Old Dog Products

Dementia & night-time restlessness

Dog Dementia at Night: A Calm Evening Routine for Sundowning Senior Dogs

By The Old Dog Products team · Published

Not veterinary advice. This article is general information to help you care for your dog at home. It isn’t veterinary advice and can’t replace an exam. If you’re worried about your dog, call your vet.

If your senior dog sleeps all day and then paces, pants, or barks at nothing after dark, you’re far from alone. Owners often ask online how to help a senior dog with dementia sleep through the night. Many say their dog wakes every couple of hours, and that they’re exhausted.

Here’s a calm, practical routine many owners use. Talk to your vet first.

If you only have a minute

  • Get a vet check first. Pain, needing to pee, and poor eyesight or hearing can all look like dementia (Cornell).
  • Busy, bright days; dim, quiet evenings. Daylight and gentle activity during the day, low light at night (The Veterinary Nurse).
  • Same wind-down, same order, every night.
  • A safe, enclosed sleep spot with a dim night light and no hazards.
  • Stay calm and reachable. Don’t scold.

🚩 See a vet urgently if your dog…

  • Suddenly circles, tilts their head, falls over, or has a seizure
  • Seems in pain (crying when touched, panting hard at rest, won’t lie down)
  • Can’t stand or walk, or collapses
  • Stops eating or drinking, or vomits repeatedly
  • Strains to pee or can’t pee These need prompt veterinary attention. They aren’t “just old age.”

What is “sundowning” in dogs?

“Sundowning” is a term borrowed from human dementia care. It describes restlessness or confusion that gets worse in the evening or at night. In dogs it’s usually discussed as part of canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), often called dog dementia.

Vets often use the acronym DISHAA for the kinds of changes they look for: Disorientation, changes in social Interactions, Sleep-wake changes, loss of House training, changes in Activity, and Anxiety (AAHA 2023 Senior Care Guidelines). AAHA notes that the most common signs include sleeping in the daytime and being restless at night. Its guidelines cite estimates that about 14–22.5% of dogs over 8 have age-related cognitive impairment (AAHA guidelines PDF).

Cornell’s vet school lists signs like getting stuck in corners, wandering at night, new accidents indoors, and new anxiety (Cornell).

Why see your vet before changing anything?

Only a vet can work out what’s going on. Night-time restlessness can come from things that have nothing to do with dementia:

  • Pain. VCA lists night-time restlessness among the signs of pain in aging dogs (VCA).
  • Needing to pee more often (many possible medical causes)
  • Fading eyesight or hearing
  • Other illness

AAHA says CCD signs can resemble other brain conditions, and that management works best when it starts early (AAHA). Your vet may discuss diet, medication, or other options. Those choices belong to your vet, and we don’t cover them here.

The evening routine (try it for 2 weeks)

A routine tends to work best when it stays the same every night. Write it down and stick it on the fridge so everyone in the house does it the same way.

During the day: set up the night

  1. Daylight. Open the blinds and let your dog lie in a sunny spot. Spend time outdoors if your dog can. The Veterinary Nurse describes daylight in the day and less artificial light at night as a way to support the day-night cycle (source).
  2. Gentle activity that suits your dog. Short sniffy walks beat long ones. Ask your vet what’s safe for your dog’s joints and heart.
  3. Brain games. Simple food puzzles, a snuffle mat, or “find it” games. Cornell lists enrichment as part of managing CCD (Cornell).
  4. Try to limit long naps late in the afternoon, without stressing your dog. A short stroll or a quiet game can help.

The last 1–2 hours: wind down

  1. Dinner at the same time every night. (If your vet has advised on meal timing, follow that.)
  2. Last potty trip right before bed, at the same time each night. Go out with your dog so you know they went.
  3. Lower the lights and the noise. TV down, fewer visitors, no rough play.
  4. Same cue, same order. For example: potty → water → a short brush → “bedtime” → bed. The order matters more than what’s in it.

The sleep spot

  1. Small, safe, and enclosed. A pen or a gated room keeps a confused dog from getting stuck behind furniture or falling down stairs. Pad any sharp corners.
  2. Dim night light along the route to water and the door. It helps dogs whose eyesight is fading.
  3. Non-slip flooring around the bed, like rugs or a rubber runner, so getting up at night is easier.
  4. Supportive, washable bed. Add a waterproof layer if accidents happen.
  5. Steady background sound (a fan or white-noise machine) if sudden noises set your dog off. This is an owner tip and isn’t backed by a cited study.
  6. Sleep near your dog if you can. Owner tip: many owners say being close seems to shorten an episode.

When they wake at 2 a.m.

  • Stay calm and speak quietly. Scolding usually makes things worse.
  • Offer a short, quiet potty trip on a lead.
  • Guide them back to bed with the same cue word.
  • Keep a log: time, how long, what happened before. It’s very useful for your vet.

A simple night log

DateBedtimeWoke atHow long restlessWhat they didAte/drank/pottyNotes

Bring 1–2 weeks of this to your vet appointment.

Questions to ask your vet

  • Could pain, a urinary problem, or eyesight or hearing loss be part of this?
  • Do you think this could be cognitive dysfunction? What tests do you recommend?
  • Are there diet, medication, or other options you’d consider for my dog?
  • Is it safe to start any supplement? (Please don’t start one without asking.)
  • What changes should make me call you sooner?

Helpful things for the home

(Products don’t treat dementia. They just make the home safer and calmer.)

  • Plug-in night lights (dusk-to-dawn or motion-sensor)
  • Exercise pen or baby gate
  • Washable, supportive bed with a waterproof cover
  • Non-slip rug or runner
  • White-noise machine
  • Snuffle mat or simple food puzzle

You’re doing a good job

Broken sleep is hard on you too. Share the night shifts if you can, and tell your vet how you’re coping. That helps them plan.

Thinking about quality of life? Your vet can help you think it through.

Sources

Products mentioned

Products don’t treat any condition. They can make the home safer or easier. Ask your vet what suits your dog.