Before seeing how we can put the dog to sleep, it is useful to know the causes that can affect the sleep of the animal.
In this article we are going to talk about how we can make the dog fall asleep, which can be useful if we have to subject him to a session at the vet, below we list the main causes why the dog has difficulty sleeping:
- Awakening: A dog’s nervousness or hyperactivity is incompatible with sleep. This is more common in young dogs who start to play and don’t know when to stop.
- Illness: If the dog is bothered by symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting or itching, it will be difficult for him to sleep. If we suspect that he is suffering from any pathology, we must immediately contact the vet.
- Stress, which can have several causes. For example, a dog who has just arrived home may not feel relaxed and comfortable enough to sleep.
- Sexual attraction: If an uncovered male dog recognizes a female in heat, it is likely that he will have trouble sleeping, as his instincts have other priorities.
How to put your dog to sleep
Since we know what causes canine insomnia, it is possible to fix the problem. A dog should sleep around 13 hours a day, of which around 9 should be at night. If your dog isn’t doing this, it’s because something isn’t working. Below we list some points to observe in certain cases:
Place
As we said earlier, the weather or other distractions could steal your dog’s dream. If you feel that your pet is uncomfortable where your bed is, you will need to consider changing it. Find a quiet space with a comfortable temperature, and if not, do your best to create it.
Exercises
This is essential for the dog to be calm and stressed. In addition, exercise will tire the dog, and fatigue will help you sleep. Exercise is vital for the dog, because a dog that has run and played is a happy furry one.
Dinner
Prevent your dog from eating a lot at night, and if you can, try to remove the bowl completely and don’t give him anything after his usual meal. Sleeping on a full stomach is not as good for you as it is for a dog.
Noises
The noise that might not bother you in the dog’s ear, which is much thinner than ours, could cause stress and discomfort. Therefore, check the room in which your pet sleeps. If you think annoying noises might be interfering with her sleep, find a place that works better for her.
Routine
Dogs need routine in life, which is why every day at the same time, you should stick to their schedules, with food, games or exercise. As you can see, there are a lot of things you can do to put your dog to sleep at night. Try to do everything you can to make your pet happy.
How to teach your dog to sleep
The first thing that needs to be clarified is that sleep cannot be taught. Sleep is a physiological necessity that under normal conditions changes throughout an individual’s life. Thus, the newborn puppy sleeps most of the day, the adult dog remains active for many hours.
In older dogs, on the other hand, sleep can be impaired and become difficult. In general, the dog sleeps well and the only concern is to provide him with a comfortable kennel where he can rest. But sometimes the dog refuses to sleep in his kennel.
The cause could be the heat and therefore for this reason he may prefer the contact with the cool ground or he would prefer to stay in a place he loves the most and as we all know his favorite place is often the sofa or our bed. When we take the dog home, we have to decide whether we will allow him to use these spaces or not.
It must be a single decision shared by all members of the household to avoid contradicting any stimuli that might confuse the dog. If we let him sleep with us and we are a light sleeper, chances are the dog will wake us up. As we said before, sleep cannot be taught, but an environment conducive to sleep can be created.
The best thing if your dog is having trouble sleeping is to establish a routine, both for him and for us who own him. Indeed, dogs adapt to the rhythms of life of their masters. Before going to sleep, the dog should have eaten, drunk, and gone for a walk, for him to be doing well, although calm physical activity before sleeping is recommended.
Because races and games can excite him and are counterproductive. As also with us humans, it is essential to turn off the television, radio and PC as well as the lights, and to prepare for sleep. In this way, we will reduce the stimuli and make the dog understand that it is time to sleep.
It is important to establish these habits regardless of the age of our dog. Other effective ways to relax your dog and help him sleep are by gently petting and massaging him or even offering him a relaxing herbal tea like chamomile. In this case too, the veterinarian will offer you the most suitable product.
How to put a puppy to sleep
As for puppies, the most common problem in these cases is that the puppy does not want to sleep on its own. A small animal that has just been separated from its family and does not know the house is almost completely normal for a puppy to cry at night. Until a few years ago, it was believed that the best strategy was to ignore the crying puppy.
Today they have shown that it is the opposite. In fact, there is no doubt that the best way to put a dog to sleep is with a hug. As long as he adapts to the house, we can make him sleep like that, or at least, pet him and reassure him while he is in his kennel. The techniques we suggested in the previous paragraph also apply to puppies.
We can also put the dog bed in our room so that he does not feel alone and can fall asleep better. At the same time, this sharing of spaces will strengthen the bond between us and the puppy. Over time, as the animal adapts and becomes familiar with the spaces in the house, we can get it used to sleeping on its own, but above all making sure the dog feels safe. and comfortable at home.
If, on the other hand, we decide to let the dog sleep alone in his room, it is important never to close the door. As we said, the first few nights he will cry and he will seek that we feel reassured. But if he finds the door closed, this situation can generate trauma, which can lead to more or less serious behavioral disorders. If, on the other hand, they have access to the room where we sleep, they will feel calmer and we will avoid possible problematic situations in the future.