How to Get Puppies to Stop Barking & Whining

You may be beginning to wonder if your puppy is broken. The constant barking and whining is wearing on your nerves, but you can't get mad at such a sweet face. Thankfully, you can turn your noisy puppy into a quiet furbaby through the use of a few tricks. Soon your puppy will be the quiet, bundle of joy you first picked up at the adoption center and not the yelping nightmare she's become.

Provide toys. There are a number of reasons why puppies bark and whine. First of all, the puppy may be lonely. Puppies often suffer from separation anxiety because they are used to being with their mother and siblings. The only problem is that most owners can't carry their puppies around 24 hours a day. Another reason for barking and whining is boredom. Both cases can be remedied by providing toys for your young pup. When she has a toy to keep her busy, she's less likely to care about you being in another room or get bored. Look for toys that are different and provide a response during play, such as those that have squeakers inside.

Get in a good play before bedtime. New puppy owners often complain about their puppy whining when they put them in the them in their crate at night. One way to help prevent this behavior is to make your puppy good and sleepy before bed. This can be done with a vigorous playtime. Take your dog out to play catch, go for a walk or even run around the back yard. Not only will your puppy sleep better, but so will you.

Make dog beds cozy for young pups. Puppies often cry in their crate because it's unfamiliar and they're lonely. There are several things you can do to make the crate more comfortable. First, place a hot water bottle under the blankets so the puppy has something warm to lay against. This will remind him of being with his litter mates. Next, add a piece of your clothing to the bedding. Your smell will be on the clothing, which will also make the puppy feel more at ease. Lastly, add a stuffed animal that the puppy loves so she can play with it before falling asleep.

Ignore it. By no means should you ever ignore a puppy that is hurt or needs your attention. However, you can ignore a puppy that is whining because he wants out of his crate. The first night, your puppy may whine for up to an hour before falling asleep. The second night he may whine only a few minutes. The idea is that you continue to ignore the whining and he will get the picture that you're not going to jump every time he whines. Just remember that if he whines in the middle of the night, he probably does need to go out. Puppies cannot hold their bladders for long until they are around 6 to 8 months old.