If your dog is hyper at night you might be wondering why and what you can do about it.
This post will show you a number of reasons why your dog might be hyper at night and how you can get it to stop.
So, why is my dog so hyper at night? Possible reasons are that it is not eating the right foods, it is eating right before bed, it’s not getting enough exercise, separation anxiety or you might have inadvertently rewarded the behavior.
There are a number of nuances that you can consider when trying to figure out why your dog has been doing it. When you have a good idea of the cause it will be much easier to get it to stop.
Why your dog is so hyper at night
Each of the different reasons that your dog does it will likely come with some clues.
Below, I will mention a number of reasons why your dog might be hyper at night and what would make them more likely.
It’s eating the wrong foods right before bed
The reason that your dog has been getting hyper at night could be that it has been eating the wrong foods. This would be more likely if it started getting hyper at around the same time that you changed its diet. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding your dog.
It could also be the case that it is getting fed too late in the evening. If you are currently feeding it late into the evening, try feeding it earlier in the evening instead.
It’s not getting enough exercise
It could be the case that it is not getting enough exercise. This would be more likely if it is a particularly active breed such as a Husky or a German Shepherd. Generally, it is recommended for dogs to get an hour of exercise per day and when they don’t get enough it can cause them to become hyperactive.
If your dog is not currently getting the recommended amount of exercise for its breed then it would help to make sure that it does.
Related: Why does my dog lay down to eat?
Separation anxiety
If your dog does not sleep where you sleep then it could be the case that it has some separation anxiety. This is where it does not like being left alone and the prospect of being left alone causes it to become anxious. This would be more likely if it shows signs of being anxious when you are about to leave it such as by pacing or crying.
In this case, it would help to train it to get used to being left without you by leaving it for longer and longer periods. It would be important to start out by leaving it for a very short period so that it does not get anxious and then to reward it for not being anxious each time you do it.
It’s important that you leave it for a period where it will not start to get anxious so that you can reward it for not being anxious. You might find that you will have to start by not even leaving the room and by simply making it seem like you are preparing to leave.
Related: Why does my dog sit on me?
You have been encouraging it
It might be the case that you have been inadvertently reinforcing the behavior by giving it things that it wants when it gets hyper at night. This would be more likely if you tend to give it things such as attention, toys or treats when it gets hyper.
As long as it does not seem to be doing it because it needs to pee or there is something wrong, it would help to avoid rewarding it when it gets hyper so that it doesn’t learn that being hyper gets rewards.
There is a problem with its sleeping environment
It might be the case that there is a problem with its sleeping environment. It could be that it is too hot, it is not comfortable for it or that it is too bright.
Needing to pee or poop
Dogs will often start running around just before they need to pee or poop. The reason why your dog has been being hyper at night could be due to needing to pee or poop. This would be more likely if your dog wants to go outside when it is hyper at night and if they poop or pee as soon as you let them outside. It would also be more likely if your dog is hyper in the middle of the night as opposed to right before bedtime.
Things to consider
Below, I will mention some particularly helpful things to consider when trying to figure out why your dog is hyper at night. Once you have a better idea of the cause it will be easier to take the appropriate action.
If it has always been hyper at night
It would help to consider whether or not it has always gotten hyper at night or if it has started doing it suddenly.
If it has started doing it suddenly then possible things that could have caused it to start doing it could include:
- You rewarded it for being active at night once
- It’s sleeping environment changed
- You started giving it exercise at a different time or less of it
What is different when it is less hyper
It would also help to consider what is different when it gets hyper.
If you notice that it is not always hyper at night then it could be that:
- It is less hyper when it gets more exercise
- It is less hyper when it is fed earlier in the evening
- It’s less hyper when you have given it more attention during the day
How old it is
It would also be important to consider how old it is.
If your dog is still a puppy then it is likely that it will calm down as it gets older and the reason that it gets hyper could be that it is not yet able to control its bladder through the night.
How to get your dog to be less hyper at night
There are a number of things that you can do about your dog being hyper at night. The best option for your dog will largely depend on the cause of it doing it.
Below, I will mention a number of things that you can do about it.
Make sure that you are feeding it correctly
Since a poor diet could be causing your dog to get hyper at night it would help to make sure that you are feeding it correctly. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding it.
It would also help to avoid feeding it late in the evening.
Give it lots of exercise
Since a lack of exercise could also be the cause it is important to make sure that it is getting the right amount of exercise for its breed.
If it is an active breed then you might find that it needs even more exercise than you would expect. If it is currently getting exercise daily then you could try wearing it out even more by playing fetch with it.
Another thing that you could try would be to give it a walk in the evening as well to get it to get rid of some of its excess energy.
Consider crate training
Crate training is where you teach your dog to learn to be comfortable inside of a crate designed for dogs.
If you crate train your dog in the right way it will give it a space where it can feel safe. This will give your dog a space where it will be able to feel secure at night without you being around.
Avoid negative reinforcement
As mentioned above, it could be the case that you have been inadvertently training your dog to be hyper at night. Instead of giving it things that it wants when it gets hyper, it would help to avoid doing so unless it is really necessary.
Let your dog pee or poop right before bedtime
If you are not already, it would also help to make sure to give your dog the chance to go outside to pee or poop right before bedtime so that they do not need to pee or poop during the night.
Why has my dog suddenly become hyper at night?
If your dog has suddenly starting being hyper at night, it would be more likely to be due to things such as a change in their diet, a change in the amount of exercises being given, a change in where they sleep or another change close to bedtime. it would help to consider what else has changed recently since it would be likely that there is something that has caused the behavior.
For example, if you recently started going to bed at a different time, it could be the case that your dog is not used to going to sleep at that time. Whereas, if you have suddenly started making your dog sleep in a different room, the cause would be more likely that your dog is not used to sleeping there or separation anxiety.
Why is my old dog hyper at night?
If your old dog has become hyper at night, it might be because they have started needing to pee or poop at night and it has been causing them to have difficulty sleeping. This would be more likely if your dog also wants to go outside when being hyper and if they pee or poop as soon as they go outside. In this case, it would help to make sure that your dog gets the chance to pee and poop right before bedtime. If that does not seem to be the cause, it could still be due to any of the other reasons mentioned above.
Why is my puppy hyper at night?
If your dog is a puppy, it would make it more likely that the cause is one of separation anxiety, needing to pee or poop or naturally having a lot of energy due to being a puppy. In this case, it could help allowing your dog to sleep closer to where you sleep, to let it out to pee and poop just before bedtime and to try to wear your dog out in the evening so that they are tired when you want them to be.
Why is my dog hyper in the middle of the night?
If your dog is hyper in the middle of the night, it would be more likely to be due to needing to pee or poop, a problem with the room it sleeps in, separation anxiety or having learned that the behavior is rewarded.