How do I get my puppy to sleep all night?

Question

She's about 3 months old and for the past few weeks she wakes up at odd hours of the night to go outside. It takes me about a good 30mins to an hour to fall back asleep. So by the time I've just started to rest she has to go again. Last night I probably slept around 2 hours. This has caused me to be on a short fuse with her and I don't think it's good for her training or myself. I'm the only caretaker of this little pup. I love her, but if I don't get a good nights sleep soon I dunno what I'm going to do. I've tried taking her out before we go to bed, stopping her from taking naps around bedtime, walking her at night. I'm kindof at the end of my rope here.. any suggestions?

Answer 1

Keep your dog going outside. Being angry at them for no going in your house will not keep them running to the door to go outside.

The best way to keep a dog from being up all night is to wear them out. Play with them, take them running, socialize them with other dogs so they can wear each other out. Your dog will learn not to drink much after dinnertime because they don't want to have to wake up to go.

Be glad your dog is already potty-trained!

Answer 2

Adopting a puppy is like having a baby in some ways. You must not get frustrated with her, she's only a baby. If she has to go to the bathroom you should take her out or you will only get more frustrated with her when she has an accident. Don't take it out on her, she's only a baby. Take her out as often as possible to go to the bathroom. If she cries at night though it's probably because she has separation anxiety because she misses her mother. You must become her mother. Pick her up and put her in the bed with you. Talk to her softly and stroke her gently. You must mimic things her mother would do. Go get a good puppy raising book.This will help you understand her needs better. Sleeping, unfortunately, will not be easy for a little while. At least until she becomes more comfortable. Under no circumstances should you yell at her or hit her. After all, shes only a pup.

Answer 3

Make sure you feed your puppy a few hours before her bedtime and put the waterbowl up about an hour before she goes to bed. I would still keep doing all the other things your doing.

I would also get a crate and crate train her. She is young yet so she might not be able to hold it all night but if she whines, barks, or does anything else to get out of her crate don't let her out otherwise she will do those things to get out and once she has picked up that habbit it's hard to break. Good Luck.

Answer 4

For a tiny puppy, a ticking clock and a hot water bottle both wrapped up in a thick towel. It will make puppy feel secure - like she's with mama.

Do NOT keep checking on her. She'll learn that if she cries, she gets attention. You don't want her training YOU, do you? It's tough but stick to your guns and resist the temptation to "rescue" her from her lonliness. After the first couple of nightes, she'll learn to pass the night without crying and you'll be fine.

For potty training, you might try changing the feeding schedule. If she's eating and drinking in the evening, change it to morning (or vice versa.) If you can alter her schedule by 6 to 8 hours, you'll probably find that you're okay to sleep through the night.


I've successfully raised several puppies. It still tears my heart to hear them whimper at night, but I also know what works! :)

Answer 5

Girl that will pass in the next few weeks. I went thorough the same thing with my boxer puppy. At about 4-5 months she was sleeping through the night. I was okay with taking her out all the time because I was just happy she wasn't going in the house. At night when I would take her out, I would just open the patio door let her do her business and she would come back in and lay down. We had her puppy bed right next to ours and that helped her sleep longer. If she is otherwise a good puppy, hang in there!!

Answer 6

Maybe she is cold. Do you have air conditioning? If you do, that could be the prolblem. When pups get cold, they have to potty. My puppy had the same problem and I bought a special microwavable disc from Petsmart. It kind of looks like a frisbee, and is called a Snugglesafe. It cost about $30.00, and saved my life, and his. If you do get one, make sure that you place it under a blanky that is just for her, and she should sleep thru the night for you. Good Luck!

Answer 7

Get an empty bottle with the type of lid that screws in. Fill it up with warm almost hot water. Wrap the bottle it in a towel. Take a watch or a small clock that makes noise and hide it in the towel. Put the puppy in a box next to the wrapped bottle/watch and wrap the puppy in another towel. The puppy will want to be next to the warm of the bottle and the noise from the watch or clock will sooth him/her to sleep.

Answer 8

i raised guide dog pups and i totally believe in crate training! the actually like the security and comfort and will learn to love their crate. for the first couple weeks after you got her, you needed to be prepared to wake up in the night with her to take her to go potty, but then come straight back into the house and kennel her and do not talk to her or give her any reason to want to do it again to get your attention. the crate will take some getting used to, but i totally think that's the answer to your problems! good luck! : )

Answer 9

crate train her if she whines at night talk to her but dont pick her up because then she will thinik that every time she whines she gets to come out. That will make things worse and she will never sleep through the night. try turning on the radio to a sort of channel where like news plays or people talk. that helped my puppies get used to their new home.

Answer 10

With my puppy i take him for 1-1.5 hours run at 19.30 every night he gets home and falls asleep coz he's so tired sleeping through the night. You puppy may well need more excerise so it wipes her out come bed time. Good luck