Is your puppy waking you up early in the morning? There are many reasons that your puppy may be waking you up. In this article we will explore ways to increase their sleep-in time, so you’re not woken up when the roosters are crowing!
Most puppies will take many naps during the day, causing them to wake through the night and interrupt your sleep each morning. This can be difficult to deal with, but there are things you can do to help your puppy stay in bed longer.
Puppy Won’t Sleep In
There are many reasons why a puppy wakes up early in the morning. It’s likely that your puppy needs to pee, they are hungry, you are inadvertently encouraging their behavior, there is a problem with the sleeping environment, or they have excessive energy.
Another less common reason is your puppy may be sick or have pain somewhere. If you suspect an illness or injury, your veterinarian can help determine if there is an underlying medical issue. However, let’s address the more common reasons your pup is waking up too early.
How Can I Make My Puppy Sleep Later in the Morning?
Here are some things you can do to ensure your puppy sleeps through the night and sleeps in for longer.
- Careful not to encourage waking up early – Allow your puppy to always wake up on their own, for naps, or in the morning.
- Check they have a nutritious well-rounded diet. Cheap bulk dog food will be less likely to make them feel fuller for longer. We recommend Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy. It’s a quality nutritious meal that is high in fiber and will keep your puppy feeling fuller for longer and offers high nutrition value.
- Don’t let them nap as much. Puppies will sleep up to 20 hours a day. But if you’re finding your pup is waking up through the night and early in the morning, try keeping them to 18 hours. That extra 2 hours can be your sleep in!
- Train them to sleep in. Set an alarm for a desired time every morning. Your puppy will eventually learn that when the alarm goes off, it’s time to get up.
Also consider the time leading up to bedtime. Keep them awake before bed with a meal, some indoor games, and some time spent outside. You want them exhausted for a long night of sleep!
Your puppy could also be cold, in which case be sure to read this post, Is Your Puppy Cold? How to tell and what to do.
Another possibility is your pup needs to take a pee, which we will cover more in a moment. But just know that puppies do pee frequently and so you will need to get up and take them out for a pee.
Puppies thrive off routine, so every morning you may need to get up and take them outside for their toileting, before bringing them back to their crate for your sleep-in.
Actionable Steps to Give You a Sleep in
- Take them out to pee and poop just before going to bed
- Feed them a quality meal not too long before bedtime
- Reduce the noise in the room (Or if morning noise wakes them, use white noise.)
- Use light blocking blinds, so your puppy doesn’t see light and wake like a rooster!
- Ensure a comfortable sleeping temperature throughout the night and morning
- Don’t feed your puppy first thing in the morning. They’ll get very excited to get up!
- Don’t take your puppy for a walk first thing in the morning. Again, this will rouse them early because they think morning means walkies.
- Use a crate – if you haven’t already crate trained your puppy this is highly recommended
- If your puppy is showing any signs of discomfort or illness, take them to their vet
- Finally, if all else fails, get the help of a dog trainer
Possible Reasons Your Puppy is Waking Up Early
Lack of Routine
If you’re up early in the mornings through the week, but then want a sleep in on the weekends, this is going to be a struggle with a puppy. They love routine and will subconsciously follow daily habits that you have given them.
Be sure to establish a routine for bed time, and a regular time for getting up. This can help your puppy understand what is expected of them. If your puppy is new to your home, it can take some time to establish a routine. Stick with it and before too long you should find your puppy adapting to your lifestyle.
Your Dog Needs to Pee
Puppies generally have a hard time holding their bladder all the way through the night and will wake you up early to go outside to potty.
As your puppy gets older, this will get better as the amount of time they can hold their wee increases.
One thing that you can do to help your dog be able to stay asleep longer is to let them go out to potty and make sure that they do pee right before bed.
This ensures that your puppy’s bladder is completely empty when they go to sleep and will give you the best possible chance of getting them through the night. Of course, most puppies will still require you to wake up and let them out for a potty break.
