10 Expert Tips To Keep Your Anxious Rescue Dog Calm At Night

Are you spending sleepless nights worrying about how to help your anxious rescue dog stay calm? 

As a seasoned pet owner who has adopted 9 “challenging” rescue dogs over the years, I know only too well the frustration that can arise from a dog who is struggling to settle down at night. 

But with patience and consistency, I’ve successfully helped each of my pups find their peaceful bedtime routine. 

In this article, I’ll share my 10 expert tips that can help you help your new dog settle down and enjoy a restful sleep.

So let’s put an end to your pup’s nighttime jitters so you both wake up refreshed and ready for the day! 

Understanding Anxiety In Rescue Dogs

Dogs can exhibit anxious behavior at night for a variety of reasons, including fear, stress, pain, or an underlying medical condition that makes them feel uncomfortable in some way. 

Other dogs may simply be anxious as they adjust to their new home and new surroundings, with all the new sounds, scents, unfamiliar items, other pets, and new family members. 

It’s not uncommon for rescue dogs to have experienced a lack of socialization during the crucial stage of their development as a puppy.

As a result, they may not know how to interact with humans or how to behave in a home.

This can lead to the dog developing social anxiety that will take time and patience to overcome (Ha & Campion, 2019).

As if that wasn’t enough, some rescue dogs have experienced trauma or abuse in the past, which can make them fearful at night.

Recognizing Signs Of Stress And Anxiety In Dogs

Dogs tell us how they are feeling through their behavior, body language, and facial expressions.

It is essential to be familiar with your dog’s regular demeanor so you recognize signs of stress to help him handle stressful situations.

Common indicators of stress in dogs include: 

• Pacing
• Shaking
• Whining
• Howling
• Barking
• Yawning
• Drooling
• Licking
• Changes in eyes and ears (e.g. dilated pupils, ears pinned back)
• Changes in body posture (e.g. stiff muscles or hunched posture)
• Shedding fur
• Panting
• Changes in bodily functions (e.g. eating, drinking, peeing, pooping)
• Destructive behavior (e.g. chewing shoes or furniture)
• Avoidance or displacement behavior
• Hiding or escape behavior (Weir & Lynn Buzhardt, 2023)

Understanding Anxiety In Older Dogs

Senior dogs may experience anxiety due to canine cognitive dysfunction or a loss of hearing and/or vision.

This can cause them to become confused, disoriented, and restless.

Anecdotally speaking, I have noticed in my own dogs that their anxiety levels increase as they get older.

10 Tips To Help Your Anxious Rescue Dog Settle At Night

Now we have looked at some of the main signs of anxiety in dogs, let’s get straight to my top 10 tips so you can help your anxious pup settle at night.

#1. Develop A Consistent Bedtime Routine

Just like us humans, dogs thrive on a regular routine. 

It’s a lot less stressful when you know what’s going to happen and when it’s going to happen.

If your furry friend knows what to expect, he’ll automatically feel a lot calmer because he won’t have to worry about what’s happening next.

Consistency is key, so try to stick to the same routine every night.

#2. Take Him Out For A Last Potty Break

This may seem obvious, but if your dog needs to pee or poop, he is not going to be able to relax at night.

So take him outside, either for a short walk around the block or a little potter around the yard, just before you head for bed.

This shouldn’t be anything too strenuous or exciting, which is likely to get him all riled up and find it harder to settle.

Just keep things calm and slow and offer quiet verbal praise or a tasty treat when he does his business.

It’s a great idea to let him sniff a bit too. 

Research shows that sniffing lowers a dog’s heart rate and blood pressure, so it’s the perfect late-night activity for helping him relax (Budzinski & Budzinski, 2019).

#3. Create A Calming Atmosphere In The Home

This might include moving around slowly, making soft eye contact with your pup, and talking in a quiet voice, as well as lowering the volume on the TV and dimming the lights.

Loud noises can be stressful for dogs, so it is important to minimize their exposure to them as far as possible.

Many dogs have noise phobias and are fearful of fireworks, thunderstorms, smoke alarms, emergency vehicles, construction equipment, and noisy household equipment like the washer and dryer.

Using a white noise machine or playing some calming dog-specific tunes (yes, really!) from Through A Dog’s Ear or Relax My Dog can help block out any external noise, alleviate anxiety, and promote relaxation. 

It’s also a good idea to close the windows and any external doors to try to help your dog feel a bit safer.

