Original article written by Katherin Eldredge

How To Teach Your Puppy To Sleep Through The Night

Use these tips for those puppies who might need help to settle down and snooze at night.

In many ways, getting a new puppy is just like having a baby in the house. They are cute and fun to cuddle or play with, but also poop a lot and throw occasional tantrums. Everyone has heard horror stories about parents kept awake all night by an unhappy baby. Luckily for you, getting a puppy to sleep through the night is usually pretty easy!

Like their human counterparts, dogs are most active during the day and naturally prefer to sleep at night. Even if they take frequent naps, they will still usually go into a deep, extended sleep at night. Your puppy will already be started on this activity cycle when he comes home, although like other baby animals, he may not be able to hold his bladder very well at first.

What To Expect On Your Puppy’s First Night Home

Your puppy’s first night home will probably go one of two ways: he will be totally exhausted from the excitement of the day and go right to sleep, or he will have trouble settling in. Moving to a new home with strangers is a stressful event, even if all introductions go smoothly. Ask your dog breeder for a toy, towel or small blanket that smells like your puppy’s mother and siblings to put in his crate at bedtime. These familiar scents will help him to relax and settle in.

The younger your puppy is, the less likely it will be that he is able to sleep all the way through the night at first. Dogs don’t like to soil the areas where they sleep, so if your puppy needs a trip outside during the night, he will start to fuss and cry. When you hear him crying, take him outside for a short walk, then bring him back inside and put him back in his crate. Most puppies consistently sleep through the night by 3 or 4 months of age.

How Can You Help Your Puppy Get To Slee

 

Here are some tips for helping your puppy to settle in and sleep through the night.

1. Help him get plenty of exercise during the day.

One of my favorite sayings is, “A tired puppy is a good puppy!” Stimulate your puppy’s mind and body with age-appropriate activities during the day, both to bond with him and to use up his energy. As your puppy grows up, he will need more exercise.

2. Keep bedtime calm.

Try to avoid intense games of tug or other exciting activities that get your puppy aroused and amped up within the last half hour or so before bedtime. Many dogs enjoy routines: My dogs know that when I brush my teeth at night, it is almost time for bed.

3. Make sure he has peed and pooped.

Sometimes when puppies go outside, they get distracted by the sights and sounds of the world and forget that they are out there for a reason. An “empty” puppy will sleep much longer than one who needs to go.

4. Make his crate comfortable.

Many dogs enjoy soft blankets to curl up in at night, while others prefer a cooler surface. Consider the temperature and time of year when choosing the bedding that will be most comfortable for your pup: No one wants flannel bedding when it’s 90 degrees out!

5. Something to chew on.

Chewing is a calming activity that all dogs enjoy; even more so when your puppy is teething! Some people give their dogs a biscuit or an edible chew at bedtime, or you can give your pup a bone or toy. I recommend a toy that doesn’t have squeakers. Having a toy or bone in the crate will also help to keep your puppy quietly entertained if he wakes up before you do.

6. Keep your puppy’s crate close by.

I like to crate my puppies next to my bed so that they aren’t alone and I will hear if they wake up in the night. As they become housebroken, they are allowed more freedom.