Why Won't My Dog Stop Crying?

Living with a canine companion is almost the same as living with a human, as there are emotional moments for all tastes! However, sometimes some of them are difficult to cope with, such as when your dog won’t stop crying and you don’t know why.

This is a situation of concern for both parties and, unfortunately, many times it brings despair because they don’t know how to help the dog. How to make the crying stop? Here are some answers.

How do dogs cry?

Dogs have accompanied humans for so many years, and it’s easy to know when the animal is crying, even if it doesn’t do it with tears and sobs. In dogs, crying is characterized by repetitive moans and barks — and even howls.

The function of crying is the same as in humans: to express a negative state of mind, such as sadness, to awaken empathy in others. It’s one of the most common forms in which an animal will call for help, even though it won’t be through sobs.

Why won’t my dog stop crying?

The situations in which a dog doesn’t stop crying are varied, so you must identify the cause of this behavior before starting to look for a solution. Here are different scenarios in which dogs can feel heartbroken.

My dog cries when I leave the house

If your dog won’t stop crying when you leave for work or is home alone, it may be due to separation anxiety disorder. It isn’t difficult to imagine that your dog may feel distressed if you leave and it doesn’t know when you’ll return.

In the case of this disorder, the roots are usually in a certain apathy shown by the owner, or bad emotional training. In addition, the crying is often accompanied by abnormal stools or the destruction of furniture.

Puppies separated from their mother prematurely are more likely to develop separation anxiety.

My dog won’t stop crying when it wants something

This behavior, in the first instance, isn’t worrisome: the dog is simply calling for your attention to ask for something. The problem comes when the crying does not stop or when it is accompanied by other unwanted behaviors.

If the problem persists, there are behavior modification techniques that can help correct it.

My puppy cries incessantly

Developing puppies are sponges, both to absorb learning and to establish bad dynamics in their behavior. If in adults it’s important to identify the emotional needs of your dog, during its childhood it is even more so. These are some reasons why a puppy may cry non-stop:

• It’s afraid or nervous: In both puppies and adults, fear can become chronic or lead to a phobia. In childhood, it’s especially relevant to make the dog feel safe and loved.
• It wants to attract attention: This is usually the result of an apprenticeship. It’s natural for dogs to get your attention by barking or crying, but if you’re afraid then it will become a habit, and it’s best not to react to it.
• It’s experiencing something new: Shy puppies can feel insecure in situations they’ve never experienced, such as the arrival of another dog or the first visit to the vet.

What to do when a dog doesn’t stop crying?

The first step, as mentioned above, is to identify the causes of this behavior. Once the situation has been properly defined, you can follow these basic tips.

Basic obedience

More than obedience, it’s about learning to communicate with your dog effectively. If the dog doesn’t understand what you want from it, it’ll feel insecure and confused, which will aggravate the behaviors of anxiety and sadness.

If the dog doesn’t stop crying, its well-being improves

Checking that all your basic needs are covered is essential before starting any treatment. Keep in mind that this may not be as easy as it sounds, because each dog needs a different amount of attention, affection, and activity. It’s not just about food and drink.

Help him overcome fear

If your dog won’t stop crying because something has scared them— or they’ve developed a phobia — your support and love will be essential for them to overcome it. The usual procedure is to expose the dog to what scares it, in a progressive manner, so that it gets used to it little by little.

The dog may need a period of rest in which they aren’t exposed to the aversive stimulus for a while.

One last tip if your dog won’t stop crying

Behavioral problems can be corrected at home with patience and perseverance, but more sensitive dogs – or those that come from a serious situation, for example – can develop serious behavior disorders as a result of fear or anxiety.

Therefore, if the situation escalates and you don’t feel you can handle it, don’t be afraid to go to a specialist. You’ll alleviate your concern and your dog will be able to live more calmly, because they’ll know that, with you, they can overcome any difficulty.