How do I help my dog get more sleep?
In a previous blog post we discussed how much sleep the average dog requires to have a healthy functioning mind and how this affects behavior. If you tracked your dog’s sleep, as recommended in that post, and have realized that their sleep is inadequate, then this post will help.
My first question to you is: where and when does your dog sleep? Not just at night, but during the day? Do they have the opportunity to get away from stimulation ? If you have kids, are they aware that they should let the puppy or dog sleep and not to wake them up? This is a safety risk for anyone, not just kids. However, kids tend to have a little less impulse control and are prone to interacting with dogs as if they are toys, instead of autonomous animals. A little education will go a long way in this case. *note: always monitor kids with dogs. We will discuss kids and dogs further in a future post.
Remember, the goal is for them to be relaxed, not stimulated or just physically exhausted. A common misconception is to simply run your dog ragged with a walk, run, or other physical exercise. While this may obviously tire them out, it is also encouraging the pattern of go-go-go at 100% and then crashing. We don’t want them to require this pattern in order to simply take a nap and get the sleep they require. Your dog should be able to get adequate sleep every single day whether they have been physically exercised beforehand or not. Because let’s face it, we are not perfect and we have busy lives and inevitably will not be able to follow through every single day, but more importantly our dogs are not athletes. But if they were, then we are simply training them to require more and more exercise as they get adjusted and as their endurance improves.
That is not to say that your dogs wouldn’t appreciate some routine and some physical exercise in their lives. Honestly, what I have found most beneficial, and what I would ideally have every dog owner include in their dog’s day, is some mental stimulation and guess what...it is JUST AS TIRING as physical stimulation. Think of how you feel after problem solving or critically thinking, such as working, studying, or taking a test. Providing your dog with adequate mental stimulation, such as enrichment and learning, is also extremely helpful in building your working and living relationship with your dog. This can be done inside or outside and a blog post is coming with a multitude of mental stimulation ideas for you.
Below is a list of tips specifically designed to help you know what will help your dog to rest, and therefore sleep, more often.
TIPS:
DO incorporate something that is calming
DO put on calming music such as a meditation station, preferably without commercials
DO create a calm environment by speaking in low slow tones and keeping your movements subdued and predictive with relaxed body language
DO feel free to try out different calming sprays and chews
DO know that licking is soothing, so a frozen stuffed Kong or marrow bone with more liquid-like substance works well as they last longer
DO NOT do something that could be exciting or frustrating
DO NOT give them puzzle toys if there is a risk that your dog will get frustrated with it
DO NOT give them something that squeaks or makes exciting noises
DO use mental stimulation as a way to help tire their brain out- as long as they are not overly excited or get frustrated trying to learn
look for future tips on how training can be a fun activity for your and your dog, with as little stress as possible
DO practice safety: have them in a crate or pen if necessary
DON’T leave your dog unsupervised in your home if they are not ready
If they are destructive or not potty-trained
DO NOT leave them alone with something that should be supervised for safety such as something that could be choked on (this is especially true if you have a destructive chewer, or a dog that likes to swallow non-food items)
DO make sure your dog is appropriately crate trained, if you are using one, as this is imperative to them feeling like they can relax in their crate
DO have as little stimulation as possible
DO have them in a quiet area where there is little foot traffic
DO put on calming music that can double as a “white noise” of sorts by drowning out stimulating noises that may permeate their area
DO turn the lights off and have the blinds drawn
DO NOT wake them up when they are sleeping (remind children)
DO actively work on relaxation as a skill
DO understand that, just like humans, dogs are not simply born knowing how to relax in all situations, but there are many ways we can help them learn to do so
Note: if your dog cannot seem to be able to rest at all during the day, then this will be a very important topic to learn more about
~We will flesh out all of these items in future posts!~
~ and remember that I offer one-one-one help virtually as well, and would love to help you and your dog with whatever you need! ~
