One of the most common crate training issues is when the puppy is barking while crate training. This could be stressful for some dog owners especially those who live in an apartment and do not have much experience with dogs.
When the puppy is barking while crate training it is almost the same thing as when he starts whining and you deal with it the same way. It will all depend on the dog some will express their rejection by whining and others by barking.
Puppies tend to bark while in the crate at night and in the morning or when you want to leave.
In this article, we will see how you can stop your puppy from barking in his crate at those times.
Why do dogs bark in the crate?
There are plenty of reasons why a puppy would bark in his crate; some may be related to the rejection of the crate training and others may be behavioral.
Dogs have different reactions to new things they don’t like some will whine some will cry and others will bark while training.
If your puppy only barks while crate training then it is normal; you can expect it to stop as you progress with the training. In this case, it will most likely be during the night.
However, if your dog is barking all the time then it might be a behavioral problem that has nothing to do with crate training.
You also want to check if there are any health issues that your puppy might express by barking.
But in general, dogs don’t like to be confined in a crate if they don’t feel like the crate is their safe den. So you really need to do a good job making the crate the best place and perfect den for the puppy.
Should I ignore my dog when barking in the crate?
When crate training a whining dog the most common advice is to just ignore it; this also works with a barking puppy but not in the same way.
A whining puppy is not as loud as a barking one and this might be disturbing, especially if you live in an apartment.
If you do you can check out this article about crate training in an apartment.
When the dog is barking in his crate you should never let him out while he is crying. If you do so he’ll know that the way out is by barking and will continue to do it for longer periods.
For the first few minutes, you want to ignore it and just talk to your puppy. The goal here is to stop his barking cycle.
Once he stops, move on and start doing something else around the room but keep close.
If he does not stop every time you go or start doing something else then you need to take action.
How do I get my dog to stop barking in his crate?
So if you can not let the puppy out while barking in his crate and he won’t stop what can you do?
You simply want to make him stop before you let him out and treats may be a great way to do it.
I personally use treats for knew puppies but not too much you can read this article about how to use training treats and the safe ones to use.
So you basically want to make the dog stop by getting his attention; you can do this by talking to him or tapping gently on the crate. Once he stops you can praise him and hand him a treat. If it works that’s great if he gets back to barking do the same thing continue talking for a couple of minutes then let him out.
you want to do this to break the association between getting out and barking.
You can also tap gently on his crate to get his attention if he won’t respond to you. Dogs are curious by nature and will stop barking to know where the sound is coming from and that’s your window to get his attention.
Why do dogs bark at night when there’s nothing going on?
If your dog is barking at night all of a sudden, and there is nothing going on, it’s probably boredom.
Dogs get lonely and bored easily at night if they did not get enough energy out during the day.
Being in a crate makes it a lot worse for a bored dog and he’ll make his own amusement. He might start barking on his own or join a neighbor’s dog for group barking.
Just we always emphasize you need to make sure your dog had plenty of exercise before going into the crate.
There are plenty of reasons for night barking other than boredom; sometimes it’s for attention or even frustration if the dog is very high on energy and feels trapped in his crate.
This is really problematic if you are crate training in an apartment.
The answer is often getting the dog down on energy before going in the crate.
Do dogs get tired of barking?
Dogs do not get tired of barking, however, if the dog is tired he is less likely to bark.
The intensity and duration of the barking will entirely depend on the reason behind it. If the dog is just bored he will eventually stop. But if it’s a matter of illness of hunger it will take more to make it stop.
If a dog is continuously barking it’s a clear sign something is wrong, so you want to check it out other than ignoring it; Nonetheless, you can ignore a dog barking while crate training since its mostly just an objection to being in the crate and will go away as you progress during training.
The Puppy is barking in the crate all night
It is normal in the first few nights that some dogs start barking to show objection to being in the crate. Although if you do a good job exercising and introducing the dog to his crate properly, chances are he won’t continue barking all night.
The answer is always crate training the right way, and doing it slowly. When your dog suddenly finds himself locked in a cage he will certainly resist and the only way he has to do it is by barking.
You want your dog to be introduced to his crate before it’s time to get in it. This goes for almost every new thing you want to do with your dog.
The puppy barking while crate training is normal but all night is not. The crate should be considered a den for the dog. And it is up to you to make it one he loves.
Treats are always a great way to do so and toys and a good crate training schedule.
How to stop my dog from barking in the crate when I leave
When you are leaving dogs often if not crate trained properly tend to start barking. If they don’t feel comfortable and safe in their crate they sure don’t want to be left alone in there.
But the number one reason and crate training mistake dog owners do when leaving; is making a scene out of it.
When you need to go just go don’t go to the dog no need for goodbye or anything. All you do is get the dog excited as if it’s playtime and when he is all hyped up you just leave.
The best thing is to make sure he has all he needs and at least got in his crate five minutes before you leave; Then you just go ahead and leave. The same thing when you come back, don’t go straight to the dog give it five to ten minutes.
How to stop dog barking in the crate in the morning
Some dogs start barking as soon as they wake up and won’t stop until you let them out.
When crate training a young puppy this is actually normal since they can’t hold it and need a potty break asap. But this turns into a habit even after the dog is big enough to handle it for a few more minutes.
What you want to do is to gradually increase the time he spends in his crate after he wakes up. This of course for big enough dogs to control their bladder.
