Puppy Panting in His Crate – 4 Reasons And Fixes

Puppies communicate through a range of body language and cues, and panting is one of them.

When your dog pants in his crate at night, he’s trying to tell you something.

Which brings us to: Why is my puppy panting in his crate at night?

Puppy panting at night in his crate can be due to several reasons. These reasons include pain or illness, overheating, anxiety and stress, and nausea.

Looking for the possible things you can do so that he stops panting in his crate? We have dug deep into this topic to cover all the reasons and remedies to help you and your pup sleep peacefully.

Keep scrolling for a complete answer!

Reasons and Fixes to Your Puppy Panting In His Crate At Night

Puppies panting at night can be a nightmare for us dog parents as we love our furry munchkins so much.

We only want what’s best for them, making us wonder why they are panting in the first place. 

Here are some reasons, along with tried and tested ways to stop the panting altogether. Here goes!

Pain Or Illness

Is your dog panting inside his crate at night? The first thing to do is check if he’s suffering from any pain or illness.

Start by examining his body for injuries and ensuring he’s comfortable in his crate. If everything is good in these departments and he still pants at night, you must take him to the vet.

A vet visit will rule out any underlying health concerns and put your dog on the right track to recovery. 

Overheating

One of the most common reasons why dogs pant in their crates at night is because they are overheated.

If you have a plastic dog crate and are covering it with something, then there is a good chance your dog might be panting due to it.

You can try partially covering the crate or removing the covers altogether to see if it works. Going for a wire dog crate is another solution to maintain good airflow and prevent overheating.

Dog crate temperature must never exceed 85°F. If it is likely to exceed this temperature range, you should go for an oscillating fan, an air conditioner, or something that provides ventilation.

Anxious And Stressed

Is your dog showing any symptoms of stress and anxiety like drooling, crying, whining, or destructive behavior apart from panting?

If so, then chances are that your cute little furball might be suffering from anxiety.

You must take things slow with your crate training and let your pup take his time. Let him choose when he wants to go in his crate.

Positive reinforcements are your friend in this. Give him toys and treats whenever he goes inside his crate by himself and spends time there quietly. Remember to praise him whenever he decides to enter his crate. 

Also, ensure he always has something to keep himself busy while in his crate.

You will want your pup to build positive associations with the crate. And keeping him entertained while he’s inside his crate would do that.

Wearing him out physically throughout the day is also a good way to make sure he remains calm and cool.

Nausea

Dogs can sometimes gobble up something they weren’t supposed to, which can cause stomach problems in them, leading to nausea.

A good home remedy would be to frequently provide him with small amounts of water. And if that doesn’t work, take him to the vet.

Calm Nights In The Crate

So, there you have it.

A puppy panting in his crate can be a heartache, especially for loving dog parents.

To make sure he doesn’t pant in his crate at night, firstly, rule out any health concerns.

If all’s good on that front, overheating, anxiety and stress, or nausea might be the culprits.

Did you find the information in this post helpful?

Make sure you check out our other blog posts for similar queries.

Thanks for reading.