#4. Remove Any Stressors In The Environment

Minimizing potential stressors in the environment can help your rescue dog feel more comfortable in his new environment.

Let’s say for example you have a second dog who likes to move around at night, or a couple of cats that like to zoom around chasing each other at 4 a.m.

Make sure your anxious dog does not have to be exposed to any disruptions like that, that might cause him to be on edge and unable to relax.

#5. Provide A Safe Place To Sleep

This can be a bathroom or a spare bedroom – anywhere that it’s quiet where your dog won’t be disturbed, and where he enjoys spending time.

If you don’t have a separate room, you can section off a quiet area with baby gates or a puppy pen.

Providing a cozy bed is also essential to help your pup feel comfortable and secure at night. 

You can pile it up with his favorite blanket and cuddly toy to make it even more snuggly and enticing. 

Make sure your dog bed is the right size for your pup and is made of comfortable and soft materials.

If your pup feels safe, he will be able to relax instead of feeling anxious and stressed.

If you’ve adopted a fearful or anxious rescue dog, this is actually the most important thing of all.

Feeling safe can “jump-start the healing process,” explains journalist Seth Porges.

It’s a powerful way to foster well-being and support your dog’s overall emotional balance.

#6. Provide A Puzzle Toy

Providing a puzzle toy can help your rescue dog wind down at night. 

It could be a treat-dispensing toy like a stuffed Kong, a LickiMat, or a Snuffle Mat – anything where your dog has to work to find the treats.

It’s that sniffing thing I mentioned earlier, remember?

Not only that, but giving your dog a puzzle to solve engages his rational brain.

This helps inhibit his emotional brain so he is likely to be more relaxed.

Chewing and licking are also highly reinforcing and relaxing behaviors for dogs so this is, all-in-all, a great way to end the day.

#7. Use Calming Aids

Some pet parents have great success using calming aids to help their restless dog settle at night. 

Options include:

• A calming pheromone spray such as Pet Remedy on your dog’s bedding or in the room in general. 
• A plug-in Pet Remedy or Adaptil diffuser close to where your dog sleeps can create a sense of safety and ease. 
• An Adaptil calming pheromone collar if you are able to get close enough to your dog without scaring her, and she is okay with being touched around her head and neck area (many dogs are not). 
• If you prefer a musical solution, try playing some classical music or even some calming dog-specific tunes from Through A Dog’s Ear or Relax My Dog at a low volume to provide white noise and promote relaxation. 
• For a more holistic approach, you might want to consider trying Rescue Remedy, which is a blend of flower essences that can help reduce anxiety levels in some dogs.
• A Thundershirt Anxiety Jacket applies gentle, constant pressure that can help calm anxiety, fear, and over-excitement due to a variety of environmental triggers.

They don’t work for all dogs but in my opinion, are always worth a try.

They can’t hurt, after all.

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#8. Make Sure His Needs Have Been Met

This seems obvious but sometimes dogs get anxious at night if are hungry or thirsty, so make sure your dog has eaten his dinner a few hours before bedtime, and has access to fresh water overnight.

At the same time, make sure your pup is not too hot or too cold, in pain, or has any underlying medical issues causing him to be uncomfortable at night and unable to settle.

If in doubt, do check in with your veterinarian just to be safe.

#9. Build Up Positive Associations

Just like we did with Maggie and her condo, you can build positive associations with bedtime.

You can do this by creating positive experiences when he is in, near, or even approaching or looking toward his bed (or crate, if you use one).

For example, you can make it rain down with yummy treats or reward him with praise and petting.

#10. Use Clear Signals And Stay Calm

I always like to make it very clear to our dogs that it’s bedtime.

So after they go out for their last potty break, they come back in and get their night-time chewy or puzzle toy.

Immediately it’s lights off, dog gate up (they sleep in the living room so the cats get a bit of peace at night!), and humans removing themselves.

There are no long, drawn-out departures. 

We just quietly depart while the dogs are busy with their chewies and no longer paying attention.

In addition, it is important to stay calm and patient when helping your rescue dog settle at night. 

Dogs can tell when their owners are anxious or stressed (known as “emotional contagion”), so try to remain relaxed and reassuring.

Dealing With Restlessness And Anxious Behavior

You have probably read advice on the internet to ignore your dog if he starts excessively barking or whining in the night, or is pacing up and down unable to settle.

I disagree. 

