This is a question very close to my heart at the moment. After several years of sleeping through the night, my dog Finn recently decided that he had to leave his crate and bring my slippers to me, at 3 o’clock in the morning! To say that this behaviour is draining is an understatement! From day one of having him, he has always been content to go into his crate in our bedroom at night and, after the first couple of nights of getting used to the crate and getting through the needs of a puppy, he has been a model sleeper. So, what has caused this change of sleeping pattern? We may never find out why we had that short period of major sleep disruption but Elizabeth Vecsi, writing for Dogster magazine, has some ideas on why your dog may become restless at night.
Vecsi states that “Aging, anxiety and lack of exercise are some of the common causes.” She goes on to say “While sleepless nights can be common for new puppies or even some younger dogs, the restlessness will usually die down once the dog matures. However, if you notice that your dog is no longer sleeping through the night, is constantly changing positions, or pacing around the room or throughout the house, there may be a more serious underlying issue that needs to be addressed. A dog who’s restless at night may signify different age or behavior issues that require some gentle intervention.”
It’s important to understand that dogs need to burn off energy every day. If they are not getting sufficient exercise, and that will vary by age, breed and size of dog, behavioural issues may kick in, one of which may be sleeplessness at night. Remember: a tired dog is a happy dog!
“Because exercise decreases anxiety overall, lack of exercise can contribute to anxiety-based conditions. More specifically, lack of exercise and mental stimulation can lead to attention-seeking and destructive behaviors,” says Stephanie-Borns-Weil, DVM, DACVB, head of the behaviour clinic at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. “Ideally, a young, healthy dog should have a minimum of 20-30 minutes of daily aerobic exercise. Some ways to get your dog’s heart rate elevated include long walks, running, fly ball, games of Frisbee or fetch, and swimming. Swimming is especially great for older dogs as it is not as demanding and puts less stress on their joints than other kinds of aerobic exercise.”
Anxiety: Is your dog restless at night even though he’s getting enough exercise during the day? While activity can definitely help, canine anxiety can have many causes and may be subtle enough that some dog owners won’t necessarily notice. This can affect a dog’s sleep schedule and result in a dog who’s restless at night. Talk to your dog’s veterinarian if medication is warranted, or even an appointment with an animal behaviourist.
Aging: Vecsi writes “As dogs get older, they can easily become restless at night — and the reason why is pretty common. Age typically brings on joint and muscle pain, which can make sleeping more difficult due to discomfort. The onset of dementia can also cause sleep disturbances in dogs. It is important to try and help the quality of life for a senior dog. Again, a consultation with your veterinarian is helpful in a case like this. For an older dog with typical aches and pains, you might want to consider providing an orthopedic dog bed.
One thing I’m certain about: your dog doesn’t become restless at night just to annoy you. There will be underlying physical or mental reasons causing the restlessness so be as patient with your dog as they are with us.
