Sleeping Issues

hi all, I don't know if any of you have ever had this problem, but my one year old Boxer isn't sleeping throughout the night, which results him in wandering around the house or trying to wake me up in middle of the night. We are pretty active, so I don't know what more I can do in that department. I've though about getting him one of those unique dog beds so he can feel like he has a reliable place to be at night. Anyone have any advice??

Hi there.

Sorry to be suspicious of you - but is this a geniune enquiry or a sales pitch? I'm afraid it looks very much like the latter to me.

I'm thinking it might help him go to a certain place everynight..

Can't see how a bed would help, much better to crate him at night for a while until he learns to sleep through. Make sure he goes out last thing so he is empty & then ignore him for a few nights & he will quickly learn, Trouble is every time you respond to him you are reinforcing his behaviour.

Can you not just shut him downstairs at night? my dogs are shut downstairs at night from day one to reinforce the fact that night time = sleep time. My older dog is loose in the kitchen and the other two are crated.

I don't think an expensive dog bed that looks like a human bed will help at all! Where does he sleep? Dogs are pack animals so he may just be lonely. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but my two sleep in our room so I know what they're up to, if they need to go out and if they're ill. They don't have expensive dog beds, I got two cot mattresses from Freecycle and they have a single quilt on top and they love them.

If you don't want him in the bedroom, perhaps he might settle on the landing if there is room?