PUPPY CLUB · CRYING IN THE CRATE
CRYING IN THE CRATE AT NIGHT? LET'S GET YOU BOTH SOME SLEEP
It's one of the hardest things to listen to, and you'll hear everything from leaving them to cry it out to never using a crate at all. I'd rather show you why your puppy is crying and what to do about it, one step at a time.
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WHY THEY CRY
Your puppy has just left their littermates and everything they know, so a first night alone in a crate in a dark kitchen is a big ask. Crying is usually about uncertainty, frustration or a need that hasn't been met yet (the toilet, a bit more comfort, or simply not knowing yet that the crate means rest).
That's why I start most puppies with the crate beside the bed, where they can hear and smell you, then move it a little at a time once they're sleeping well. Puppies need help learning to settle, rather than being put in the crate and expected to relax.
WHERE IT USUALLY GETS STUCK
Fine at night, not in the day
Plenty of puppies sleep happily in the crate at night and won't settle in it during the day. Daytime crating is a separate skill with more going on around them, so it needs its own practice.
Waking again at 4am
Just when the nights seem sorted, the waking starts again. The toilet, the routine or settling each need a different response, so knowing the reason matters.
Shooting out of the door
Some puppies burst out of the crate like a bat out of hell. That's anticipation, and teaching calm exits shows them the door opening isn't a reason to rush.
WHAT PUPPY CLUB GIVES YOU FOR THIS
The Crate Training and Sleep roadmaps, step by step:
1. Crate Training Essentials
2. Crate Training Troubleshooting
3. Importance of Sleep in Puppies and Dogs
4. Puppy Routine Guide
5. Moving Beyond The Crate Guide
GAMES THAT HELP
Crate Check-In