy who was sleeping well is also worth a check.
RENEE'S TIP
Put an old T-shirt you've worn in your puppy's bed, and rest your fingers by the crate for the first few nights if they stir. Your smell and a calm hand close by can help them feel much less alone while they're still learning their new home is safe.
QUICK CHECK
ā Puppy close to you at first
ā Crate or pen feels safe in the daytime before bedtime
ā Quiet toilet trip, then straight back to bed
ā Calm last hour before bed
ā Move further away gradually, once they're sleeping well
FREE DOWNLOAD FROM RENEE
Free New Puppy Checklist
Everything to buy, check and plan before your puppy comes home, so the first week is calmer for you both.
PAWS PUPPY CLUB
One trusted plan for your puppy
Every Puppy Club
ā A roadmap for each common puppy problem, so you pick the one you need
ā 230+ lessons, including 75+ training videos and 30+ demos
ā 25+ downloadable guides
ā Lexi's Puppy Diaries
Plus and Coaching add
ā Ask me your questions in the community
ā 1:1 sessions with me (one in Plus, three in Coaching)
Every option comes with a 14-day guarantee.
FAQs
Should I ignore my puppy crying at night?
No. Respond kindly and keep it boring. They may need the toilet or comfort, and it won't spoil them.
Where should my puppy sleep on the first night?
Close to you, ideally in a crate or pen beside your bed, so you can help them quickly.
How long will my puppy cry at night?
Many settle within a week or two, especially when they're close to you and the crate feels safe.
Why does my puppy cry in the crate at night?
Usually the crate doesn't feel safe yet. Practise during the day with the door open first.
Should I take my puppy out for a wee at night?
Yes, if they need it. Keep it quiet and boring, then straight back to bed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Renee Patience Ā· National Dog Trainer of the Year 2025
Founder and head trainer of Paws Academy, with more than 30 years training dogs and a Level 6 Diploma in Applied Canine Behaviour. Renee has competed in agility, obedience and heelwork to music across the UK, including at Crufts and Olympia, has appeared on CBBC, and is the author of the Modern Training Guides and the Modern Breed Handbook series. Pictured with her boxer, Kookie.
