Sleep. What a beautiful thing\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But with a new puppy, getting a good night\u2019s sleep seems like a distant memory. Bet you didn\u2019t think it was going to be this much of an uphill trek. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news is that it does<\/em> get better \u2013 a whole lot! But while you get to the good part, we\u2019ve written down some tips and advice for helping your puppy drift off to a full<\/em> night of sleep. As well as tips <\/ins>for<\/ins> settling your puppy<\/ins> on its first night<\/ins>.<\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to remember that your puppy has just left their mother and litter-mates; where they would sleep all curled up and warm, on top of each other. Moving from that to sleeping on their own can be quite a change and a challenge! So, don\u2019t expect your pup to sleep through the night<\/a> straight away, this will take a little time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To begin with the ideal sleeping arrangement will be different to what their routine will end up as. Surrounding your puppy with a familiar smell or item will help them ease into the transition of their new home. Sending a toy to your pup before they come home is a great way of incorporating this in their sleeping arrangements when they come to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep your puppy close to you in the first few weeks. Until they\u2019re feeling more confident and settled in your home, have them sleep next to your bed either in a crate<\/a> or in a soft bed<\/a> on the floor. If you\u2019re keen, you can have them in your bed, we won\u2019t tell, just watch out they don\u2019t pee on the bed during the night!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first strep is to establish a routine during the day<\/a>. This is key for making sure your puppy gets nice and tired for bed \u2013 so they can sleep as many hours in a row as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure you take your puppy to the toilet right before bedtime. Wouldn\u2019t want to wake up through the night if possible!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, make sure to think about waking them up to take them to the toilet every 3 \u2013 4 hours at first. Yep, that means at unruly hours. You\u2019ll quickly find that it\u2019s not unusual for your puppy to need the loo in the middle of the night, which means you\u2019ll have to wake up and take them \u2013 probably even more than once! The puppy\u2019s night-time routine can be a bit challenging at the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019re heading back to bed after a midnight wee, gently talk to them and let them know you\u2019re there to settle them down \u2013 not a great idea to hype them up for a game of fetch at 3 am!<\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>Hearing them awake and moving around is your sign to take them outside! Some puppies will <\/em>often sleep through, so take it case by case.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Waking your pet up to pee is part of a puppy\u2019s bedtime routine, but you might be wondering how often to do so. Here\u2019s an easy way to answer this question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In short, how many months old your puppy is tells you the number of hours they can hold their bladder for….and once they get better bladder control, there will be less and less need for toilet breaks. Yay!<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it really does vary between puppies. Some puppies will sleep happily through the night, while others will have you up a couple of times because they\u2019re bursting for a wee. They\u2019re just like humans, can\u2019t get two of the same! One thing\u2019s for sure though – smaller breed puppies will have less bladder control than larger breeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aaah, so you\u2019ve had an encounter with the zoomies. Zoomies are slang for \u201cFrenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAP)\u201d, and are very common among puppies. Don\u2019t worry, they\u2019re not possessed! They\u2019re simply a way for them to let off some excess energy or as a stress release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zoomies are quite entertaining to see, but the sad part is that puppies will usually grow out of them…enjoy them while you can! Every dog is different though, so you might still be able to see them happen later on. My dog, for example, likes to do them when she comes in from a wet walk or is particularly fired up in the park. <\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>If your puppy is experiencing zoomies, they may also be biting or grabbing at you. This is just a phase though, you won\u2019t be getting nipped forever. What you can do in the meantime though, is have plenty of toys around so you can teach them to bite those instead of your ankles. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Nope. Let\u2019s not be mean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gone are the days of letting puppies \u2018cry it out\u2019. In fact, studies<\/a> show that an increase in maternal care in new dog parents will make for a more confident and braver puppy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>Crying is a sign that your puppy is distressed. They either need comfort – nothing like getting one of your good hugs – or the toilet – in which case you don\u2019t want them to have an accident indoors. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Puppies need a lot of sleep. A good puppy bedtime routine involves, besides naps during the day<\/a>, a good night\u2019s sleep lasting between 6 -10 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, here\u2019s some good news about the midnight toilet trips. Once they\u2019ve been to the toilet, they should go back off to sleep quite quickly (phew)\u2026 as long as they\u2019re not hyped up! