
Are you tired of your dog whining, crying, and being restless in the crate?
It may feel like a hopeless situation, but don’t worry! We have some foolproof tips that will help your furry friend calm down in no time without any tears whatsoever!
Now you can have peace at night with these tips and tricks that will teach you how to solve the problem once and for all.
Firstly, let’s try to understand why dogs cry as it will share a light on the root cause of why your dog is whining day and night.
Why Do Dogs Cry In Their Crate?
There are a variety of reasons that dogs cry in their crate. It’s important to remember that dogs only need to be in the crate for a short while and it is not meant as punishment or isolation.
Dogs may cry in their crate as a sign of boredom. They can also start crying when they are left alone for long periods of time, which is why it’s important to try and keep your dog from becoming lonely or bored while he’s confined to his crate.
Furthermore, when your dog is nervous or scared in a crate it’s not uncommon for the pet to cry. This might be due to feeling trapped and uncomfortable in his environment.
Sometimes, they might want to get out, show affection or express other emotions but are unable to do so, which could lead to frustration and restlessness.
Dogs with separation anxiety often cry in their crate because they are thrown into full-on panic when left alone. The dog’s brain sends signals to its body, which prompts the dog to act out and whine.
The first step is recognizing that your pet may have a problem with this behavior by noticing how long it takes them to settle down after you leave for work each day. If it takes more than 15 minutes (Use a Furbo camera for observation) for them to stop crying, then that is a sign they may have separation anxiety.
The next step is to calm your pet by giving them attention when you come home. You can also reward the dog with treats and praise for settling down after being left alone in their crate without crying or making noise. After this has been established, it’s time to try some tricks on how to stop a dog from whining in its crate.
How to Stop a Dog from Whining in a Crate
#1: Reward System
Dogs often stop whining in crates when they get rewarded for it. You can do this by putting a treat or toy inside the crate and letting your dog out as soon as he stops whining.
#2: Invest in a Crate Mat
Many dogs stop crying when they’re laying on something soft like a dog bed or crate mat.
#3: Add Comfort Items
Some owners place a blanket or toy inside the crate to make it more comfortable. You could also try adding soothing music, which many dogs find calming.
#4: Feed Your Dog Before Crating
Dogs who are hungry often whine in their crates. If you feed your dog before putting him into his crate, he might not feel the need to fuss. You can get dog food from here.
#5: Never Leave Your Dog in the Crate Too Long
Dogs who spend too much time locked up might start to feel like they’re being punished. If you can’t get home before your dog’s next feeding time, just leave him in the crate for a little while and return before he needs to eat again.
6#: Try Training
If your dog is used to being crated at night, he might be comforted by the feeling of being in a place where he knows what to expect. You can try training your dog with positive reinforcement techniques like treats and clickers before putting him away for the night.
7#: Keep Him Busy
If your dog starts to get bored, he might begin whining in his crate because it’s a way of demanding attention. Give him plenty of chew toys and interactive games to keep him busy.
8#: Keep the area quiet
The best way to stop whining is by making sure there is nothing going on outside of the crate, so keep things as silent as possible when you leave the room.
9# Crate size matters
The crate size should provide enough room for your dog to stay without feeling trapped inside. If the crate is too small, your dog is likely to whine and cry. Invest in a crate that your dog can stand on its four feet without hitting the top of the crate.
Why You Shouldn’t Punish a Dog That’s Crying in the Crate
If your dog is crying in the crate because he’s scared, yelling at him won’t help. Even if you feel like he deserves it, punishing him will only make things worse. Instead of getting angry and yelling at your dog when he cries in his crate, follow these tips for how to stop a dog from whining in a crate:
- Don’t punish or yell at your pup when he whines; try using treats instead.
- Put something soft next to the door so that your dog can reach it.
- Keep a toy or two in there and let your pup chew on them when he’s feeling lonely.
- Put the crate somewhere that’s quiet and dark for him to go to sleep, but make sure he has enough stimulation from his surroundings that you’ll feel comfortable leaving him alone.
- Leave your pup with some extra food as a treat so he doesn’t get too bored while you’re gone
- Exercise your dog. Taking your dog out for long walks and travel can help your dog relax in a kennel.
If you’re trying to stop a dog from whining in the crate, yelling at him while he’s scared might hurt that trust. Yelling also isn’t going to help your pup feel better and will only make things worse for both of you.
Your dog might stop crying simply because he’s even more scared now – but you haven’t really fixed the problem.
Dogs are social animals, so it is important to understand why they might cry in a crate. It can be because of all the negative attention that they get from humans when they do not behave well. So providing negative attention could have a long-term behavior issue in the future.
List of reasons not to punish your dog when they are crying in a crate
- Punishment will not solve the problem.
- Your dog may already be anxious.
- Yelling at your dog when he’s scared might hurt his trust in you and cause him to stop crying, but it won’t fix the problem.
- Punishment gives a bored dog attention so he will continue to bark or whine until he gets it back
Steps to Prevent Dog Crate Training Whining
A crate is a safe and comfortable place for your pet to stay. It’s the perfect spot when you’re not able to watch him all day, but it can also be used as a training tool. To prevent whining in a crate, make sure that you know what triggers his crying before he starts crying.
