How to help your puppy sleep through the night

Puppies usually struggle to sleep at night; much like babies, it's a normal part of growing up.

You'll face challenges like accidents, restlessness, noise and whining, and it can feel like you'll never get a good rest again.

But don't worry - this won't last forever. We'll tell you how to settle a puppy at night, how to navigate that important first night and when you'll need puppy sleep training.

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Preparing for your puppy's first night

Once you've planned what your first day with your new puppy will look like, you should start preparing for that all-important first night.

First: set realistic expectations. Sure, your puppy may sleep soundly through the night, but don't expect this. Similarly, there's no need to be negative either; even if your puppy struggles to sleep, they will get to bed at some point.

We'd always recommend the puppy sleeping in a different room, ideally downstairs, but still within earshot of you during this crucial learning phase. Baby monitors can be really helpful to keep a closer ear on what's going on!

We'd never recommend having your puppy sleep in the same room as you. Unfortunately, this significantly increases the chances of separation anxiety and nearly always leads to problems further down the line with behaviour, separation, and attention-seeking behaviours.

Ideally, you should use a crate for a very new puppy as they need to be secure and safe from hazards when sleeping.

How to settle a puppy at night

Helping a puppy settle at night comes down to two broad areas: establishing a solid routine and making sure their sleeping space is comfortable.

It's important you set a stable, solid bedtime routine with your puppy. Put them to bed at the same time, and make sure they're fed, exercised and socialised at similar times each day. This allows them to establish an internal body clock and know when to settle down.

We recommend feeding your puppy around three hours before bed, and try to keep playtime away from right near bedtime as this will help them to wind down and rest.

It's also essential that they go to the bathroom before sleeping, especially during the toilet-training phase, as this will reduce the chances of you needing to get up to take them out in the night!

But you should certainly expect your puppy to toilet in the designated toilet area of their crate overnight in the first few days and this is completely normal.

Making your dog's sleeping space comfortable comes down to having it in the right place, with the right type of bed and adding comforting things like a blanket, familiar smells and toys.

Puppy sleep training: teaching good sleep habits

Use positive reinforcement training

Positive reinforcement training is rewarding behaviours you want your pet to learn and do.

Examples during sleep training include:

• Following their routine

• Listening to cues like "bed" or "place"

• Settling down in their sleeping area

• Sitting quietly

A fundamental part is ignoring traits you don't want, like crying or whining. It's important to only give your puppy attention when they do the things you want. But it's nuanced; you should see your puppy in the night if they've been crying for a bit or sound very distressed.

For example, don't react to your puppy if they're whining in the night without good cause; this positively reinforces the wrong behaviour and can extend the period of time they struggle to sleep through the night (and you!).

It's really really hard to ignore a whining puppy, and if you think your puppy sounds very distressed, it's fine to go to them, or quietly check they're okay.

Never punish or negatively reinforce behaviours from your puppy, either. This isn't a method for them to learn, and only makes them more anxious and unhappy.

Crate training is essential

Read our crate training guide if your puppy decides they want to sleep in a crate.

Address nighttime waking

Nighttime waking is an issue for all puppies, and you should expect yours to wake up once or twice during the night.

The most common reason for this is needing to go to the toilet, so prepare to take your puppy out for toilet breaks at night when they need (and follow the same principles as the house training you're using).

You can avoid a lot of nighttime waking by avoiding feeding, playing and giving them water right before bed. It helps them to settle if their space is quiet and comfy too.

Practice patience and consistency

Learning takes time, and that's especially true for your new puppy. Don't worry if they aren't getting the hang of sleeping properly straight away - make gradual adjustments, ignore unwanted behaviours and get further help if you notice troubling behavioural symptoms.

Every puppy is different and some will sleep through the night quicker than others, there’s certainly no right or wrong!

How long should it take for a puppy to adapt to their sleep schedule?

It can take your puppy anywhere from a few weeks to several months to get consistent with their sleep; it really depends on your puppy so always be patient.

Higher-energy breeds tend to take longer to settle into their sleep schedule, while low-energy breeds can settle into nighttime routines faster.

You should remember that your puppy's sleeping needs will change, too, which will impact how often they sleep and for how long.

A dog's sleep needs are roughly:

• Eight to nine weeks: 20 hours

• 10-12 weeks: 18 hours

• 13-20 weeks: 15-18 hours

• 20+ weeks: 10-13 hours

So expect changes to your puppy's sleep routine as they grow up, which you’ll need to adapt to.

What to do if your puppy still refuses to sleep

If you've followed an ideal nighttime routine, been patient, tired your puppy out before bed and followed all of the above steps, your puppy may be dealing with an issue like separation anxiety or another health problem.

You should seek help if you notice behavioural problems around sleep , which won't resolve with training. Signs you should get some extra help or advice are:

• Erratic sleep patterns

• Excessive daytime sleepiness

• Excessive vocalisation

• Lethargy

• Limping

• Lots of drooling

• Irritability

• Restlessness

• Sudden changes in eating or drinking habits

• Vomiting

How puppy insurance helps

Generally, you don't need to worry too much about your puppy's sleep early on. By following good habits, you should settle into a nice, restful routine pretty quickly.

But it is important to keep an eye on things if your puppy's struggling, as it can mean they're dealing with an issue.

It's why getting good puppy insurance is essential. For example, our Complete Care plan can cover vet-referred behavioural therapy to cover a health condition, meaning you can solve issues for your puppy early.

Get behavioural cover up to £20,000 as part of your overall vet fee limit, on Complete Care

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