Top tips to ensure your dog gets a good night’s sleep

9th June 2022

If your dog isn’t sleeping well, there are steps you can take to try to improve their sleep. Firstly, you need to identify if their sleep is poor, which you can do by giving your dog an Animo®, which tracks your dog’s sleep quality score each night.

Once you’ve identified there is a problem with their sleep, try following the steps below to try to improve it.

Your dog’s bed

Your dog needs a comfortable bed that’s warm enough for the temperature of the room they are sleeping in. This might mean that you add an extra blanket during the winter if you don’t have the heating on in the house throughout the night. If you have more than one pet, make sure they each have their own bed as they might not want to share.

Sleeping environment

Noises can affect your dog’s sleep so choose a quiet area of the house for your dog’s bed. You might like your dog sleeping in the same room as you, but you could be disturbing them, so try giving them their own room to see if their sleep improves when they’re on their own.

Exercise

If your dog gets enough exercise during the day, it should help them to sleep. Conversely, too much exercise can lead to poor quality sleep in older dogs with arthritis, as it can cause joint pain. Find a level of exercise that is well suited to your dog’s size, breed and age and use Animo to set activity goals so that they don’t get too much or too little exercise. If you are unsure of how much exercise your dog should be getting, speak to your vet for advice.

Check for illness

Illnesses, allergies and fleas can all have a negative impact on your dog’s sleep. If you suspect your dog is unwell or requires treatment for a condition, take them to the vet as soon as possible for a check-up. If your dog has an Animo, it can alert you to any sudden changes in your dog’s sleep. If this is down to illness, then early treatment could be key in getting them back to good health.