Many puppies often bark nonstop on their first night in a new home. If left alone, they’ll start barking immediately, and stop as soon as their owner approaches. This cycle repeats, depriving you of sleep all night and disturbing the neighbors.
Why Do Dogs Like Barking at Night, and How to Deal with It?
- The dog is hungry or thirsty
If you don’t feed your dog enough before bedtime, it may bark due to these needs. Generally, puppies under 3 months old need 4 meals a day, so the pre-sleep feeding is particularly important.You can place sufficient water and an appropriate amount of food within its activity area. If you already fed it before bed, prepare some puppy-specific goat milk powder. - The dog fears the new environment or feels lonely
Having just left its mother or entered an unfamiliar place, the dog will inevitably feel lonely and scared. Barking is a sound of fear, just like a baby crying when left alone in the dark.If the dog keeps barking, you can stroke it gently, and it will quiet down gradually. If it still barks after several attempts to comfort it, talk to it softly to let it know you’re always there—it will then feel more at ease. It will calm down after a few days once it gets used to the surroundings. - The dog feels cold
As the weather turns cold or on rainy days, puppies are less able to resist the cold and may bark loudly. In this case, the dog needs a warm bed or mat. Let it stay in a cozy dog bed, or make a warm cardboard box for it. Put an old piece of clothing with your scent inside the bed. - The dog is overly alert and wants to get your attention
Dogs have a strong sense of alertness. Most likely, the barking is triggered by the surrounding environment—especially whether there are passing people or vehicles around 1 or 2 a.m. The dog will bark loudly to raise the alarm at the slightest noise.If it barks at every sound, turn on the light and comfort it, letting it know such noises are harmless. After several times, the dog will gradually learn to ignore some nighttime sounds. If it barks indiscriminately, scold it gently, or let it sleep in a room with people. - The dog slept too much during the day and has excess energy
Generally, dogs under 4 months old need a long sleep time—around 10 to 18 hours a day, split into several periods. If the dog sleeps too much during the day, it will be full of energy at night and want to play with you, but since you’re asleep, it will bark instead.Prepare some small toys for it—plush toys, balls, and squeaky toys are all popular with puppies. For fully vaccinated dogs, you can also increase their exercise during the day to burn off excess energy.
Notes:
If the dog still barks persistently, do not turn on the light and comfort it immediately, or the dog will think that barking will get your attention. Instead, comfort it with your voice during the pauses between barks, and try not to let it see you. It will naturally get used to being quiet after a few days.