What to Do If Your Dog Wakes Up in the Middle of the Night

Many dog owners compare having a dog as being like having a child. There are several reasons why they make this comparison. First, many people love their dogs just like they love their children and see them as being part of the family. Second, owning a dog is a big responsibility, just like having a child. When you welcome a dog into your home, you are accepting responsibility for the dog’s health and wellbeing, which means feeding it playing with it, and taking it for walks.

Finally, having a child and owning a dog are both things that can cause disruption to your life. Both can make a mess, dictate your routine, and can keep you awake at night. One aspect of having a dog that is particularly difficult for some people is being woken at night. There are steps that you can take to reduce the risk of your dog waking you at night, but you must first understand the possible causes.

Common Reasons Dogs Wake People at Night

According to Wag Walking, there are many reasons that a dog may wake you at night, and these can vary from one dog to another. To know which steps to take to resolve, you need to identify the root cause of your dog’s behavior. Some potential causes of your dog waking you in the night may include:

• Needing the toilet
• Hunger
• Attention
• Noise or disturbances
• Anxiety
• Noises
• Boredom
• Medical issues

See Your Vet

The first step is to rule out any medical causes of your dog’s behavior. WikiHow says that this is particularly important if your dog’s behavior has changed in any way and they have not always woken you at night. There are some medical conditions that could cause your dog discomfort at night that is keeping them awake or increase their need to urinate. Your vet can rule out these conditions. Even if no underlying conditions are identified, your vet can offer you some advice and guidance regarding how you can tackle the situation.

Daily Routines

Your dog’s daily routine can have a big impact on what goes on at night in your home. Just like you, your dog needs to have a good routine in the day that promotes a fitful night’s sleep. If your dog is spending long periods of the daytime asleep, it is unlikely that they will want to sleep at night. Try to avoid your dog oversleeping during the day if possible. It can also help to make sure that your dog is getting lots of exercise during the day so that they are tired enough to sleep well during the night.

Bedtime Routine

Two of the most common reasons for a dog waking you at night are that they are hungry or need to go out to the toilet. According to Dogster, it is possible to resolve both of these issues by making sure that you establish a good bedtime routine with your dog. Try feeding them later at night so they are not hungry, and always let them out right before you go to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of your dog feeling hungry in the night or getting the urge to urinate. Another option to allow your dog to urinate at night without disturbing you is to have a dog door. These are suited better to smaller dogs for security reasons. Also, you should only use them if your yard is enclosed and there is no threat from wild animals.

Preventing Boredom

The night can seem long for a dog that is missing its human company and has nothing to do. This can lead to boredom, and your dog may then wake you simply because they want to play. The best solution to this problem is to give them something to play with at night to prevent boredom. Squeaky toys are not the best option as these will only add to your sleeping problems. However, there are plenty of other toys, such as ropes, chew toys, and balls, that can keep your dog entertained while you are getting some much-needed shuteye.

The Positioning of the Dog’s Sleeping Area

If noises or other distractions are what is making your dog wake you at night, you should consider moving their bed to an area where there are fewer disturbances. For example, if you live on the main road that has heavy traffic and lots of people walking past your house, this is likely to disturb your dog. It is better in this situation to put your dog’s bed at the back of the house where there is less to distract it during the night. Similarly, make sure you put the bed somewhere that the dog is warm and comfortable as feeling cold and uncomfortable may keep it awake. Also, the dog is less likely to disturb you if the bed is not near your bedroom and you close the doors. On the other hand, if the cause of your dog waking you at night is separation anxiety, then the better option is to put their bed in your room so that they are not anxious and will sleep without disturbing you.

A dog waking you in the night is a common problem for dog owners, and there are many reasons why they do this. It can relate to their daytime or nighttime routines, being disturbed, suffering from a medical condition, experiencing separation anxiety, or feeling bored. These are all problems to which there are solutions, but it is important to identify the correct cause to find the best solution. Some of the solutions to consider are seeing the vet, adapting the dog’s daytime routine, adopting a strict bedtime routine, considering where the dog sleeps and preventing boredom. It may take a combination of these steps to resolve the issue of your dog waking you in the night.

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