How to Calm a Dog Down at Night?: You think it’s about time you get a hold of your life. You read it on the internet that a good night’s sleep is what you require to attain a perfectly balanced life. You want a healthy lifestyle and you want it now! As much as you want it, you are not able to get it. You wake up a lot during the night. Shucks!
But what’s to blame for this problem of yours? Is it the neighbor’s crying baby? Or perhaps you just suffer from anxiety that spars with your sleep at night. Maybe you have some spooky nightmares…
Maybe, just maybe ever thought that you are not able to so because your dog is very active during the night! It wants to have a playful time when it should be its nap time! Naughty doggo!
Don’t think that’s the case? But you are in denial, my friend! You are in denial because you don’t want to blame your furry friend for it. You get all defensive (shield armors on!) when it comes to your four-legged BFF!
But no matter how much you deny it, they pretty much might be the reason for your incomplete Zzzs and your restlessness during the night.
Some (or most) dog owners will right away accept that their dog getting anxious during the night is the MAIN reason behind their incomplete sleep. It’s about time you accept it too!
No need to get all defensive, we didn’t mean to offend you (or your little canine) in any way. We only want the absolute best for both of you!
Whether you accept it not, but you need to find a solution to this canine problem of yours besides simply getting the best dog bed. And we are over here for just that. Mmm… sweet!
You need to calm your dog down at night to get the perfect good night’s sleep. You don’t want an anxious dog at night. End of story!
You also need them to sleep when YOU sleep. You need them to sleep at night and not run here and there and create unwanted noises and disturbances! You need them to be calm just like you! Owner and pet alike, hmm… we like the sound of it!
You deserve a good routine which can only be achieved if you get a good night’s sleep. You need to be well-rested when you go to work because you definitely cannot afford to doze off in your office every now and then. You don’t want your peer to get the promotion that YOU very well deserved!
This article is here for just that – teaching and guiding you on how to calm your naughty one down at night.
Yes, the information in this article is very well researched, so you can rest assured knowing that you are in good hands.
Why do dogs get restless during the night?
Before going into the depths of this article, let’s answer a basic question first – why does your canine best friend get restless during the night? Answering this question is absolutely pertinent if you want an in depth understanding of your dog’s agitation!
Yes, these little creatures can sometimes act as an arch-enemy to your peaceful nighttime sleep (not so peaceful now, eh?). But why do they do this? Do they really not have your best interests at heart? This is not the case! They utterly adore you. So, why do they do this? Let us answer that for you!
The following might be the reasons for your jewel’s uncalled anxiety during the night.
Insufficient physical activity
Just like some good hours of physical activity is necessary for us humans, your pet needs them too! Yes, your dog needs to tire itself from all the physical activity that it does during the day. It needs to use up its energy in a constructive way (very much recommended by our personal vet – Dr. Doggo Greene!).
Walks with your little canine friend are an excellent way to exhaust your pet. And while you are at it, playing a nice game of fetch (or perhaps catch). The playtime with your pet should involve a great deal of running to work up those muscles! Work work work!
What a lack of physical activity does is; it stores up unused energy, and it builds and builds and builds inside your canine! And if this happens, it’s no wonder that your dog doesn’t feel sleepy at night! Oh.
You want them to use THAT energy during the day, so that at night their sole purpose is to regain it through a sweet nap.
Canine anxiety
It isn’t exactly a surprise if your pup isn’t sleeping if it is suffering from any sort of anxiety or strain (deep breaths, Mr. Doggo).
If your canine friend suffers from a lot of repositioning or pacing (which is indicative of discomfort), dog anxiety might very well be the reason for this. Yes, it is as common in dogs as it is in humans!
One thing you need to understand here is that your pet isn’t like you. If you think of a particular situation as normal and peaceful, this might not be the case with your dog! They might get tensed even in situation in which you thought that stress was unwarranted. Please lookout for this!
