Last Updated on January 20, 2021
For many of us, sleeping is our favorite part of the day. You’re finally getting cozy in your bed after a long day of work and you finally fall asleep. But…oh wait, what is this weird feeling? Why is someone breathing so close to you? Then, you open your eyes and it’s your dog snuggling against you!
The most common thing to do is to just roll over and try to fall asleep again. After all, your dog has food, water, went for his walk, so they don’t actually need anything from you. But why are they always waking you up?
This might even become a problem for you and you might be asking yourself: “are there sleeping pills for dogs?” Wait a minute, though. Before you goo and medicate your dog, you should know that you’re not qualified to make that decision.
There are a lot of different reasons that can explain why your dog is awake at night, and don’t worry, even though seeing ghosts is a possibility it’s very unlikely.
If you’re wondering what to do about your dog sleeping habits keep reading!
1. Your dog loves you!
The first reason why your dog might be waking you up at night is that they love you.
Confused? Well, keep reading.
Dogs are playful and have endless energy. If by any chance, you get home late you’ll notice that they start running to you with more excitement than ever.
What this means is that you should try to figure out if those days where you’re paying less attention to him are the same days where he wakes you up.
If so, this might be the reason, your dog misses you and wants to play with you, therefore, they sleep during the day so they can be with you at night. What you can do about this is simply spending more time with your dog and always go for a walk with them so that they can use all of their energy.
When you decide to have a dog or any other pet you should treat them correctly.
If by any chance you can’t do this yourself, hire a pet-sitter for your dog during the day. That way he’ll be trained to be active during the day and fall asleep at night.
2. You changed the room where your dog sleeps
If you have recently moved or changed the room where your dog sleeps, that might be causing them to not sleep at all.
Dogs are very curious; they have to know the place where they are staying so they can get comfortable. If you change their environment, they will obviously notice and that might cause stress that prevents them from sleeping.
Did you know that having guests over at your place might have the same effect? Any events that aren’t “normal” in your dog’s life can lead to abnormal dog behavior.
You can try to fix this by playing soothing music or giving your dog their favorite blanket. Even if you’re getting new stuff for your dog, always keep an old toy around.
And here’s a tip: if you’re thinking about buying a new bed, you should invest in a chew proof dog bed. These are by far the best dog beds since they have more resistance and will last longer. Besides, in a new house, your dog will be chewing a lot!
3. Your dog has separation anxiety
This next reason is the most wholesome: you got a new pup!
Normally this happens with young pups since they feel more vulnerable than older dogs. But if you have recently adopted a new dog, they might be suffering from separation anxiety. In other words, they might miss their mom, and in that case, you might be wondering how to make your dog comfortable.
There’s a simple trick that you can do to mimic the presence of your puppy’s mom: put your puppy near a ticking clock and wrap them in a blanket with a bottle of warm water. That way, you’re trying to make your pup feel as they would with their mom, safe and warm, listening to her heartbeat.
In any case, even if your dog is older, you should never keep them in a separate room or close the door on them.
They feel scared, everything is new to them including you. But you’re also their owner and they’re aware of that. This means that they need to see you and know that you’re reachable.
Have their bed close to yours so they can see you. In the future, you can put them in another room, but in the beginning, make sure that you’re not leaving them completely alone at night.
4. Your dog is sick
The last option is the less desirable one. Your dog might actually have a health problem, and in that case, you should always go to the vet with them.
He could be just suffering from dog insomnia and, in that case, the vet will give your dog some sleeping pills. Some sleeping pills for dogs are available at any store for anyone to buy. However, you are advised to always check with the vet first, just in case the diagnosis is worse than you initially thought and you need stronger medication.
Dogs need you for everything, food, water, going to the bathroom, attention, playing and so on. Therefore, when you make the decision to have a dog, you should be aware of what comes with it. A lot of responsibility and work, but also a lot of fun and loving memories.
If you feel like your dog has been a “bad boy” there are a lot ways on how to correct bad behavior in dogs. Normally, it’s just about making your dog feel comfortable. A comfortable dog is a happy dog, always remember that. So, before you jump to conclusions, make sure you analyze your dog’s sleeping habits carefully!
