Why Is My Puppy No Longer Sleeping Through the Night?
Poor sleepy Dachshund! Why did my puppy suddenly stop sleeping through the night?
Why Is My Puppy Experiencing Sleep Regression?
"Hi, I have a 9-month-old female dachshund. As a small puppy, she was a great sleeper, but about 2 months ago she started waking up in the night. For her evening routine, she eats at 6 pm and has a walk at 7 pm where she will do a wee and a poo. Then she'll do a small enrichment activity before falling asleep on the sofa between 8 and 9. At 10, we offer one more toilet break and then put her in her crate. She is fine with sleeping there and falls asleep with no complaints. Her crate is comfy—she has a blanket over the top, a white noise machine, and a baby monitor for us upstairs. However, about 2 months ago, she started waking in the night. Sometimes around 2 am but always by 5. She doesn't even always use the bathroom. Everyone tells me not to let her cry, hence the baby monitor. But if it's not a bathroom issue, and she's comfy in her bed from 10 to 5, I'm not sure what else to do. I'm exhausted from waking so early every day. Help!"—Rachel
Start With a Veterinary Visit
Anytime an unusual behavior pops out of the blue, it’s a good idea to report it to your trusted vet. Sometimes behavior changes that start out suddenly, and for no easily explainable reason, may have an underlying medical problem. We owe it to our dogs to exclude this possibility before assuming an issue may be behavioral.
Provide your vet with details such as when this night-time waking started and her daytime and nighttime routines, along with other pertinent information such as how much exercise she gets a day, her diet, and her sleeping habits.
Check Her Environment
If your Doxie receives a clean bill of health, your next step is to carefully evaluate what may be awakening her from sleep and causing her to cry. If your baby monitor happens to save recorded footage, and allows you to rewind, it may turn insightful to see what happens just prior to her waking up and analyze whether there is a common pattern. The following are several possibilities.
Presence of Noises
You mentioned using a white noise machine, however, a dog’s hearing is much more sensitive than ours, so chances are, it will muffle some sounds, but not completely mask them.
Your puppy may be waking up to nighttime noises that cause her anxiety or increased arousal levels which are incompatible with sleep.
Depending on where you live, these noises may include trash trucks, outdoor dogs barking, neighbors returning home late, owls hooting or even nocturnal critters scratching in the walls/crawl spaces.
If your dog is sleeping soundly, and her recording reveals her suddenly waking up and orienting towards a noise (ear twitch, turning head) a noise may be a trigger.
Room Temperature
If the room is too hot or too cold, this may cause interruptions in sleep. If you watch your monitoring system, keep an eye out for signs of overheating (panting) or trying to find a comfortable sleeping position.
Hint: A dog’s sleeping position can provide us with info on whether a dog feels hot or cold.
Many Dachshunds are particularly fond of burying under blankets. If the home is ever on the chilly side, either due to the winter season or the AC being kept on too high, Doxies may be often found burrowing under blankets. Doxie owners know the drill: Always pat down the blankets before sitting somewhere to make sure there are no Doxies underneath. Some Doxies even wait for their owners to lift up part of a blanket so they can burrow!
Outgrowing the Crate
As pups develop and start reaching their adult size, it often happens that they outgrow their crates.
It’s important that your pup isn’t cooped up and that she’s able to stand up, turn around and stretch her legs when sleeping in her crate. Some pups suffer because they like to stretch out or move around from one spot or another.
Sleeping on the side with the legs extended is the most restorative sleeping position as it’s the one that allows the best REM sleep.
If your baby monitor reveals that she’s repeatedly trying to change position or turns around multiple times, it can be a sign that she’s struggling in finding a comfortable sleeping position.
Dachshunds like to sleep under blankets.
Other Things to Consider
There are several other potential dynamics going on. This list is not exhaustive but covers some common culprits.
Past Medical Issue
It can also be that your puppy initially woke up due to some type of pain or discomfort (like when she was teething) and then a new habit has been established.
