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The doghouse

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Original poster

Puppy crying all night

158 replies

daisypup · 07/12/2023 23:15

As thread title suggests he cries ALL NIGHT. He is now 5 months old and I don't know if we can keep him as it's disturbing the neighbours and our children.

When we first got him he cried all night in his crate (10-6) without stopping. He did this for almost a week and then started sleeping through the night. He started again about a month ago, and went on for a week until we decided to give up the crate and give him the run of the dining room at night.

He has started doing it again since yesterday and I don't know why.

He is downstairs, and doesn't seem to like being left on his own at night. Having him upstairs with us is not an option, due to our house being a terrace but also personal preference.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? I don't know anyone who has had a dog cry for this long without stopping, and for so many nights.

I love him dearly and don't want to give him up but this really isn't manageable for anyone. I'm on anxiety medication because of the impact. My children are waking and upset at school because he's keeping them up.

OP posts:
margotrose · 07/12/2023 23:20

Someone needs to sleep with him - either you need to go downstairs or he comes upstairs.

It doesn't have to be permanent but you could cause severe long-term issues if you keep leaving him like this.

Wolfiefan · 07/12/2023 23:23

Sleep downstairs with him. Leaving a dog to cry just makes it more likely the dog will develop full blown separation anxiety.

Original poster
daisypup · 07/12/2023 23:30

But won't he just get used to me sleeping down there with him? He would just try and sleep on top of me or play with me and then I wouldn't get any sleep and neither would he.

OP posts:
tomatoontoast · 07/12/2023 23:31

We didn't give in but we covered the crate with a blanket and put the radio on very very low so nobody upstairs could hear it.

The noise and complete darkness seemed to help and drown out the worst of the noise.

tomatoontoast · 07/12/2023 23:33

Also OP people on Mumsnet are a bit mental about dogs but if you're on anxiety medication and the radio / blanket doesn't work, I would be getting rid too.

RNBrie · 07/12/2023 23:34

You're making assumptions about what would happen without actually trying it. Your entire family is being negatively impacted to the point you're on medication but you won't actually do the one thing the dog needs which is to have company. Could you try the crate in your room? Either that or you need to try sleeping downstairs with him. Poor doggo.

MadAndGlad · 07/12/2023 23:34

Dogs are pack animals. He wants to be with you, his pack. I hate crates, why would you leave a little puppy alone all night. If you must have a crate, have one in the bedroom. All my dogs have slept on their own bed on my bedroom floor.

RiaOverTheRainbow · 07/12/2023 23:34

Put his crate in your bedroom (get a second if you need one downstairs too). He's clearly not growing out of this by himself, so if you don't want to give him up you have to try something different.

LemonLimeDivine · 07/12/2023 23:35

Bring pup upstairs.
Dogs are pack animals. He’s been taken away from mum and siblings. He spends all day with you and at night he’s left alone…
Put either a bed or crate in your room. Having you nearby will likely soothe him and remedy the situation.

TheUsualChaos · 07/12/2023 23:37

Being shut in a room isn't much different to being shut in the crate in his mind. Let him have freedom downstairs at night and put his bed near to bottom of stairs if you can.

AgMaggy · 07/12/2023 23:37

Has he still got access to his crate at night as well as run of the dining room? If not, I would put the crate but back leave it open and inviting so pup can use it as a safe space. Cover it with a blanket so it's dark, radio on low. Is downstairs warm enough? One of mine cries when cold. I let mine sleep upstairs though.

BeadedBubbles · 07/12/2023 23:37

You love your dog dearly but would rather get rid than have him upstairs?!

BeadedBubbles · 07/12/2023 23:39

tomatoontoast · 07/12/2023 23:33

Also OP people on Mumsnet are a bit mental about dogs but if you're on anxiety medication and the radio / blanket doesn't work, I would be getting rid too.

If being a bit mental means not treating dogs like disposable rubbish when they become a bit inconvenient then count me in Angry

mollyfolk · 07/12/2023 23:39

Our dog sleeps in a crate in our bedroom. We started when he was a puppy crying at night and we probably could have progressively moved the crate out but we didn’t bother. Don’t leave him cry on his own.

