Crate training a puppy is one of the most effective ways to house train. But what do you do if your puppy howls when he is alone in his crate, especially at night? I know from experience that it is enough to drive you crazy. This article will try to help you understand why your puppy might be howling, and some simple things you can do to get him to stop so you can get some sleep.

The main reason a puppy will howl in his crate, is because he is just not comfortable in it. It’s a scary situation if you think about it. Your puppy that was once part of a litter was used to sleeping with his mom and the rest of his litter. Or if you rescued your puppy from a shelter, he was used to having “roommates”.  No matter where you got him, you can help him become more comfortable in his crate by doing a few simple things.

  1. 1. Allow your puppy to get used to his crate. A good way to help him do this is by rewarding him for going in his crate with a treat and some praise. Do this several times a day so he gets comfortable in his crate.
  2. 2. Do not use the crate as punishment. The crate needs to make him feel secure, like his own little den. If the crate is used for punishment, your puppy will not like being in there and he will howl.
  3. 3. Make the crate comfortable. Put a blanket in with him along with some toys. Your puppy won’t go to the bathroom in his crate if he can help it, but if he does, don’t use the blanket.

Above all, remember that it does take time and patients to crate train a puppy, but if you follow through with it, your puppy will be house trained in no time.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO SOLVE YOUR PUPPIES CRATE TRAINING PROBLEMS.