I’M BEING DISTURBED
“Dogs are also very light sleepers, so many things can wake them.”
MANY THINGS CAN DISTURB OR AROUSE A DOG AT NIGHT. DOGS DON’T SLEEP FOR A SOLID EIGHT HOURS LIKE WE DO. THEIR SHORTER SLEEP/WAKE CYCLE MEANS THEY WILL NATURALLY HAVE PERIODS AT NIGHT WHEN THEY WILL BE AWAKE. THEY ARE ALSO VERY LIGHT SLEEPERS, SO MANY THINGS CAN WAKE THEM. THESE INCLUDE:
● Security lights — if you have an external light which comes on periodically throughout the night, it can wake your dog. Turning it off can really aid sleep. If you have a dog, you probably don’t need an outside light as he will alert you to any trespassers. However, you will have no control over a neighbour’s light, or you may need your own light to remain on; in this case try a blackout blind.
● Wildlife — dogs will wake at the slightest noise or movement, and they can also be territorial, so if your dog has access to a window that overlooks the garden and he sees a wild animal or cat in his space, he is doing his job of alerting you; however, it’s arousing and upsetting for him.
Blocking access to the window or shutting him out of that room may help. If it’s the noise he is hearing, try white noise to mask external sounds.
● Noises — fireworks, people in the street, even branches knocking against windows can be frightening for many dogs. Internal noises — the boiler waking up, the house settling at night as pipes cool, or white goods noises like the click of the dishwasher or the ice machine rattling — can also frighten your dog.
Work out what sound he may be hearing and see if you can eliminate it. If your dog is really fearful of thunder or fireworks, it’s really best if he is close to you, so you may have to let him sleep in the same room, even if it is only temporarily.
● Weather — stormy weather can be just as unsettling: garden furniture being blown around, branches knocking on windows and so forth can be very worrying. Your dog might be so frightened that for a time after the storm he may be unsettled at night. I have known some dogs who have had to have their sleeping areas relocated after a scary storm experience.
● I’m frightened — anxious dogs, puppies, dogs who have had a scare, dogs suffering from separation anxiety syndrome, all may struggle to sleep alone. It may not be your preference but think about your dog’s emotional well-being if he is fearful. You can often tell if he is worried as his anxiety will heighten when he sees the cues to your bedtime; he may be reluctant to enter the room you want him to sleep in, or become frantic and vocal.
Studies prove it is just as beneficial for us as it is for our dogs to sleep together, so if you are being disturbed at night why not bite the bullet and try having him with you in the bedroom. You will then know instantly if he wakes and is scared, ill, or needing to toilet.