A Need to Eliminate
Since you mention that your pup occasionally happens to eliminate when she is taken outside, there may be chances that one night she really had to potty and then she just stuck to this routine, or maybe her need to eliminate is not the sole reason for her early wake-up calls.
It could happen that when a dog awakens/cries, and we take them out to potty, and the puppy manages to pee or poop, we take that as a sure sign that the puppy really had to go, when in reality, the pup just went because she was given the opportunity.
While a dog’s sense of urgency and the volume of urine produced can provide us some insights on whether there was a genuine need to potty, sometimes we may be lacking clear evidence.
It might therefore be worth considering other factors that could be contributing to her behavior.
A Matter of Maturing
Many dog owners notice differences in their dog’s sleeping patterns as they develop. Generally, once pups reach the age of 6 to 9 months, they will require less sleep than when they were much younger.
This is because as pups reach puberty, their bodies develop further, and therefore, they become better capable of handling increased levels of exercise, whereas, as young puppies, they need lots of sleep to support their massive amounts of growth.
While young puppies may require 18 to 20 hours of sleep a day, an older puppy may do well with just 12 to 14 hours. On top of this, as puppies develop, rather than having many naps scattered throughout the day, their sleep becomes more consolidated.
Now, ideally, as puppies develop and become more explorative and active, they will spend more time awake during the day and sleep for longer stretches during the night, however, the process isn’t always as seamless as we may hope.
Some pups will experience disruptions in their sleeping patterns during this adjustment period leading to them waking up at night.
Did you know? According to the American Animal Hospital Association, the age of about 6 months to 3 years can be the most challenging time for dog owners as this is when the dog matures socially and behaviorally.
How to Help Your Dog Sleep Through the Night
To help your dog sleep through the night again, it would be important to tease out the root cause of her awakenings, however, unraveling this cause isn’t always a straightforward task. Oftentimes, it involves a process of experimentation and potentially a combination of several strategies to assess whether the implemented changes yield the desired outcome.
Increase Daily Activities
According to a study, dogs who had an active day with physical and mental stimulation were more likely to sleep at night. Your Doxie may thrive with a few extra activities during the day that will keep her busy and happy.
For example, since she’s a Doxie, you can provide an outlet for her natural instinct to dig by creating a digging pit for her where you can keep some of her favorite toys buried under the sand, or rather than feeding her meals in a bowl, you can scatter her kibble around the yard in a treasure-hunt style or place it in a Kong Wobbler.
Need some more ideas? Here are 17 ways to keep dogs mentally stimulated.
Experiment With a Late Snack
While feeding too late may trigger a poop in the middle of the night, feeding too early can also have its negative effects due to puppies sometimes waking up early due to hunger pangs.
An option to prevent hunger is by feeding a little snack as a form of pre-bedtime enrichment such as the Kong option mentioned a few paragraphs below.
Remove/Limit Access to Water Before Bedtime (Check With Your Vet)
If your pup is eliminating in the middle of the night, it may be worth asking your vet his opinion about taking the water bowl up at a certain time before bedtime.
This can be done on a trial basis under the guidance of your vet so as to gain some insights on whether she’s waking up because she needs to pee. If not, she may still wake up regardless of water removal, potentially suggesting something else going on.
Ensure She is “Empty”
When you take her out for that last potty trip before bedtime, make extra sure she is empty. Some dogs squat quickly and release just a few drops of pee in anticipation of bedtime or because they are sleepy. Some pups need to do “multiple pees” to fully empty their bladders. Not emptying the bladder completely can lead to middle-of-the-night urges.
It’s therefore fundamental to physically go out with her with a flashlight to ensure she actually eliminates the proper way.
Postpone Her Napping
If your pup crashes on the couch in the evening while you’re all watching TV, it may be a good idea to give her something to do at this time.
During TV commercials you can play fetch or get her interested in playing with a flirt pole. You can also play with her a game of hide and seek or do some brief, but fun training sessions.
Give Her Something to Keep Busy
When you put her to bed at night, give her something to work on that will keep her busy for some time. A chew toy that has a compartment in it that can be filled may be a good option.
