How to wean a puppy from whining at night?

Puppies are like children. A small child starts crying to get the attention of his parents, and so does a puppy. More recently, before moving to a new home, he slept under the warm side of his mother, among his brothers and sisters. And now the baby has found himself in a completely new environment, with unfamiliar smells and people, and he has to sleep alone, on a still unusual couch. Of course, the baby is scared and lonely, and he starts whining to attract attention, call his mother or (as her alternative) a new mistress. And here your main task is not to succumb to provocation.

No matter how sorry the fussy baby is, it is by no means possible to run to him in response to whining and, moreover, take him to bed with you. After realizing that his method works and you run to the call, the puppy will never stop whining. Moreover, this habit will remain with him even when he turns into an adult dog. And really, you won’t take an adult Great Dane to your pillow?

The following rules will help wean a puppy from whining:

• Choose a soft, warm, comfortable bed for your puppy, preferably with a double side. the soft side, to one degree or another, serves as an imitation of the mother’s side.  

• When picking up a puppy from the kennel, grab something soaked in the smell of his mother or other babies. It can be, for example, any fabric or a toy. In a new home, place this item on your puppy’s bed so he can smell a familiar scent. This will calm him down.

• If there is no such item, put your thing on the couch, for example, a sweater. Your baby will also get used to your smell very soon.

• If the puppy was weaned too early, place him on the bed next to your bed for the first time. When the puppy starts crying, put your hand down to him, stroke him and calm him down with your voice. With each new night, move the couch farther and farther from the bed, to its proper place.

• In no case do not close the puppy alone in a separate room, this will only aggravate the situation. He should be able to calmly explore the apartment and get used to the new environment.

• At night, feed heartily (not to be confused with overfeeding!) The puppy and take a walk with him. A hearty dinner and an active walk are the strongest provocateurs of a sound and healthy sleep.

• Strictly avoid overfeeding. Sometimes the cause of whining is just digestive problems and too heavy food. Feed your baby a balanced puppy diet in the recommended quantities and do not disturb the diet.

• Give your baby more attention during the day! Often a puppy whines simply from a lack of communication. If the need for contact with the owner is fully satisfied during the day, the baby will sleep peacefully at night.

• Alternatively, the puppy may often wake up at night and whine from banal boredom. To prevent this from happening, put his favorite toys in his bed. For example, a great option is toys filled with goodies. They definitely have the power to divert the attention of a restless baby!

• In no case do not punish the baby for whining. First, starting your acquaintance with physical punishment is the worst thing you can do. And secondly, to punish a puppy who is scared and lonely is at least cruel.

• If over time the puppy does not leave his habit, start teaching the baby the “Fu” command.

If in the first nights the puppy does not let you fall asleep at all, you should not panic ahead of time. As practice shows, even the most restless puppy completely gets used to the new environment in the first week and his habit of whining remains in the past!

Good luck with raising your four-legged friends!