Just like you probably feel better after a good night's sleep, it's important for our dogs to get enough sleep as well. Waking a sleeping dog is likely to result in the dog being startled and disoriented. To prevent bites, make sure that visitors and children know not to bother dogs who are sleeping.
According to the American Kennel Club, owners should let sleeping dogs lie. "Disrupting a dog during REM sleep can result in serious consequences," says the AKC. Think about your own nightmares—you usually wake up startled and scared, and it can take a few minutes to realize it was just a dream.
Like babies, puppies will sleep when they need to sleep and wake up when they need food, water, playtime, or to go potty. Let your puppy sleep undisturbed as much as possible so they get the sleep they need. Eventually, your pet will learn your sleep routine and wake up in the morning when you do.
The long answer is that every puppy is different so it depends. Some puppies will benefit being woken up in the middle of the night while others will turn it into a bad habit. If you're bringing your puppy home for the first time I wouldn't advise you to have a planned schedule to wake your puppy up every few hours.
Allowing your pup in the bed with you at a young age can be a gateway into them exhibiting more demanding and unwanted behaviors. If you're noticing more barking, jumping nipping and general not listening, it is common for this to all stem from the lack of boundaries and structure, especially at nighttime.
While you can comfort your puppy in this way, don't be tempted to get them out and cuddle them or play with them – otherwise they have just learnt the perfect way to make night times more fun and so will be even more persistent in trying to get your attention!
According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour. From 3-6 months, they should not be left longer than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for longer than 3 hours).
At 8 weeks old, puppies should be able to hold their bladder for about 3-4 hours. However, they may still need to go out more frequently at night as their bodies are adjusting to sleeping through the 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.
Considering most puppies are purchased at this age, it will take some time to establish a routine and therefore your puppy might not settle completely through the night until up to the age of 12 to 16 weeks.
Interrupt Playtime
In some cases, letting out a loud noise will make your puppy even more excited, and they might continue to bite. At this point, ignore your puppy, stop any interactions and walk away. Stopping playtime abruptly is far more effective than yelling at your puppy or punishing them.
Generally, most puppies will start to settle between 6 - 12 months, but as mentioned above there are a few other factors that can impact puppy energy levels. Some might say that female dogs are calmer dogs due to the fact they mature quicker than males, however a more impactful factor to consider would be their breed.
The phrase “Puppy Blues” refers to feelings of anxiety, depression, or both related to acquiring a dog under the age of one. Symptom severity may change daily, but overall, these feelings interfere with your ability to function daily. Nearly 70% of puppy owners reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both.
Even the nicest dogs hate to be awakened suddenly. Older dogs especially, who tend to sleep more deeply, and those whose impaired hearing might not allow them to hear someone's approach can get scared by the sudden presence of a person touching them. Let your dog wake up naturally, without touching them or sneaking up.
Most puppies consistently sleep through the night by three or four months of age. But until they reach this age, you may experience times when your puppy needs to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. This is due to their small bladder, which has a shorter “hold time” the younger they are.
Remember, dogs and especially puppies need to urinate often. As a guideline, new puppies up to 10 weeks old typically can't hold their bladder for more than an hour. Dogs between 10 to 12 weeks old can usually hold it for around two hours.
Frankly, there's just no one size fits all answer, it depends on your dog's age, breed, and overall personality. Young puppies under 6 months old should not be left alone for more than 2 or 3 hours because of their bladder control and risk of separation anxiety.
Ignoring them at night won't help them build confidence and may make them worse which isn't what anyone wants. They need to be taught how to be independent slowly. We would never recommend ignoring your puppy when they cry at night, especially in their first few nights.
As challenging as it might be, let your dog settle himself down. After a few nights, he should understand that whining and crying in the crate won't get him anywhere. Get some earplugs (or use a white noise app on your phone) and know it's a short-term sacrifice for long-term happiness for you and your pup.
As a result, they should poop around four to five times per day. By the time your puppy reaches eight weeks, he or she should have a more stable diet and better control of their bowels. Your puppy may begin to poop once or twice per day at predictable times, a trend that should continue for the rest of their life.
Reasons Why You Shouldn't Wake Your Puppy Up
If your little friend has now grown past 5 months, then they can hold their bladder until morning hours. Waking your 5 months old puppy up for a potty break might not be a good idea. At this age, the bladder is huge enough to make it for a whole night, if they're healthy.
Unlike the crate where you can't leave a young puppy for long periods; the puppy will be fine in the playpen and you can go out for longer periods. Just make sure your dog is ready before you leave for a long period so the puppy does not feel left alone form the start and associate that with the playpen itself.
In general, you can leave a healthy puppy home alone when they are over 10 weeks old. However, this doesn't mean letting puppies roam free around your home. Before your puppy reaches this age, you can start crate training. This helps ensure that your puppy will be ready to handle being in a crate while you're at work.