I am a big fan of Kongs, but there are several other options nowadays, just make sure that they are sturdy, durable and made of safe materials that are made to withstand dog teeth.
A Kong that is filled with some mashed bananas or peanut butter (make sure it’s not the sugar-free version as it may contain xylitol, a substance that is highly toxic to dogs) and then frozen may keep her occupied for some time so that her bedtime is delayed.
There are many Kong recipes that, once frozen, make long lasting treats providing sometimes even hours of entertainment.
Calming Aids
There are a variety of calming aids and supplements that can help your puppy relax and even sleep better if she’s on the anxious side. For instance, you can try products made using the synthetic version of dog appeasing pheromones.
A DAP spray, plug-in diffuser or collar can sometimes help anxious dogs feel calm and secure. You won’t be able to smell it, but studies have proven its efficacy in easing a dog’s anxiety.
There are also supplements that can help your pup sleep. Ask your vet whether melatonin-based treats or supplements may turn out helpful for your pup. For extra challenging cases, vets may even temporarily prescribe light sedatives to help puppies sleep.
Protect From Stressors
A study has found that dogs who have endured any negative emotions such as exposure to stressors, will have more difficulty falling asleep and may develop alterations in their sleeping patterns due to changes in the proportion of time spent in certain sleep stages.
Something to consider: at 9 months, pups may be undergoing their second fear period which takes place generally between the ages of 6 and 14 months. During these times, pups may need our support to help them go through them. .
Did you know? According to an analysis, a large proportion of dogs slept in a room without human company, but of those dogs who could choose to be around people, more than 86 percent chose to stick near them.
Slowly Push Your Dog’s Wake Time
This method aims to gradually set your dog’s internal clock so that her wake time is pushed to later times. Basically, you’ll be setting an alarm clock to wake you up before your puppy even has a chance to cry or whine.
If the crying starts at 2 am, you would therefore set the alarm for 1:45 am. Then, gradually, you would set the alarm later and later.
This strategy works best because it allows you to take your puppy outside before her full bladder wakes her causing her to cry. Preempting the waking up and crying is important here because it prevents your puppy from learning that crying gets your attention.
If your puppy happens to wake up and cry earlier than your alarm going off, plan to set the alarm a little earlier the next night. If your puppy instead is sound asleep when you go to take her out, set it a little later the next night.
When you take your puppy out in the night it’s crucial that you do so in the most boring way, which is detailed below.
Make That Potty Trip Extra Boring
When you take your dog outside to potty, make it extra low-key and boring, so that it becomes almost a chore to your dog.
Don’t talk to her, don’t give her any attention. If possible, don’t even turn on any bright lights (the circadian system awakens once light hits the retina). Just slip on a leash and accompany her outside to her potty area and keep it extra, extra boring. Then, once she goes, put her back inside and go back to bed without ever making a fuss.
The Problem With Letting Puppies Cry
You were reasonably instructed to not let your puppy cry. The reasons for this are several. Let’s take a look at some:
Risk For an Insecure Attachment
Studies have shown that puppies tend to form a secure base attachment with their owners, which is similar to the attachment formed between a mother and child.
When we meet our dog’s needs, we create a secure attachment relationship which fosters wellbeing and independence. When we ignore their needs, we create an insecure attachment, which may lead to more anxious behaviors down the road.
A secure-base attachment starts in the puppy’s first weeks when positive interactions with their owners foster a foundation of reassurance and trust. As the puppy matures, the dog and owner bond strengthens and the secure attachment solidifies with the dog seeking the owner for support and security, especially at times of uncertainty or stress.
Failure to give a pup support when she needs it the most may therefore lead to bonding issues and may potentially lead to other problems.
The Onset of Frustration/Anxiety
When a puppy has been attended to in the past when crying and then, suddenly, out of the blue, all the attention completely stops, this can lead to feelings of frustration and potential anxiety that may culminate in what’s known as an “extinction burst.”
