Do you find that your dog is getting restless at night? Is it hard to get them to relax or sleep? Wondering how to settle a dog at night? We all know how stressful a situation that can be and there are in fact many possibilities behind their restlessness. However, worry not! We have put together a list of 12 tips that will help to calm them down. Each of these has been tried and tested and will be simple yet effective in doing the job!
If your dog is restless before bed, a possible reason for it might be that they have too much energy. Make sure to get them to exercise during the day so that it tires them out and they’re able to easily sleep during the night. Something as simple as an evening walk can be good enough to reduce the feelings of restlessness. Other alternatives include playing games with them or having them play with their toys, anything that tires them out basically!
Give your furry creature a treat at bedtime and see what it can do to help them relax. This will give them something to look forward to when going to bed, which will help them settle down and sleep. Limit these special treats to bedtime so that they don’t lose value for it and it does the job.
Maybe one of the reasons why your dog is feeling restless during bedtime is because they aren’t feeling safe in their bed. Having the same spot to sleep in every night creates feelings of familiarity for them, which will encourage them to get rid of their anxiety and sleep. Make sure that their bed is comfortable and cozy so that they feel safe. The spot you pick will greatly affect their sleeping patterns so make sure you choose one that you think they particularly like.
Just like children, sometimes dogs might just need a toy to cuddle with when they sleep. Get your dog a toy to cuddle with when they sleep, it’ll give them something to look forward to during bedtime and can even help them channel their feelings of restlessness. It is ideal that this toy only be taken out at bedtime so that they start to associate the two.
We spoke about dogs feeling safe when they sleep. A major factor that could add to their feeling of comfort and safety is them sleeping near you. It is one of the most effective ways to get them to be calm before sleeping. If they are too far, it may add to their anxiety and cause restlessness. However, this doesn’t mean that you get them to sleep in your bed or even your room, it just means that having them in close proximity.
If you find your dog getting restless before bedtime, a great way to deal with it is to play calming music before they go to bed. Research conducted has shown that some types of music are calming to dogs. It’ll distract them from whatever is causing them to be restless and aid in bringing down their heart rate. In addition to that, it also blocks out outside noises which may be a factor in making them restless. According to research, dogs prefer classical music so you might want to try that out.
Just like massages work wonders in calming down humans and reducing their restlessness, they do so for dogs as well. Give your dog a relaxing massage before bed, it will help calm their nerves and make them feel at peace. You can start at the neck and then make your way down. Remember to use long strokes.
A reason why your dog could be getting restless before bed is if they need to go to the bathroom. Take them for a quick trip to the bathroom before they hit the sack. We assure you that it will definitely help them feel much calmer and be able to sleep faster.
Having a specific smell that they associate with bedtime will help reduce feelings of anxiety and restlessness. Something like essential oils may be a good idea as it is known to alleviate feelings of stress. Spray this scent in your dog’s sleeping area or on their bed and see the difference it’ll make.
If your dog’s life is all over the place and they don’t have a routine as such it could cause them to feel unsettled. Establish a routine in their lives so that they know when they’re supposed to sleep and they get tired and sleepy around that time. This includes their mealtimes, exercise and all other activities that take place during their day.
By making a fuss about bed time, your dog may feel overwhelmed and become restless. Make sure not to make a big deal about it and instead just be casual. The more fuss you make about it the harder it’ll be to get them to relax. If you stress about it, they’ll sense it and stress about it too. So just casually put them in their bed when its time and act like its no big deal, see what a difference that’ll make.
If nothing else works, you may want to consult your vet about giving your dog medication to get them to relax before they sleep. This is especially for older dogs. Sometimes, a reason for their restlessness could be some kind of pain that they are in so you might want to get that looked into and treat it accordingly.
Each of these 12 tips will work wonders at calming your restless dog! Give them a try and see how they make your life a whole lot easier.
by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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