Letting sleeping dogs lie is not always the thing to do when the dogs are puppies. Puppies often play until they are exhausted and can sleep through feeding times and ruin any chances of them sleeping through the night. Much like human babies, occasional you will need to wake them up when trying to teach them a schedule. When there is more than one puppy in the litter, you typically only need to wake one of the puppies because once one of them is awake, it will soon awaken the others.
Call the mother of the puppies away from the litter. Momma dogs can be over-protective and getting her away from the puppies before you wake them up can be safer for you.
Kneel beside the puppies. If you are on the same level as they are, you are less apt to startle them when they wake up.
Talk to the puppies in a low voice and gently rub their fur. This will help the puppies’ transition from sleeping to being awake.
Take the puppies outside as soon as you wake them up if you are trying to housebreak them. While, according to the Humane Society, puppies under six-months old cannot control their bladders for more than a few hours, it does not hurt to begin teaching them early.
Tips
Establishing the puppies' schedule early can make future training easier, but do not get discouraged when puppies do not learn things quickly. Just like human babies, it takes time for their brains to develop enough to learn.
Warnings
Puppies, especially small breeds, are at risk of low blood sugar. Low blood sugar can lead to coma. If you cannot wake a puppy up, take it to your veterinarian.
References
Photo Credits
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Writer Bio
Specializing in business and finance, Lee Nichols began writing in 2002. Nichols holds a Bachelor of Arts in Web and Graphic Design and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Mississippi.
