How to Stop a Dog from Barking at Night?

Sleep is extremely important for our body. During sleep, we produce melatonin. The less sleep you get, the less melatonin you produce. A lack of melatonin can have a significant impact on our lives, as our mental and physical health deteriorates. We will be more nervous, less concentrated, and possibly even irritable. As a result, you can become the most unpleasant person to talk to.

And it's one thing if the lack of sleep is due to the fact that we choose to watch another episode on Netflix instead of sleeping. But sometimes sleep deprivation is caused by external factors. For instance, loud noises coming from neighbors or a pet barking. Noises at night may cause negative emotions about that one who is making the noise. Therefore, nighttime barking can affect relationships and attitudes toward your furry friend. 

So, in this article we will analyze:

• why does the dog bark at night?
• is it normal for puppies to bark at night?
• some extra tips to stop barking at night and make nighttime the quietest time again.

If you are interested in this topic and has experienced such issues, read further to find out possible solutions.

What are the most common reasons of dog barking? And why do we constantly hear this barking at night? 

In general, there are many causes of barking at night time. It may be caused by neighbours, cars, birds, etc. But the reason for this is that dogs have very acute hearing. 

Dogs can hear the same sound we hear from four times the distance, so at night they will pick up sounds you won't, especially if you live in a quiet rural area.

Also, if you live in an area where many dog owners live, even if 1 dog starts barking, the others immediately pick up and group barking begins. Why does this happen? Do they talk to each other? Are they bored? In fact, it's all because dogs are used to living in packs. It's their instincts, they are social animals, and indeed in this way they warn of possible danger and pass on information. 

In addition to hearing, dogs have got very keen sense of smelling. Therefore, even if some animal is super quietly passing by, they can still notice it. 

Of course, the reasons listed above are the most common, but your dog may also bark when he or she wants attention.

That's true, and the number of dog owners complaining about barking has increased dramatically since the pandemic ended and most of them returned to their jobs. Don't you see any pattern here?

We were spending all our time at home during lockdown. We were constantly with our pets and they got used to it, they got used to us being at home and that they should just come up to us, even when we were working, and we would definitely pet them or give them any kind of attention. Many people have even stroked their furry friends during business meetings via Zoom or Google meet. Have you ever done that?

Nevertheless, lockdown has finished. Consequently, we cannot spend so much time at home anymore. Our four-legged friends are missing us. Hence, it is not surprising that more and more dogs suffer from separation anxiety, become nervous or upset if we leave them alone.

They don’t have as much attention as they used to during the day. That’s why they try to compensate this at night. 

Training tip : share a bed with your dog, or at least arrange for your dog to sleep in your room.

One more reason is boredom. Make sure that  your dog gets enough physical exercise throughout the day.  Walks and play sessions are very important, so they don't have any pent-up energy at bedtime.

Is it normal for puppies to bark at night?

Of all dog owners, it is puppy owners who complain the most about nighttime barking. 

Why does this happen? Habits. This is the main reason. They are used to sleeping with their mother or siblings, and in the new house they have to sleep alone.

One more tip : get your puppy used to sleeping in a crate - even if it's only for the first few months! It will be hard at the beginning, but don’t react on the barking or whimpering. However, it is important to start by placing the create next to your bed so that your new pet can see you. Then gradually start to move the crate further and further away. Your pup will learn the crate is a safe space to settle down.

7 tips to help your dog stop barking through the night 

As promised, we're going to share some tips on how to get your sleep time back and get rid of barking.

But before that, don't forget to try our tips above.

Tip 1: play white noise or classic music.

This will help you and your dog to relax. And makes everyone sleepy. 

Tip 2: make evening walks or training session more active.

Release pent-up energy with an evening walk or game session. So the dog will be tired and sleep better. 

You can either take a good walk or even play with her favorite toy before bedtime. 

Additionally , let your child bring a favorite toy to bed with him or her (if it calms his or her down), but maybe hide the squeaky toys if you really want to sleep!

Tip 3: try a bark collar.

Bark collar will help you not only with night barking, but will help get rid of barking in general. 

Tip 4: try calming treats, oils or aromatherapy products.

These supplements use natural ingredients that calm the dog, help reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and bring peace of mind to both the dog and the owner.

Tip 5: provide your dog with a  comfier sleeping space.

Check if your is fully comfortable with his or her sleeping area. 

Maybe, it’s time to invest in a cozy new bed, a bigger crate, or just letting your dog sleep in the bedroom. This can cause a restful night's sleep.

Tip 6: create a nighttime routine.

Brush your furry friend or brush your dog's teeth every night before going to bed, you can also give him or her a little massage to help to remember that it's time to go to bed soon.

Tip 7: work with a dog trainer.

Dog trainers can really get to the bottom of the problem. They can then work closely with you and your dog to find the best solution by using individual approaches. 

We really hope that our tips were useful for you and your pets! Be calm and patient! Calm nights to you and your furry friend.