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Bringing a new puppy home is an extremely exciting event for any household. It’s also super exciting for your new furry family member. A puppy will be continually feeling a lot of stimulation in a new place with all kinds of new and interesting people, activity, and places to explore. Naturally, it will take your puppy some time to settle into his or her surroundings. Night time can be somewhat challenging for families with new puppies because they tend to stay active nocturnally and often have irregular sleep schedules. A noisy puppy demanding attention at 3:00 am will take a little joy out of the experience of having a new pet at home. Nevertheless, there are several things that you can do to help your puppy sleep through the night.
Puppies have small bladders, so it’s no wonder that they have to urinate frequently. Even when puppies have had a trip outside just a couple of hours ago, one final opportunity to relieve themselves outside will lessen the chances that a puppy has to wake up in the middle of the night when nature calls.
You can’t sedate a puppy the same way that you might sedate yourself with a sleeping pill if you were having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep. However, you can give your puppy a natural supplement to promote rest and relaxation.
Don’t Isolate Your Puppy
Some new puppy owners keep their new furry family members in a closed room or even a crate when they turn in for the night. Being isolated can be extremely anxiety-provoking for a dog of any age, particularly puppies. It is not surprising that this treatment is often met with whimpering and barking expressions of protest and despair. Puppies are accustomed to sleeping with their littermates. Being snug against one another makes puppies feel cozy and safe. The change from these sleeping conditions to being all alone and unable to seek out comfort is likely to cause distress. Dogs are pack animals, and it’s important for them to sleep with their pack. It’s part of what makes them feel like a valued and protected pack member. If your puppy could choose where to sleep, it would be where you are.
Ideally, you’ll like to cuddle up with your puppy at night. If you don’t want to have your puppy in bed with you, consider at least letting him or her sleep in the same room as you. Set up a dog bed near your bed so your puppy will feel reassured by your presence. Being where he or she can see you will help your puppy feel content. Also, if your puppy should happen to wake up in the night, your presence will help orient him or her; your furry little family member won’t feel confused about where everyone is or be distressed about being alone when you share your bed or bedroom.
Puppies’ overactive nighttime behavior may make it seem as though they’re full of limitless energy. In reality, puppies actually need a lot of rest. Their small and growing bodies tire very quickly. You may notice your puppy bounding around a room at full speed and then suddenly tucker out wherever he or she happens to be in mere moments. The fast transition from zoomies to naptime illustrates the critical importance of adequate rest. Biologically, puppies’ bodies demand rest to recharge. One way or another, puppies will get the rest that they need to stay healthy and grow, and they can fall asleep practically instantly to do it. The catch is that puppies’ sleep schedules are sporadic and often very dissimilar to people’s.
While you can’t really stop your puppy from napping, giving your puppy attention throughout the day will help promote activity. Keeping puppies stimulated and engaged will make them more interested in what’s happening around them rather than naptime. When puppies spend more time awake in the day and less time napping, they’ll be readier for rest at nighttime.
