Dogs need more sleep than humans so it’s a good idea to create an effective sleep routine for your dog to help facilitate that. Puppies can sleep up to 18 hours a day, whilst adult dogs tend to sleep between 12 and 14 hours a day. Dogs as they get older might suddenly stop sleeping as well as they once did. Medical conditions might stop them from getting comfortable. In those cases you will have to work harder to create the perfect sleep routine for your dog.

Lord & Labradors recently launched a #SleepForDogs campaign to help dogs sleep better. They had lots of very useful advice and suggestions. I think it’s such a handy resource especially when you get a new pup you can then establish good habits straight away. You can get a feel for the campaign in the image below. However it is well worth reading the whole article too.

Establishing A Set Bedtime

I think the most important step for your sleep routine for your dog is establishing a set bedtime. It’s a good idea when you get a puppy to start training it to sleep at a certain time of night. Be consistent in your efforts so your dog knows what to expect. A routine gives your dog a sense of reassurance. You will find a lot less resistance if you stick to a set format.

My dog is seven now and since we had her as a pup, we have always had a structured bedtime. In the beginning when she was still getting into mischief chewing everything she was safely in her crate at night but later she had the freedom of her own room.

Verbal Command

Get used to saying the word “Bed” and pointing to where your dog will sleep. It will again reinforce what is about to happen. With our dog now we just say bed and she will toddle downstairs for her final wee of the night, before heading to her room. No fuss or drama, she is such a good girl!

Dinner Time

Make sure your dog doesn’t eat too close to bedtime as they need time for their food to digest so they can be comfortable enough to sleep. But you also need to make sure they don’t have their food too early either. If they eat very early, they will only end up hungry and in turn a bit more restless before bed.

Active Evenings

Make sure you spend some time each night tiring out your dog either with a nice long walk or some playtime with their toys. This will mean they will feel ready to go to sleep when the time comes round.

Their Own Sleeping Area

You need to make sure the area your dog sleeps in is peaceful and dark. Too much light will impact your dog’s sleep cycle as it does our own. In the past we occasionally allowed our dog to sleep on our bed. However, she would become unsettled after a few hours. Therefore I think her own sleeping area worked out better. Dogs in the wild would have their own den after all.

A new puppy might benefit from having some of your clothes in the crate or room they sleep, so they have your familiar scent to help ease them off to sleep when you are not there to hold them.

You could consider trying a calming dog bed too. These are meant to feel like the soft fur of their mothers coat. This helps give your puppy a sense of security.

Older dogs often feel more vulnerable due to their medical conditions so might prefer to sleep closer to their owners. In the case of separation anxiety like this there are things you can try such as music (see below) or you could consider buying a collar that releases calming pheromones. Alternatively, you might decide its best for the both of you to share the same room, so you can give them some reassurance in the night if they need it.

Relaxing Music

Music can help calm your dog. Especially if you have an anxious dog or if there is a thunderstorm or fireworks then playing relaxing music can help soothe your dog off to sleep. That white noise stops them being so alert to outside distractions. Dogs can hear lots of little noises we can’t, so masking some of those helps settle them. For a new puppy there will also be sounds they are not familiar with.

Whilst music can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, you might be wondering which music in particular? Well classical music helps quiet a dog and help them rest. Not all music will help, some actually make your dog more alert. But there are lots of suggestions on YouTube you can try.

Hopefully you will have a better idea how to help your dog sleep now.