How To Accustom The Dog To Sleep Alone

Have you just bought a puppy and can’t get him to sleep alone in the kennel? Howling at night, does he not want to sleep or does he try to get on your bed? Paying attention to him or letting him get out of the kennel would be just a mistake. Here are some tips to help your new puppy sleep where he should and not where he wants.

Why does my dog ​​cry at night and don’t want to sleep alone?

When the dog cries or barks during the night, or when he seeks your company, he does not do it with bad intentions or to annoy you: this behavior is most likely the consequence of being separated from his mother and siblings, and of the not yet accustomed to sleeping alone. Don’t make it a problem. It will be you masters who will have to get him used to sleeping alone.

The important thing is that you act firmly; you will not have to go to him, nor shout, nor act so that the puppy understands that you have heard him or that you will run to him when he cries at night, even if he will annoy you with his barking. Although it is difficult for both the owner and the puppy, it is best to ignore it. In this way he will realize that no matter how much he cries he will still not receive attention, and he will understand that the kennel is his bed and that at night there will be no one to play with him, eventually getting used to it.

In addition, it is important for his education to get used to being independent and not stay all day in his arms, receiving the attention of the owners. He has to understand his place in the family. Of course, the transition period is going to be a bit boring. It usually takes a puppy about 7 days to get used to the new kennel. Which means a week of howling, scratching the door and barking at night. For this reason, it is best to let the neighbors know that a new puppy is coming, to point out that he is still getting used to sleeping alone, and to apologize for the inconvenience it may cause.

Tricks to make your puppy sleep peacefully in his kennel

The first and most important thing to get your dog to sleep well is to prepare the house and the place where you will host your puppy. It will be important to show him the place where he will sleep so that he can begin to recognize it, put some object impregnated with your smell, or smells familiar to him, etc. If you also keep the dog in a quiet and relaxed place before going to sleep and he will leave a treat in his kennel, this will help him sleep not only better, but also more peaceful.

It will be important to avoid making your dog sleep during the day and take him to exercise regularly, so that he gets tired and sleeps peacefully regardless of the place. The amount of exercise your dog needs will depend not so much on size as on breed. There are more active breeds that will need more exercise, especially those that were originally used as herding dogs, for example the Collie or the German Shepherd. If the dog does not want to go to sleep, you can try to show him that we yawn to make him sleepy, so that he falls asleep once placed in the kennel.

Dogs are very sensitive to noises, sensations or changes. If something has recently changed, if there are new noises or if a sensation is missing, he will have difficulty sleeping. For example, if he is used to sleeping in a small, enclosed place, such as a cage, he will find it difficult to sleep in an open space. And vice versa, if he has to sleep in a cage, he will refuse to enter. Either way, you need to be affectionate, but act firmly, and use a positive tone of voice to let him know that you are not punishing him and to make him learn to sleep relaxed. A trick you could use is to put a treat in the kennel or cage for him to enter with more pleasure.

One of the most important aspects, and which is often not taken into consideration, is that dogs have a strong energy boost after eating, so it is better not to feed them before going to sleep.  It would be best to give him his evening meal at least two hours before he goes to sleep and then take him for a walk. In this way he will discharge the energy accumulated by exercising, running and jumping.