How to Stop a Shih Tzu Puppy from Crying at Night
Prepared by Paviento — the at-home dog training app. Positive, science-based methods you can apply at home.Last updated: July 12, 2026
To stop a Shih Tzu puppy from crying at night, set their bed up close to you for the first nights, exhaust the pre-bed checklist (toilet, dinner timing, calm wind-down), and respond to toilet-need cries while keeping comfort visits brief and boring. Most puppies settle into quiet nights within 3–7 days — moving the bed away gradually comes after, not before.
Why Shih Tzus specifically
Shih Tzus overheat easily at night under all that coat and through that short airway — snuffly, restless crying can be temperature, not anxiety. A cool room, a flat (not nest-style) bed and the standard closeness routine settle most within the first week.
A puppy's first nights are their first time EVER sleeping without their mother and littermates' warmth and heartbeat. Crying is a hardwired survival call, not manipulation — puppies left to "cry it out" alone show higher stress and settle more slowly than puppies started near their humans.
Step-by-step plan
- 1
Start the bed next to yours
First week: crate or bed within your arm's reach. Your presence, breathing and a dangled hand answer the "am I abandoned?" alarm. Independence is built later, in steps.
- 2
Run the pre-bed checklist
Last meal 2–3 hours before bed, water up an hour before, final toilet trip right before lights out, and a calm 20-minute wind-down — no wrestling matches at 11 pm.
- 3
Make the bed womb-like
A snug bed, a blanket that smells of mom/littermates (ask the breeder) or of you, and a warm (not hot) heat pad under half the bed. Some puppies settle faster with a ticking clock or soft white noise.
- 4
Decode the cry
Sudden waking + insistent crying at 3 am usually means toilet — carry them out, keep it silent and boring, straight back to bed. Whiny, on-off grumbling as they drift off is settling noise; a calm hand near the crate is enough.
- 5
Keep night contact boring
Night responses are quiet, lights-off, no play, no excited talk. The lesson: nighttime is safe but extremely dull. Fun lives in the morning.
- 6
Move away gradually
After a week of quiet nights, move the bed 30–50 cm every few nights toward its final spot. If crying restarts, go back one step for two nights.
What a realistic timeline looks like
| Phase | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Nights 1–3 | Some crying is expected. One or two toilet trips per night for young puppies. |
| Nights 4–7 | Settling gets faster; many puppies sleep through except one toilet break. |
| Week 2 | Quiet nights become the norm; bed relocation can begin. |
| Weeks 3–6 | Bed reaches its final location; overnight bladder control matures with age. |
Quick checklist
- ✓Bed/crate within arm's reach for week one
- ✓Last meal 2–3 h before bed; final toilet trip at lights-out
- ✓Scent comfort: breeder blanket or your worn t-shirt
- ✓Night toilet trips: silent, dim, boring, back to bed
- ✓No play or excited talk between 10 pm and morning
- ✓Bed moved away only AFTER quiet nights are established
Common questions
Should I ignore my puppy crying at night?
Not blanket-ignore, no. First rule out toilet need — young puppies genuinely cannot hold it all night. For settling-type fussing, stay close but boring. Total ignoring on night one teaches a lonely puppy that calling for help fails, which hurts confidence and can worsen separation issues later.
How many nights until a puppy sleeps through?
Most puppies settle into a quiet routine within 3–7 nights when they start close to their humans. Full sleep-through-the-night (no toilet break) depends on age: expect one night trip until roughly 14–16 weeks.
Crate or open bed for the first nights?
A crate with the door open (or closed once they enter willingly) gives the den feeling most puppies find soothing — as long as it sits next to your bed at first. The crate is a bedroom, never a punishment cell.
My older puppy suddenly cries at night again. Why?
Check the basics first: evening water/meal timing, enough daytime exercise, and any change in the home. Adolescent regression is common around 6–9 months; two nights of going back one step in your routine usually resolves it.
Turn this plan into a daily routine
Paviento walks you through this training step by step — with daily tracking, gentle reminders and a guide that adapts to your dog’s pace.