Wellness

13 min

6 Reasons Your Puppy May Be Crying

If you notice that your new puppy is incessantly crying, it’s important to figure out why. Read six common reasons why your puppy may be crying.

Bridget Reed

Updated November 06, 2022 • Published September 07, 2021

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6 Reasons Your Puppy May Be Crying

If you recently added a new puppy to your family, you are probably still figuring out how they communicate their needs with you. One of the ways that puppies attempt to do this is by crying. 

If you are meeting your new canine companion’s basic needs and they still continue to cry, you will want to get to the bottom of why this is occurring. Then, you’ll want to help them regulate their emotions. While it can seem difficult to figure out where to start, Pawp is here to help. Read on for an extensive list of reasons why your puppy might be crying. 

It’s necessary to get some background on puppies themselves, and then the six reasons why your pup might be crying will be easier to understand. When your puppy cries, it’s common to feel as distressed as they are. It can be scary and concerning to hear your new puppy crying.

But hopefully, when you’re done reading, you will know exactly what to look out for. This will allow you to take proper steps to help your puppy stop crying.

Why do dogs cry?

Technically speaking, dogs are mammals in the order Carnivora. Dogs and humans have interacted for thousands of years. In fact, you could even say that as long as civilization has existed, there have been records of humans and dogs, too. Dogs were first domesticated around 15,000 years ago from wolves. 

Evidence now suggests that dogs were originally domesticated somewhere in East Asia. This might have occurred in China. Since then, dogs have evolved greatly. Now, there are hundreds of breeds, and there’s plenty of variation between the different types of dogs. 

One of the reasons that dogs and humans have such a unique bond is because of the fact that both are highly social. Dogs are trainable, playful, and fit well into human beings’ households and social situations, too. 

Nevertheless, the way that dogs and humans communicate isn’t quite the same. That’s why you should try to learn the way that your dog is communicating with you. 

Sometimes this is from crying, sometimes whining, sometimes barking. Whatever the case may be, figuring out what your dog is trying to get across to you could be difficult at first, but it’s an important part of forming that forever bond. 

There are six main reasons why dogs cry

Now, it’s time to discuss the six reasons why your puppy may be crying. It’s important to note something before diving into this exploration: it’s essential that you give your puppy time to adjust to their new life.

Think about it: your puppy was acclimated to their life with their mother and their littermates, too. It’s completely normal — and expected — for it to take a while for your puppy to get used to their new surroundings and people. 

Your puppy cries for a variety of reasons. They’re trying to let you know that they have a need, and they’ll keep crying until you meet that need, just as a human baby would. As such, it’s important that you respond correctly to your crying puppy.

While your new dog might be young, the way that you respond to them when crying can make a tremendous impact on how they behave moving forward. 

Your puppy doesn’t feel well

The first potential cause of your puppy’s crying is an illness. If your puppy doesn’t stop whimpering or crying, this could be a tell-tale sign that they’re not feeling well. Therefore, you should reach out to a trusted vet to get their opinion on what could be the problem.

In addition, you should keep a watchful eye out for other symptoms of illness. This can include lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, no appetite, or even an increased breathing rate

On the contrary, if you’re noticing that your dog is licking excessively, scratching in one area, or even biting, this could signal that they’re fighting an allergy, parasites, infection, or other skin problem

Whatever the case may be, it’s worth looking into it. And if you’ve noticed your typically warm and cuddly pup is anti-social or doesn’t want to be touched, they might be suffering from an injury or in pain. In the event that you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, bring your puppy to the vet as soon as you can. 

Your puppy is lonely

As mentioned earlier, your puppy is a social creature. They can be even needier as they adjust to life after being separated from their siblings and their mom. This is one reason why they might cry.

Luckily, you can take steps to help. A good way to assist your puppy is by keeping them nearby. You can even put crates in high-traffic areas in your home. This ensures that your puppy isn’t all by themselves and instead feels included in your family. 

Another suggestion if you need to be mobile is to tie your puppy to your waist using a leash. Then, attach that to a harness so that you will always be able to keep an eye on where they are. In addition, having your puppy nearby also reduces the chance there will be accidents, such as your dog snacking on some furniture. 

Your puppy is scared

Fear could also cause your new puppy to cry. If you’re introducing your pup to people who they don’t know, for example, this could cause anxiety. The same goes for an unfamiliar object: this could also make your puppy nervous. Fear could cause your puppy to cry.

What your puppy is afraid of can change and evolve, so don’t be shocked if something doesn’t make your puppy anxious, and then suddenly, it does. These so-called “fear periods” often happen when your dog is 8 to 12 weeks, 4 to 9 months old, and again when they’re about 1.5 to 2 years old.

The best thing that you can do as your puppy’s owner is keeping an eye on their body language. If they seem afraid and have ears back or tail down, this means your dog is afraid. You should remove the pup from the situation as soon as you can.

At a later date, you can expose your dog to a less intense version of what they experienced. Again, if the behavior persists or gets even worse, bring it up to your vet.

Your puppy is hungry

Take note of when your puppy cries. If they usually cry in the time before meals, this could mean that they’re hungry. This is a normal part of biological changes your dog experiences as they grow up.

If you are concerned that your puppy isn’t eating enough, then you can talk to your vet about switching up their diet. Look at your puppy’s body. If they’re looking a bit thin, then you might consider giving them some more food. Looking a little rounder than they should be at this age? Just cut it back a little.

Pawp veterinary advisor, Dr. Laura Robinson, gave a quick tip to encourage your puppy to eat, “Feeding from your hand usually helps entice them or offering smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.”

Your puppy is simply bored 

The next reason why your puppy might cry is due to boredom. If they have a significant amount of pent-up energy, they might be looking for a way to get it out. That means that you can help by offering exercise and playtime as a part of your pup’s daily routine.

It’s important to make sure that your puppy is getting not only adequate physical exercise but mental exercise, too. This could benefit your pup’s overall behavior and could potentially lead to a decrease in crying. 

Your puppy is seeking affection

As you know, your puppy seeks affection and connection to their new family members. Therefore, they might be crying because they want you to pay attention to them. If you’re not home with your pet all day, they likely miss you and spend time waiting for you to get home. 

It’s essential that you acknowledge your pup when you walk into the door. Give them some affection and attention. In addition, you should be mindful that you’re present and paying attention when you’re with your dog. That could be enough to help calm them down.

Nevertheless, you should be mindful that you’re not overindulging your dog with attention. Puppies that cry and demand attention have to be ignored so they can be properly trained and learn to self-soothe. Once they’re quiet, you can give them the attention they’re seeking. 

Where is there more puppy information?

As you can tell, there are a variety of reasons why your puppy might begin crying. Therefore, it’s essential that you figure out which is the culprit so you can help them ditch the behavior and grow up to be a strong, loving family member. For more information on dog behavior, Pawp has everything you need to help your puppy grow up healthy throughout their lives.

PUPPY CRYING SOURCES: 

Puppy Crying and Whining: How to Help | Pet MD 

Dogs - Information, Facts & Pictures | Animal Corner

Dog Allergies: Symptoms and Treatment | American Kennel Club

Bringing a Puppy Home: Help Your Puppy Adjust to a New Home | American Kennel Club 

How to Tell If a Dog Is in Pain and What You Can Do to Help | PetMD 

Signs That Your Pet Is Lonely, According to Experts | Insider 

How Can I Tell if My Dog is Afraid? | Companion Animal Psychology

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