diff --git a/esphome/components/modem/helpers.cpp b/esphome/components/modem/helpers.cpp
index 0615fb8c28..150bfb2393 100644
--- a/esphome/components/modem/helpers.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/modem/helpers.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,42 @@
 #ifdef USE_ESP_IDF
 
 #include "modem_component.h"
+#include "helpers.h"
+
+#include "esphome/core/log.h"
+#include "esphome/core/application.h"
+
+#include <esp_idf_version.h>
+#include <esp_task_wdt.h>
 
 namespace esphome {
 namespace modem {
 
+Watchdog::Watchdog(u_int32_t timeout_s) {
+  this->timeout_s_ = timeout_s;
+  this->start_time_ms_ = millis();
+  this->set_wdt_(timeout_s);
+  ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Watchog timeout init: %ds", timeout_s);
+}
+
+Watchdog::~Watchdog() {
+  this->set_wdt_(CONFIG_TASK_WDT_TIMEOUT_S);
+  ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Watchog timeout reset to default after %.1fs", float(millis() - this->start_time_ms_) / 1000);
+}
+
+void Watchdog::set_wdt_(uint32_t timeout_s) {
+#if ESP_IDF_VERSION_MAJOR >= 5
+  esp_task_wdt_config_t wdt_config = {
+      .timeout_ms = timeout_s * 1000,
+      .idle_core_mask = 0x03,
+      .trigger_panic = true,
+  };
+  esp_task_wdt_reconfigure(&wdt_config);
+#else
+  esp_task_wdt_init(timeout_s, true);
+#endif  // ESP_IDF_VERSION_MAJOR
+}
+
 std::string command_result_to_string(command_result err) {
   std::string res = "UNKNOWN";
   switch (err) {
diff --git a/esphome/components/modem/helpers.h b/esphome/components/modem/helpers.h
index 9cacd90f0e..3947e1eedd 100644
--- a/esphome/components/modem/helpers.h
+++ b/esphome/components/modem/helpers.h
@@ -6,9 +6,6 @@
 
 #include <cxx_include/esp_modem_api.hpp>
 
-#include <esp_idf_version.h>
-#include <esp_task_wdt.h>
-
 namespace esphome {
 namespace modem {
 
@@ -20,23 +17,15 @@ std::string state_to_string(ModemComponentState state);
 // When deleted, will restore default WDT
 class Watchdog {
  public:
-  Watchdog(int timeout_s) { this->set_wdt_(timeout_s); }
+  Watchdog(u_int32_t timeout_s);
 
-  ~Watchdog() { this->set_wdt_(CONFIG_TASK_WDT_TIMEOUT_S); }
+  ~Watchdog();
 
  private:
-  void set_wdt_(uint32_t timeout_s) {
-#if ESP_IDF_VERSION_MAJOR >= 5
-    esp_task_wdt_config_t wdt_config = {
-        .timeout_ms = timeout_s * 1000,
-        .idle_core_mask = 0x03,
-        .trigger_panic = true,
-    };
-    esp_task_wdt_reconfigure(&wdt_config);
-#else
-    esp_task_wdt_init(timeout_s, true);
-#endif  // ESP_IDF_VERSION_MAJOR
-  }
+  uint32_t timeout_s_;
+  uint64_t start_time_ms_;
+
+  void set_wdt_(uint32_t timeout_s);
 };
 
 }  // namespace modem