What if my puppy wants to sleep in my bed?
Letting a puppy sleep in a bed is a controversial subject for many dog owners. You will find some choose to let their puppy rest there, and others do not.
We advise keeping your puppy in their crate or bed at night. We know it’s tempting to let your puppy sleep in your bed with you as they love you. After all, they associate you as a member of their pack and want to have that extra security layer. But sleeping with your puppy so soon will cause them to be dependent on sleeping with you.
While they’re young, you need to get your puppy acclimatized to its bed. Then once it’s an adult and it’s fully house trained, you may wish to let your dog sleep with you now and again.
There’s nothing worse than sleeping in a bed with a puppy and waking up to mess. If you let your puppy sleep with you frequently, they could also get used to marking their territory and adding their distinct scent to your bed.
Similarly, if you have allergies, sleeping with your puppy may spark or trigger specific allergies within you. More importantly, your sleep quality may deteriorate if your dog is alert to other sounds around you.
A note for our readers: If you have an urgent question and are unable to ask your veterinarian, you can use the Ask a Vet service that will give you access to a veterinarian for 7 days for $1.
Cathy is certified through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, holding both the CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA designations. Cathy is a Fear Free Certified Certified Professional, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, the Pet Professional Guild, and the Dog Writers Association of America.
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As Preventive Vets dog behavior expert and lead trainer at Pupstanding Academy, Cathy focuses on helping humans and their pets build a strong relationship based on trust, clear communication, and the use of positive reinforcement and force-free methods. With over 13 years of experience, she has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of dogs on a wide variety of training and behavior issues. Beyond her one-on-one consultations through Pupstanding Academy, she also teaches group dog training classes at Seattle Humane. Her specialties include dog aggression, resource guarding, separation anxiety, and puppy socialization.
When shes not geeking out about dogs, you can find her reading, hiking with her two Cardigan Welsh Corgis, or paddleboarding.
Why does my puppy cry/whine in the night?
Ok, so now you’ve managed to stick to a routine and get them soundly to sleep, congratulations! You later find yourself waking up to distressed sounds from your puppy, such as crying or barking in the night.
What does this mean?
Well, if you want to know the truth, your puppy could be doing this for several reasons, which are:
Sometimes, you cannot always avoid these disturbances, especially if you’re living in an area prone to this. You can try and reduce the chances of your puppy whining by playing music, putting on a fan, or investing in a white noise machine.
A white noise machine helps block out disruptions from the outdoors and induces a relaxing noise for your dog to help it fall asleep quickly.
Do not let your puppy cry itself to sleep.
We know if you hear your puppy continually crying and whining in the night, it can be tempting to show it a bit of tough love and let it fall asleep.
Take note that most of the time, the reason your puppy cries or whines is because it’s frightened or lonely. Even if they stop, it does not mean they’re cheered up. They could become quietly sad.
Moreover, if you let your puppy cry too much, it can make them even more distressed and going to the toilet more frequently. As a result, they could have spells of diarrhea or urinate more, giving you more work to clean up after them.
Similarly, puppies learn the best through positive reinforcement, and if they’re continually crying, they’re never going to be able to identify or discover new behaviors.
So when your puppy does stop crying, praise it or give it a treat.
How long do puppies sleep each day?
It’s no secret that sleeping through the night with a new puppy can be almost as difficult as it is with a newborn baby.
Teena Patel, a dog trainer and the owner of the training facility University of Doglando, says puppies wake up so often because they’re lonely for their mothers.
“Puppies are stripped from the natural weaning process and deprived of the bonding that occurs with their mom and littermates. Most rescue organizations [and breeders] don’t have the capacity or resources to keep puppies a long time. They’re usually taken from their mothers at only eight weeks,” she says.
The good news is it’s easier than you think to get your new puppy sleeping through the night. With a little foresight, planning and a commitment to training, you can have your puppy sleeping through the night in just a few days.
Just as you may have rituals such as brushing your teeth or reading to your child before bed, having set routines with your puppy can help prepare him for sleep and give him something positive to associate with bedtime.
If your puppy is wired at night, it could be that he isn’t getting enough stimulation during the day.
“It helps get him aroused and tired and ready to go to bed by stimulating him mentally and physically,” she says. “He’ll be more content and it will help him crash and want to rest.”
She suggests throwing a toy, playing a game of hide-and-seek or experimenting with name recognition where family members form a circle and take turns calling your dog. When he comes to you, reward him with dog treats or his favorite toy.
Playing classical music before and during bedtime can help alleviate whining and anxiety as well as drown out other noise or unfamiliar sounds that may upset or rouse your puppy.
Dr. Carolyn Lincoln, a vet, dog trainer and owner of Play to Behave, recommends “Through a Dog’s Ear,” a musical CD, which is based on the research of the effect of tempo and octave levels on dogs.