How to Stop a Dog Barking in the Crate

Q: Should I let my puppy 'cry it out' in the crate?

No. Prolonged distress can create a lasting fear of the crate and of being alone. Build up crate time gradually with rewards, and go back a step if the puppy is barking rather than settling.

Q: My dog is fine in the crate at home but barks in the car crate. Why?

The car adds motion, noise, unfamiliar sights and sometimes nausea. Treat car confinement as its own training picture: engine off first, view blocked, short trips, treats, and a vet check for travel sickness.

Q: Why does my dog bark in the crate?

Usually it wants out, is not yet comfortable with confinement, is under-exercised, or is anxious. Frantic barking with drooling, scrabbling and escape attempts is panic, not stubbornness, and needs professional help.

Q: How do I crate train a dog that barks?

Build comfort in small steps: feed every meal in the crate with the door open, then give a stuffed chew, then close the door for seconds while the dog eats and open before it finishes, gradually adding time only while the dog stays relaxed.

Q: Should I let my dog out of the crate when it barks?

Not while it is barking, or you teach it that barking opens the door. Wait for a pause, even a brief one, then let it out calmly. Better still, return and reward quiet before the barking starts.

Q: Why does my dog bark in its crate in the car?

The car adds motion, noise, unfamiliar sights and sometimes nausea. Treat car confinement as its own training picture: engine off first, view blocked with a cover, short trips, treats, and a vet check for travel sickness.

Q: How long should crate training take?

Many dogs are comfortably settling within one to three weeks of short daily sessions. Anxious dogs take longer and benefit from professional guidance.

Q: Is it cruel to crate a dog that barks?

A crate used well is a safe den, but forcing a distressed dog into one and leaving it can create lasting fear. If your dog panics or injures itself, stop crating and use a pen or a dog-proofed room instead, and speak to a behaviourist.

Q: What should I do before crating my dog to reduce barking?

Exercise and toilet the dog first so it has no urgent need, provide a safe long-lasting chew, cover the crate to cut visual triggers, and place it where the dog can sense you at first rather than in isolation.

Q: My puppy barks in the crate at night. Is that normal?

Yes, early on. Puppies bark because they need the toilet or are not yet used to being alone. Keep the crate by your bed at first, take quiet toilet breaks, and build up alone time gradually during the day.

Barking in a crate or car is usually about wanting out, feeling anxious, or having too much energy. The answer is to build up confinement slowly and pair it with good things, not to wait the dog out.

We publish this site independently and stand behind the guidance on it. It is not the official Brain Training for Dogs website, and we are not Adrienne Farricelli or her team. Some links here are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and that never changes what we recommend. See our affiliate disclosure.

Quick answer

Make the crate rewarding by feeding meals and chews inside with the door open, then close it for seconds and build up gradually while the dog stays relaxed. Meet exercise and toileting needs before crating. Cover the crate to reduce visual triggers, add a long-lasting chew, and avoid letting the dog out mid-bark. If the dog panics, stop and work with a behaviourist.

Work out why

Wants out / under-exercised: demanding bark, settles once tired or once let out. Needs a better routine and slower crate training.
Not yet comfortable with confinement: whining and barking that eases with gradual, rewarded practice.
Anxiety or panic: frantic barking, drooling, scrabbling, trying to escape, sometimes injuring itself. This is not stubbornness and needs professional help.
Alarm barking: reacting to things seen or heard from the crate or car window.

Build crate comfort step by step

Feed every meal in the crate with the door open for a few days.
Give a stuffed frozen chew inside, door still open.
Close the door for a few seconds while the dog eats, then open before it finishes. Repeat, adding seconds.
Work up to a few minutes with you nearby, then to you moving around the room, then briefly leaving.
Only progress when the dog is relaxed at the current step. If it barks, you moved too fast; drop back.

Set the dog up to succeed

Exercise and toilet the dog before crating, so it has no urgent need.
Always provide a safe, long-lasting chew.
Cover the crate or use a shade in the car to cut visual triggers.
Place the crate where the dog can sense you at first, rather than in isolation.
Use background sound to mask household or traffic noise.

Do not release mid-bark

If you open the door while the dog is barking, you teach it that barking opens doors. Wait for a pause, even a brief one, then calmly let it out. Better still, return and reward quiet before the barking starts, so you are always paying calm.

Cars specifically

Start with the engine off, dog in its crate or harness, feeding treats, then build up to short drives.
Block the window view with a crate cover or sunshade.
Rule out motion sickness with your vet; nausea causes drooling, whining and barking.

When to get help

If the dog panics in the crate, hurts itself, or cannot settle despite slow, positive training, stop crating and speak to a reward-based behaviourist and your vet. For some dogs a pen or a dog-proofed room is a better option than a crate.

Want the games mapped out for you?

Brain Training for Dogs organises reward-based mental exercises and obedience training into difficulty levels, with troubleshooting for each step. Check the current offer for format, contents and guarantee terms.

See the current offer

Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

FAQ

Should I let my puppy 'cry it out' in the crate?

My dog is fine in the crate at home but barks in the car crate. Why?

Why does my dog bark in the crate?

How do I crate train a dog that barks?

Should I let my dog out of the crate when it barks?

Why does my dog bark in its crate in the car?

How long should crate training take?

Is it cruel to crate a dog that barks?

What should I do before crating my dog to reduce barking?

My puppy barks in the crate at night. Is that normal?

Related guides

References

Pongrácz P, Molnár C, Miklósi Á, Csányi V (2005). Human listeners are able to classify dog barks recorded in different situations. Journal of Comparative Psychology 119(2), 136–144.
Yeon SC (2007). The vocal communication of canines. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 2(4), 141–144.
Storengen LM, Lingaas F (2015). Noise sensitivity in 17 dog breeds: prevalence, breed risk and correlation with fear in other situations. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 171, 152–160.
Herron ME, Shofer FS, Reisner IR (2009). Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 117, 47–54.
Blackwell EJ, Twells C, Seawright A, Casey RA (2008). The relationship between training methods and the occurrence of behavior problems, as reported by owners, in a population of domestic dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 3, 207–217.
Fernandes JG, Olsson IAS, Vieira de Castro AC (2017). Do aversive-based training methods actually compromise dog welfare?: a literature review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 196, 1–12.
Ziv G (2017). The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs: a review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 19, 50–60.
China L, Mills DS, Cooper JJ (2020). Efficacy of dog training with and without remote electronic collars vs. a focus on positive reinforcement. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 508.
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (2021). Position Statement on Humane Dog Training. View source
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Position Statement on the Use of Punishment for Behavior Modification in Animals. View source

These references describe dogs and training in general. They are not evidence about any specific commercial program. This page is general information, not a substitute for individualised veterinary or behaviour advice. Last reviewed: 30 August 2026.