Until the day you bring them home, most puppies have slept in a warm pile: their mother, their brothers and sisters, the same smells, the same sounds. Your home is quiet and new. So if your puppy cries on the first night, nothing is wrong with them or with you. It's a big change, and it usually gets easier with a plan.
Before bedtime: set up the crate
- Put it close to you. For the first nights, many owners keep the crate in the bedroom or right next to it. Your puppy can hear you and smell you, and you'll hear them when they need to go out.
- Make it the right size. Big enough to stand up, turn around and lie down, but not so big that one corner becomes a bathroom.
- Make it soft and familiar. A washable blanket, and if the breeder or shelter gave you one, something that smells like their first home.
- Introduce it during the day. Toss a treat inside, feed a meal near it, leave the door open. A crate that only appears at bedtime feels like a strange box.
The evening: tired, fed and empty
- Play earlier, calm later. A good play session an hour or two before bed, then quiet time. A puppy that's overtired can be just as unsettled as one that isn't tired at all.
- Plan the last meal. Give dinner a few hours before bedtime so there's time to digest and go out.
- Last potty break right before bed. Keep it short and boring, then straight to the crate.
Bedtime
Keep the lights low and the house quiet. Some puppies settle better with soft background sound, like quiet music or a fan. A soft companion to lie against can help too. That's why we made the Heartbeat Puppy Plush: a puppy-sized plush with a gentle, steady heartbeat inside. Whatever you put in the crate, make sure it's safe for your puppy and that you supervise them with it.
During the night
Young puppies usually can't hold it all night. If your puppy wakes and whines after a few hours, assume they need to go out. Take them out on a leash, wait quietly, praise them when they go, and bring them straight back to the crate. No play, no bright lights, no big conversation. You want night-time trips to feel like the most boring part of the day.
When your puppy cries
Some crying is normal, especially in the first minutes after you say goodnight. A few calm words from your bed can help them feel less alone. If the crying sounds urgent or keeps going after a quiet stretch, a potty break is the most likely reason. Try not to let them out of the crate to play when they cry, because that can teach them that crying opens the door.
The morning
Take your puppy out first thing, before breakfast and before coffee. Praise them generously. Then enjoy it: you made it through night one.
When to ask for help
Every puppy adjusts at their own pace. If your puppy seems unwell, isn't eating, or the nights aren't getting any easier after a week or two, talk to your vet or a qualified trainer. They can see your puppy and give advice that fits them.
Read next: Puppy crying in the crate at night? What actually helps.