On the subject of giving your pup water through the night, you can read our post, Let Puppy Drink Water at Night: Yes, No, How Much?
This table will give you an idea of how long your puppy can hold their pee for, and you can use the guide to know when is a good time to let your puppy out to empty their bladder.
| Puppy Age (months) | Bladder Control (hours) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 2 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 4 |
| 6 | 5 |
| 7 | 6 |
| 8+ | 6 Max. |
Your Puppy is Hungry
Your pup may be hungry and used to eating at a certain time each morning. Many puppies will wake up early on the weekend if they’re used to getting breakfast first thing.
Many puppies have an internal time clock, and they know when they’re supposed to eat.
It could also be that they’re just going through a growth spurt and feel hungrier more than usual. If you feed your puppy in their crate, which is a good idea, then when they wake up early, give them a small meal in their crate, then go back to bed. You might get lucky and your pup will fall back asleep.
You might also like to read, My Puppy is Always Hungry: Keep Feeding or Not?
You Are Encouraging This Behavior
Your puppy could be waking up early in the morning because they know that they will get a treat in the morning or extra attention.
If you tend to give your puppy food, treats, or a lot of attention when they wake up, they are more likely to get excited and wake up in order to get more rewards and attention.
Always be aware of when you’re treating or praising your puppy as it’s the path to your pup’s future behavior. If you want your pup to be calm in the mornings, be sure to show the way on every morning of the week.
Problem with Their Sleeping Environment
If there is an issue with their sleeping environment, your pup will find it difficult to sleep for longer periods of time.
Check to ensure that the room they are sleeping in isn’t too bright, loud, cold, or hot. Another thing to consider is if they have enough space for them to comfortably lay down.
The best room temperature for your puppy in the summer is between 75° – 78°F (24°c – 26°c) and in the winter 68° – 71°F (20°c – 22°c).
If you have recently moved your puppy to a new room, bed, or crate, then watch to see how comfortable they are. If they are restless and moving around a lot, it could be they’re uncomfortable.
A Time of Transition
If like the last point your puppy has a new bed, room, or crate, then it can take some time for them to adjust to their new sleeping environment. If your puppy is new to your home, give them some extra time to adjust.
Puppies can take up to two weeks to settle into their new environment, as they familiarize themselves with the smells, the new people, and their surroundings.
Excessive Energy
Some dogs will wake up early because they have excessive energy built up. All puppies will need daily exercise to help them wear off this energy.
When your dog doesn’t get enough exercise, they will be more energetic at night and not sleep because they want to get up and play.
It’s best to make sure that your puppy gets plenty of exercise to help them sleep more soundly at night. Ensure they always have a good supply of toys that not only exhaust their body, but also their mind.
Purchase a plentiful supply of soft toys, chew toys, and puzzle enrichment toys. If you exhaust your puppy’s mind and body through the day, they will be more likely to sleep for longer periods of time through the night.
Your Puppy is Sick or in Pain
If your puppy is sick, has an injury, or another medical issue, they could be uncomfortable during the night and in the morning.
This will be more likely if your puppy has suddenly started to wake up early. Watch for any signs of your puppy being uncomfortable when awake such as limping.
If it does seem like your puppy does have an illness, injury, or other medical problem that could cause them to wake through the night and in the morning, then the best option would be to take your puppy to a vet.
How Much Sleep Does a Puppy Need?
Young puppies will need 18 to 20 hours of sleep. This will not be taken all at one time but in multiple short naps throughout the day.
As your puppy gets older, they will need fewer naps during the day and start to sleep longer during the night. So, if your puppy is waking up before sunrise every morning, remember that this won’t be forever.
You might also like to read our post, Is it Cruel to Crate a Dog at Night? (Yes or No)
Final Thoughts
If your puppy is waking you up early in the morning, take a quick assessment of what may be causing them to wake up and address these concerns accordingly.
By using the actionable steps in this article, you will be able to extend their morning sleep in and keep you from becoming a walking zombie through the day!
