Why Your Puppy Behaves Worse at Night
Your puppy has been doing pretty well most of the day. Maybe you had a good training session. They've taken a walk. They've played with their toys. They've gone outside to potty. Everything seems pretty normal. And then evening comes. Suddenly, you have a completely different puppy. They're running around the house. They're biting your hands. They're grabbing your clothes. They're jumping on the furniture. They're barking. They're chewing things they're not supposed to chew. Maybe they're doing zoomies around the living room as they've completely lost their mind. And you're sitting there wondering, what happened to my puppy?
A lot of people assume their puppy has all this extra energy that needs to be burned off. So they try to exercise the puppy even more. They take them for another walk, throw the ball, play tug, and chase them around the backyard. But sometimes that's exactly the opposite of what that puppy needs. Your puppy might not need more exercise. Your puppy might need a nap.
The Evening Witching Hour
There's a term you'll sometimes hear puppy owners use called the witching hour. It's that period, between 5-8 pm, when a puppy suddenly becomes much more difficult to manage. I've seen this over and over again with puppies. The puppy starts biting harder. They start running around. They stop listening. They get into everything, and the owner immediately thinks the puppy has too much energy. But one of the first things I want you to consider is whether your puppy is actually overtired. Because an overtired puppy doesn't necessarily look tired. In fact, an overtired puppy can look extremely energetic.
Think about a young child who has missed their nap. They don't calmly walk over to their bed and say, “I'm tired; I think I'll go to sleep now.” Sometimes they have a meltdown. Puppies can do something very similar. The more tired they get, the harder it can be for them to settle down. That's when you may start seeing the crazy behavior.
Puppies Need a Lot of Sleep
One thing many new puppy owners underestimate is how much sleep a puppy needs. Puppies need 16 to 18 hours per day. Their bodies are growing, their brains are developing, and they're processing everything happening around them. Think about how much information your puppy is taking in every single day. New smells, new sounds, new people, new dogs, new places, training exercises, household rules, potty training, leash walking, being handled, learning their name, learning where they're supposed to sleep, learning what they're allowed to chew, learning what they're not allowed to chew.
That's a lot for a young puppy. Sometimes we forget that. We think because the puppy is awake, we need to entertain them. But puppies also need to learn how to do absolutely nothing. And I talk about this a lot in almost every puppy talk podcast episode. Doing nothing is the important skill that all puppies need to learn.
More exercise isn't always the Answer
This is where puppy owners are accidentally making things worse. Your puppy starts acting crazy at night, so you decide you're going to wear them out. You play harder, you walk farther, you throw the ball 20 more times. You get them running around the backyard. And sometimes the puppy becomes even crazier. Now you're thinking, how is this possible? We just exercised for another 30 minutes. Because physical exhaustion and mental calmness aren't necessarily the same thing.
If your puppy is already overstimulated, adding more stimulation may not help them calm down. It can sometimes keep the cycle going. Instead of asking, how do I tire my puppy out? I want you to ask a different question. How do I teach my puppy to settle down? Those are two completely different goals. And learning how to settle is a skill your puppy is going to need for the rest of their life. Learning to settle resolves unwanted puppy behaviors.
Create an Evening Routine
One of the best things you can do is create a predictable evening routine. Dogs generally do very well with routines. Your puppy begins to learn what happens next. Maybe you have dinner around the same time every evening. Your puppy eats. Then you take them outside. Maybe you spend a little time doing something calm. You give them an appropriate chew, a bully stick, a lick mat, a stuffed Kong, or some other quiet activity. You start reducing the excitement in the house. Then another potty break. Then it's time to settle down.
It doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, I would rather see you make it boring. That's the whole point. You're helping your puppy understand that the day is winding down. Not every moment needs to be exciting.
Watch the Type of Play You're Doing
I always want you to pay attention to what you're doing with your puppy right before bedtime. If you're wrestling with your puppy on the floor, chasing them around the house, playing intense games, or encouraging them to get extremely excited, don't be surprised when you suddenly decide you're finished, and your puppy isn't.
