Best Sleep Aid For Dogs: Let Them Snooze In Peace!

The best sleep aid for most dogs starts with the basics: enough daily exercise, a consistent bedtime routine, a comfortable bed and a last potty break. If your dog still struggles, calming products like a heartbeat toy, a pheromone collar or a vet-approved melatonin chew can help, but first rule out pain, anxiety or a medical problem as the cause.

When your dog is restless at night, the chances are that you aren’t sleeping well either! Just like humans, dogs need healthy rest: most adult dogs sleep 12-14 hours a day, and puppies can need 18 hours or even more. Below, we help you identify the cause and share the best sleep aids for dogs.

Reasons why your dog cannot sleep well at night

There are countless reasons why your dog may not be sleeping through the night. It could be anything from simple excitement or anxiety to a more serious health problem. Let’s explore some of the reasons in further detail:

1Physical pain

If your dog has difficulty lying down, this could be due to a physical issue like stiff legs or joint pain. If you’re looking for a solution to ease your dogs pain we recommend searching for pain-relief dog beds or orthopedic dog beds.

2Anxiety

Dogs can also be anxious and this can make it hard for them to sleep at night. If your dog is restless and constantly pacing, this could be a sign of anxiety. If your dog is anxious, there are several calming aids that may help your dog relax and have a restful night’s sleep.

3Separation anxiety

If your dog is used to sleeping with you at night and suddenly has to sleep alone, this can trigger separation anxiety. Dogs with separation anxiety may start to bark or howl when left alone and this can disrupt your sleep as well. Fixing separation anxiety requires some behavior training, which you can do with the help of a professional dog trainer or animal behaviorist.

4Gastrointestinal problems or a full bladder

If your dog is making small intestinal noises or trying to pass stool, this may be the reason he can’t sleep. Make sure to take him out for a last walk before you go to bed and first thing in the morning when you wake up. If the problem persists, please consult your Veterinarian.

5Outside noise

Dogs have very sharp hearing and do not like to hear unfamiliar sounds and it can bother them – especially if they cannot see the source of the sound. The noises could be from cats in your garden to wild animals including hedgehogs.

8 tips to ensure you are providing your dog with the best sleep environment

Let’s look at some quick tips that you can follow to make sure your dog has the best environment for sleeping:

1Be consistent with your bedtime

Your bedtime affects your dog too. Tricky though this can be, weekends are included! Consistent bedtime helps to regulate your dog’s internal clock and helps him to sleep better at night.

2Have a consistent routine

Establish a routine that includes the same times each day for your dog’s meals and walks. It is essential that his final feed is several hours before his bedtime so he has time to digest the food.

3Ensure your dog has proper bedding

Provide him with a comfortable, well padded bed that is size- appropriate. If your dog is restless at night, consider using a calming bed; there are tons of options available online.

4Sufficient activity for your dog

Ensure he gets plenty of exercise during the day. Depending on his breed, your dog could need a daily walk of 30 minutes – two hours.

5Empty your dog's bladder

Let your dog out into the garden just before bedtime in case he needs the toilet. This will help to reduce the chances of him waking you up in the night for a toilet break.

6Don't excite your dog before bedtime

Don’t over-stimulate your dog just before bedtime – even a late-night walk can be too exciting for him and too many treats are both over-exciting and bad for digestion.

7Check your dog for insects

Check that your dog is not being irritated by mites, fleas or other insects. These can all lead to a restless night for your dog.

8Consider using a pet-calming aid

There are many products on the market that can help to calm anxious dogs. Below, we have listed some of the best natural and commercial calming aids for dogs.

Home treatments to help your dog sleep

There are countless home treatments that can help your dog sleep. Here are some of our favorites:

1Soften lighting in the evening

To help prepare your dog for bed, it is well worth experimenting to see if lower and softer lighting has a positive impact.

2Deal with noise

If your dog seems bothered by noise, playing white noise through the night in the room where he sleeps could solve the problem. Alternatively, he may find a ticking clock or the radio soothing.

3Use a herbal remedy

Some herbs, such as valerian and passionflower, are commonly used for their relaxing effect, although scientific evidence in dogs is limited. Check with your veterinarian before trying them, especially if your dog takes other medication, and use a product made for dogs so the dose is right for his size. They are usually given about one hour before bedtime.

It is best to try them for a period of 7-10 days and to monitor whether the treatment is helping your dog to sleep.

4Try Aromatherapy for your dog

Some owners find that scents like lavender and chamomile have a calming effect. Be careful, though: dogs have very sensitive noses, and concentrated essential oils can irritate or even poison them if licked off fur or bedding (tea tree, pennyroyal and pine oils are especially dangerous). Never put undiluted oil on your dog or his bed, use only a small amount in a well-ventilated room, and make sure he can walk away from the scent. Always dilute oils first (see how to dilute cedarwood oil for dogs), and skip burning scents in the bedroom, as incense can be bad for dogs.

5Try Crate training

Although some dog owners dislike the idea of putting their dog in a crate at night, this can be surprisingly successful because dogs like the feeling of security that the crate can provide. Being in a crate will mean that your dog cannot pace around in the middle of the night. For this to work, the crate must always be considered the dog’s den and he must be comfortable.

6Buy a sleep remedy

Melatonin is a natural sleep remedy that is regularly used by humans and is available for dogs too. Before you try this, get advice from your veterinarian about the right dose. Never give your dog human melatonin products without checking the label, as some contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.

CBD oil is another option some owners ask about. Research in dogs has mostly looked at pain and anxiety rather than sleep, product quality varies widely, and it can interact with other medications, so discuss it with your veterinarian first.

When to call your vet

A sudden change in your dog’s sleep is worth a vet visit, especially if he is pacing, panting, whining or restless at night, drinking or urinating much more than usual, or seems to be in pain. In senior dogs, night-time restlessness and confusion can be a sign of canine cognitive dysfunction (similar to dementia), which your vet can help manage. Treating the underlying cause usually works far better than any sleep aid.

5 popular sleep aids for dogs on Amazon

Maybe you prefer to use a commercial product to help your dog sleep. If this is the case, you will find a huge range of products available online. To save you time, we have listed 5 popular products below.