Puppy · Dachshund
How to Stop a Dachshund Puppy From Crying at Night
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Short answer
Stop your Dachshund puppy from crying by pairing daytime crate desensitization with cozy burrowing blankets, and keep their crate beside your bed at night. Satisfy their natural hunting drive with gentle scent work and soothe bedtime vocalizations with scheduled potty breaks and lick mats.
Bringing home a young Dachshund puppy is a joy, but their first nights can test any owner's patience. Bred as brave, independent badger hunters, Dachshunds possess a clever mind, a vocal nature, and a strong instinct to burrow close to their pack. When isolated in the dark, their vocal tendencies surface rapidly, leading to prolonged crying and barking. Housetraining this breed is famously gradual due to their small bladders and independent streak, meaning nighttime crying is often a mix of genuine physiological need and social isolation. With consistent management and positive reinforcement, you can help your puppy settle peacefully. If crying escalates to severe distress, panic, or self-harm, consult a veterinarian to rule out medical issues, or contact a certified behavior consultant (CCPDT or IAABC).
How to do it
Step-by-step
Tick off each step as you practice it — your progress is saved on this device.
Step 1: Establish daytime crate desensitization with burrowing games
Capitalize on your hound's natural desire to dig and den by placing a cozy, fleece-lined crate in your main living space with the door propped open. Run three to five two-minute sessions daily where you toss freeze-dried beef liver or small bits of cheddar into a crumpled blanket inside to encourage digging and exploring. Allow the puppy to enter and exit completely voluntarily, rewarding every step toward the back with a high-value treat. If your puppy hesitates at the entrance, toss treats outside the threshold first, gradually lowering criteria to build genuine confidence without closing the door.
Step 2: Burn mental and physical energy with gentle scent work
Before beginning your bedtime routine, direct your puppy's lively energy into sniffing activities rather than strenuous physical running that could stress developing joints. Scatter kibble in a snuffle mat or hide tiny treats under cardboard cups across a four-foot area for about fifteen minutes. Engaging their powerful hunting sense tires their clever brain quickly and helps trigger natural relaxation. If your puppy becomes overstimulated and starts frantic digging or barking, pause the game, lower the ambient lights, and transition to a slow, gentle petting session.
Step 3: Position the sleep space within arm's reach of your bed
Set the sleeping crate or high-sided pen right beside your bed at mattress height so your Dachshund can smell and hear you throughout the night. For the first two to three weeks, drop a low-scent worn t-shirt inside the crate alongside deep, burrowable blankets that satisfy their instinct to tunnel. When you turn off the lights, place your hand against the crate mesh so your presence provides immediate reassurance without letting them out. If crying persists past ten minutes, keep your fingers still against the gate and speak a single soothing cue in a soft, low monotone until their breathing slows.
Step 4: Implement a quiet, zero-interaction midnight potty protocol
Young Dachshunds have tiny bladders and struggle to hold urine for more than three to four hours, making planned nighttime relief trips essential. Set a silent alarm for mid-night wakeups, carry your puppy outside on a harness and fixed leash to avoid playtime, and gently place them on the designated grass patch. Wait up to four minutes quietly, reward a successful elimination immediately with a single treat, and carry them directly back into the crate without engaging in eye contact or play. If the puppy does not eliminate within five minutes, place them back inside their crate and reset your alarm for forty-five minutes later.
Step 5: Provide a calming lick mat or safe chew for bedtime settling
Prepare a small rubber toy or safe lick mat smeared with plain unsweetened pumpkin or wet puppy food and place it in the crate right at lights out. Licking and gentle gnawing release calming endorphins that counteract bedtime anxiety and redirect the puppy's oral energy away from vocalizing. Remove the item once it is emptied or if your puppy finishes settling down, checking that it remains sturdy and undamaged. If your puppy ignores the food and begins frantic barking, sit quietly beside the crate and steady the chew toy by hand to coax their focus back to licking.
Step 6: Differentiate distress crying from demand barking with calm pauses
Learn to read your puppy's vocal signals: a rhythmic, sharp bark often indicates demand for attention, whereas high-pitched shrieking or trembling signifies true fear or a full bladder. When you suspect demand barking, wait for a quiet gap of at least five seconds before acknowledging the puppy or offering a potty trip, preventing them from learning that barking functions as an on-demand summon. If the vocalizations intensify into panicked frantic scrambling, assess whether they need a bathroom break or are truly over threshold from fear. When fear is evident, offer immediate gentle comfort by resting your hand near the crate rather than leaving them in distress.
For the Dachshund
Pro tips
- Dachshunds love burrowing, so place an extra layer of soft fleece blankets inside the crate so they can tunnel completely underneath to feel safe and quiet.
- Avoid late-evening high-impact jumping or fetch games, as overarousal spikes cortisol and makes this vocal breed far more likely to whine past bedtime.
- Never scold, tap the crate, or yell at a crying Dachshund, as this stubborn and clever breed will interpret your loud reaction as joining in the barking chorus.
Owners ask
Frequently asked questions
Should I let my Dachshund puppy 'cry it out' at night until they fall asleep?
No, leaving a young Dachshund to cry it out can increase distress, create negative associations with the crate, and worsen vocal habits over time. Dachshunds are sensitive, pack-oriented dogs, so unanswered panic can escalate into separation-related anxiety. Address their physical and emotional needs by offering calm proximity and regular potty outings instead of forced isolation.
How do I know if my puppy is crying because they need to potty or just want attention?
Track your puppy's schedule closely: puppies under four months rarely sleep through the night without a potty trip every three to four hours. If they wake up crying after several hours of sleep, treat it as a potty need, keep the trip completely quiet and businesslike, and return them straight to bed. If crying starts immediately after being put back into the crate post-potty, it is typically a demand for social attention.
Can I just let my Dachshund sleep in my bed right away so they stop crying?
While having your Dachshund sleep in bed is a personal choice, very young puppies risk falling from tall beds, and their small bladders make overnight housetraining accidents almost inevitable. Additionally, Dachshunds have fragile backs that can be injured if they attempt to jump down in the dark. Keeping them in a bedside crate with cozy blankets protects their spine while maintaining the close physical presence they crave.
When does nighttime crying indicate separation anxiety requiring professional help?
If your puppy salivates excessively, claws at crate wires until their paws bleed, refuses high-value treats inside the crate, or pants uncontrollably despite your presence nearby, this points to severe distress rather than normal settling hiccups. Always schedule an initial veterinary checkup to rule out hidden gastrointestinal discomfort, urinary tract infections, or musculoskeletal pain. If medical issues are cleared, work with a certified behavior consultant accredited by CCPDT or IAABC to develop a customized desensitization plan.
Spotted a mistake or something out of date? Email us — we review every report, fix the guide and update its date. Our guides are general education, not a substitute for a certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist.
