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Barking at Night

When a Yorkie Puppy is Barking All Night

Or Crying and Whining

Overview

There's nothing that can zap the fun out of having a new puppy then when the pup is up all night barking. crying or whining. It's similar to hearing a baby cry for hours on end; you feel very bad, and you do everything you can to try to stop it, but at the same time it can be extraordinarily wearing. 

If your Yorkie puppy is waking you up all night long, you'll find yourself sleep deprived and probably a bit grouchy in the morning, which doesn't lend well to starting the next day off in a good way. So, for the sake of both your Yorkie and you, we'll look at some helpful tips to stop a puppy from being vocal at night.

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Reasons Why a Puppy Barks at Night

Brand new puppies - It's very common for brand new puppies to cry for the first couple of weeks due to missing their former home. In essence, the pup has been taken away from everything that they knew; most importantly the dam and his littermates. So, while getting a puppy is a fun and exciting time for you, it can be a very stressful time for the pup. 

All puppies - Until a Yorkie learns to sleep for the night (and they will, don't worry) there are many elements that can wake a pup up or cause him to have trouble settling down. 
  • Bathroom needs - While this is here at the top of the list, it is by no means the only reason. In fact, most puppies that are not fully housebroken will not bark or alert owners to bathroom needs because they have not been trained to do so. Even so, most pet parents believe this is the reason and therefore are not successful in stopping the crying or barking.
A trip outside, whether or not the pup pees or poos, will often just temporarily stop the barking due to the change of activity. And when the owner goes back to bed, the puppy will start up again since their more basic needs are not being met. 
  • Feeling too confined - It's a shame that small crates are not just taken off of the market. There is really no need at all for a crate other than the type that is used for traveling on an airplane or when you need to crate an ill dog to bring them to the vet.
You won't want to crate a Yorkie at night since this can really exacerbate barking and crying. Small crates are very confining which can make a puppy or dog feel claustrophobic, 'trapped' and afraid. It increases stress and certainly does not lend to sleeping peacefully. There are other, more appropriate methods. 
  • Insecurity - It can take a puppy quite some time to be used to their surroundings enough to feel safe and secure. Up until that time, if they are not given tools to offer a sense of security, they will not be equipped to handle these sometimes overwhelming feelings. 
  • To gain attention - This is a really big one and is very connected to all of the other reasons for barking at night. When barking or crying leads to a human coming to the rescue, no matter the original cause, it temporarily offers relief. And since the goal is to teach the pup to sleep through the night quietly, running to them is only a short term solution. 

How to Stop a Yorkie Puppy From Barking, Crying and/or Whining at Night

Taking into account all of the above reasons why a Yorkshire Terrier puppy may bark or whine all night long, there are definitely steps you can take to stop this and help them relax. It is important to note that choosing just one tip may not produce results. It is when you implement all methods that you then have all possible causes covered, and this is what will help to resolve the issue. 

#1 Create a secure, designated area.

Setting up the right environment for your Yorkie, regardless of age, is essential. An indoor portable playpen is highly recommended for its flexibility and convenience. It allows you to keep your puppy close in any room, centralizes their essentials, and provides a spacious yet secure 'den' that can ease the transition to a new home or help with separation anxiety. This type of designated area can also help prevent accidents and limit destructive chewing.


Inside the playpen, include a comfortable bed to enhance your Yorkie's sense of security. A quality bed also protects against a cold floor and offers the cozy feel of a safe haven, contributing to a pup's overall comfort and contentment. A playpen that we like a lot is the North States Pet Passage Playpen, as this is a great size for puppies and can be expanded via extension panels as a Yorkie matures and needs a bit more room.


Aside from the bed, other items to have in the playpen are toys (see next), food, water and pee pads lining the floor.

#2 Offer the right toys, aka tools.

It's really best to think of toys as tools, since these should not be purchased arbitrarily, but instead each should be carefully chosen to meet a certain need. There are several types that a Yorkie puppy should have to meet various needs that result in barking at night.