Dog anxiety may come from things even as little as changing the location of your gem’s doghouse (sounds cute but it isn’t!). However, this might also be something serious; your dog might have a medical condition that causes this to happen. Please get your pooch diagnosed ASAP!
Uneasiness comes with age!
Do you blame older people for their crankiness? Well, you shouldn’t blame your dog either! Aging is a slow process but it definitely brings a great deal of change in your furry best friend.
A change can be anything, it can be physiological and it can be psychological. It can be in the form of vision and hearing impairment too (just like us). These physiological changes definitely do a number on your furry friend’s ability to sleep and also on its sleep schedule. Sleeping hours may even decrease with age. We are very much similar Mr. Doggo!
There is almost nothing we can do over here, we have to accept our little ones (who are not so little now) for who they are, and most importantly, we have to be patient! We have to respect their sleeping cycle! And respect comes with age.
Calming down your furry best friend to get a good night’s sleep
After learning about the reasons, we now get to the purpose of this article.
The following are a few things you can do to achieve that good night’s sleep, so let’s get rollin’, champ!
Take them out and give ‘em some physical exercise
Maybe all your dog needs is some physical training (as mentioned earlier). You need to wear them out during the day so that in the night they feel tired. If they feel tired after a long day out, they are very much likely to simply just doze off as soon as you turn off your lights. Sweet!
In this solution (or equation) tired equals sleepy. Zzzz! Sweet dreams!
You can them out on a walk or play with them, go out and have fun! Take all your doggy toys with you and interact with them, this gives you bonding time with your sweetie as well! Talk about added benefits!
You can also take them out for a walk just before your (or theirs) nap time. The cool breezes are likely to give them a soothing touch and helps to calm them down. Peace!
This way you won’t have a restless doggy that’s anxious all night long and doesn’t let you sleep. They are tired and they need some sleep to recover their energy, and so do you. The both of you deserve it!
Use the good old ‘reward and treat’ way to calm them down
A tasty treat is what gets your doggo going and you know it. There is nothing these good boys want more than rewards for their good behavior. We’ll now use that to our advantage! *diabolical laughter in the background*
This is one of the easiest trick in the book to calm your restless dog down during the night. This has been tested is proven to be just excellent when it comes to calming those agitated misters down. Perfectly splendid!
Here’s how it goes – being the perfect dog parent, by now you obviously know about your little one’s favorite treat. Give him that just before bed time, it’s that easy and it’s sure to do wonders! Classy!
A full tummy and that too with your favorites tends to make us sleepy with our appetites satisfied. Surprisingly, it works for your canine friend as well!
This trick works but we aren’t sure how. But do we want to know as long as it is getting our problem fixed? I think not!
Maybe it satisfies them internally that they just got their favorite treats, or maybe it tires them out, or perhaps it makes them numb to all those annoying sounds and noises in the night.
You never know, and trust us, it’s better that way! Maybe we choose to be this oblivious in dog paradise, ‘cause that’s where we are!
Provide them with the most perfect and secure doggo bed.
We always tend to overdo ourselves when it comes to creating a neat little bed for our pets.
We want it to be the cutest and we want it to be the coziest! We want it to be just perfect in every aspect. We want our friends and family to just fall in love with that bed as soon as they catch a glance at it! *cute doggo shaped bubbles in the background*
As much as we want it to be the sweetest candy for our eyes, your canine expects a little bit from you too when it comes to the bed department! They need it to be comfortable, warm, and safe. It should be a safe space for them – their personal space!
They just want to snuggle inside their beds to have a good time and a good nap. Consider using soft cushions and blankets to give their beds the comfortable touch that your pups so desire!
When they snuggle into the bed, they should feel safe, as if it nothing is there to harm them, they should not feel exposed. It should cover their bodies like they want so that they can rest assured that there is nothing out there that might harm them or interrupt their cute little naps. Aww, aren’t they the cutest??
The dog beds should also be large enough. Your furry friend should freely be able to choose their sleeping position and not compromise on these positions. So curl up Mr. Doggo or stretch out, we’ll make a bed that has all your comfy positions covered!
