Why your dog stops coping in the evenings
Most adult dogs need 14 to 16 hours of sleep a day, and puppies need 18 to 20. When a dog nips, barks or can’t settle in the evenings, the cause is often tiredness, not bad behaviour. Protected, undisturbed rest usually helps more than another walk.
Nobody has ever booked a session with me about sleep.
Plenty of people have booked sessions about a dog who nips their ankles more in the evenings. Or a dog who barks at everything after about six o’clock. Or one who struggles to settle just when you want to stop and rest, following you from room to room. Walks can seem inconsistent too. Your dog was perfectly fine on the morning walk, then lost the plot at a dog they have walked past a hundred times.
I am a dog trainer based in Reading, Berkshire, and a big part of my role is to listen to clients and unpick problems like these. Very often, a tired dog is behind them. If this sounds like your house, please know it is common, it is not your fault, and it is something we can work on.
It’s about timing, not a bad dog
Notice how many of the examples above have a time of day attached.
That pattern is worth paying attention to. A dog who copes in the morning and struggles in the evening is unlikely to have a behaviour problem. It is far more likely to be a dog who has run out of the capacity to cope, in much the same way a toddler at half past five is not a badly behaved toddler.
I am not saying every problem is a sleep problem. But it is something owners often don’t consider first, so it is one of the first things I look at when a client tells me what they are struggling with. It often surprises them, and once you understand what is going on, it is much easier to feel confident about what to do next.
How much sleep do our dogs need?
More than most people think.
An adult dog does well on somewhere in the region of fourteen to sixteen hours a day, taken in chunks rather than all in one go. Puppies need even more, often eighteen to twenty. Older dogs frequently need more again, and they are often the ones getting the least, because sore joints and lighter sleep get in the way. Something I can identify with myself!
Now think about a fairly ordinary day. A morning walk, a bit of garden pottering, the postman, the children or grandchildren home from school, a second walk, dinner being cooked, somebody at the door, an evening on the sofa where the dog is stroked by whoever sits down.
Where in that day is your dog actually properly asleep, undisturbed, for long enough to get any benefit from it?
For a lot of dogs the honest answer is that they are dozing on and off in a busy room, never really dropping down into proper rest during the day. Night time, hopefully, is when they get the restorative sleep they need, very similar to us.
This is nobody’s fault. It is just real life in a busy home, and it is why a few small changes can make such a difference.
Why more exercise makes an overtired dog worse
This is why I wanted to write this blog. When a dog is struggling in the evenings, the instinct is almost always to do more. Another walk, maybe a longer walk, let’s try some training to wear them out. Quite often that makes it worse.
An overtired dog is not short of exercise, they are short of rest. Adding another walk to a dog who has not slept properly in three days is a bit like fixing your own bad week by going to the gym at eleven at night. Technically it is exercise, but like you, it is unlikely to be what they need.
Some enrichment can help. Licking and sniffing can calm the nervous system of an overtired dog, a bit like us reading a book to wind down. But anything energetic that gets the brain working or the body moving too much creates more energy, for both dogs and humans, and that makes resting harder.
What protected rest actually looks like
Not much, which is why it is easy to skip.
Try this for a few days. Make it a proper rest for your dog or puppy, somewhere you know they are happy and comfortable. Poppy settles on the sofa upstairs, and Manu, who is 10, has claimed the sofa in the guest bedroom. They have worked out where to find peace for themselves, but some dogs need help with this.
I personally don’t close doors at home, but if your dog or puppy struggles to switch off, make it super quiet for them. A den or crate in a quiet room can work well, especially for a young puppy. Place a blanket over it to make it dark and cosy, put some calming music on, and leave the room door ajar if you prefer. Then leave them alone, however adorable they look.
If you have children, visitors or a busy hallway, choose the spot furthest from the action. Rest only counts if it is not interrupted.
Sleep matters even more for puppies, and it can be harder to get
If you have a puppy, this is the section is just for you!
The witching hour is a sleep problem. That period in the early evening where your delightful puppy turns into a small land shark, biting hands, tearing round the room, ignoring everything you say, is almost always overtiredness. Not naughtiness, not dominance, not a training failure. An exhausted puppy who has no idea how to take themselves to bed.
