Owning a puppy is a whirlwind adventure of joy, fun, cuteness – and often many a sleepless night! If you, like most new puppy owners, have asked yourself how to get your fur baby to sleep through the night, we’re here to help.
Puppy Sleep Training 101
Real talk: Unfortunately, no matter how well you train them, part of owning a puppy will still mean getting up once or twice for the first couple of weeks or months. However, there are a few tricks you can use to help them sleep for longer! Here’s what you need to know:
TIP 1: Tire pup out
One of the best (and more fun) ways to get your pup to sleep through the night is to make sure they’re expending lots of energy during the day. Take them to the beach, play with them, go for a walk, try interactive toys – whatever it is, if they’re busy during the day, chances are they’ll be pooped by bedtime! However, too much activity or playtime before bed will get your pup hyped and mean they won’t sleep.
In need of a lead or some interactive puppy toys? Why not check out our extensive range here.
TIP 2: Crate training
Crate training can also help your pup sleep through the night. If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s essentially taking advantage of your pup’s natural instinct to seek out a safe space when overwhelmed.
The benefit of crate training is that it’s comforting for your pup to have a safe spot that’s their own to sleep in. It also helps create a sense of routine, which helps your pup know when to go to bed.
There’s more to crate training than selecting the correct size crate. Be sure to line your pup’s crate with comfy blankets and bedding. The secret to crate training is building a positive association with the crate – try our range of yummy dog treats to incentivise pup while training them:
- Introduce pup to the crate
- Get them used to closing the door
- Practice stepping away
- Reinforce good behaviour
- Increase the time spent in the crate over time
TIP 3: Pre-sleep potty time
When they’re little, puppies have very little control over their bladders. And because they have tiny bladders, they’ll struggle to hold it. So, you’re going to have to help them out a little if you don’t want them whining to go potty in the middle of the night! Here’s how:
- Take puppy out to potty before bedtime.
- Make sure puppy knows it’s potty time - don’t play with puppy, simply wait for them to sniff and pee.
- Don’t spend more than 5 minutes waiting for puppy to go.
- Experts recommend removing pup’s water bowl from their sight two hours before bedtime to prevent accidents.
- Feeding puppy a few hours before bedtime means they have time to have a bowel movement without any oopsies overnight.
The good news is, as your pup matures and grows so will their bladder control! And if pup does end up having an accident Marltons HygienePro Pet Stain And Odour Remover is a great way to clean up – it offers 24 hour active odour protection!
TIP 4: Create a routine
Did you know that routine is comforting to your pup? Knowing what to expect can help ease their anxiety too – and it can help with training pup. Creating a routine will mean allocating a specific time to an activity and sticking to it:
- Feeding
- Playtime
- Taking pup out
- Potty time
- Sleep time
In need of some pup care essentials? We’ve got everything you need from bedding and toys to training aids and health care. Take a look see here.
