12 Potential Reasons Dogs Wake Up At Night & Solutions
This post will address some common reasons why dogs wake up at night.
In addition to being cute, puppies are also very loud and often prone to waking up at night.
Many times, this behavior is simply a result of teething or an overactive mind.
But if your puppy continues their nocturnal antics as they get older (and bigger!), it might be time to look into the reasons why this happens so that you can find a solution once and for all!
Reasons Dogs Wake Up At Night
Anxiety, stress, illnesses, pain, loud sounds, old age, traumatic event, nervous system disorder, and fear are all common reasons why dogs wake up at night.
Let’s break it down further…
The following are some common reasons why dogs wake up at night:
1. Environmental Sounds
At night, dogs can hear sounds that humans cannot.
They can hear sounds from far away and also high-pitched and low-pitched sounds.
This is because the dog’s hearing is better than a human’s in both of these areas.
Dogs can also hear very quiet or soft noises at night which are not loud enough for us to hear but will wake up the dog if it goes off in the middle of the night.
This causes them to bark or whine at it until we wake up ourselves and come downstairs to see what is going on.
So they get some company while being alone in their room all night long!
Therefore, environmental sounds can cause dogs to wake up at night and bark.
Read more: 17 Possible Reasons For Your Dog Acting Weird & Tips.
2. Anxiety
Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety which has many causes not just leaving them alone for an extended period.
They are anxious about being left alone, in a new environment, or even in a crate.
When you add up all of these factors—separation, new environment, and crating it’s easy to see why some dogs wake up at night to check on their people.
If you find yourself waking up frequently because your dog is anxious during the night, speak with your veterinarian about possible treatment options for separation anxiety.
3. Nervous system disorder
Your dog may be suffering from a nervous system disorder.
If your dog is waking up at night, it’s important to rule out any medical conditions that can cause this behavior.
A nervous system disorder can result in excessive anxiety and restlessness, which could prompt your dog to wake you up during the night.
A number of different factors may cause a nervous system disorder, such as stress, a traumatic event, or genetic disorders.
If you suspect that your dog might have this issue, it’s best to contact your veterinarian, so they can help determine the root of their problem and treat them accordingly.
4. Old age issues
Dogs can suffer from insomnia as they age, which could explain why your pet wakes up at night and starts pacing the floor.
Older dogs may be more sensitive to noise, temperature changes, pain, and light.
Older dog anxiety or stress could be the reason that your dog is waking up in the middle of the night to go outside for a potty break.
Or because your aging dog has an upset stomach due to gas pains caused by eating something bad earlier in the day.
Read more: 15 Common Signs Your Dog Is Dying Of Old Age & How To Care.
5. Potty breaks
Your dog may need to go potty if it wakes up in the middle of the night.
If the dog wants to go outdoors right away to urinate, if it is a puppy, or if it is older, this is most likely the reason.
It would be crucial to keep letting it out to pee or poo fast in this situation.
It would be beneficial for pups to have some patience because they probably can’t entirely regulate their bladders just yet, but they should eventually need to urinate less frequently at night.
It would be better to take it to the vet for a checkup if it is an adult because it may be caused by medical problems.
6. Hunger
If your dog is hungry, he’s going to wake up in the middle of the night.
If you feed him too much food at once, he’ll also wake up hungry again at 1 am.
Dogs are less likely to wake up at night if they are fed small meals throughout the day rather than one big meal that causes them to feel full and satisfied for several hours.
Dogs will also wake up if they have been given an amount of food that is not quite enough for their needs.
Which can happen if an owner overestimates how much a dog needs or underestimates how much time has elapsed since their last meal.
For example, if you have fed your dog yesterday evening but forgot about it until today morning.
7. Hormone disruption
Another possible cause of night-time awakening is a disruption in your dog’s circadian rhythm.
This means that your dog might be sleeping at times when they usually would be active, or vice versa.
This can happen if you change the surrounding environment too much, such as by moving to a new home or getting a different job.
It can also happen if you start feeding them something different from what they were used to eating before—this is true especially if they’ve been on the same brand and type of food their entire lives.
And finally, disrupted circadian rhythms can occur if your pet gets less exercise than usual due to any number of reasons.
Maybe there’s construction going on outside your house, or maybe it’s wintertime and there are fewer opportunities for outdoor walks or runs because it’s cold out!
8. Illness
Your dog may be waking up at night because she’s sick.
If your dog isn’t sleeping well or eating well, or is just not feeling good in general, she might wake up at night to try to get some relief from the discomfort.
9. Having a lot of energy
It’s also possible that your dog has been having a lot of energy at night due to not getting enough exercise during the day.
This would be more likely if it had a tendency to sleep well after a day of activity.
Assuring that your dog has been receiving the required amount of activity for breed might be beneficial.
10. Condition of sleeping space
It’s also possible that the reason it’s been having trouble sleeping is an issue with the space it sleeps in.
It’s possible that your dog is waking up because it is too hot, too cold, or too bright outside.
If it has started waking up at night after having to sleep in a separate room, this is more likely to be the case.
11. Owners lifestyle
It’s also possible that you’ve been rewarding the behavior by giving the animal what it wants when it wakes up in the middle of the night.
When it wakes up at night, it may try harder if you tend to offer it additional attention so that it may earn more rewards.
