Exercise. Help your dog get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. If you can do this at different times during the day so your dog's body doesn't get used to exercising at a certain time, it may help him sleep better at night. Evening exercise may wear him out more before bedtime than morning exercise will.
There are many reasons why a puppy wakes up early in the morning. It's likely that your puppy needs to pee, they are hungry, you are inadvertently encouraging their behavior, there is a problem with the sleeping environment, or they have excessive energy.
Most puppies will sleep through the night by the time they're about 4 months (16 weeks) old. But with some help, diligence, and proactive training, you may be able to get your puppy there even earlier!
Give your pooch some toys to play with throughout the night, especially interactive puzzle toys that encourage dogs to hunt for bits of kibble, to prevent wake-up calls due to boredom. Spend quality time with your dog during the day and allow your dog to sleep in or near your bedroom on a bed of their own.
In the morning, your puppy will be ready for breakfast at 6 - 7am as 12 hours sleep is about right overnight. During the day they then need another 6 to 8 hours as naps, at least one long one, alone in their bed.
A dog waking up too early can be the result of several different things. Your dog might wake up early for simple reasons: being uncomfortable and needing a bathroom break to name a couple. However, more serious reasons include painful health conditions and separation anxiety.
Is There a Best Time to Feed Your Dog? "While there is no best time, with most dogs that eat twice a day, it is best to feed them in the morning as soon as you get up and then again when you get home from work in the afternoon," says Dr. Sara Ochoa, veterinary consultant for doglab.com who practices in Texas.
Your puppy is hungry: Like humans, your puppy may wake up early if they're feeling peckish. Thus, they would naturally look for you regardless of the time of day. After all, your puppy can't tell the time like you do and can only act on its instincts.
Sleep in the same room for the first few nights.
For the first few nights, your puppy will need time to adjust to being without their mum. Wherever you decide to settle them in your house, it's a good idea to spend the first few nights in the same room with them so they don't wake up in a panic because no-one is there.
Tire your puppy out in the couple of hours leading up to their bedtime, with plenty of active play, games or walks. Avoid too much excitement around the last hour before their planned bedtime, which will help the puppy to gradually begin to calm down in the run up to bedtime.
The leading causes of dogs pooping at night are anxiety, potty training issues, illness or disease, and physical limitations. To rule out any behavioral or medical issues, make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise, is eating the proper amount of food, and isn't eating late at night.
Adult dogs sleep longer at night than puppies do — usually between 60% and 80% of the hours between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. depending on their surroundings and their owner's schedule. However, daytime naps are still important for adult dogs, who may sleep for up to 37% of the day.
Interrupted sleep in older pets can occur for many reasons including medical, behavioural and cognitive problems. Medical problems that may cause our dogs to wake in the night are disease processes that cause pain or discomfort or increase the need for your dog to urinate or defecate.
If you've noticed that your dog is waking up too early and showing signs of limping or whining at night, this can be caused by an illness. Take your dog to the vet to rule out any possible illness. Your dog could be suffering from an injury or health issues like a urinary tract infection.
They Have Been Inactive or Sleeping. Your pup is more likely to get the zoomies first thing in the morning or late in the evening. This is because puppies and dogs are likely to have pent-up energy at the end of the day if they have not had enough exercise or, in the morning, after sleeping all night.
Typically, dogs between 7-16 weeks can sleep 6-8 hours, but they still need to take a potty break at night. So if your dog wakes up at night, it means it needs to pee. Do not play or pay attention to it during this time.
Adjust their schedule.
If your pet is constantly waking you up at 3 am because they are hungry, then adjusting their feeding schedule can help them sleep throughout the night. Or your dog may be waking you up because they have to go outside to use the bathroom.
And just like human babies, your puppy will probably wake up every few hours in the night. You should expect a few sleepless nights while your puppy is getting used to their new home, their new routine, and learning how to hold everything in so there are no accidents in the night.
The Verdict
There can be a variety of reasons why they feel the need to wake up at night and wake you up as well. But the main reason is usually that they are not yet comfortable in their new environment or they just aren't used to sleeping at that time.
Using a treat, give your dog his “settle down” command, reward him and get yourself into bed. Every time your dog jumps on the bed or cries to be let up, step out of bed, get a treat (leave a secure stash of treats on a bedside table), walk your dog back to their bed and repeat the “settle down” command.