Your little one will like its bed even more if it has a familiar scent to it. Maybe try using your t-shirt in the bed’s fluff, your dog might just like it!
The placement of the bed also plays a BIG role in making it just the perfect zone for your canine. Try setting up in a room that is quiet, has a moderate temperature (neither too hot nor too cold), and is free (or almost free) from any noises that might annoy your companion.
Dog beds play a great part in reducing dog anxiety so you should definitely consider the above-mentioned points while setting up their beds.
If you still don’t have an idea – there are also specially made beds available in the market to provide your pup with a perfectly balanced anxiety-free zone! They are making everything these days, aren’t they?
Relax them before they go to bed
Just like humans, our dogs crave touch. They want you tell them how good a boy they have been while you scratch behind their ears.
Our touch seems to calm them down and helps them get rid of them bad, anxiety creating chemicals flowing in their bodies!
Try giving them a massage, a head rub, ear rub, feet rub, or a good brushing session. This will definitely calm them down. Cuddle them and make them feel loved, they’ll love you even more for it!
Create a habit of massaging them every day before sleep, let them know how much you love them. A good massage routine will relax your dog at night and will let the happy chemicals flow. It might even do a happy dance before going to bed!
Dress them like a smarty in anti-stress clothing available in the market
Yes, anti-stress clothing is a thing and it isn’t difficult to find either. Go to your regular superstore and find the best fit for your little one!
One of the main reasons for your dog’s anxiety at night is the temperature they’re in. It might be too cold for them. Go and buy the cutest little earmuffs and head wraps. What are you waiting for?! But be sure, the outfit should be praise-worthy or your furball won’t win the pet show!
Make them sleep somewhere near you
They love you with all of their tiny hearts, you are their world! It’s no wonder that they want to be somewhere near you while they are sleeping. YOU are their safe zone. And in their safe zone they are relaxed and content.
Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is when your dogs start getting nervous and tensed when you are not near them, even if you are in just the other room (sounds cute, doesn’t it?)!
To tackle this problem, you should make their little doggo beds in the same room as you. They want to be near you at all times, do them a favor and be near them as they go to bed!
Try out this trick and you might just find the miracle that you’ve been longing for!
If you cannot do this, gets your hands on separation training. With this sort of training, your dog won’t get anxious even if it’s not near you. But this is more of a long term and permanent option.
Start distancing yourself from your dog slowly (baby steps!). Sleep in another room, make your little gremlin sleep without you. It might be hard for them during the first few nights. But once you are done with the training, you’ll be relieved for years. Sounds just about perfect!
Now your canine pal can sleep without you (aww but now you miss them too!) and this will definitely work for you if the real reason behind your dog’s anxiety is just plain old separation anxiety. Good luck!
Calm them down using music!
Sounds dumb? It very much isn’t! Good music can have the same soothing effect on your pet as it has on you!
Try out different genres of music and find the one the calms your diamond the most! And it’s not just about calming them down. It also blocks unwanted sounds from disturbing your little gremlin during its sleep. It also helps to slow down their heart rate and raise cortisol levels in them.
Maybe music is the only thing you and your furry buddy need! *playing jazz in the background*
Follow a strict bedtime routine
If your dog lacks a proper routine, it is highly likely that it will get anxious during the night. The first step to training a dog well is making them follow a routine. You have to set up a good routine for it and then stick to it. No excuses!
You have to train your canine friend good enough! Your furry friends should at all times know when to sleep, where to sleep and how to sleep. If they don’t…? Well you know the rest. Antsy dogs!
Other than a healthy bedtime routine, it is also necessary that it has a routine for everything else too, like walking, playing, running, you name it!
Stick to the routine, and you have solved the most difficult part of the problem! No more unnecessarily stressed out dogs!
Make sure they relieve themselves before bed time
This trick is as old as time. You even apply this trick to yourself when it comes to having the perfect night’s sleep (you go to the bathroom before bed)!
