How to Calm a Restless Dog at Night
If your dog is extra skittish at night, try creating a quiet and dark environment where they can sleep. The dog could be easily startled by loud noises or lights, which may be why they appear restless during the night.
In the event of thunderstorms or fireworks, keep the windows closed to help muffle the sounds as much as possible. You could also try putting on some calming music to help further drown out the noise outside.
If you have a den or finished basement that is quieter, you could try letting the dog sleep down there. However, be sure that your dog is okay to be left alone, as this could exacerbate separation anxiety if they have that as well.
Sometimes, providing extra comfort for your pup could do the trick when it comes to helping them sleep better.
Just as a new mattress can work wonders for improving your sleep, dogs may also benefit from a cozy bed. For instance, orthopedic dog beds could help relieve pain in dogs with arthritis. Furthermore, a cushiony bed is likely more inducive for peaceful sleeping than a cold hardwood floor.
Puppies recently separated from their siblings or mother may need extra comfort as they adjust to their new environment. To help them in this process, consider purchasing one or two stuffed toys and a blanket they can cuddle.
Playing soothing sounds at night could also help restless dogs feel more relaxed. You can find multiple playlists catered to calming down dogs on Spotify and Youtube.
As mentioned earlier, not getting enough physical activity during the day could cause a dog to feel restless at night. Therefore, you should allow your pup adequate time for daytime exercise, particularly if you notice they are restless at night.
If you have a backyard, this is an easy opportunity to let the dog run around. However, those who live in apartments or condominiums will need to make time to take their dog out.
Dog parks, walks, the beach, and hikes are just some of the ways you can provide your pup with physical activity. If they are extra playful, consider bringing along a frisbee or tennis ball to play a game of catch.
In some cases, a dog could exhibit signs of restlessness because they need to relieve themselves. Taking your canine for a last-minute potty break right before bed could help prevent this from happening, allowing them to rest more comfortably until morning.
If you have tried multiple tactics but still have no luck, consider giving your pup calming aids. The good news is that calming aids for dogs can come in various forms, such as supplements, vests, collars, oils, and sprays. Although these aids are relatively easy to find, either online or in pet supply stores, you should get one that your dog’s vet approves of since they could affect certain dogs differently.
In general, your dog’s vet will be an excellent resource if your pup is anxious at night. A veterinarian can help determine if an underlying medical issue is causing the restlessness, or they can provide more specific solutions to help your dog rest better. Before the appointment, try to keep a journal of your dog’s nighttime symptoms, so the vet has a clear understanding of how the dog is behaving.
Reasons why your dog wants to go outside at night
Below are a number of possible reasons why your dog wants to go outside at night and what would make each of them more likely to be the main reason.
The reason why your dog wants to go outside at night could also be that it needs to pee. This would be more likely to be the cause if it wants to go outside straight away to pee, if it is a puppy or if it is elderly.
In this case, it would be important to continue letting it out to pee quickly. It would also help to let it out to pee just before bedtime. If it is a puppy, it would help to have some patience since it is likely that it is not yet able to fully control its bladder but it should gradually need to pee less and less at night. If it is an adult, it would be best to take it to a vet for a checkup since it could be due to medical issues.
The cause could be that it hears noises outside. This would be more likely if it tends to want to go outside when you can hear noises yourself or when you know there were animals in your backyard.
The cause might be that it has an illness. This would be more likely if it has been doing it suddenly and if it has been showing signs of being ill such as vomiting. In this case, the best option would be to get help from a vet.
The cause might be that there is an issue with its diet. It might be being fed too late, too much or it might be eating things that it shouldn’t be causing it to wake up during the night. This would be more likely if it has been waking up during the night since a change in its diet and if it does it more when it eats certain foods.
It might also be the case that it has been struggling to fall asleep due to a problem with the room it sleeps in. It could be the case that it is too bright, too hot, too cramped or too noisy. This would be more likely if it has started waking up during the night since having to sleep in a different room.
The cause could also be that it has some separation anxiety. This is where it does not like being left alone and the prospect of being left alone causes it to become anxious. This would be more likely if it starts showing signs of becoming anxious when you are about to leave it at night.
In this case, it might be worth following the tips given in this book on Amazon about dealing with dog separation anxiety.
The cause might be that your dog has been needing to pee more because it is getting older. This would be more likely if it is old and if it has gradually needed to go out, at night, more as it has gotten older. In this case, it would help to let it pee just before bedtime.
Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
If your dog did not always want to go outside at night, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be due to things such as a bladder issue, a change in its diet or an illness.
If your dog does not always want to go outside, it would also help to consider what is different when it does not want to go outside. For example, if it does not do it when it does not eat certain food, in the evening, it might be the case that there is an issue with what is has been eating.
Why Is My Dog Restless at Night All of a Sudden?
Whether you have noticed an uptick in nighttime restlessness or your dog has always been anxious at this time, the following reasons could explain your pup’s behavior.
Like humans, dogs can experience fearful feelings from time to time, and the reasons they get scared can vary too. For instance, dogs have very sensitive hearing, and as a result, they can become easily restless at night from loud noises. Thunderstorms and fireworks are several examples of loud noises that are known to exacerbate a dogs anxiety.
Exposure to different environments may also cause them to be fearful. For example, a dog spending the night somewhere new may be extra intimated by their new surroundings and have trouble relaxing.
Sometimes dogs can develop separation anxiety when they are not around their guardians. For instance, a dogs anxiety could arise at night if they stay overnight somewhere without their guardian or have to sleep in a different room than where their guardian sleeps. Other separation anxiety[1] causes could be that the dog was surrendered or abandoned, adopted by a new family, changes to the dog’s routine or schedule, moving to a new home, or changes in the family such as a member dying or moving away.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA[2]), senior dogs may experience nighttime separation anxiety because they view sleeping as a way of being isolated from their guardian. However, they add that senior dog anxiety from separation could be due to an underlying issue such as a medical disease.