You just spent 20 minutes telling your puppy, "Let's go, let's go, let's go.” Then suddenly you're saying, “Okay, lie down and be quiet.” Your puppy may not be able to make that transition as quickly as you can. That's why I like to gradually bring the energy level down. Think about creating a transition between active time and rest time.
Don't Turn it Into a Battle
Another mistake I see is owners getting frustrated when the puppy won't listen during these evening episodes. The puppy is biting; the owner says “no.” The puppy bites again, and the owner gets louder. The puppy gets more excited; now everybody's frustrated. And what started as an overtired puppy has turned into a battle between the puppy and the owner.
If your puppy is completely wound up, this may not be the best time to start drilling obedience commands.
Manage the situation. Redirect your puppy if needed, reduce stimulation, and give them a chance to calm down. And if your puppy is crate trained, that can sometimes provide a quiet place where they can finally settle down and sleep. That isn't punishment. You're simply creating an environment where your puppy can rest.
Look For Patterns
Here's something else I want you to start doing. Pay attention to when the behavior happens. If your puppy turns into a little monster every night around 6 o'clock, that's useful information. Don't wait until 7:15 when they're already hanging from your pant leg. Start changing what happens before that.
Maybe take them outside for a short walk. Maybe you give them a calming activity like a lick mat or a stuffed Kong. Maybe that's when you start winding down your evening routine. Try to get ahead of the behavior instead of reacting to it after it starts.
I talk about this a lot in dog training. Prevention is usually easier than correction. If you know your puppy struggles at a certain time of day, use that information.
Make Sure Basic Needs Are Met
Of course, we also don't want to assume every energetic puppy is simply overtired. Make sure your puppy's basic needs have been met:
Have they been outside recently?
Do they need to go potty?
Have they had appropriate exercise?
Have they had some mental stimulation?
Have they eaten?
Do they have access to water?
Are they uncomfortable?
We don't want to ignore these things. But once those basic needs have been met, don't assume the answer is always more activity. Sometimes the answer is rest.
Teach Your Puppy that Calm is Normal
There's a bigger lesson here that goes beyond puppyhood. I want your puppy to learn that being calm is part of everyday life. They don't have to be entertained every waking minute. You shouldn't have to throw a ball for hours every evening just to get your dog to settle down. You want your dog to be able to hang out with you. You're watching television, you're reading, you're working on your computer, you're having dinner, you're talking with friends, and your dog can simply relax. That behavior starts when they're young.
Give your puppy opportunities to be active, train, play, and exercise, but also give them opportunities to be quiet and calm. Those calming periods are important too.
Review
If your puppy seems to completely lose their mind every evening, don't automatically assume you need to wear them out. Look at the entire day. How much sleep did your puppy get? How much stimulation did they experience? Did they have opportunities to settle? Are you keeping them constantly busy? Are you accidentally adding even more excitement when they're already overstimulated?
Sometimes the puppy who looks like they need another hour of exercise actually needs something completely different. They need sleep.
Start creating a predictable evening routine. Reduce the stimulation. Give your puppy appropriate opportunities to rest. And most importantly, start teaching your puppy that it's okay to simply settle down and do nothing. Because learning how to relax is just as important as learning how to sit, down, stay, and come.
Professional Puppy Training in Huntsville and Madison, AL
If you're struggling with puppy chewing, jumping, or basic obedience, professional guidance can help you address these problems before they become established habits. At Top Gun Dog Training, I provide private, in-home dog training for puppy owners throughout Huntsville and Madison, Alabama.
My positive reinforcement approach helps owners understand their dogs, build practical training skills, and establish good behavior in everyday situations. Because training takes place in your home, we can address behavior problems where they actually occur. Whether you're raising a new puppy or working with an older dog, creating the right environment is key to successful training.
Contact Top Gun Dog Training to learn more about private puppy training and in-home dog training in Huntsville and Madison, Alabama.