For attention seeking and boredom: Until a Yorkie syncs their schedule with their humans and enjoys a good night's rest, they may keep waking up and pretty much instantly become bored. Instead of barking out to have you come running, wouldn't it be nice if they were able to keep themselves occupied for a bit instead? 


This can be accomplished by having a few select toys that will hold their interest. Those that make noises or speak work very well for these instances, for example, the Multipet Look Who's Talking Chicken.

For comfort:  Being alone at night, even if a pup is in the same room with their humans, can be scary. A new puppy is used to hearing heartbeats and feeling the warmth of their mother and siblings. Very fortunately, you can offer your Yorkie something very similar to this. There are companion toys that have a rhythmic, soothing heartbeat, are made of soft, cuddly materials and can also emit a comforting warmth. These are so fantastic, they can literally change the whole dynamic for a Yorkie pup. This type of toy can also help dog that suffer from separation anxiety. Though there are some subpar copycats, we love the popular and original Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy; it's fantastic.

#3 Leave out both food and water.

Ensuring the well-being of your new Yorkshire Terrier involves careful attention to their hydration and nutrition. Toy breeds have a higher risk of hypoglycemia due to their fast metabolisms, necessitating frequent small meals to maintain stable blood sugar levels. And this does not apply to just daylight hours; young puppies should have access to food around the clock. Take care that kibble does not get stale, replacing (not just refreshing) it often. In addition, always provide your new Yorkie pup with access to cool, fresh water, pouring out old water and refilling the bowl with new water several times each day to encourage hydration.

#4 Assess the temperature.

While a cozy bed and a home maintained at a comfortable temperature generally suffice, it's crucial to monitor the placement of your Yorkie puppy's resting area. Avoid spots too close to heating vents, air conditioning units, or areas prone to drafts in the wintertime, as small breeds like the Yorkshire Terrier are sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Regularly assess their comfort by observing behaviors such as shivering or seeking cool floors, which indicate discomfort. Adjustments, such as repositioning their bed, adding a blanket, or using a doggy sweater in colder months, can help keep your Yorkie comfortable and happy regardless of the season.

#5 Know when to go to your puppy and when to use your willpower to refrain. 

In regard to bathroom needs, every owner has rushed to a crying pup at night, believing that it was an important step in housebreaking. And this is not to say that it's not; the thing is that it's not about 75% of the time.

If your Yorkie urinated and had a bowel movement in the evening before you put them in their spot for the night, at the very most, they may need to pee. If you do believe that there is a valid reason for taking them out for this, by all means do so. However, take care to make it clear that this is a serious time and not one for play.

Keep lights as low as possible and while it may be hard to fight the urge, do not pet your Yorkie or speak very much. Middle of the night bathroom trips should be short and to the point, with the puppy being rewarded for doing the deed, but then placed right back in their spot afterwards. 

Teaching a puppy to self-soothe is an important step. With their playpen set-up complete and with all their needs met, feel confident that you do not need to respond to each bark, whine or cry at night. It may seem cruel to ignore a pup. However, if you have them in a pen, on a cozy bed, in a warm room, with toys to keep them busy, food and water, and a companion toy, you can feel good that they have all that they require to get through the night.

By staying back and allowing a puppy to learn to seek out what they need (and it's all very close, within reach), you are teaching them a valuable lesson. And only in this way, will they stop barking or crying and learn to settle themselves down and get a great night's sleep. 

How Long it Takes to Teach a New Puppy to Stop Barking or Crying at Night

For the most part, this is really dependent on you. The more you go to a barking puppy, the more they will bark, since you will be teaching them that barking causes you to appear. And the more you go to a crying puppy, the more they will cry. 

If you follow the above advice and give your puppy the tools to self-soothe and allow them the opportunity to do so, barking and crying often ends after a two-week period. While you may lose quite a bit of sleep over this short time, it is well worth it in the end since the alternative is barking at night, essentially without end. 

More Articles:

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When a Yorkie Refuses to Eat - Some Yorkshire Terriers can be very finicky. This said, sudden refusal to eat points to a health issue. See our top tips to resolve this asap.

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