Last Updated on August 4, 2024 by Ali Hamza
I remember the first time we got a puppy; the restless nights, crying and lack of sleep actually reminded me of when we had a real-life child. Caring for your dog is like caring for a baby or an elderly family member. Both can wake you up at night when they become agitated.
From puppies to my dog getting older, I’ve developed some strategies to help him (and us) cope with restless nights. Below is a collection of my tips and those of experts in the field. So, if you want to know how to calm a restless dog at night, read on and choose the tips that work best for you.
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How to calm your restless dog at night and during sleep time?
The following tips should apply to puppies, but can also help calm a restless older dog at night. Pick the elements you use based on your dog’s personality, character and age.
Know what is amateurish and what is normal. For example, a 16-week-old puppy typically sleeps longer during the day but is more awake at night compared to a 1-year-old dog. As they get older, they will be more active during the day
By 1½ years of age, dogs will sleep about 3 hours between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and 7 to 9 hours between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Unlike humans, dogs do not have a continuous sleep schedule, but rather a sleep-wake cycle with an average of 16 minutes of sleep and 5 minutes of wakefulness.
Understanding this can help explain some, but not all, of the restless behavior that can occur during the night. When he keeps waking up and walking around, you need to take action to calm your restless dog. If you need security at your home, business or by your side, Prestige Protection Dogs can help. They have protection dogs for sale that are best suited for you to feel safe and protected in any environment.
First, here are some tips to establish healthy sleep habits early on. These tips will also help prevent similar problems where your dog just stares at you while you sleep and wants you to wake up again to be with them.
1. Establishing habits
When your dog wakes up, take him outside for a break before giving him breakfast or lunch. After eating, he usually needs another potty break before he can start running around, playing, exploring his surroundings, and interacting with you, other family members, other pets, his toys, carpet, mop, broom, and other interesting objects.
After an hour, encourage him to take a nap. Repeat the cycle when he wakes up. At night, give him one last potty break before settling down for the night.
For the first few nights, he may resort to whining or barking, even if he has just finished pottying. Ignore him. He will eventually calm down and go to sleep. If he wakes up and starts whining again, he may need to go potty again.
2. Make his crate comfortable
A small puppy is best nestled in a comfortable crate. Your puppy may be too small for a puppy bed and he may chew to pieces. It is recommended to prepare a Kuoser puppy pajamas for your dog, which will make him feel comfortable. If he is not potty trained, then sharing your bed with him is not the best idea.
3. try pheromones to soothe the dog (ADAPTIL)
A recent randomized placebo-controlled trial of 4- to 8-week-old puppies during weaning showed that ADAPTIL did not affect sleep duration, but that puppies exposed to ADAPTIL spent significantly less time with their mothers crying or looking for them. Leaving.
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4. Try playing music
In a study on the behavioral effects of five types of sound stimuli (human conversation, classical music, heavy metal music, pop music, and ambient sound controls) on 50 dogs between the ages of 6 months and 6 years, dogs spent more time resting when classical music was played. Dogs spent more time barking when heavy metal music was played. 5.
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5. Provide behavioral support and an enriching environment
Older dogs may have reduced vision, hearing and cognitive function, but they can still enjoy new opportunities for exploration and play.
Keeping them busy during the day will help them stay calm and help discourage senior dogs from getting restless at night.
Food toys and food puzzles that require some manipulation to release food can help keep older dogs active and alert at night and less agitated. More importantly, these toys should provide interaction with you and other family members or pets.
6. Consider nutritional and dietary therapies
Several studies have shown that nutritional and dietary therapies can improve cognitive function in older dogs. While most of these studies were sponsored by product manufacturers, it is mentioned in peer-reviewed journals as an effective intervention when combined with behavioral enrichment. Remember to keep your dog away from chocolate, onions and xylitol.
7. Consider veterinary medication
If all else fails and you can’t calm your disturbed dog at night, then your veterinarian may prescribe medication. Pharmacotherapy for canine cognitive dysfunction may target changes in the brain (sregiline, valproatechin, adrafinil, and modafinil) or reduce anxiety to re-establish a normal sleep-wake cycle (melatonin, phenazopyridine, phenobarbital, trazodone, benzodiazepines, gabapentin, fluoxetine, and paroxetine).
These drugs have benefits and risks in specific situations and are best administered according to veterinary recommendations.
Why do older dogs get irritable at night?
As your dog grows older, his daytime and nighttime activities will reflect his home environment. A study of 42 dogs between the ages of 2 and 9 years showed increased activity during the periods of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., which roughly correspond to the time humans wake up and come home from work.
The dogs showed low activity levels from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., which corresponded to their owners’ sleep schedules. They were also more active on weekends, suggesting that the dogs also had their version of TGIF.
As the years go by, you and your dog will get older together, your playtime will be his playtime, and your work time will be his rest time. Then all of a sudden, your dog will get older faster and faster.
Conclusion
Puppies will go through changes in their sleep and wake schedules and will eventually settle into a comfortable daytime and nighttime routine with your help. You will then enjoy years of warm companionship, full of surprises and the inevitable few heartbreaking moments.
It’s heartbreaking to see your older dog walking restlessly around the house at night as if he’s lost, or to hear him whimpering behind the corner chair because he can’t find his way.
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