10 Tips On How To Calm An Anxious Dog At Night(With Video)

Just imagine a situation, you come back home, tired and struggle to focus. You decide to settle down, spend time and finally enjoy the peace. But what you hear, the sound of your dog whining, panting, barking and restlessly pacing. 

You love your dog, and you wonder how to calm an anxious dog at night? However, the good news, this following blog is a guide from a dog owner; I have dealt with anxious dogs and I know how it feels.

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You have to understand that dogs thrive on routine and they have different temperaments, likes, dislikes, anger and fear. So, I have put together the reasons and the ways to calm an anxious dog. 

A dog not sleeping at night and spending nights barking can be a common problem that can be fixed, let’s begin, with how to calm dog anxiety at night?

Why Is My Puppy Suddenly Anxious At Night?

Having a pet at your house is like having a best friend with you. However, having a pet needs lots of attention and care. There are certain times when your pet dog might experience problems within themselves which can make them anxious. 

Therefore, here are the possible reasons for your question about why my puppy is suddenly anxious at night. 

Canine Dementia 

With the growing age of your pet dog, they can face the problem of Canine Dementia. The development of this dementia is often visible in older dogs. And it is the first sign that can make your pet dog experience restless nights and anxiety. 

Pain

The dog can also experience restless nights with several body pains. Things like ear infections, dental disease, heartworm disease, arthritis, cancer, skin disease, and cystitis can be possible reasons. All these problems can make your dog irritated and restless. 

Fear

Fear is the most common cause that can make your pet dog feel restless at night. It can distract them and will decrease their sleep quality at night. Frequently, they can bark loudly at night. This problem often grows insecurity within them.

Frequent toilet breaks

Why is my dog freaking out at night? If this question comes to your mind then probably the cause of restless nights is several health problems of your pet dog. Your dog will get up more often at night to take toilet breaks for multiple health problems. 

How to Calm an Anxious Dog at Night? Sleeping with Dogs

Do you know sleeping with dogs can make you a healthy person? Dog’s warmth, protective nature, steady heartbeat and love can help you to focus more and feel safe and homely. As per the research, your presence can also help your dog to stay calm and sleep well.

How to Calm an Anxious Dog at Night? Before Bed Tips

Being a dog mom is a daunting job, when the dog barks anxiously you need to pacify her with water and love. I have heard stories from people saying that night after night they have taken care of their dogs without knowing the correct measures and in the end, they both collapsed together and isolated themselves. 

So, here are the tips on how to get an anxious dog to sleep. 

Play some music

Music is the most effective therapy that can calm your pet dog at night. Unusual sounds of crackers bursting and loud music make them fear and anxious at night. At that very moment, you can play some pleasant music for them. It will immediately help them to cool down and to enjoy the music along with you.

Using music therapy for your pet often proved an instant reliever for your pet dog to decrease anxiety at night. The pleasant music can get rid of other problematic sounds that bother your pet dog at night. Hence, choosing the best music for them is the best way to help them. 

To lower the restlessness of your dog, you can play some classical music and harp music. Eventually, it will also work as a natural remedy to cool down your pet dog at night quickly. You can listen to the music ‘Noah’s Harp’ to offer them peace of mind and to feel relaxed.

Try aromatherapy

Try to take the help of aromatherapy to calm down your pet dog. This is one of the best ways to calm an anxious dog. Good aromatherapy can also help your dog to get relief from stress and anxiety. There are lots of vet-approved essential oils available to soothe your pet.

But you need to be very careful while picking up an essential oil for your dog. Do not just use any one of the oils that you have at your house. These specially formulated oils have the right balance of ingredients. Try to use chamomile, lavender, cedar, and bergamot oil rather than citrus, clove, wormwood, and tea tree oils for your dog. 

Make sure when you are applying the Essential oil to your pet dog you are applying the oil to their back portion. Do not apply the oil to those parts of their body where there is a high chance of being licked by them. Do your research and find out the best essential oil for them.

Get some exercise

What calms anxious dogs? Involving them in some effective and age-appropriate energetic exercises can help them to get rid of tired muscles. Therefore, you can play or run with them in the playground to remove the feeling of anxiety. Besides that, it will also improve their nerves and soothe them too.

Do not forget to make eye contact with your pet dog while playing with them in the playgrounds. Every time whenever you will make eye contact with them it will eventually help them to calm down the fastest. Training them to solve a puzzle can also help them improve their cognitive ideas. 

On the other hand, to avoid the problem of an unenergetic feeling of your dog, try to groom your dog by playing and doing exercises with them every day. 

