Why is my puppy crying?

9 times out of 10, puppy is crying because they are tired. On average, puppies should be sleeping around 18-20 hours a day. Allowing them to stay awake for more than two hours at a time brings whining, biting, and chaos.

With Suki, we have experienced this about every single day. There is no avoiding the cranky puppy chaos, but knowing how to handle it, is key.

Overtired puppies don’t look sleepy the way human babies do. They look wild. They zoom. They nip. They bark at nothing. They cry like something is terribly wrong. But most of the time? They just need a nap. If your puppy starts whining out of nowhere, ask yourself:

How long have they been awake?
Have they had enough stimulation already?
Did they just play hard or go somewhere new?
Puppies get overstimulated easily. New smells, new people, new sounds — it’s a lot for a tiny brain. When they can’t regulate themselves, crying is how they say, “I’m overwhelmed.”

What to do

Instead of more play or more attention, try:

A calm, quiet space
A crate or pen with low stimulation
Soft background noise
A consistent nap routine

At first, they might protest. That doesn’t always mean something is wrong. It can just mean they don’t know how to power down yet. With consistency, they learn. Try leaving them alone for about 1-2 minutes. They will usually self-soothe with toys and settle down.

Of course, there are other reasons puppies cry:

they need to potty
they are hungry
they are scared
they are uncomfortable

But if their needs are met and they’ve been awake for a while, sleep is the most likely answer.

Sometimes the solution isn’t more training, more toys, or more problem-solving.

Sometimes the solution is a nap.