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You\u2019re starting to wonder if you\u2019ll ever get a peaceful night’s sleep again! But you can breathe now. Time to put an end to all this night time drama. We\u2019re here to show you how to stop a puppy from barking at night in a few easy-ish steps. Bet you\u2019re more than ready to start; but first, a few helpful pointers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Don\u2019t panic: <\/strong>Let\u2019s keep pulling your hair apart to a minimum. Puppies barking at night actually isn\u2019t anything to worry about. You definitely haven\u2019t brought home a half-puppy half-howling monkey. Pretty much, every puppy will do it at some point; it just takes its toll on sleep deprived owners. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Is nature calling? <\/strong>Often pups don’t sleep through the night because they need a bathroom break, it\u2019s worth getting up and taking them out to \u2018have a try\u2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Separation anxiety:<\/strong> Barking during the night can be a sign of separation problems, it\u2019s normal for a puppy to feel lonely. Here\u2019s our article on separation anxiety in dogs<\/a> to help you with that!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Alright, now we\u2019re ready to go. Just as a head\u2019s up, in this article we\u2019ll cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Why puppies bark at night<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How to stop a puppy from barking at night \u2026.hopefully before the neighbors complain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What not to do when your puppy is barking at night<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"puppy](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/t-r-photography-TzjMd7i5WQI-unsplash-1-767x1024.jpg\")
Photo by T.R Photography<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Why do puppies bark at night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Working out why your puppy gets possessed by a barky devil pup at night time can take a bit of trial and error, and buckets full of patience! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But here are some of the most common reasons puppies bark at night. We’ll get to how to stop a puppy from barking at night in just a mo!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They need the bathroom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Well, can\u2019t complain too much about this one. We kind of want our pups to warn us about some stink coming so we\u2019re able to act on it on time. So at the start, broken sleep for house training<\/a> is, I\u2019m afraid, all part of the fun while their bladder muscles develop. So if your puppy is barking at night, this is the first reason you need to rule out by taking them out for a bathroom break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pro tip: <\/strong>Nighttime potty breaks need to be very quick, it is not playtime no matter what ideas your pup may have! Interact with your pup as little as possible, get the job done, and get back to bed. Goodnight!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Loneliness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Puppies get really lonely, really quickly, they just can\u2019t cope with their own company and love you way too much. They have only ever known life with their littermates so finding themselves all alone at night time can be really terrifying for them, hence the night chorus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Disturbances<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Puppies often sleep with one ear open, so any small or seemingly insignificant noise can disturb them at night and cause them to bark. When the house goes quiet, there can still be many noises to unsettle your pup, have a think about anything that may have disturbed them and try to muffle the sounds. Does a radiator or boiler come on? Maybe an outside light shines in?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Illness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Puppies get poorly sometimes and can bark at night if they are feeling unwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boredom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Yep, some puppies just love all the attention and want to be entertained. If your pup has spent most of the day dozing, they may wake in the night bored of sleeping and decide to wake you up to join in the fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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By the way, small amounts of whining or barking are very normal. But in case it turns into more distressed and panicked sounds, then it\u2019s really important to step in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"pug](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/charlesdeluvio-S2AcayPkszE-unsplash-683x1024.jpg\")
Photo by Charles Deluvio<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n How to stop a puppy from barking at night<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now for the good part. Here are our top tips and suggestions on how to stop a puppy from barking at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And yes, prevention is key: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1) Help them love their crate <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A crate or cozy bed really is key when it comes to knowing how to stop a puppy barking at night. If you teach your puppy to love their crate<\/a>, (this goes for daytime too) lots of magical things will follow. When night time comes, the crate will become your pup\u2019s favorite den, so help them love it by feeding them all their meals as well as treats inside throughout the day. This is a good way to encourage them to take naps inside in the daytime too; you can also transfer them there in case they fall asleep on you or elsewhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2) Location, location, location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
At the start, it\u2019s really important for puppies to feel close to us so they don\u2019t feel lonely. That means that one of the best ways to stop your puppy from barking at night is to pop their crate right by your bed so they are able to smell you and hear you breathing. Not in a creepy way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3) Keep it zen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The more cozy and soothing the crate, the more they\u2019ll think it\u2019s great. Take plenty of warm soft bedding and a few soft toys to keep your pup as warm and snug as possible; you can also cover the crate over to make a den. If they\u2019re relaxed, they\u2019ll find drifting into a deep peaceful sleep a lot easier to do\u2026same goes for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
4) Keep the poops regular<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A regular night time potty schedule<\/a> will help tremendously. Take your puppy out for a wee and a poo before bed around 11pm, and that will help them get set to sleep until around 6am\u2026with an in-between toilet break around 3-4am. Sorry, there\u2019s no nice way of breaking it to you. However, you can set an alarm to wake you up for these midnight toilet breaks instead of having your pup bark you awake.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5) Calming evening routine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tiring your puppy out in the evening is a great way to stir them into sleeping all through the night. A nice, gentle game or playtime or having them chew away on a toy are already great ways to do that – keep it relatively calm though; nothing too vigorous though to wind them up before bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6) Alone time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you teach your pup to be alone<\/a> during the daytime for short periods, it will help them get them far more settled at night. Remember to build up the time they spend alone slowly! Patience is key for this one as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
8) Plan B(oredom)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
One of our best tips for how to stop a puppy from barking at night, if we may say so, is to have something for your pup \u2018to do\u2019 in the crate if they wake in the night. A puppy chew like a Nylabone is a great one to have there for them to relax with and help them drift back off to a good dream. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What not to do when your puppy is barking at night<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So we\u2019ve given you plenty of tips on what to do but here\u2019s just a few what not to do\u2019s, when it comes to learning how to stop a puppy from barking at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1) \u00a0 \u00a0 Ignore them: <\/strong>Nope, \u2018crying it out\u2019 won\u2019t work. It will simply be a stressful time, and can even contribute to separation issues in the future. Let\u2019s stay away from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2) \u00a0 \u00a0 Skipping bathroom breaks: <\/strong>Not taking them out to the toilet to teach them to \u2018hold it\u2019 just won\u2019t work. It\u2019s actually impossible since puppies\u2019 muscles are simply not developed enough to be able to hold it. If you don\u2019t want to end up with a mess to clean up, better just stick to your bathroom rounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3) Punishment: <\/strong>Don\u2019t shout or scold them! Barking is one of only a few ways our puppies can talk to us, so we can\u2019t really go ape on them for asking for help. I know it\u2019s the middle of the night and you\u2019re tired, but we\u2019re definitely sure they aren\u2019t barking just to spite you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"puppy](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/freestocks-t8SxccV0Agw-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by freestocks<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n So there you have it, our top tips on how to stop your puppy from barking at night. Remember that your puppy is not the only one to show off their vocal skills at night, and that they will eventually grow out of it. Just wait until they\u2019re feeling a little more confident; they\u2019ll be sleeping peacefully without saying a peep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Is nature calling? <\/strong>Often pups don’t sleep through the night because they need a bathroom break, it\u2019s worth getting up and taking them out to \u2018have a try\u2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n