Ensuring Your Dog Gets a Good Night’s Sleep 

A fair number of dog owners never stop to consider the quality of their pooches’ slumber. Since animals lack the ability to tell us when something’s wrong, it isn’t hard to see why we seldom realize when they’re experiencing sleep issues. Whether you believe your best friend is actively suffering from sleep problems or you simply wish to provide them with enhanced overnight comfort, there are a number of simple ways to give your dog a better night’s sleep. To help ensure that your pooch gets the most out of its nightly respite, put the following pointers to good use.

Give Them a Comfortable Bed

When selecting beds for our dogs, many of us instinctively prioritize price over comfort. Since they can’t tell us otherwise, we mistakenly believe that dogs can comfortably sleep on virtually any surface and opt for whichever bed’s the cheapest. In reality, an uncomfortable bed can dramatically affect a human’s sleep quality, and there’s no reason to assume dogs are any different in this regard. So, the next time you find yourself searching for a bed for your pooch, take care to consider waterproof dog beds. As the name suggests, these beds are designed to provide man’s best friend with the utmost comfort and set the stage for countless peaceful nights.

Exercise Your Dog Every Day

Most dogs require a fair amount of daily exercise. While some breeds need more physical activity than others, you’d be hard-pressed to find a canine that doesn’t need to be walked or played with on a daily basis. Unfortunately, far too many dog owners skimp in this area. Aside from being taken outside to answer the call of nature, many pooches receive virtually nothing in the way of daily exercise. In addition to being bad for your dog, a lack of physical activity on the part of your pooch isn’t good for you, either. Dogs that aren’t properly exercised tend to be restless and destructive, and in the absence of formal exercise, they have no real outlet for their excess energy.

Unsurprisingly, a lack of proper exercise can directly impact your dog’s sleep patterns. If your pooch has done nothing by lie around the house all day, they’re unlikely to be very tired come bedtime. As a result, they may spend the night running around, barking and causing damage to your home. With this in mind, make a point of walking your dog on a daily basis and providing them plenty of play. For best results, engage in an active play session before bedtime – albeit not right before bedtime, as this may leave your dog wound up and ready for more play.

Develop a Bedtime Routine

Like human beings, many dogs do well in structured environments. As such, developing a bedtime routine with your dog – and sticking to it – can be a boon to your efforts. Feeding them, walking them, playing with them and putting them to bed at the same time every day will help your pooch recognize when it’s time to settle down for the night. However, in order to be successful in this endeavor, you’ll need to stick to your guns and commit to the routine yourself.

Create a Comfortable Sleeping Space

Once you’ve procured a good bed and developed a nightly routine, set to work creating a comfortable sleeping space for your pooch. To prevent their minds from racing throughout the night, make sure this space isn’t beset by flashing lights or noise coming from outside. If your dog requires total darkness to relax, consider outfitting with space with special curtains designed to block light and/or muffle sound. Alternatively, if your dog needs to sleep by you in order to feel at peace, consider placing their bed in a quiet area of your room.

It’s easy to see why so many of us never consider the sleep quality of our favorite canines. After all, unless the sleep issues they’re experiencing are glaringly obvious, they’re likely to go unnoticed. Fortunately, there are a number of simple steps dog owners can take to nip poor sleep quality in the bud. Putting the measures discussed above to good use can help your pooch sleep through the night, setting the stage for increased energy levels, heightened focus and improved mood.