Why does my puppy get sad and cry when he sees himself in the mirror?

Poor pup! If she's feeling lonely, some things that can help mimic littermates include wrapping a warm water bottle or ticking clock in a cloth and letting her sleep with it. This can help mimic the warmth and heartbeat of a friend. Spending time socializing with her, and perhaps offering a fun toy or puzzle toy to help keep her occupied, or playing a soothing radio or TV station can help her to relax some and not feel so lonely. If she doesn't perk up, or shows any signs of illness in addition to this, ruling out any health issues with a vet checkup is also always a good idea.

Unfortunately, it's likely impossible to know why Sky is acing this way. It's possible something has scared her about the mirror and now she has developed a negative association. You may try to counteract this by creating a positive association. Begin by having a high value treat or toy. Start playing/a training session close to the mirror, trying to make it not a big deal. Reward her every time she looks at the mirror and doesn't bark. Do this for a few days. Once Sky seems comfortable playing by the door way, toss the toy or treat next to the mirror gently and allow her to retrieve it and continue the playing. Do this until Sky is comfortable. Practice walking in and out of the room with her and reward her every time she she looks at the mirror and is quiet. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Young puppies will whine or vocalize when cold, hungry, sick, injured or if left alone for long periods of time. You can make sure he is fed, warm and has company. To diagnose illness or injury, he would need to be physically examined by your veterinarian.

Hello, depending on how long this has been going on you may give him more time to snap out of it. If he continues to be sad for longer than a day, or if he has a decreased appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea, then you should have your puppy seen by a veterinarian. Hope this helps and best of luck,

I wouldn't be concerned by this behavior. It sounds like Silky is just exploring her surroundings and likes the mirror. As long as she is behaving normally otherwise I would not be concerned. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I would try to find other toys to help peek his interest in playing in other ways like a kong, stuffed toys, tennis balls, etc. You can also start teaching him tricks to help him have a "job". You could also hire a trainer to help teach you how to teach him different things. I would also think about getting him on something for anxiety. You could try a calming collar like sentry or adaptil and a calming chew like composure or the prescription formula composure pro. If these don't help, I would talk to your vet about start him on a anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine or trazadone. I hope this helps and he stops doing this soon!

Young puppies like this are often anxious about being left alone, even if they're just in a crate across the room. You can help him learn to enjoy being in his crate by giving him a special long-lasting treat each time you put him in - something like a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter works very well for many puppies. This will help to keep him busy and encourage him to settle, and will also teach him to associate good things with being in his crate.