Puppies are incredibly adorable and there is nothing you wouldn’t do to keep them happy. But often we bring these little fluffers home and get so caught up in our everyday lives we tend to take their presence for granted and end up overlooking their needs.
Puppies are like little kids. If you bring them to a new house with new faces and away from their comfort, they will get overwhelmed and will need some sort of reassurance that they are safe and will seek comfort.
It becomes your job to give that to them. You must take the time out to make them feel welcome and safe. If you don’t use this initial period to form the bond with your puppy, it will eventually take its toll on them and can end up in tragedy.
You must also be in tune with your puppy’s behavior. There are certain normal behaviors and then there are abnormal behaviors. If your puppy is acting strange and this strange behavior is unending, they might be trying to tell you something, most probably that something isn’t right.
Puppies are incredibly fragile and if not properly taken care of, they can even cry themselves to death!
How much crying is too much crying?
On one hand, you will get advice that more than anything else you need to make sure nothing bothers your new puppy and that you should respond to any sign of distress. On the other hand, you also know that if you don’t teach your dog certain rules it won’t learn how to be independent or house trained. You end up extremely conflicted. How do you know when your dog is crying for attention or crying because they’re in extreme pain or distress to the point they can cry themselves to death.
Some things will be obvious and some will not.
Crate training
This is a way of getting your dog accustomed to your house and house rules. The idea is that you make the crate as comfortable as possible in order to encourage the puppy to use it as their corner.
But crate training isn’t easy and if you don’t follow proper instruction you might end up causing your puppy to be confused and unhappy and crying out all night long.
First things first, crate training shouldn’t start immediately. You will first need to settle your puppy into their new home. Give them lots of love and attention. Reassure them that they are safe with their new family. If you skip out on this and jump straight to crate training your dog will be miserable and in extreme distress which can end in tragedy.
Secondly, if you don’t follow the crate training procedure, that too can cause an adverse effect on your puppy. How do we crate train properly? First, you need to make the crate as comfortable as possible with a soft towel or blanket and keep the crate close to the family. When your pups in the crate talk to them in a cheerful tone and even keep treats inside the crate. Don’t abandon your dog in a crate immediately. Leave their side for short durations initially and as they get used to the crate move away for longer.
Only when your dog stays in their crate for 30 minutes without crying can you leave them alone for long durations. Dogs will either whine to get your attention to be let out and if they don’t get that attention, they will eventually stop. Or they will whine if they need to relieve themselves. If the whining is prolonged and nothing seems to be helping, don’t hesitate to let your dog out and offer them comfort. Don’t let them cry for hours.
Separation Anxiety
Your pup seeks you out for comfort and peace. If you don’t settle them into their new homes properly and if you allow them to be too dependent on you, you won’t be able to leave them alone without running the risk of them crying themselves sick.
In order to avoid your dog from suffering from separation anxiety while you’re away, you need to teach them how to be independent. Crate training is a perfect way to do so as it teaches them to find comfort in their spot while you aren’t around. If your dog suffers from prolonged separation anxiety, you might have to seek professional behavioral help as it might cause them to cry to the point of harming themselves.
Dogs can also suffer from separation anxiety if you leave them in a new place such as a boarding house or even a friend’s place while you have to leave for a trip. The new place will trigger distress for your dog and it will be fueled by the fact you aren’t around. Make sure you leave your dog with someone they are comfortable with or a place that knows how to handle dogs and understand their behavior.
Physical discomfort
Sometimes as pet owners, we have a sixth sense when it comes to our pets and if something isn’t right. If your dog is crying continuously and you have ruled out all possible reasons and have tried all possible soothing techniques, then perhaps your dog is suffering from physical discomfort. It might not be obvious but it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Don’t let your dog cry it out in hopes they’ll soothe themselves. Seek medical help immediately.
Conclusion:
It is pretty rare that your dog barks or cries themselves to death but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Allowing your dog to cry and bark for unusually long periods will cause their stomach to be filled up with air, their throat to swell up causing respiratory distress. As a result, your dog can die.
In order to avoid this, you need to be a responsible guardian. Only bring a puppy into your home if you’re ready to put in the time and effort to keep them happy.