Puppies cannot self-regulate. This is the crucial bit. Like a human toddler, who is unlikely to put themselves down for a nap, neither will your puppy. They will keep going until they fall over. Deciding the nap for them is your job, not theirs, and it is one of the most useful things you can do in the first few months.
Think of the pen or den/crate as a bedroom, a place for rest, not punishment. I want to be really clear on this, because I know some people feel guilty about it. Using a pen so your puppy can sleep without being disturbed by the children, or without following you round the kitchen, is a kindness. It is not shutting them away. Build it up gradually so your puppy learns it is a safe, happy place. Somewhere quiet, something to chew, door shut, and let them drop off.
Rough guide: 60 to 90 minutes awake, then two hours down in the very early weeks. Watch the clock rather than the puppy, because by the time your puppy tells you they are tired, they are already well past it.
I have taken Louis, a Spaniel, and Rudy, a Dakota, through their puppy programmes, and sleep came up a lot in the first few sessions. Different breeds, different families, similar conversation. Being on hand to work out what works for their specific lifestyle, home layout and timings is key to helping Louis and Rudy rest enough. That is what support looks like in real life: not a generic rule book, but a plan that fits your home.
Go deeper: my live with the Sleep Vet
Last December, Clare and I were joined by Lauren Davis, the Sleep Vet. It is one of those lives I have personally gone back to listen to. It reminded me of the benefits, and it was a great discussion about how to help owners. I have found it really helpful to share with clients so they understand the importance of sleep for any dog.
We covered how much sleep dogs really need, what disrupted sleep looks like from a veterinary point of view, and why so much of what we read about tiring a dog out is the wrong way round.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours a day should a dog sleep?
Most adult dogs do well on around fourteen to sixteen hours a day, spread across the day and night rather than in one go. Puppies often need eighteen to twenty, and older dogs frequently need more again. Every dog is an individual, so if your dog’s sleep suddenly changes and they are sleeping a lot more or a lot less than usual, it is worth a chat with your vet.
Why is my dog worse in the evenings?
Often because they have run out of the capacity to cope. By early evening a dog may have had a full day of walks, noises, visitors, children coming home and attention from everyone in the house, without a proper stretch of undisturbed sleep. Nipping, barking and not being able to settle are common signs. If the change is sudden, or your dog seems uncomfortable, rule out pain or illness with your vet first.
Can a dog be overtired?
Yes. Overtired dogs often look more wired than sleepy. You might see racing around, nipping, barking, struggling to settle, or finding it hard to cope with things they normally manage. Puppies are especially prone to this because they cannot put themselves to bed.
Should I give my dog more exercise if they are restless in the evenings?
Not necessarily. If your dog is overtired, more exercise can make settling harder, because anything energetic creates more energy to come down from. Try swapping an extra walk for calmer enrichment such as licking, sniffing or a chew, and focus on protected rest earlier in the day.
How long should a puppy sleep between playtimes?
In the very early weeks, a rough guide is 60 to 90 minutes awake followed by around two hours of sleep. Go by the clock rather than waiting for your puppy to look tired, because by then they are usually already overtired. As your puppy grows, they will be able to stay awake for longer.
Is it cruel to put my puppy in a pen or crate to sleep?
No. Used well, it is a kindness. It gives your puppy a quiet, safe bedroom where they can rest without being disturbed by the children or following you around the house. Build it up gradually, make it comfortable, give them something to chew, and never use it as a punishment. Think of it like their own bedroom, where they will sleep more soundly.
How do I give my dog proper rest in a busy family home?
Pick the quiet spot you can, away from the front door, a quiet corner of the kitchen so they feel close but not too much disturbance, and make it somewhere your dog is happy and comfortable. Agree a simple household rule that when your dog is resting, they are left alone. It also helps to build rest into the parts of the day that are already predictable, such as after the morning walk and after the school run.
What if my dog still won’t settle?
Start small. Aim for short, calm periods of rest and build them up over a few days, checking the basics: is the space comfortable, quiet and the right temperature? If you have been consistent and nothing changes, or something just seems off, speak to your vet to rule out a medical cause. Then get in touch. Every home and every dog is different, and I can help you build a plan that fits your real life.
Want some help with this?
If your dog is struggling in the evenings and you have already tried more exercise, it is worth looking at the whole picture rather than guessing. I can help you understand what is going on and feel confident about what to do next. A short call is all it takes to start the conversation. No pressure, no commitment, just a chat.
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