When puppies are new in different environments, they often experience unsettled nights commonly caused by separation anxiety. When a puppy is separated from its mother and siblings, it can whine and bark for the greater part of the night due to fear and loneliness. Fortunately, your puppy will settle over time, but you need to train it. Read on to learn how to get your puppy to sleep through the night.
How Long Does a Puppy Sleep?
A puppy usually dozes between 16 and 18 hours in 24 hours. It usually takes naps in between play time and meals, and it is expected to sleep longer at night when it needs 8 hours or more of rest. Training your puppy to sleep is good for its physical and cognitive development. Sleep helps your puppy’s tiny body to recharge so that it is active when it wakes up the following morning. Sleeping is also good for the memory.
Create a Bedtime Routine
Establish a bedtime routine for your puppy and stick to it. Just like us human beings, your dog needs to maintain a certain sleeping time and waking time. Before putting your pup to bed, put all foods away and provide some calming activities that can make it sleep. You can play soft music if you want and dim the lights until your new visitor falls asleep. Switch off the light for the night. You can only put it on when you take your puppy wants to pee. When they’re still young, puppies’ bladders cannot endure the whole night without getting some relief.
Crate training is essential for your dog because it helps create a favorable environment for sleeping. This training involves rewarding and praising your puppy for heading to its crate instead of sleeping in other undesignated places. With crate training, you can enjoy several benefits like having a peaceful sleep when your puppy gets used to its sleeping area. Be sure to choose an appropriate place for your puppy’s crate and stick to it. Remember to sleep beside the crate during the first days to make your puppy feel comfortable in your presence.
Make the Crate Comfortable
Create a cozy crate for your new puppy so it can enjoy a peaceful sleep. Once your puppy feels comfortable, it quickly dozes off and sleeps within a few minutes. Put soft bedding in the crate and make sure it is super warm. You can also cover the crate at night to make it darker so that your puppy can sleep for an extended time.
Place the crate near you so that the little puppy will feel your presence when it sleeps. Place a few items that your puppy loves inside the crate. For instance, you can put something to chew since chewing is part of your puppy’s growing process. An edible chew or biscuit is enough for your pup to chew during bedtime. Alternatively, you can also put a toy to keep your dog entertained during the night.
Well-timed Meals
Well-timed meals are essential for your dog’s rest at night. You should give it food at least one hour be fore bedtime. Make sure the feeding time isn’t too late such that your dog may need the toilet during the night. Additionally, the meal must not be too early such that the puppy can wake up looking for something to eat during bedtime.
Soothe Your Puppy
When your puppy is still new in your home, take time to comfort her so that she feels welcome. Even humans often experience challenges to acclimatize themselves to new environments and often undergo an acculturation process. The same applies to your dog to ensure a smooth transition to a new environment. Try to comfort your puppy to get sleep at night when she wakes up feeling unsettled.
Give Your Puppy Sufficient Physical and Mental Exercise
When you give your puppy enough physical and mental exercise, it is likely to sleep through the night due to tiredness. You tire your puppy by engaging her in different physical activities around your home. However, remember to provide physical exercises at short intervals to avoid boredom. You can take your dog out for a walk in the park but make sure it is on a leash. Puzzle toys can provide mental exercise for your puppy. Reward your pet with a treat every time it accomplishes a specific task.
Create a Potty Schedule
Before your puppy goes to bed, make sure she pees or poos first, and she must learn this routine as she grows. Reserve at least 10 minutes for this routine task before bedtime. In some cases, you may need to wake up around 3 a.m. and direct your puppy to her pot. However, you can save yourself from this hurdle by giving your pup a little water at night to avoid the need to visit the loo every time.
Ignore the Puppy
Without necessarily being cruel to your puppy, it is a good idea at times to ignore the whining and barking creature in the crate. When you ignore it, it will quickly know that it will not get attention when it makes noise during the night. Just make sure your pup has relieved itself and leave it. During the first days, you can use different noise-canceling devices to block the noise so you can get sleep. Sleeping closer to your puppy can make her comfortable when she knows you’re there.
Bringing a new puppy home is an exciting experience, but it comes with challenges during the first days. When the visitor is not yet used to the new environment, she might experience problems getting to sleep at night. However, if you implement these steps, she will gradually get used and eventually sleep peacefully at night.