Why Does My Dog Check On Me When I’m Sleeping? (And What To Do About It!)

Why does my dog check on me when I’m sleeping?

The most common reason for a dog checking on you in the middle of the night is due to separation anxiety, loud noises, and/or general restlessness. Some dogs may also have a different sleep schedule to you and will wake up for food early in the morning.

It’s recommended to not ignore this issue as it will impact your quality of life over the long-term.

It’s essential to figure out the answer to your question, “Why does my dog check on me when I’m sleeping?” by focusing on your dog’s habits.

The reasons can include:

  • Separation Anxiety
  • General Restlessness
  • Out of Sync Sleeping Schedule

Once you get a good understanding of the cause, you can begin to fix the problem at hand. Don’t let this continue for any longer then it has to!

If your dog keeps checking on you at night, it’s always going to have to do with an underlying reason. Most dogs don’t mind sleeping independently once they are well-trained.

To find the answer to your question, “Why does my dog check on me when I’m sleeping?” take a look at this article along with what you can do about it.

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Tips To Follow If My Dog Is Checking On Me When I’m Sleeping

Tip #1 – Change the Dog’s Bed and Blanket

The best place to start would be to change your dog’s bed and blanket.

These are the items the dog is going to need to sleep well. If they are not of the highest quality, your dog may end up waking up in the middle of the night and causing a bit of trouble.

The benefits included:

  • Added Comfort
  • Peace of Mind
  • Uninterrupted Sleep

By making a change such as this, your dog won’t rush up and check on your all the time because it’s going to be sleeping well.

Investing in this is going to make sure you are not left asking, “Why does my dog check on me when I’m sleeping?” all the time.

Why does my dog check on me when I'm sleeping

Tip #2 – Set a Proper Sleep Schedule

Scheduling is always going to play a role in whether or not a dog sleeps well.

This means you have to make sure the dog is sleeping at the same time every day. This is the only way for you to feel comfortable and not have to ask, “Why does my dog check on me when I’m sleeping?

An erratic sleep schedule can make it get to the point where your dog is waking up well before you do.

A good sleep schedule will mean the dog is going to sleep in lien with when you do.

If not, you are always going to have a dog that wakes up before you and is going to bother you.

Tip #3 – Teach the Dog to Spend Time Alone

Does your dog always stay near you during the day?

This may be a sign that there is a bit of separation anxiety going on and a solution is needed. If not, your dog is never going to stop its behavior because that’s what comes naturally to it.

The goal should be to teach the dog to spend time on its own.

Dogs need to learn to spend time alone and this goes beyond nighttime.

This can be done by placing your dog in a different room during the day or setting up a playpen.

You want to make sure the dog does spend time on its own including letting it out into an enclosed area such as a yard.

Why does my dog check on me when I'm sleeping

Tip #4 – Change the Dog’s Sleep Location

Where is the dog resting at night?

You want to make sure to find a spot that’s in a low-traffic area and doesn’t get hounded by noises. This can be one of the reasons for your dog waking up in the middle of the night.

Dogs need a bit of quiet around them to stay focused.

This means you want to set up their bed in an area that is closed off from external noises. Otherwise, the dog will continue to wake up causing you to ask, “Why does my dog check on me when I’m sleeping?”

Final Thoughts

Why does my dog check on me when I’m sleeping?

It’s a disconcerting situation to be in, especially when it becomes a repetitive issue. The goal should remain to find a viable solution to eradicate this behavior before it worsens.

Whether it has to do with separation anxiety or loud noises, you will have to focus on where the dog is resting. This includes the general setup too.

You want to change both the dog bed and dog blanket to ensure the dog has a comfortable spot to rest in. Sometimes, a dog doesn’t get a good night’s sleep because of how comfortable the dog bed is. Make the change along with where the dog bed is situated.

Always make sure it’s in a quiet part of the house, so the dog doesn’t get interrupted in the middle of the night causing it to wake up.

For more on how to take care of your dog, please go through these articles – dog sleeps by staying in contact with me, reasons for a dog peeing around the house, reasons for a dog not sleeping well, and how to block a room or area from dogs.