Do you ever wonder why your dog can’t sleep well at night, or even worse, it keeps on barking loudly? First, you have to understand that they have a different sleeping rhythm compared to humans, and they require certain “conditions” to enable them to sleep better at night. If you would like to know how to help your dog, then read more below.
Polyphasic Sleep Cycle
Dogs have a polyphasic sleep cycle, which means that, unlike humans, they sleep multiple times on a typical day. You would notice that they nap quite often, regardless of the time. The total time that they do spend asleep is about twelve to fourteen hours every day, which is more than people do. Although it is less likely that you are able to stop your dog from napping during the day, there are various tricks to help them sleep longer at night.
Spending Energy on Exercise
You know what they say, if you have an energetic kid that bothers you, you let them run wild until they get tired. The same case applies to a dog, although the amount of physical activity may differ depending on the type of dog. Larger dogs typically require more exercise than smaller ones. Whether it is during the morning or before going to sleep, it helps to take it for a walk every day.
Scheduling a Daily Routine
You may want to keep things routinized to ensure that your dog will be more likely to sleep during bedtime. For example, you can walk them every day at the same time. Feed it at least three hours before sleep time so that it can digest the food comfortably. Also, it may help if you allow it to take a dump before bedtime so that it will no longer have the need to go to the toilet at midnight.
A Private Bed
You have to allocate a private space for your dog to sleep on. As much as possible, you should avoid sleeping with your dog, if you do not want to experience sudden barking or tossing and turning in the middle of the night. Also, dogs are, as obvious as it is, den animals, so they prefer sleeping or resting inside their territory. You may opt for crate training or just let it rest on a heated bed A good place to find a bed for dogs is petnap.co.uk, as they offer top-quality products.
Watch Out For Medical Conditions
If your dog frequently has trouble sleeping, then it might be time for you to take it to the vet. Observe any changes in appetite, behavior, movement, and most importantly, the sleeping pattern. Quite often, the vet will prescribe some medication to help your dog sleep more comfortably if it is suffering from a medical condition.
Conclusion
It is quite easy to help your dog sleep better at night. First, you have to increase its physical activity to tire them out. Next, you may have to schedule a daily routine so that it would make sleeping at night a habit. Also, it is best that you let it sleep in its private space to prevent interruptions in sleep. Lastly, there are times in which your dog would suffer from a medical condition and is unable to sleep well, so you have to take it to the vet.