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hmm, it\u2019s a good question. But actually, studies<\/a> show that blocking outside stimuli such as light can help a puppy sleep for longer as light affects melatonin production (that thing in our bodies that makes us want to go to sleep).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some puppies may do better with a nightlight though \u2013 yes, it can be a thing for your puppy to be afraid of the dark! So again, puppies are different from each other so it\u2019s probably best for you to try it out as you go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>Shutting a puppy anywhere where it\u2019s completely blacked out is likely going to distress them – so having a small amount of natural daylight is ideal. Just be aware they will be up with the larks if it\u2019s very bright outside!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Strange question, gotta be honest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your dog is coughing at night, then the best thing would be for them to see a vet. It could be something as relatively harmless as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n …but can\u2019t be too careful. Better call the vet to make sure!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your puppy is experiencing diarrhea at night and only at night, then this can be an indicator of stress and should not be part of your puppy\u2019s night time routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It could be one of many things that are making them feel unease; they are scared to be alone or even if your washing machine or dishwasher goes off on a timer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>We recommend bringing their crate or bed into your bedroom at night to see what\u2019s causing the diarrhea. It could be that they need the toilet in the middle of the night, and if you are there you can at least get them up and out to the toilet rather than leaving them to do in their bed. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Also worth checking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And yes. Prepare to possibly have a diarrhea puddle somewhere next to you. It\u2019s all part of the journey though, one day you\u2019ll miss the poops!<\/p>\n\n\n\n There can be a few reasons such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in my experience, the most common cause for dry heaving (or even being sick) is hunger. The reason for this is that we often feed them their last meal quite early, so their tummies stay empty overnight \u2013 causing a build-up in stomach acid. To solve this, a small carby light meal such as a Bonio (or large dog biscuit) is all that\u2019s needed to have something in their tummy before bedtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not to annoy you, believe me! Puppies often wake up because they need something \u2013 the toilet or company usually, or if something outside has disturbed them like the birds tweeting or the sun shining through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing you should know when it comes to your puppy\u2019s night-time routine is that dogs are polyphasic sleepers \u2013 which means they don\u2019t do all their sleeping at one time. But dogs are also able to pick up on our social cues, so it will just take them a few weeks to realize that night time is time for sleeping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026But once your puppy is awake, they usually expect everyone else to be too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s keep it real though \u2013 a lot of puppies will struggle sleeping at night, especially in those first few days. You will be quite tired and you will need some coffee (\u2026or a lot), but soon enough your puppy will love a sleep in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019d like more information and tips for your puppy, take a look at our articles \u2013 where the answers to all your questions are, such as when can your new puppy go outside safely<\/a> and how to toilet train a puppy<\/a> the easy way. Our experts in Zigzag Puppy Training app<\/a> are also happy to talk and share advice about anything too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, almost anything. Not so much advice to give on dating, unfortunately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to know more about your puppy\u2019s sleeping routine and how to master it? Take a look at our article on how often do puppies sleep<\/a>, next. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the best puppy bedtime routine?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is the best sleeping arrangements for puppy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Establish a routine that helps them wind down before bedtime<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t forget to let them go to the toilet before bedtime\u2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Talk to the puppy in a soft voice to help them get back to sleep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How long can a puppy hold its bladder at night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why is my puppy so hyper at night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Should I leave my puppy to cry at night? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How long should my puppy sleep at night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Should I leave a light on for my puppy at night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why is my dog coughing at night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why does my puppy have diarrhea at night? (Only at night)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why is my puppy dry-heaving at night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why does my puppy wake up so early in the morning?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n