Bringing a new puppy into your home is an exciting and rewarding experience. However, it can also be challenging, especially when getting them to sleep through the night.
Puppies have unique sleep patterns and may struggle to initially settle down for a full night’s rest. This article will explore techniques and strategies to help your puppy sleep all night. Following these tips can create a peaceful and restful environment for you and your furry friend.
Establish a Consistent Bedtime Routine
Establishing a consistent bedtime routine is one of the most effective ways to teach your puppy to sleep through the night. Dogs thrive on routine, and having a structured schedule can help signal your puppy that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Consider the following elements when creating a bedtime routine:
Exercise: Ensure your puppy gets plenty of physical activity during the day. A tired puppy is more likely to sleep soundly at night. Engage in playtime, walks, or interactive games to burn off excess energy.
Feeding Schedule: Adjust your puppy’s feeding times so they do not need to get up frequently at night. Aim to feed them their last meal a few hours before bedtime.
Calming Activities: Incorporate calming activities into your puppy’s evening routine. This may include gentle grooming, a relaxing massage, or quiet play with appropriate toys. Avoid stimulating activities that may energize your puppy before bed.
Create a Comfortable Sleeping Environment
A comfortable sleeping environment is essential for your puppy to sleep through the night. Consider the following factors to provide a cosy and inviting space for your furry friend:
Bedding: Choose a suitable bed for your puppy that provides adequate support and comfort. Various options are available, such as crate beds, orthopaedic beds, or simple padded mats. Experiment to find the type of bedding your puppy prefers.
Temperature and Lighting: Ensure the room temperature is comfortable for your puppy, neither too hot nor too cold. Consider using a night light or leaving a soft lamp on to provide a subtle source of illumination that can help ease their anxiety.
Background Noise: Playing mellow music or utilizing a white noise machine can help create a soothing environment for your puppy. This background noise can mask other sounds that might otherwise startle or awaken them during the night.
Encourage Self-Soothing Techniques
Teaching your puppy self-soothing techniques can help them settle down and fall asleep independently. Here are some strategies you can try:
Crate Training:
- If you choose to crate train your puppy, introduce it gradually and make the crate a positive and safe space.
- Encourage your puppy to associate the crate with relaxation and comfort.
- Place familiar toys or blankets inside to create a cosy den-like environment.
Positive Reinforcement: Use positive reinforcement techniques to reward your puppy for settling down and being calm in their sleeping area. Offer treats, gentle praise, or a favourite toy when they exhibit relaxed behaviour.
Soothing Scents: Consider using calming scents like lavender or chamomile to create a relaxing atmosphere. You can use essential oil diffusers or sprays designed specifically for dogs. Always ensure the scents are safe for your puppy, and consult with a veterinarian if unsure.
Avoid Nighttime Distractions
Minimizing potential nighttime distractions is important to promote uninterrupted sleep for your puppy. Follow these tips to create a peaceful sleeping environment:
Limit Food and Water Intake: Restrict your puppy’s access to food and water a few hours before bedtime. This will reduce the likelihood of waking up due to hunger or the need to eliminate.
Potty Breaks: Take your puppy outside for a final potty break just before bedtime. This will allow them to relieve themselves and decrease the chances of needing to go at night.
Reduce External Stimuli: Avoid external noises, such as loud TV or household activities, that may disturb your puppy’s sleep. Additionally, avoid engaging in exciting play or stimulating interactions close to bedtime.
Gradual Adjustments
It’s important to remember that transitioning your puppy to sleep through the night may take time. Puppies have smaller bladders and shorter attention spans, so it’s natural for them to initially wake up during the night. To help them adjust gradually:
Incremental Lengthening of Sleep Time: Start by extending the time between your puppy’s potty breaks during the night. For example, if your puppy wakes up every three hours, try stretching it to three and a half hours, then four, and so on. This way, they will gradually learn to hold their bladder for longer periods.
Minimal Interaction: When your puppy wakes up at night, keep interactions calm and minimal. Avoid stimulating them with excessive attention or play. Instead, gently reassure them and encourage them to settle back down.
Consistency is Key
Consistency is crucial when teaching your puppy to sleep through the night. Dogs thrive on routine, and a consistent approach will help establish good sleeping habits. Here are some additional tips for maintaining consistency:
Stick to the Schedule: Follow the same bedtime routine every night, even on weekends or vacations. This will help reinforce the desired behaviour and prevent confusion.
Avoid Deviating from the Plan: Giving in to your puppy’s demands for attention or playtime during the night can be tempting. However, doing so can disrupt their sleep schedule and make it harder for them to settle down. Stay firm and consistent with your expectations.
Seek Professional Advice if Needed
If you’ve tried various techniques and your puppy continues to have trouble sleeping through the night, consider seeking advice from a professional dog trainer or veterinarian. They can provide personalized guidance based on your puppy’s specific needs. They may also help rule out any underlying health issues affecting your puppy’s sleep patterns.
When facing challenges with your puppy’s sleep, don’t hesitate to seek professional advice. Consulting a veterinarian or a professional dog trainer can provide valuable insights and personalized guidance to address any underlying issues and ensure your puppy gets the best possible sleep. Their expertise can create a peaceful and restful night for you and your furry friend.
When Will My Puppy Sleep Through the Night?
If you’re doing all these tips, congrats! Most puppies learn to sleep through the night by three or four months. With a consistent routine around exercise, feeding, and bedtime, you may experience earlier progress. By six months, your puppy won’t have middle-of-the-night potty breaks.
These first few weeks can also be brutal for your sleep schedule, especially if you aren’t a morning person. But your puppy will slowly learn to sleep in—a different training skill. The good news is dogs need a lot of sleep, so you may be able to nap while your puppy has one, too!
Learn everything you need to know in this quick video:
Speed-round questions
- What if I need to board my puppy? A schedule change could be better for young dogs, but puppies are also very adaptable. Ideally, you would have a sitter house-sit, but our advice is the same if your puppy stays elsewhere. Write down your puppy’s routine for your sitter to follow. (And since puppies are a lot of work, remember to request constant care as a service from your sitter. Puppies should be supervised for at most four hours.)
- Will day naps ruin my puppy’s sleep schedule? Interestingly, less sleep can result in more frantic behaviour rather than lethargy. Naps are critical to a puppy’s development and ability to learn. If you believe your puppy’s nighttime naps disrupt their sleep training, try adjusting your schedule so they nap earlier.
- What if my puppy is too excited to sleep? Reconsider your schedule and start planning chews or lick mats time for your puppy about an hour before bed. Chewing and licking are activities that puppies relax. You can also consider a calm night walk if your puppy likes to sniff.
- What if my puppy won’t potty when outside? This is normal. More excitable puppies can forget they need to potty and want to play. Make sure you act boring and don’t engage with your puppy. If they don’t go within a minute or two, go back inside. Then try again until they do potty and heavily praise them when they do. Tiny treat reinforcements are okay here.
7 Reasons Why Your Puppy Is Still Not Sleeping Through The Night
If you and your pup are dealing with sleepless nights beyond three to four months of age, there could be an underlying issue. Here are some common reasons to explore:
- They’re Teething: Teething Puppies may be uncomfortable because of their teeth. If your new pup is teething, offer some soft toys or treats to chew on. Ice cubes or frozen treats are another popular option to help soothe sore gums. Be patient, and know that this stage will pass!
- They’re Uncomfortable: Just like you prefer a cosy bed, your dog wants to be as comfortable as possible while sleeping. Place their favourite toys in the crate along with clean, soft bedding they like. If you notice they struggle to settle down and are constantly fidgeting or scratching, check if their bedding has fleas or another biting insect. Even if you don’t find any bugs, wash their crate and bedding in hot, soapy water to ensure there aren’t any unwanted guests.
- They’re Too Tired: Another possibility, particularly with very young puppies, is that your puppy is overtired. Do you know how tired toddlers get cranky, throw a tantrum, and then fall fast asleep? Your puppy can do that, too. This will typically happen after a very big day when a lot of new or exciting things happen. Be patient until they settle down.
- They Don’t Like Their Crate: Your puppy will need time to acclimate to their crate. Crate training helps them adapt to spending time and sleeping in this space, so take your time to train your pup. As a bonus, crating at night is an excellent way to speed up house training because your puppy will naturally avoid soiling their space, and it prevents messes or damage throughout your house. Crating is also a valuable life skill that your dog will need at some point.
- Separation Anxiety: Some puppies get anxious when separated from their parent. You can address this by having them sleep beside your bed until they’re older. Once they are comfortable sleeping in their crate right next to your bed, you can gradually move the crate farther away if desired. Your puppy may enjoy having an old shirt or something else with your pheromones to sleep with.
- They Have a Medical Issue: If you notice that your puppy is showing any signs of illness such as vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, sneezing, decreased appetite or energy, or acting uncomfortable or not like themselves, they should be examined by your veterinarian. Even if there are no outward signs, but your pup can’t sleep through the night, bringing your puppy to the vet is still a good idea to ensure there aren’t any underlying issues.
You will know your puppy and their normal behaviours better than anyone else. If they are inexplicably fussy at night, you’ve tried several solutions, and if things don’t seem right to you, consult your veterinarian or a dog trainer. Your pup may be going through a difficult stage, but it can’t hurt to seek help if you are concerned.
Conclusion
Helping your puppy sleep through the night requires patience, consistency, and understanding. By implementing a consistent bedtime routine, creating a comfortable sleeping environment, encouraging self-soothing techniques, and minimizing distractions, you can set the stage for a restful night’s sleep for you and your furry companion. Remember, each puppy is unique, and adjusting to their new sleeping habits may take time. With love and guidance, your puppy will gradually learn to sleep peacefully through the night, ensuring a healthy and happy start to their day.
FAQ
Where Should Your Puppy Sleep?
While you may eventually want to let your dog sleep in bed with you (or your kids), it is best if your dog initially sleeps in a crate. Once they’re completely potty trained, soundly asleep, and content in their crate, you can always let them in the bed later. It’s always simpler to begin crate training when a dog is young than to try to convince an older dog to sleep in a crate.
That’s another story if you put their crate in your bedroom or another room. To learn more about setting up a crate for the safety and comfort of your puppy, read this article.
When Should a Puppy Start Sleeping Through the Night?
With determination and patience, your puppy should start to sleep through the night around four months of age. All dogs are different and will respond differently to training techniques. But there are some sleep training tips for helping your dog sleep through the night. Consider crate training.
How Can I Help My Dog Sleep Through the Night?
But there are some sleep training tips for helping your dog sleep through the night. Consider Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night – ForeverKid Shop. https://foreverkidshop.com/sleep-through-the-night/ Crate training is helpful for potty training, providing a safe place while you’re away and helping them get the sleep they need. Consider placing one or two inexpensive blankets at the bottom of your puppy’s crate.
What If My Senior Dog Stops Sleeping Through the Night?
If your senior dog stops sleeping through the night, do something about it. The problem is not going to go away. Almost everyone who has raised a puppy has dealt with this issue. Puppies sleep often during the day, but when it is time for you to hit the hay, your little friend is wide awake and ready to play.