If your dog is anxious, then it can only help if his most trusted person is there to comfort him.

Your presence isn’t going to make his anxiety levels any higher. 

On the contrary, it is quite likely to help reduce them.

Barking

If your dog is barking excessively at night, it can be disruptive to both you and your neighbors. 

Is your dog really barking out of fear or anxiety? 

Or is he trying to guard his territory? 

Maybe he has heard the local wildlife passing by the window?

To address this behavior, it is important to first identify the underlying cause. 

Whining

Our dogs tend to start whining in the middle of the night if they have a sudden bout of diarrhea and need to get outside fast.

Although it’s a pain to drag yourself up from your cozy bed, it’s better than the dog peeing or pooping in the house and having to clean it up the next morning!

Pacing

If your dog is pacing at night, you can try providing him with enough exercise and play sessions during the day to help him burn off excess energy. 

Inappropriate Elimination

Sometimes dogs have accidents at night because of gastrointestinal upset due to anxiety or fear. 

Alternatively, some dogs are simply not fully housetrained – say if they have been rescued off the street, or have lived in a concrete run at the shelter where they can eliminate any time.

To address housetraining issues, it is important to potty train your dog and provide him with plenty of opportunities to go outside to eliminate, as well as that important final bathroom break last thing at night. 

“Housetraining involves more than just learning where to potty; dogs and puppies must also learn to “hold it” until they get to an appropriate potty location and how to notify you to get them there,” says certified professional dog trainer Sarah Richardson.

Impact Of Anxiety On A Dog’s Overall Well-Being

Feeling anxious is not a pleasant feeling but it can also have long-term implications for our dogs’ health and well-being.

These include:

• Reduced Ability To Think Rationally: Elevated levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, can impair your dog’s cognitive function, making it harder for him to think, learn new things (i.e. training), and make rational decisions.

• Elevated Heart Rate And Blood Pressure: Anxiety can cause an elevated heart rate and blood pressure, potentially leading to health problems such as heart disease and hypertension.

Behavioral Strategies For Anxious Dogs

There are several behavioral strategies that you can implement to help your dog feel more relaxed and confident, which can lead to better sleep and less anxiety.

Desensitization And Counterconditioning

Desensitization and counterconditioning are techniques that can be used to help your dog overcome specific fears or triggers that may be causing his anxiety. 

They involve gradually exposing your dog to the trigger in a controlled and positive way while rewarding him for calm behavior.

This type of behavior modification can be hard to get right, so the best way to do it is to enlist the help of a professional positive reinforcement dog trainer.

Positive Reinforcement Training Methods

Positive reinforcement training methods are a great way to build confidence and trust with your dog. 

By rewarding him for desired behaviors, you can help your pup feel more secure and less anxious. 

Treats, play, petting, or praise can all be used to reinforce positive behavior.

You may also want to give clicker training a try.

This is a great way to engage your dog’s thinking brain and create a positive learning environment.

Here’s professional dog trainer Donna Hill explaining how to get started:

Relaxation Exercises

Relaxation exercises, such as massage or deep breathing, are effective in helping your dog feel more relaxed and calm, especially during nighttime when anxiety can hinder sleep. 

Nervous System Hacks

While massage may be self-explanatory, you might be wondering how you can get your dog to engage in a spot of deep breathing.

Or why, for that matter.

Teaching a dog to take slower, deeper breaths promotes relaxation, reduces heart rate, and enhances focus on the task at hand, explains renowned veterinarian and applied animal behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall. 

These responses involve hormonal and chemical changes in the brain and body, shifting from a reactive (i.e. emotional) state to a receptive (i.e. rational) state that is conducive to learning, she says.

Deep breathing also helps slow down the heart rate and triggers sensors in the lungs that activate the vagus nerve. 

Aside from helping control involuntary behaviors like heartbeat, breathing, and digestion, the vagus nerve helps the body relax and respond to stress. 

Deep breathing slows down the heart rate and activates sensors in the lungs that, in turn, activate the vagus nerve and tell the brain it’s okay to be calm – acting a kind of “neural brake,” explains Porges. 

I’ve tried this with my dogs – especially our Greek rescue dog Esme who was anxious and stressed to the point of hyperactivity when we adopted her – and it worked like a charm.

Fancy giving it a try?

Here’s Certified Dog Trainer Angie Madden demonstrating how you can teach your dog to breathe more slowly and deeply to help him relax:

Physical And Mental Stimulation

Physical and mental stimulation is another crucial part of the puzzle when working to reduce anxiety in dogs. 