Your dog needs it too. What you need to do here is make sure that you take your dog to a walk in which it can pee or poo before bed time. If you use dog litter, place it at a spot that your pet can easily access during the night.
Dogs tends to get restless during the night if they cannot find a place to eliminate their waste. They need comfort during the night. They deserve a bathroom break just before nap time so that they can enjoy their beauty sleep peacefully.
Hold on Mister Doggo, we know what you need (or where you need to go)! *winks*
Consider seeing a vet for your little dog’s sleep problem
If none of these usual things work for you and your little canine friend. There might be a bigger reason behind it. You need to consult your vet and you need to do it now! This might be something serious!
You never know that your dog might be suffering from a far greater problem. You don’t want your dog to suffer just because you were late to get it diagnosed! This should never be on YOUR hands!
Your vet knows what’s best for your little furball of fur. They will get to the root of the problem and prescribe what’s best for your canine BFF. They will treat your pet depending upon its problem. They might prescribe medication, or just plain old training. That sounds about right…
You can even ask them to prescribe some sleep medication (BUT AS A LAST RESORT ONLY) for your dog’s little problem. But it shouldn’t have any side-effects (beware of the side-effects’ troll!). You don’t want your friend to suffer because of you, now, do you?
Melatonin, CBD oils, pheromones, and methionine are all supplements and sleep medications that can be acquired at most pet shops or dog shops.
Another thing you can do is – try homeopathic sleep aids. Your granddad was a huge fan of these homeopathic medicines, it’s about time you become one too!
These remedies are free from any side-effects (thank the Lord!), practically harmless, and are pretty much effective too. Many dog parents approve of these aids!
Homeopathic remedies come in all sorts of forms. There are special oils, ointments, sleep treats, flower essences, you name it! You can apply these therapeutic oils to the muzzle of your little friend and wait for it to just indulge into its dreamy delights. Dog heaven flows with streams of these scented oils!
Summary of this post
Now that we are almost done with this article, we are a hundred percent sure that you by now have found out the solution to your problem. You are day dreaming about the good night’s sleep you are going to get tonight. Mission accomplished *proud pats on the back*!
You just need to find out which solution fits your dog the most and act accordingly. Mr. Doggo might start thanking you for granting it a good night’s sleep too. WE THINK IT’S REWARD TIME! Or maybe you just gave them their reward.
However, there’s still one more thing that YOU need to understand (MR.DOGGO WANTS YOU TO!). You have to calm and patient with your pet at ALL times. You need to love them and you need to care for them. They love you with all of their hearts, why shouldn’t you?
If your dog senses that you are in agony or are anxious, it might get anxious too. It might get restless and pace here and there for no reason at all, or there might be a reason and we are telling you that reason. YOU are the reason.
That’s right, buddy! You are radiating all that anxiety and in turn your dog is getting anxious. Talk about a rhythm! You both are wholly oblivious to the real reason behind all that mess (we mean stress).
For the same reason, we advise you to not make a great deal out of your canine’s sweet bedtime. You don’t need to be at high alert all night, your pup might sense it and get even more anxious! Just do your part (bed them, feed them, care for them) and you are good!
Also, NEVER punish your pet for this night time anxiety. You never know there might be a far more serious reason than you expected. You dog might be sick, will you punish them for being sick? We don’t think that you can be THAT stonehearted. So we repeat, DON’T PUNISH THEM.
Moreover, sleep medication should never be used as an immediate remedy to this problem (for obvious reasons). Your relaxation might just harm them in ways that can never be reversed. Beware of that!
You need to address your canine’s issue and nip it right in the bud. This way the both of you will get what you want simultaneously. This might even bring the two of your closer together. Just how nature intended for you and your canine best friend. Hand in hand (or hand in paw) together you go!
And now that we are done, we won’t make this any longer. We know that you are sleepy already and you can’t wait for yourself to hit the bed and sleep like a baby.