Why Does My Dog Scratch His Crate At Night? 4 Reasons

Crating can be a lifesaver for dog parents who can’t let their furry companions loose in their homes all day long.

As helpful as crating can be, it comes with its fair share of challenges.

One of them is: Why does my dog scratch his crate at night?

Do you have a well-behaved pooch who suddenly started scratching his crate at night?

Your dog might be scratching his crate at night for several reasons, including:

• Separation anxiety
• The sight of an unexpected visitor (fox, badger, etc.)
• Excess energy
• Disturbing your furball during his normal sleep schedule

Looking for more information on why he might be showing this unusual behavior? Then, keep scrolling for a more detailed answer.

Why Does My Dog Scratch His Crate At Night?

Ever woke in the dead of night because of your doggo’s crate-scratching fiesta? Here are some reasons why he may have adopted this bad habit.

Separation Anxiety

Dogs shower us with unconditional love, sometimes making us wonder what we did to deserve such affection.

And this can go to the point that your dog never wants you to leave his sight.

Such loving pooches can develop separation anxiety when left alone by their parents, ultimately leading to the crate-scratching habit.

This is your pooch’s way of saying, “I want to be with you Hooman, please come back!”

How to Deal With Separation Anxiety

If you are sure your dog is scratching his crate because of anxiety, positive reinforcement will greatly help!

Leave your dog for small moments of time at night and reward him for good behavior. Keep increasing the duration and continue giving him treats until he finally falls asleep.

Also, leaving him with plenty of toys to play with and your worn piece of garment that has your scent on it might do the trick.

An Unexpected Visitor

Another reason your dog might be going crazy with the scratching is that it saw an unexpected garden visitor like a badger, fox, or hedgehog.

Dogs are quite sensitive to visual stimuli, and seeing something roam outside your house may make them uneasy.

How to Deal With A Garden Visitor

To prevent uninvited guests from entering your property, you can install barriers or proper fencing.

And use visual and auditory scare mechanisms to keep them from entering your turf.

Excess Energy

Our four-legged friends are always buzzing with energy. They need to have their daily fill of exercise to keep them calm at night and help them have a good night’s sleep.

Crating at night means bedtime, and if he’s still full of energy and refuses to doze off, that could lead to destructive behavior like scratching his crate.

How to Deal With An Energy-Filled Pooch

To tire a dog who is full of energy and shows destructive behavior because of it, you can take him out for a night walk.

This will also be a good opportunity for him to do his business so he doesn’t have any accidents at night.

Also, giving him dog puzzles he can play with will provide mental stimulation that would go a long way in lowering his energy levels.

Disturbing Your Furball During His Normal Sleep Schedule

Lastly, if for some reason, his slumber patterns are getting disturbed due to your late sleeping habits and he wakes up because of it, then this could also trigger the scratching behavior.

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night because your friendly neighbors are having a wild party. Would you be able to go to sleep immediately? No, right?

The same thing can be happening to your dog, and to kill his boredom, he might want to join you in on your nighttime fun.

How to Deal With Sleep Schedule Issues

If your nighttime activities are waking your pooch up, then a good idea would be to shift his crate to somewhere unaffected by any kind of visual or auditory noise.

Also, covering your dog crate with a soundproof dog cover is an excellent way to somewhat eliminate the two types of noises.

No More Scratching At The Crate

Crate scratching can be a nuisance for loving dog parents as we want our furry companions to always be happy and healthy.

And it can often make us wonder what’s causing this strange behavior.

Crate scratching can be caused by a number of factors, including separation anxiety, an unexpected garden visitor, high energy levels, and a sudden change in his sleep patterns.

Did you find this post helpful?

If so, check out our other blog posts for different crating queries.

Thanks for reading, folks!