Are you worried because your dog won’t stop crying and you don’t know why? If you want to help him and you don’t know how to do it, let us, from Las Almenas, explain you Why do dogs cry. In the following lines we want to tell you what the crying of dogs means and, what is more important, how to calm a crying dog.

Why do dogs cry?

Barking, howling, whining and also crying are ways dogs communicate. This is how they try to communicate their needs and predilections. To learn to understand their vocalization and to know why dogs cry you will have to dedicate time and a lot of attention until you can figure out what your dog wants to tell you.

Keep in mind that dogs cry instinctively, as a survival mechanism. It’s the same thing that happens to babies. But, if your dog realizes that when he cries he gets what he wants, then he will start to do it on purpose and it will become a learned behavior that you will have to try to redirect.

You should also know that dogs’ tears are not associated with their emotional state, so crying or crying without tears is very common.

Now, yes! Let’s get to know why dogs cry and what are the possible causes:

1.Basic needs

Your dog may be crying because he needs water or food. Go to his water bowl and food bowl and check that he has clean water and food, if it’s time to eat.

2.He wants to get your attention.

Why do dogs cry?  Probably he needs your attention. This is one of the most frequent causes of crying. Crying serves to get attention and this trick is known from puppies to older dogs. So when dogs feel ignored and want their share of cuddles and attention, they may cry.

3.Adaptation process

If you have a new dog or puppy at home, it will have to go through a period of adaptation and it is normal for it to cry, especially at night and when you leave it alone for the first time.

It is natural that when a puppy is taken away from its litter and arrives at its new home, it will cry. Once the adjustment has been made, your puppy should lower the frequency of his crying until it disappears. This is a behavior that puppies learn quickly because they know it works and they get the attention they demand.

4.Separation anxiety

There are many dogs that being left home alone creates serious anxiety problems for them. They can spend hours tearing up or crying, whining and howling until someone comes home. If you want to know more about this problem and how you can solve it, we invite you to read our article on “Separation stress in dogs“.

5.Boredom

Boredom, lack of stimulation, games and challenges can also cause a dog to cry. If you are going to leave him alone at home, provide him with toys to keep him entertained.

6.Fear

If your dog starts whining and whimpering in front of another dog or stranger, it is because he is afraid, does not feel safe and is looking for your protection. It may be that he has a socialization problem and needs the help of a trainer to overcome this fear.

7.Enthusiasm

Contrary to fear, if your dog becomes hysterical, whines and whines when someone appears at the door and moves in an exaggerated way, it is because he is overly excited and is not able to control himself. You may have to teach him to go to his bed every time the doorbell rings, as this will help him to be calmer.

8.Excitement

The smell of a female or the mating season are also reasons for your dog to cry, even more so if he is not neutered.

9.Phobia

Yes, dogs also have phobias. Normally it is given to the noises of firecrackers, fireworks, thunderstorms, street sirens, but it can also make him cry household noises such as vacuum cleaner, washing machine, hair dryer. In these cases try to remove the object from his sight and turn it off. Gradually expose him to these noises until he gets used to them. Don’t forget to reward your pet with a treat as he overcomes these fears.

10.He has a health problem

The fact that your dog cries may also be due to pain or discomfort. It is curious that dogs in chronic pain do not usually complain about it. However, in the case of acute and intense pain, they usually cry and whimper. In this case, to find out why dogs cry, it is best to see a veterinarian.

Why does your puppy cry at night?

Surely you have experienced, or at least heard, that with a baby it is impossible to sleep through the night. Well, with a puppy the situation is very similar.

As we have already told you, it is common for puppies to cry during the first days until they are able to adapt to their new home. Probably during those first days you don’t want to separate from your new friend and you spend most of the day with him, settling him in and looking after his well-being.

However, at night is when your puppy may feel most lonely and this may cause him to cry. He probably needs your protection and security after being separated from his mother and siblings, which is understandable.

Since everything is new and strange for your little puppy, you will have to be patient and wait for him to gradually get used to his new family. But if the adjustment period is over and he’s still crying, you’ll have to look for other causes.

Finding out why dogs cry is essential, as it may be a behavioral issue, but it may also be a health problem that requires maximum attention. Therefore, when in doubt, and since we are talking about very small dogs, it is best to go to the veterinarian.

However, check the 10 causes that we have already explained because in the case of puppies all of them can occur. But, in addition, there are other possible problems that cause your puppy to cry:

• Discomfort

Since he does not yet control his needs, your puppy may be uncomfortable or wet, as well as feeling cold, or new noises may cause him to feel insecure.

• Poor digestion

If you are still having trouble portioning your puppy’s food, he may have eaten too much food just before bedtime. Therefore, if he has digestive discomfort, it is quite possible that this is the cause of his crying and whining.

• Lack of exercise

Your puppy may cry at night because he has not had enough exercise during the day. This may happen because the first few days you did not want to take your puppy outside. This is a good measure until the puppy is immunized. However, if he doesn’t burn off the energy with play at home, he may spend the night whining because he wants you to play with him.

What to do to stop your dog from crying?

Now that you know why dogs and puppies cry, it’s time to look for solutions.

The first thing is to try to have his essential needs covered. In addition to keeping him well fed and hydrated, you should provide him with a comfortable place where he can rest and feel safe and calm. It is also interesting to leave him some kind of toy to entertain him when you are not there and to prevent him from crying in your absence.

If his basic needs are covered, the cause of his crying will probably go away as soon as you pay attention to him. Remember that dogs are very social and need to interact with you as well. It is possible that a little play time or a few caresses will be enough to calm him down and make him feel calm and satisfied.

Remember to remain calm and do not show your anger because this will increase his anxiety and give him more reasons to cry.

If you are unable to understand why dogs cry and you are worried because you don’t know how to help your dog, the best thing to do is to go to the vet. He will be able to tell if your furry friend has a behavioral problem or if it is a health issue.

Responsible parenting, a help for your dog’s adjustment

We know that it is not easy to understand why dogs cry. In Las Almenas we try to facilitate the socialization of our mini or toy breed puppies from birth. This way, when they arrive to their new home they already know how to relate with other people and other pets without fear and without adaptation problems.

Responsible breeding (https://almenas.es/crianza-responsable-de-perros-de-raza-importancia/) ensures that our puppies are not only purebred, but also physically and mentally stable dogs. For this, in Las Almenas we raise our puppies in semi-freedom, without cages, surrounded by nature and full of care and love 24 hours a day.

What about you, do you know why dogs cry? Have you ever had a problem with frequent crying from your puppy? Tell us your experience! I’m sure it will help many of our readers in their day-to-day life with their dogs. You can leave us your comments below or on our Facebook and Instagram profiles or on our Las Almenas YouTube channel, where every week we bring you the best tips from the most active dog family in the world!