Step 1: The first step is to prevent the dog from whining is by learning why your dog whine, this will help you identify few reasons and eliminating the cause will help youwhy they do it and provide a very good solution . This can be accomplished by making sure that the crate is not too small for the dog, and by giving them things to chew on, like bones.
Step 2: After the dog is prevented from whining, it’s time to start training them with positive reinforcement. This is done by rewarding the dog for good things like staying in the crate, and by rewarding them with treats after they are successfully quiet.
Step 3: The last step of training is to teach your dog that there are good things outside of the crate. This is done by slowly adding in more and more treat or toys outside of the crate, while still rewarding them for staying inside.
Step 4: Once the dog has been trained to stay in its crate without whining, it can be left there for periods of time.
Step 5: Don’t force your dog into the crate, instead let them get in on their own, It’s important to make sure that your puppy doesn’t feel like they are being punished by putting them in the kennel.
To prevent whining, make sure that your puppy has access to water and food. When he’s full of energy, take him out for a walk or play with him in the backyard instead of letting them stay cooped up inside their crate all day long.
Dog suddenly hates his crate what should I do?
If your dog is whining in his crate, the first thing you should do is observe your dog’s behavior. If he has become more vocal and starts howling or growling, then this could be a sign that something else might be going on.
You can start by eliminating all possible reasons for the change in behavior including other animals outside of his crate, new people coming into the home, dramatic changes to his schedule (sleeping habits), decreased attention from you, etc. Once you’ve eliminated all possible reasons, you can start with small things like giving him more attention and feeding him a special treat.
The first step is to make sure that the crate isn’t too small or too big. If it’s absolutely necessary, use a blanket for comfort and quietness.
If the dog whines because they feel scared or anxious, try putting them in an enclosed space with their favorite toy so they can keep themselves occupied during travel time. For dogs who whine when left alone, give them some attention by giving him/her treats before leaving the house and after you get back.
How to get your dog liking the crate again
If your dog has suddenly started to whine while in his crate, it’s not because of anything you did. Dogs that are more than a year old don’t like their crates anymore and they might be getting into the habit of whining or barking for attention when left alone. This is an easy fix if you follow these steps:
1) Don’t punish him- he’ll just learn from being punished
2) Put something comfortable inside- blankets will do the trick
3) Spray his favorite scent- this will make him feel more at ease
4) Give him plenty of food and water before you leave, so he doesn’t get hungry or thirsty
5) Give him a toy to keep him entertained
6) Leave the TV on for background noise- this will also help with separation anxiety
7) Put up a baby gate or door to keep him from running around too much
8) Put the crate in a more welcoming area- like near your front door or outside, so he can see you better and be less lonely
9) Keep the crate in one place- this will help him get used to being there, and he’ll feel safer.
10) Get a crate cover, this will help your dog feel comfortable in their own space.
12 Ways to make your dog like his crate again
- A dog’s natural instinct is to feel safe in a den-like environment, so crate training your dog again can make him more willing to enter his crate.
- For many people, the idea of putting their dog in a crate can be frightening or painful. Some dogs will cry and whine when placed into a new crate for the first time. So how do you make your dog like his/her cage? How do you stop this from happening? Here are 9 tips and tricks to help teach your pet that they should love their new room:
- Introduce it slowly – Let them explore (let them sniff around), but don’t let him out.
- Put a bed in the crate and let them sleep there.
- Let your dog watch TV or play with toys while crated (if they like it).
- Give him/her treats when he goes into his cage, but don’t give too many as you’ll spoil them!
- Leave some food around for him to eat. Make sure that it’s something he likes – if not, try another brand of food (I recommend BLUE Wilderness Pet Food).
- Leave your dog some water to drink.
- Put a blanket or towel on the bottom of his crate so he doesn’t get too hot and you can see if he’s sweating. If it is, take him out and let him cool down for 10 minutes before putting him back in.
- Check-in with your pup every 15 minutes while they’re crated – this might help them calm down as well!
- Give him a toy to play with. Having something inside the crate will help keep your dog occupied and not as bored.
- If you have an older dog, try leaving him out of his cage for short periods of time throughout the day.
Crate Training Your Puppy
Crate training your puppy is a method that uses a crate as a way to house and teach your dog what is expected of them. It can be used by new owners, those with small dogs, and those with large dogs.
When your dog is crying, try to reactive negatively or shout at your dog. It’s not worth the effort and can cause frustration. Instead of giving in to its cries for attention or a treat, try rewarding it with another behavior such as treats.
Another useful tip is to restrict their area so that they do not have access to areas where they might find themselves trapped if left unattended for too long such as under furniture or behind curtains which could potentially hurt them if an accident occurs.
The sooner you make your home feel like their home, the sooner they stop crying and ask for treats.
First of all, acknowledge him with words or noises instead of actions or noise from other people because this will show your dog that there are better ways than barking out loud to get attention.
How to stop dog from whining in a crate at night
Every dog owner encounters the dreaded whining in a crate at night and why it can be annoying, it is better to understand the reason your dog whines at night.