Soothe your pet

Find a darkroom at your house and put them in the room without any external stimulation. It is one of the most effective ways to help them to get relaxation and will help them to reset their mind. And putting them in a dark room will surely make a change and will help them to remove anxiety.

Never waste your time showing your affection and love towards your pet dog whenever they are facing difficulties. By simply offering an affectionate and gentle touch you can calm them. Besides that, you can also rub their belly for a while to remove the stress and anxiety naturally. But if you notice that your dog cries when picked him up, you should take this issue seriously. He may have some inner injuries or any other health related issues.

Moreover, if you are facing stress in your life then your pet dog can easily understand it. It can also affect their mind and body equally. If you do not understand why my dog freaks out at night then probably because they sense your stress level. Therefore, try to keep yourself out from having stress and try to talk in a charming voice with your dog. 

Remember reinforcement

And ultimately, the owner of a dog will have to reinforce the positive behavior within them. At the same time, they will also have to discourage the negative behavior of their dog. When your dog is involved in jumping and running activities, don’t just immediately rub or soothe them. 

These behaviors of yours can help them to realize you will give attention all the time whenever they feel hyper and tired. At the same time, you will have to avoid making eye contact so that they can naturally calm down by themselves. Ignoring them for a while can make them understand that you are not supporting that behavior.

How to calm a restless dog at night? Tips Before Bedtime

Gently rub down with love and affection 

Physical contact reduces heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety and increases the immune system of the dog. Touching, petting, and loving your dog can help him to relax and trigger positive emotions in your dog. Dogs use physical contact to show their love and they are a magnet to dog lovers. 

In such cases, if your dog wants to sleep between your legs, let him do it. He will feel more comfortable and safe.

Did you see a dog climbing its owner’s head when scared? During such a situation, you can slowly caress their body by massaging their cheeks and ears and allowing them to spend cozy time with you. The gentle massage helps them to calm down with their change in body language and the rate of a wagging tail. 

Favorite dog treat

Who does not like good food? Giving yummy dog snacks can help your dog to sleep well at night. Providing yummy bedtime treats will keep your pooch full throughout the night and in the right mood. Remember to develop this routine to witness a change in him. 

Most of the days I use to give my dog, Polo a home-cooked diet and sometimes Hill’s Prescription Diet. My home-cooked diet included bacon, chicken, and rice with the right dose of hemp oil that helps calm him down. 

Medication

There can be a list of pharmaceutical options to reduce anxiety in older dogs. I would highly recommend seeking your vet’s permission before incorporating it into your dog’s diet. Rather, I would suggest including “combination therapy” with supplements and a proper diet to manage his anxiety.

Drugs like Trazodone and Fluoxetine have increased levels of serotonin that boost the mood of the dogs. On the other hand, Anipryl drugs and Benzodiazepines keep the dog soothed and calm. Drugs like amitriptyline are antidepressant medicines.

These medicines suited my dog, Polo but may be dangerous for you. I probably do not want you to test these medicines on your dog without the vet’s permission. 

Comfortable place to sleep

Normally, your pet dog sleeps in the same place every day whether it is the bed or the floor. A comfortable place can help them to get a better quality of sleep at night. As a dog parent, you need to make sure you are offering the best and most comfortable place to help them to sleep every night.

While at the same time when they will get a cozy and comfortable sleeping place they will naturally forget about all of their anxiety. In addition, you will have to select a soundless and quiet place for your pet dog to make them sleep properly. A secure and comfortable place helps them to remove anxiety at night. 

Buy cuddle toy

To remove senior dog anxiety at night you can also offer some cuddle toys. With the help of these toys and by playing with them they can feel more secure and safe at night. Not only that, but it will also help them to get quality sleep at night every day with those toys.

As a dog owner, you should select only those soft toys that can make their playing and comfort easier. You can consider the help of adorable dogs for your pet dogs. They are very soft and squeak-free. While playing with the cuddle toys they will not think about anything else. It can help them to stay calm at night.

How to help a dog with separation anxiety at night? 

First, make him feel secure and comfortable. Allow him to sleep with you and hug him gently with love. Second, follow one step at a time; don’t make the bed a big deal. I would not ask for any dedicated dog training at this time. Third, deal with your dog more patiently, and take him to the vet. 

Final Words

An anxious dog needs immediate help from a vet however, holistic homemade remedies are preferred to calm an anxious dog at night. I hope this blog on how to calm an anxious dog at night is helpful to restore dog anxiety and make him more comfortable. 

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FAQ – How to calm an anxious dog at night