Instead, praising it when it sleeps through the night and refraining from rewarding it when it wakes up at night unless it has to go potty might be beneficial.
Your personal lifestyle may also contribute to why you dog stay awake at night.
12. Perceived burglary threat
The majority of dog breeds were created to protect houses, and this guarding instinct is passed down from generation to generation, making them perceptive and alert to potential intruder dangers in their surroundings.
This kind of dog will always be the first to notice or identify any movement that might pose a threat of a break-in, and will make an effort to alert you by barking.
The majority of dog breeds are watchdogs who will alert their owners to a stranger, but they are not guarding dogs.
Always keep in mind that certain dogs, for instance, are great watchdogs, so keep a look-out for nighttime excessive barking.
How to help dogs sleep well at night
Here are some tips on How to help dogs sleep well at night:
1. You let them sleep with you all night every night
Your dog is a pack animal, and she instinctually wants to be near her pack at all times.
In fact, she’s like a child who wants to be close to their parents in bed at night—except that dogs aren’t good at sleeping alone.
So if she’s not allowed on the bed, she’ll often try to find ways around this rule by sneaking up there when no one is looking or barking until someone lets her up there (even though that doesn’t solve anything).
Dogs can also get anxious during the night if they are left alone or sleeping alone.
2. Stop sending mixed messaging about sleeping
Dogs are pack animals, and they need to know where they fit in the pack.
If you have a dog who wakes up at night, it’s possible that your dog is trying to figure out its role in your home—either because you’ve sent mixed messages or because you haven’t established one yet.
Dogs are sensitive to your body language and tone of voice, so pay attention to how you speak with them during the day.
They’ll pick up on any inconsistencies between what you say and what’s happening (you’re going out tonight but act like it’s no big deal when your pup greets you at the door).
If there are things happening around them that don’t match up with what they’re hearing (you tell them “go back to sleep” while still walking around).
Then their minds will be racing all night long until they get some clarity on their situation.
4. Consult a veterinarian about behavioral changes
Your dog may be experiencing a medical issue if it is disturbing you from sleep more frequently than usual.
A good first step to exclude this possibility or detect issues early is to visit a veterinarian.
A veterinarian can assist you in determining the cause even if your pet is not ill.
A medical issue may be indicated by any notable changes in behavior or sleep patterns.
Gastric discomfort may be the cause of your dog’s difficulty eating or eliminating, which keeps your dog awake.
The dog may be experiencing increased hunger as a result of diabetes or another metabolic disease if it wakes you up in the middle of the night to beg for food.
5. Go to sleep at the same time every night
Dogs have predictable sleeping routines, so if you get up early and he’s still on the sofa, he may find it as perplexing as if you went to bed at 5 o’clock every night.
If your dog has a late-night pattern that he hasn’t followed in a while, he can also be perplexed. He may require your assistance in getting back on track.
Try your best to maintain a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
If your dog tries to wake you up before you are meant to get up, be persistent about not responding to them other than with a reprimand.
6. Exercise your dog before bedtime
Tire them out before you go to bed to lessen the probability that your dog may wake you up.
You may do this by increasing the amount of time you spend exercising with your dog. A sleeping dog won’t be able to wake you up in the end.
Take your dog for a little stroll right before you turn in at night if you don’t have time to exercise it during the day.
7. Reduce the stimuli for your dog before bedtime
Your dog may also be keeping you up because they are still awake, active, or just overstimulated.
Before going to bed, avoid playing with your dog for a few hours.
Keep toys away from your dog’s sleeping area. Before going to bed, mute any music or television.
Making sure that the space where it sleeps makes it easy for it to fall asleep would also be beneficial.
It should be quiet, cool, and not very light. There should also be room for it to lay down.
8. Change your dog’s sleeping space
You may think about letting your dog sleep in a different room if you’ve tried everything and they’re still waking you up.
You may ensure that you have a good night’s sleep and that your dog is left alone throughout the night by putting him in another room.
If you place your dog in another room, make sure to give them a cozy bed.
Be careful that leaving your dog in another room might cause weeping, barking, or an upset dog, especially if they are accustomed to sleeping with you.
9. Start a clear crate training session
Some dogs could have trouble falling asleep without disturbing their owner which is why crate training is important.
High-energy dogs that are not crated at night are especially at risk in this regard.
Keeping your dog in a crate at night is a remedy for this.
Put your dog in a crate to teach them that nighttime is for sleeping and to prevent them from running around or disturbing you while you sleep.
Your dog won’t jump up on you or lick you awake in the morning if you keep them in a crate at night.
10. Reschedule feeding times
By altering your dog’s feeding schedule, you may also reduce the likelihood of your dog waking you up.
In the end, your dog may be waking you up because they are hungry or because they ate really late and are still active.
If you believe that your dog is waking you up because they are hungry, postpone supper by one or two hours. This will keep your dog’s belly fuller for a longer period of time.
Move dinner up a little bit if you suspect your dog is waking you up because they are grouchy after the last meal.
It’s possible that it has been having trouble falling asleep because of a problem with its food.
Making sure that it has been eating the proper food and that it has not been consuming harmful substances would be beneficial.
Conclusion
If your dog is waking up at night, it could be for any number of reasons.
The most important thing to do is take a closer look at what might be triggering it and adjust accordingly.
This will help ensure that you and your dog get the most rest possible throughout the day.
