All dogs need sleep to rest their brain and muscles. If your dog is not sleeping through the night, you need to identify the reason before you can fix the problem.
Many dogs suffer from some form of insomnia or another. It can be caused by a variety of factors including anxiety, stress, illness, and lack of exercise. Dogs that suffer from insomnia will often lack the ability to sleep peacefully for several hours each night and will instead find themselves awake and restless.
Here are the most common causes of canine insomnia:
High energy/not getting enough exercise
Separation anxiety
Change in routine
House move
Pain or illness
Barking or howling during the night indicates separation anxiety. This means your dog is feeling nervous because they are not close to you. This can be easily fixed with some simple training to show your dog that being alone is not scary.
Dogs sharing the bed with you can lead to disturbed sleep. Maybe your dog is a large breed and takes up all the room or they wake you up during the night due to their scratching or fidgeting. If your dog is large, it is best to teach them to sleep in a dog basket beside your bed so you can get a good night’s rest.
If your dog is a frequent scratcher but does not have fleas, it is possible that they have a skin complaint or allergies. Addressing this will go a long way toward helping them sleep peacefully.
There are several herbs, supplements, and medications available which can help dogs get the deep sleep they need to regain their energy levels and maintain good health.
1. Herbs
The herbs valerian, chamomile, and passionflower are all known to help dogs sleep better. When taken in proper dosage they have mild sedative effects on dogs, which allow them to sleep more soundly.
2. Melatonin
Melatonin is another supplement used by pet owners with dogs that suffer from insomnia. It helps regulate their circadian rhythm and get their internal clock back on track when it has been disrupted by stress or irregular sleeping patterns due to travel or other factors.
3. Sedatives
You can speak to your vet about prescription sedatives, which are usually given as a short course for 1-2 weeks in tablet form.
Sedatives should only be considered as a temporary solution until the cause of restless sleep is found and treated. A healthy dog will not need to be sedated to sleep. They should be tired at the end of the day and go through several sleep cycles during the night.
4. Calming music
Effective natural solutions include playing calming music before bedtime, giving your dog a gentle massage, or trying a thunder jacket (a specially designed jacket for dogs that helps to relieve stress)
5. Getting enough exercise
If your dog is keeping you awake by running about or playing during the night, this suggests he is not getting enough exercise during the day. Dogs need at least an hour of off-lead exercise, with high-energy breeds requiring 2 hours.
Some dog owners have been known to give their dog Benadryl as it causes drowsiness, but given long-term it can have serious and long-term health implications for your dog.
What’s the secret to getting your dog to sleep at night?
From my own experience, I can tell you that dogs just don’t like to sleep. They love to lay around, be a nuisance and drive you crazy. So the best thing you can do is give them something to chew on.
I know what you’re thinking, “Isn’t that what they are doing when they are sleeping? Chewing on their pillow?” No, that’s not it. That’s what they’re doing when they wake up from a nap.
If you give your dog a chew at bedtime, he will slowly work on it as he prepares for his nightly slumber. You may hear him chomping at it or working it in his jaw as he prepares himself for a long night of snoozing.
He will probably be ready for a nap in about an hour or so, so if you want him to go right to sleep the moment he lays down, do not give him a chew until right before bedtime.
Chewing also offers a distraction from other environmental stresses or anxiety about the time of day. It calms dogs down enough that they’ll often curl up in a little ball and take a nap once they’re done chewing — sometimes right where they were standing when they got their chew.
Conclusion of making a dog sleep fast
Sleeping is one of the most important activities for your dog. It is a period when they rest and get rid of any stress that they went through during the day.
When dogs sleep, they are relaxed, calm and comfortable. Sleeping also allows your pet to rest from the hard time he may have had earlier in the day.
Many people have problems with their dogs when it comes to sleeping at night. They take a long time to fall asleep or wake up too early in the morning, which disturbs other members of their household too much.
If you are having this problem with your dog then you should consider using these tips on how to help a dog sleep through the night:
The key to solving your problem is to make sure you don’t feed your dog anything before you put him to bed. If he’s eating and drinking, then he’ll have to use the bathroom, which will wake him up. It’s best if you put him on a schedule so he knows when it’s time for his treat and when it’s time for bed.
Exercising your dog before bedtime will tire him out, which may help him sleep better at night. If you’re going to take your dog for a walk after dinner, make sure he’s had plenty of water so he doesn’t get overheated or dehydrated if you run into hot weather.
Take your dog outside during the day so he has plenty of opportunities to relieve himself; this helps prevent nighttime accidents in the house. Be sure to keep him on a leash when outside so he doesn’t wander off into danger.
Make sure they’re comfortable in their bed, with plenty of space so they don’t feel crowded or trapped. If you have a small dog, make sure they have plenty of room to move around and stretch out.
Hannah Elizabeth is an English animal behavior author, having written for several online publications. With a degree in Animal Behaviour and over a decade of practical animal husbandry experience, Hannah's articles cover everything from pet care to wildlife conservation. When she isn't creating content for blog posts, Hannah enjoys long walks with her Rottweiler cross Senna, reading fantasy novels and breeding aquarium shrimp.
