As a dog owner, your furry friend’s sleeping schedule is one of the most important factors to consider. After all, spending a restless night with a roaming dog can be stressful and should be addressed promptly.
In this article, we’ll provide you with a solution to this problem and answer the question of whether you should let your dog roam the house at night.
There are several reasons why a dog may roam at night, including diet issues, health concerns, lack of exercise, separation anxiety, uncomfortable sleeping environment, and age. While occasional roaming at night is not a cause for concern, a healthy dog should be spending most of their time sleeping at night.
Regardless of the reason, both you and your furry friend can suffer from a disrupted sleep schedule. In our upcoming discussion, we’ll explore how to carefully address these issues and provide you with tips for creating a safe and comfortable sleeping environment for your furry friend. Don’t miss out on this informative conversation that can help you and your dog get a good night’s sleep.
Why do some dogs roam the house at night?
The issue of your doggy roaming during the night might be possible due to several reasons.
These reasons might affect your doggy in a different manner because they are not the same breed or in the same environment.
Major possible reasons are explained below, and you could get an idea about your dog’s situation. Keep reading!
1. Diet issues
You should be more careful when feeding your doggy. Because some foods they are given to have might keep them awake for the whole night.
The main and the most common diet issue is feeding too much. Your dog does not have any idea of the portion he or she needs to have in their tummies.
So, you should be more alert when giving them food. If you also do not have a good idea about feeding your doggy, ask for some advice from a vet. That would be best.
Sometimes, if you are out for work every day, your buddy might not have enough food in his tummy. It is essential to mention, even if you give the food before leaving the house, they won’t have it.
That might be because they are feeling lonely and not so interested in eating.
This will affect very badly during the night. Because he or she hasn’t had enough food for the whole day. Hunger can hit them so badly.
2. Health issues
Sometimes your doggy might be suffering from an illness or an injury. These medical conditions keep them awake and you as well.
Because you won’t feel like sleeping when your little friend is suffering from an illness.
Some of the health issues can be mentioned as follows;
- Cognitive dysfunction (more like Dementia)
- Urinary tract infections
- Kidney disease
- Gastrointestinal
- Diabetes
- Arthritic pain
- Even some forms of cancer
The conditions such as cognitive dysfunction can be commonly seen among older fellows. It can be considered one of the major reasons they don’t sleep at night.
Doggies suffering from this condition often tend to sleep more during the daytime and awake during the night.
Some of the above medical conditions can cause severe physical and mental pain both at once, and I’m sure you won’t be able to tolerate them since you love your doggy so much.
Please, be aware of their health.
He or she might show some hints about their illness during the daytime like pace, pant, restlessness, or vocalize. When you notice them for the first time, take him or her to a vet ASAP.
3. Lack of exercise
A dog fellow not having enough exercise for his or her body might end in causing the problem of roaming during the night.
So, this condition makes them have a lot of energy at night, and they start to rock and roll in your home.
But, in some cases, the opposite might happen.
When they do not have enough workout activities or exercises during the daytime, they might feel uncomfortable at night, and sleep can be harassed.
4. Separation anxiety
The condition of separation anxiety has the possibility of causing many problems for your buddy. The mental health of a dog should be definitely kept within a well-balanced frame.
When your dog starts to suffer from separation anxiety, he or she will show unnatural fear and nervousness when you are getting ready to go out.
This might hit them hard during the night as well. Because they tend to think that you are not home and start roaming. Maybe they are searching for you.
Once the fear of getting alone knocks them down, they start feeling uncomfortable during the night continuously.
This fear might keep them awake sometimes for the whole night.
5. Sleeping environment
Well, sometimes your doggy gets really distracted because of the sleeping environment they have.
It can be dust in their sleeping room or playpen, lighting problems, old and damaged pillows, or other natural reasons.
For example, my little fellow does not like to sleep when it is too hot during the night. He needs some fresh air sometimes at night and goes searching all around the house.
Another point is that if their sleep is disturbed because of loud noises and the surroundings are too loud, they keep roaming as they do not feel any sleepy mood.
6. Encouraging behavior
Apart from all the above-mentioned points and facts, if you encourage their night routine not to get asleep, they will start to roam with you during the night.
If you tend to give him or her some extra attention, supposing they are all alone at night, they won’t adapt to sleep.
And also, if you also engage in their play games during the night, they might misunderstand it as daytime.
So soon they will start to become more active and seek your attention without having a proper sleep which might make them and you both ill.
7. The age
The sleeping schedule of dogs can vary with their age. Normally a little puppy might sleep a bit more than an older dog.
Because when they are getting older, their joints and muscles tend to give them pain gradually.
So, if your doggy is an old fellow, he or she might have this issue of muscle pain and joint pain. As a result, they start roaming around the house at night to ease their pain.
