Robin and I were over in Dahlonega yesterday having a nice, quiet lunch on Main Street. They make the best egg salad sandwich because they put small apple slices in the mix. That gives the sandwich a slightly sweet taste that is really unique. Well, as we were having lunch, the person at the next table leaned over and asked if we were the dog trainers. I guess he saw us get out of our car with out “Dog Training” signs on the door. We said “Yes” and then he told us that he had just brought home a German Wirehaired Pointer puppy that he got from a breeder in North Carolina. The puppy is doing relatively well so far, but hi is waking up several times during the night. And, when he wakes up, he wants to make sure that everyone else in the house is also awake. He wanted to start training soon, but wondered if there was anything he could do to get a good night’s sleep right now…
We told him that we recently had this exact same problem with a new client and their twelve week old Rottweiler puppy who would wake up after three or four hours of being asleep in his crate. Sometimes he simply wanted out of his crate to walk around the bedroom. Other times he simply wanted to go outside smell the night air.
After some questioning, I concluded that the Rottweiler puppy still had some pent up energy and just wasn’t tired enough to hit that “deep sleep” that takes them (and us) through the night. I suggested a two phased approach to make sure that the puppy would be tired and really ready for his crate and to go to sleep.
- Get all the energy out of the puppy
I told my clients to take the dog out in the evening and have some really, over the top play time. They could do things like throw the Frisbee, fetch the ball, run for treats, run around the yard, etc. Their goal was to drain their puppy’s adrenaline and just make him dead tired. These actions simply increased the “I want to take a nap” with their puppy and increased the possibility of a long and peaceful sleep.
- Bach Flowers Rescue Remedy
This is a holistic, herbal relaxant. It is made up of flower pedals that calm you down. I suggested to put several drops of the Bach Flowers on their puppy’s tongue an hour before bedtime. This is would be like us having a nice, warm, glass of Ovaltine (Remember Ovaltine? I love Ovaltine!) before bed. It will relax their little puppy and help him have a long and deep sleep.
By doing these two, simple processes, they were able to get their little puppy to sleep through the night. Many times the simple processes are the best. Love it!
Our “lunch acquaintance” thought these were great ideas and was going to try our suggestions that evening.
Please call us at (770) 718-7704 if you have any dog training questions. I have a lot of great dog training articles on the blog at Best Dog Trainers Dahlonega Georgia. Find all our phone numbers, text addresses and email contact at Dog Training Help Center Dahlonega Georgia.
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