This can include activities such as sniffing games, puzzle toys, walks, and interactive play. 

By providing your dog with lots of enrichment during the day, you can make sure he has plenty of opportunities to engage in his natural behaviors (e.g. digging, chewing, foraging, sniffing), as well as use his rational brain to figure things out.

This will all combine to help him feel more tired and relaxed at night.

Having said that, try not to overdo it. 

Dogs also need their downtime, so make sure your pup also has plenty of time to chill out and nap during the day.

Crate Training

Crate training can also be an effective way to help your dog feel more secure and less anxious at night. 

I have only ever used a crate for one dog, and that was Maggie’s giant condo.

While being confined will make some dogs more anxious – especially if they have separation anxiety – other dogs may appreciate the idea of having a cozy, safe den to sleep in.

If you do use a dog crate, it is important to introduce it gradually and use positive reinforcement techniques to help your dog build up a positive association with it.

Here’s one of my favorite professional dog trainers, Kelly Fahey of PupScouts of Hunterdon, explaining how to make crate training a positive experience for your dog:

Separation Anxiety And Phobias

Sadly, separation anxiety is a common problem that affects many dogs and is thought to affect “one in every four to six dogs, and is even more common in older dogs,” says Dr. Diane van Rooy, of the University of Melbourne. 

“But these are just the dogs whose owners recognize that they have a problem being left alone. 

“There are many dogs who suffer in silence – their distress isn’t apparent,” she says.

Common signs of separation anxiety include:

• Excessive barking 
• Whining
• Howling
• House soiling
• Restlessness
• Hypervigilance
• Pacing
• Shaking
• Salivating
• Refusal to eat
• Destroying objects or property
• Chewing shoes, bedding. furniture, or clothing
• Inappropriate digging
• Trying to escape 

Some dogs can’t bear to be left at all, even for a few seconds, and will go into complete panic.

The symptoms will not subside on their own, so it is essential to seek professional assistance as soon as possible. 

I’ll list three of my favorite canine separation anxiety specialists* at the end of this article.

Potential Benefits of Drug Therapy

In severe cases, medication may be necessary to reduce your dog’s anxiety. 

Anti-anxiety drugs may be prescribed under the guidance of your veterinarian but please do discuss the potential benefits and risks first.

At the same time, I recommend you engage the services of a certified positive reinforcement dog trainer to create a behavior modification plan to help your pup cope better. 

By treating the underlying causes of his anxiety, you should be able to reduce or even eliminate the need for medication in the long run. 

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Recommended Products

• Adaptil Calming Pheromone Collar
• Adaptil Diffuser
• Kong
• LickiMat
• Pet Remedy Diffuser
• Pet Remedy Spray
• Relax My Dog
• Rescue Remedy
• Snuffle Mat
• Through A Dog’s Ear
• Thundershirt Anxiety Jacket 

Resources

• At the Heart of the Walk – Christina and Aurélien Budzinski
• Dog Behavior: Modern Science and Our Canine Companions – James C. Ha & Tracy L. Campion
• Getting Started with Clicker Training-Basic Technique Tutorial for Beginners [VIDEO] – 
• Dogs Explained (Donna Hill)
• Crate Training Basics [Video] – KONG Classroom
• Dealing With Separation Anxiety In Dogs – Dr. Diane van Rooy
• How To Potty Train A Dog – Sarah Richardson
• Separation Anxiety in Dogs – Dr. Debra Horwitz & Dr. Gary Landsberg
• Signs Your Dog is Stressed and How to Relieve It – Dr. Malcolm Weir & Dr. Lynn Buzhardt
• Take a Breath (TAB) [Video] – DogSpeak
• The Polyvagal Theory: The New Science of Safety and Trauma [Video] – Nerd Nite/Seth Porges
• Teaching Your Dog Calm, Slow Breathing – Nancy Kerns

NEED A DOG TRAINER OR BEHAVIOR EXPERT?

If you need more help dealing with a training or behavior issue, please find professional help from a force-free dog trainer who can consult with you either in person or remotely.

GOOD PLACES TO START ARE:
- COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers
- Pet Dog Trainers of Europe
- International Companion Animal Network
- Institute of Modern Dog Trainers
- Pet Professional Guild 

All dog owners deserve to have successful relationships with their canine companions!