We started with having the crate open and right up at the bed with my hand down on him and we were able to leave him a bit further away after a while. If we had been motivated I’m sure we could have progressed to him being downstairs. I just think puppies are a lot like babies. They need a lot of human contact.

Fedupbeingworriedallthegoddamntime · 07/12/2023 23:41

I can’t believe you would rather be on medication and have a crying dog all night disturbing everyone rather than let your dog just sleep upstairs, I don’t understand why living in a terrace has anything to do with it, surely as your neighbours can here him crying downstairs, if he was upstairs with you he won’t be crying….. sorry but this is completely a problem of your own making.

needtonamechangeforthis1 · 07/12/2023 23:42

Sorry but living in a terraced house has absolutely no relevance to having your poor dog upstairs!!!
And when you take on a dog you sometimes have to put your own preferences to one side and do what is best for them.

Your dog is clearly unhappy and wants to be with you so bring his bed upstairs and get some sleep

tomatoontoast · 07/12/2023 23:43

BeadedBubbles · 07/12/2023 23:39

If being a bit mental means not treating dogs like disposable rubbish when they become a bit inconvenient then count me in Angry

Show quote history

It means treating them like children when they are in fact, dogs.

Unluckycat1 · 07/12/2023 23:43

Almost a week of 8 hours solid crying in a crate :( :( poor puppy, you probably ingrained anxiety in him.

ilovechristmas2023 · 07/12/2023 23:44

I have two dogs and they both were crate trained cried in the night but i must admit not until that age. Ppl suggesting putting him in your room or sleeping with him downstairs just sounds like ur giving in and setting even more of a rod for your own back. Maybe try as ap said and use radio or alexa:tv on youtube they do dog tv dog separation anxiety songs etc maybe a blanket with your scent on or teddy etc if not try contacting a dog behaviourist. If all else fails maybe it is time to rehome :/ good luck

commonground · 07/12/2023 23:44

Urgh, I had this with my pup.

He would cry at night. I couldn't bear it so I brought him upstairs. He slept under the covers at the end of the bed, nice and snuggly.

At 7 months, he decided he was much less stressed now, thank you very much and took himself off to his crate downstairs, where he has slept ever since.

The door is always open but it's nice and cosy in there and I think the 'hysterical bonding' as I call it, where he was with me for those first months, stood him in good stead as he is very independent now (we are three years on).

(So basically, sleep with your pup! Why not try it for a couple of nights and see how you go?)

MrsSkylerWhite · 07/12/2023 23:45

Our little girl was on the chair in our bedroom from 6 months. She barely made a sound there for 14 1/2 years. They want to be near you.

CissOff · 07/12/2023 23:45

The poor baby. He’s obviously dreadfully unhappy at night.

I didn’t last one night with DDog1 - she cried in her crate and I couldn’t bear it so she came in with us. DDog2 we didn’t even bother. We get loads of sleep too.

Wolfiefan · 07/12/2023 23:46

Look at dog training advice and support on FB about separation anxiety. I slept with my first pup until she was confident enough she didn’t need me.
It isn’t mental to think that when you take on a pup you should meet their needs. Whether that’s food or training or the comfort of having you near.

tillyandmilly · 07/12/2023 23:46

I would have my puppy in my room - why is he/she not allowed upstairs? don’t understand why not?

Original poster
daisypup · 07/12/2023 23:46

As I've already said upstairs is not an option for us for many reasons. The decision to leave him was based on advice I have been given (from multiple people) about leaving him to it

I did sleep downstairs with him when we first got him. He was in his crate next to me with my hand inside but it made absolutely no difference.

He now has an open crate, an anxiety bed in the dining room.

Has anyone experienced a puppy crying like this for this amount of time? Everyone I have spoken to says their dog cried for a short amount of time and then settled?

And if I did start sleeping downstairs with him, when would he typically grow out of it? As my gut tells me he wouldn't and it would only make things worse.

OP posts: