How to Get A Puppy to Sleep Through the Night? (the most important tips)
Nobody tells you this but sleeping with a puppy is tough. You have to be careful so as to not wake your puppy up. You have to be as careful as if you have a newborn baby sleeping in your room. And finally, when your puppy sleeps through the night, it feels like a victory.
So how do you get your puppy to sleep through the night? Before I answer that question, do you know why your puppy is not sleeping well? This could be why.
Reasons Why Your Puppy Isn’t Sleeping Well
1. No potty breaks
Puppies need time to develop the self-control for potty training. They either have to hold their pee in until you take them out for a walk. The older your puppy gets, the longer she can hold her pee in. For example, a 3-year dog can hold her pee for 3 hours, 4-year old for 4 hours, and so on.
However, during the night, puppies are unaware of such bathroom breaks. And so they pee whenever they feel like. Either waking you up so that you take her out into the yard. Or compel you to clean up the mess at home itself.
2. Not enough physical activity throughout the day
Simply said, they’re just not tired! Puppies are quite excited and playful. So their up-time can beat their down-time. However, if they sleep way too much throughout the day. This could mean they’re up for longer through the night.
You need to maintain a healthy balance between snoozing time and playtime. If that doesn’t happen, all the pent up energy would cause anxiousness and insomnia in your dog. Forcing them to stay up and become stressed.
3. Boredom
Separation anxiety rings true for puppies. Especially if it’s only been a few days since you brought them home. They’re not accustomed to this new environment. And if they had other puppy friends back in their old home, it could get rough.
New puppies sometimes cry or whine when they’re lonely. The best thing to do is to comfort them or give them a toy to chew to change their mind.
How to Get A Puppy to Sleep Through the Night
Once you know why your puppy is not sleeping through the night. These steps will help you help your puppy. They’re simple, effective, and don’t require any sort of medication! Just do the little things that could possibly make a difference. And if still, it doesn’t change, take her to a vet.
1. Stimulate them mentally and physically
Sometimes all puppies need is more excitement and challenges. If you’ve adopted a high-energy dog, this could prove useful. Keeping a puppy’s mind and body engaged for at least 60-120 minutes a day is essential.
If you’re not around during the day to do that, keep a dog nanny. Yeah, that’s right! Someone who could take care of your pup and make play-time more physically and mentally engaging.
This will completely tire your pup by nighttime. And who knows, she might snore louder than you!
2. Potty training them before bed
Want to know how to get a puppy to sleep through the night? This is one of the best things to do. Making sure their bladder is empty before sleeping. I mean, don’t you pee first before sleeping? A full tummy won’t ever let you sleep. And puppies poop and pee round the clock.
So you can make it a daily routine for your puppy. Take her for a walk around your block every night before going to bed. Not only will this potty train your puppy, but she’ll also be exhausted by the time you come back home.
3. Don’t overexcite the puppy after dark
On days you don’t get to see your dog till late at night, make sure you’re calm. Puppies pick up on their parent’s energies. So if you’re calm, your pup will stay calm. If you’re extremely excited or agitated, ditto!
Ensure a calm and cozy environment for your puppy to sleep in. But not directly before sleeping as if switching off the excitement plug. Gradually, over the course of 2 hours, give in to this method. You’ll notice your puppy relaxing and getting ready for bed too.
4. Crate training is essential
Pets tend to sleep less when they’re around their favorite parent. So purchasing a crate for them to sleep in is ideal. You’re not around to watch her sleep. And she’s not looking at you puzzled or excited as well.
Make sure you cozy up the crate and keep it comfortable. So comfortable that you’d want to sleep in it. However, keep the crate close to you so your puppy feels at home.
After a few months, if you’d like to keep a dog room, you can move the crate to that room. It’s essential and important for your dog to learn how to be alone at home. This could be the first step in that direction.
5. Take them for night potty breaks
If your pup, in spite of emptying her bladder before bed, is uneasy and not sleeping. You might have to adjust a little a bit. This means waking up to take her outside just to pee or poop. And the best part about this is that your puppy will wake you up. All thanks to the potty training you’ve been giving her before going to bed.
So you calmly take her outside and let her do her business. Then bring her back in, give her a pat on her head, and snooze. Trust me this works wonders! Just don’t excite your puppy when you’re taking her out. It’s not play-time, it’s pee-time!
Make sure you use the phrases “good girl” and “such a good dog” after she pees and poops. It’s rewarding for your puppy to hear these kind words said gently. And it’s the best thing to do for potty training. You could also sneak in a treat or two if you’re really proud!
The Wrap-Up
Learn to be a responsible, compassionate, and empathetic pet parent. These qualities go a long way to keeping your puppy healthy and happy. And if your puppy is happy, so are you! Surviving the first night with your puppy is hard enough as it is. They’re lonely, confused, and scared.
But these tips will keep things smooth and comfortable. For you and the new puppy in your home. Learn these simple steps on how to get a puppy to sleep through the night right. It’s not that hard once you know the basics of how to care for dogs.
