Burn Some Puppy Energy Before Bedtime Make sure to give your pup plenty of mental enrichment and exercise throughout the evening and before bedtime. If they're just lounging around at night while you're watching TV, they're likely to get their ZZZs in early so they'll be wide awake when you're ready for bed.
Follow a schedule.
Plan his day so that active time is followed by quiet time for sleep. He'll most likely be ready for a nap after playtime or a walk. Your puppy may nap every hour or so, sleeping from 30 minutes to as long as two hours. All of this sleep is perfectly normal.
But in all honesty, there's no 'right time' for a puppy to go to sleep, as long as it's the same every night. While this may be the case, do note that your puppy will need, on average, around 8-10 hours of sleep per night.
Puppies need to sleep when they need to sleep so, depriving a puppy of sleep, so that you can meet a set puppy bedtime, isn't ideal for them. It's better to allow them to sleep when they're ready and to let them go through a sleep-wake cycle again and put them to bed once they're becoming tired around your own bedtime.
Ignoring them at night won't help them build confidence and may make them worse which isn't what anyone wants. They need to be taught how to be independent slowly. We would never recommend ignoring your puppy when they cry at night, especially in their first few nights.
By the time your puppy is three or four months old, they should be able to sleep through the night. This does mean that you need to prepare for a few weeks of disrupted sleep and midnight toilet breaks. This often comes as a big shock to first time puppy parents!
Also, since puppies might feel anxious alone, it's best to keep them in the same room as you at night. As puppies turn into adult dogs, they can gradually get used to sleeping somewhere else in the house.
Night. Pups prone to nightly accidents may benefit from an extra walk right before bed. Nightly walks can also help your pup sleep better and prevent them from rambling throughout the night.
Routine. Give your dog a bedtime routine. You can start with a trip outside and then give your dog a small treat while you ready the house for night time. Most dogs will know it's time for bed because their owners start a routine such as turning off lights and locking doors.
According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour. From 3-6 months, they should not be left longer than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for longer than 3 hours).
“Some puppies can sleep for several hours at night right away!” If your puppy cries in the crate at night, your instinct will be to help him—and that's the right thing to do. Although sometimes people worry that getting him out of the crate might teach him to cry, that shouldn't deter you.
Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when they whine to be let outside.
Either ignore him for 10 to 20 seconds or, if he starts mouthing on you again, get up and move away for 10 to 20 seconds. After the short time-out, return to your puppy and encourage him to play with you again. It's important to teach him that gentle play continues, but painful play stops.
Many experts agree that a minimum of 2-3 hours of active interaction and engagement is appropriate for puppies. That may not really sound like a lot given it's only 8-12% of the total hours in a day.
More tips from the dog trainer
To avoid confusing the dog, say the same short word and his name with each command every time. Keep training sessions brief. A dog's attention span is short. For the basic commands, train 3-5 times a day, with each session lasting no longer than 10 or 15 minutes.
Keep in mind though, that it generally takes about three weeks for a dog or puppy to start to feel 'at home' and to show their true nature.
Most puppies will sleep through the night by the time they're about 4 months (16 weeks) old. But with some help, diligence, and proactive training, you may be able to get your puppy there even earlier!
It's also possible that your dog didn't get enough food before you hit the hay, so make sure it's getting the recommended amounts of food every day. Silverman says your dog might also wake you up on occasion to let you know it's sick. “He may be trying to communicate to you that he is not feeling well.
If your pet is constantly waking you up at 3 am because they are hungry, then adjusting their feeding schedule can help them sleep throughout the night. Or your dog may be waking you up because they have to go outside to use the bathroom.
You should never completely cover your dog's crate as it can block airflow. Keep blankets away from heat sources, ensure the fabric is breathable, and avoid using knit blankets that may snag or unravel. Monitor the conditions inside the crate in humid summer weather to ensure it doesn't get too hot.