# Tips to stop Puppy barking at night?



## mama (Sep 22, 2010)

Today is day 3 with our new 7 week old puppy. The past two nights I get up with him every 2-3 hours to take him out potty, when he’s done he goes back in his pin. As soon as I walk away from him he starts barking. I've given him some chew toys to play with and he just keeps barking. To get him to stop I’ve been sitting next to his pin and ssh-ing him in a firm voice as soon as he starts to make a sound. After a minute or so he gives up and lies down but starts up again if I leave the room. After a few times he stops and will sleep until the next time he needs to potty, then it starts all over. 
If I just let him 'cry it out' he wakes up the rest of my family. 

I'm looking for some tips on how to get him to stop barking at night. I'm sure the cause is probably a mixture of loneliness and boredom. I'd like to get some sleep and stop this from turning into a bad habit for him.
Thank you!


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

It'll get better, but you do need to ignore it if you've already taken him out. It will bother your family, but if you go back to him and sit with him, you are teaching him that barking gets results, and he'll continue. You might consider putting the crate next to your bed, so he can see you and know you're there.
Try giving him a frozen Kong filled with peanut butter. It lasts a while, and should keep him occupied. If you can't have him in your bedroom, then maybe leave a radio playing softly in the room that he is in.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

I wouldn't recommend sitting by his pen and shh-ing him. He's getting your attention, and will learn that when he wants your attention he just has to bark or whine. I would recommend ignoring him.
But, there are some other things to do so that maybe he won't bark as much! 
-Put his crate in your bedroom. Sometimes just being in the same area will calm him. Remember, he's just a very small baby! Lots of people don't recommend taking a pup away from it's mama until 8-10 weeks, so yours is so young! He's only been with you 3 days and is scared, so I would recommend having him in the same room as you.
-Put a piece of your clothing in his crate, something that you haven't washed yet, so your scent will be on it. Often your scent will help him.
-Cover his crate with a blanket.
-Put a kitchen timer in the crate, the ticking can simulate mama's heartbeat.
Now, at night, you are right to get up and take him out, but I'm wondering if you're taking him out too often. Usually pups can do with one trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night, especially if they go out right before bed, and first thing in the morning. Is your puppy whining to go to the bathroom? Or are you just waking him up every 2-3 hours to go?
If he can make it with fewer middle of the night bathroom trips, that would be less disruptive to his sleep schedule...

Three days isn't too bad in the scheme of things. He's a baby and is just settling in. Some pups go for longer before they get comfortable and are quiet at night!


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## mama (Sep 22, 2010)

Thank you for the tips. 

I give him his last drink about an hour before bed time, then take him out right before I put him in his pin. He starts whining every few hours so I get up to take him out to potty and he goes everytime right after he gets to the grass. I don't give him anymore drinks during the night either.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

doxiemommy said:


> I wouldn't recommend sitting by his pen and shh-ing him. He's getting your attention, and will learn that when he wants your attention he just has to bark or whine. I would recommend ignoring him.
> But, there are some other things to do so that maybe he won't bark as much!
> *-Put his crate in your bedroom. Sometimes just being in the same area will calm him. Remember, he's just a very small baby! Lots of people don't recommend taking a pup away from it's mama until 8-10 weeks, so yours is so young! He's only been with you 3 days and is scared, so I would recommend having him in the same room as you.*-Put a piece of your clothing in his crate, something that you haven't washed yet, so your scent will be on it. Often your scent will help him.
> -Cover his crate with a blanket.
> ...


This plus 1. Especially the bolded part.


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## Spunky Dog (Dec 6, 2010)

You may wish to consider letting him "cry it out". If go to him every time he barks, he will know that he can always get your attention simply by barking. If you would like to stop dog barking at night, it is important not to always go to him. As he gets older and smarter, he will soon realize that the barking will be fruitless.

Be sure, however, to check with your veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical condition. For example, he could have a bladder infection or prostate problem if he has to pee so much.

I hope everything works out well for you.


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## kaiyen (Dec 12, 2010)

I am brand new here and already found 3 threads on this same topic, recently posted. Nice.

5 week old, barking like mad when I'm not literally petting her. Made it until 3AM last night until she woke up and started barking. This is really just day 1, and I've done 30 minutes and am now trying 60, but she's been barking the whole time. I'll try the tactics suggested here, but one question:

Her playpen is down a very short hallway (just a couple of closets, really, on either side) to the master bathroom. We're both clearly in sight and she can certainly sense us there, I'd bet. Is that sufficiently close? Or should I try to get her even closer? 

thanks.


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## Spunky Dog (Dec 6, 2010)

Wow, as cute as 5 week old puppies are, that must be a trying experience trying to get her to stop barking. I would recommend leaving her for longer periods of time than you are, however you are doing the right thing by doing it gradually. A barking puppy in crate, if attended to every time she barks, will soon realize that she can get what she wants just by barking. As much as we love our beloved puppies, I think we all agree that the situation is that much more annoying if there is dog barking at night. 

As hard as it sounds, I would experiment with putting the crate out of sight, and see how she reacts. There may be more barking at the outset, but eventually it should subside. I have a feeling that the fact that she can see you, but not get to you, may be distressing. Try leaving a recently worn shirt of yours in her crate with her, as she will be comforted with this. Also try leaving a ticking clock on top of the crate, or to the side. Some puppies associate the sound with another puppy's heart beating.

Good luck to you in your challenging quest.


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## kaiyen (Dec 12, 2010)

it's actually her playpen, but you recommend being completely out of sight at night? it's a pain during the day, but we don't know if she'll take to it at night, which is a bigger problem. Maybe I could just mostly close the door to the bathroom, then? 

I have been careful not to go to her when she starts barking. Going to her after she's been barking for 30 minutes...well, I am hopeful that she won't connect the two at that point. Now it's been 47 straight minutes of barking. I will try the shirt in the pen soon.

thanks.


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## Spunky Dog (Dec 6, 2010)

I certainly don't envy your situation. Sure, try closing the door to the bathroom, and see how that works. You say that you have done this in the day before? If so, then she should be used to it a little bit.

As hard as it is, try not to give in. Eventually the barking will subside. Just remember that you have only had her for a very short period of time, and there is not a puppy in the world who never barked a lot early on.


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## kaiyen (Dec 12, 2010)

thanks for the encouragement. just took her out after an hour and here she is asleep at my feet. phew. today is the first day. I picked her up yesterday (it was supposed to be 8 weeks, but her mother rejected them after just 1 day apart). I have today to try and train this particular part. my wife is a nurse and will repeat this the next two days. But on Wednesday we both work, and the best I can do is every 1.5 hours...at least I live close to home.

should my wife, tomorrow, go straight to an hour at a time? or do the 30, 60, 90 pattern that I'm trying?


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