But, if your buddy is still a puppy, he or she will sleep a little more if you practice them to have a proper night routine without encouraging their activities at night.
Apart from all the above reasons, sometimes the only reason for your dog to roam during the night might be the need for peeing.
If they wake you up and go towards the door with you, maybe he or she is in need of peeing.
By the way, here is why do puppies want to play at night.
Should you let your dog roam around the house at night?
Well, when considering all the above reasons and facts about having a night gambler in your house might discomfort you.
If you are getting aware about this for the first time, you might feel like, ‘what should I do now?’.
It’s not something to worry much about, but you should closely observe your doggy’s night behavior and decide whether he or she is in need of medical assistance or let them roam without taking any action.
This doubt, whether to let your dog roam around the house at night, hits your mind when you figured out that there is something wrong with your fellow dog.
If you feel like they are severely suffering from any medical condition or may sometimes be a psychological condition, observe them very attentively and then decide.
Anyhow, you and your doggy should have a proper sleeping routine and be much more beneficial for the second if they practice themselves to sleep at night like humans since they are growing up with you.
In a case, if they do not show any interest in sleeping during the night, it may be because of a reason mentioned above.
In such situations, do not force them to sleep without attending to the real issue. And also, in such a background, you can’t let them just roam around the house at night because they should have proper treatments.
Suggested Reading: What time to take the dog out at night?
How to stop your dog from wandering around the house at night?
A wandering dog might cause many problems during the night, and you will easily become fed up with him or her. So then, the struggle becomes really hard and out of your control.
In order to stop your doggy man from wandering around the house during the nighttime, you can try some of the tricks and tips below.
1. Control food
If the issue is with the food he or she is having you can search for some proper diets on the internet and if it is not working, take him or her to a vet and get a matching meal plan.
This might vary depending upon the breed and the age of your dog. So be careful and follow the guidance of the vet.
Stop feeding them with some food items which can keep them awake throughout the night. And also have to consider a lot about their age and the breed when setting a meal plan on your own.
For example, my little buddy does not have any limits on his tummy and keeps on eating as much as possible. So, it won’t do!
A proper meal plan helps them to have a proper sleep.
2. Enough exercises
Exercises are important for dogs as well. Workout activities help them a lot to have a good sleep without roaming the house at night.
If they feel a bit hungry several times a day, feed them. Because according to their breed, they might. But remember to go on a walk with him or her. Play a little and have some running rounds.
Keep him or her active for a little while and let them rest. Then see whether they are having a good sleep on the same night.
Doing exercises together also helps you to make a strong bond between yourself and your doggy.
But keep in mind, workout activities vary depending on the breed and the age of your dog.
3. Treat illnesses
In any case, if your buddy is in need of medical treatments, take him or her to a vet and have a check-up.
Then if they need treatments furthermore, do have them and observe whether there is any improvement in their sleeping schedule.
This should be done very carefully while following the guidance of the vet. Because you are dealing with a little angelic life.
3. Make a comfy sleeping environment
A comfortable sleeping environment is one of the most needed factors for a comfortable sleep, even for humans. So, it is the same with the gods as well.
Order some soft pillows and mattresses for him or her and make sure to clean the whole room they are supposed to sleep in.
If they love some specific fragrances, light a fragrant candle that makes them so calm and happy.
Then, identify whether your buddy prefers a dark room or to have a little light in it and cater to those preferences.
4. Stop encouraging the behavior
Do not give them attention during the night if they are awake. Let them feel that it is time for all to have a good sleep, and their cute little dramas are not allowed.
Avoid giving them toys and playful stuff during the night as he or she starts to roam your house like it’s daytime.
If any of the above tips didn’t work out, let them go outside to pee and have some fresh air if they are burning inside the house like on a summer night.
Things to be aware of
When you find a solid solution to this problem of your dog roaming the house at night, you should be very careful and be more attentive as dogs are a sensitive group of pets.
Never mistreat or mislead them.
- Wash their pillows and blankets twice a week. This might help to remove insects if there are any and will keep them healthy and clean.
- As a plus, you can bathe them like once for two days or else consider taking her to a pet salon and give them a package of good treatments. Groom them perfectly.
- Take him or her a walk with you on an evening and spend some time with them. Make their minds happy and relaxed.
- Socialize them. Help to find them new friends and let them play a little. Give them hope and a change. This will help them a lot to have a proper sleep during the night.
Conclusion
Finally, suppose you could have a clear idea about why your doggy is roaming at night, whether it’s good or bad, and how to stop it. So, you can test the above-explained tips and tricks and decide what to do with your dog. If not, consult the vet if you need further advice and help your fellow to have a healthy sleep at night.
Cheers till next time!