Potential Behavior Problems
If a puppy is ignored for crying in a crate, a sense of helplessness may prevail. The puppy may therefore need to find coping mechanisms to fill the void.
Puppies may therefore seek alternative options to reduce the stress they are feeling and this may sometimes involve undesirable, and even unhealthy self-soothing behaviors such as excessive licking or destructive chewing.
If the puppy is vocalizing due to a genuine need to potty, the puppy may learn to pee in the crate which is a difficult behavior to overcome as it quickly becomes habit-forming (peeing is a strong self-reinforcing behavior). In the long run, a puppy may learn that vocalizing a need to potty no longer works, so they may just pee in the crate without warning.
Negative Associations With the Crate
If the puppy is crying because of some type of fear of discomfort, ignoring won’t help and risks actually for the puppy to develop a potential aversion to the crate which should be considered a safe and happy place.
On top of negative associations with the crate, it is also possible for the pup to possibly develop negative associations with bedtime and even being left alone.
Failing to Address the Root Cause
And now the big question: can a dog be crying at night just for the sake of wanting attention? Yes, it is possible that pups learn that when they cry in the crate, they will receive human attention, but it’s not in a manipulative way as we may assume. More than a demand for attention, it’s best to interpret it as a plea for help.
It’s not easy ensuring that all a dog’s needs are met. Sure, food, water, sleep, temperature control, exercise and excretion are primary physiological needs, but dogs also have social, emotional and cognitive needs that are also part of a dog’s hierarchy of needs.
Sure with human children, most of the guesswork is reduced courtesy of a child’s ability to communicate needs by using language, but with pups, we are left with subtle signals and non-verbal cues that can be challenging to interpret accurately.
So the next question is: are all needs really met? If we have determined that our puppy is whining for attention, why is such a need popping up right now? Isn’t looking for attention also a need after all? Could it be that the attention needed is stemming from fear/discomfort? Could the puppy be waking up scared? What can be done to ameliorate the situation?
Evaluating the problem rather than attempting to ignore it, can help prevent us from falling into any “misunderstanding traps” and saves us from potential problems down the road. Addressing all underlying needs are key to a healthier and more fulfilling relationship in the future.
References
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- G.J. Adams, K.G. Johnson, Sleep-wake cycles and other night-time behaviours of the domestic dog Canis familiaris, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 36, Issues 2–3, 1993, Pages 233-248
- Kis Anna, Gergely Anna, Galambos Ágoston, Abdai Judit, Gombos Ferenc, Bódizs Róbert and Topál József 2017 Sleep macrostructure is modulated by positive and negative social experience in adult pet dogs Proc. R. Soc. B.284’
- Kinsman R, Owczarczak-Garstecka S, Casey R, Knowles T, Tasker S, Woodward J, Da Costa R, Murray J. Sleep Duration and Behaviours: A Descriptive Analysis of a Cohort of Dogs up to 12 Months of Age. Animals (Basel). 2020 Jul
- Gradwohl G, Berdugo-Boura N, Segev Y, Tarasiuk A (2015) Sleep/Wake Dynamics Changes during Maturation in Rats. PLOS ONE 10(4)
- Mariti, C., Ricci, E., Zilocchi, M., & Gazzano, A. (2013). Owners as a secure base for their dogs. Behaviour, 150(11), 1275-1294.
- Sleep in Adolescents L Tarokh, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA M A Carskadon, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; and E. P. Bradley Hospital, Providence, RI, USA ã 2009 Elsevier Ltd
- Denenberg, S. & Landsberg, Gary. (2009). Effects of dog-appeasing pheromones on anxiety and fear in puppies during training and long-term socialization. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
- The Happy Puppy Handbook: Your Definitive Guide to Puppy Care and Early Training - Kindle edition by Mattinson, Pippa.
If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting), please consult with a dog behavior professional for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos, and general information provided online are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this service, you are waiving any liability claims or other types of claims related to any of your dogs' behaviors against you or others.
© 2023 Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Dip.CBST
