When my Labrador male Tano came to me, he slept a lot as a puppy. Between the sleeping units, he got on my nerves with his energy. But I’ve always wondered: how long do puppies usually sleep?
In this article, I will explain everything about the sleep needs of puppies and young dogs. I will also clarify for you whether the sleeping time differs from breed to breed. How many calories does Konjac flour have? …
How long do puppies sleep?
Puppies sleep between 18 and 20 hours a day. Even if you are an absolute bundle of energy, this daily amount of sleep is important for your physical development.
Depending on how many weeks old your puppy is, you can expect him to sleep around twenty hours a day for a large part of his early life. While that may seem like a lot, sleep is an important part of their daily routine as they develop both mentally and physically.
How many hours of sleep should you expect your pup to sleep?
How much your puppy sleeps depends a lot on how old he is. Newborn puppies sleep the longest, sleeping twenty to twenty-two hours a day. As they continue to grow, that number will decrease, although not by much.
By the time your puppy is eight to 12 weeks old, he will start sleeping less than he did in the first two months.
At this age, they sleep between eighteen and twenty hours a day. After three months, that number can drop to about fifteen hours a day.
If even that seems like a lot to you, consider that even adult dogs sleep up to fourteen hours a day.
As a dog owner, you never really notice it, but it has been scientifically examined.
Does race matter?
Yes, your puppy’s breed will have some impact on how long he needs more sleep. Larger breeds take longer to reach their full growth in height and weight than smaller breeds.
As a result, puppies need more and longer sleep while they are growing.
Why do puppies sleep so much?
Puppies sleep so much because they are growing and still developing. Much like human babies, newborn puppies go through a series of mental developments while also growing physically.
In the first 12 weeks, your puppy will go through a lot of changes, some of which include:
- Physical changes such as opening your eyes, sitting, standing, walking, running, and the mental leaps associated with them.
- The development of their digestive tract and the change in the food source.
- Behavior changes as they become more inquisitive and begin to explore, and even exhibit personality traits.
With all that energy being used, your furry friend needs plenty of rest to store and replenish that energy.
How Else Can Sleep Help Puppies?
Sleep also has very different effects on the body during the growth phase of a dog.
Not only does it give puppies the energy they need to grow, but it also supports the healthy development of their bodies.
It has been scientifically proven that sleep has a direct impact on different parts of the body.
This includes…
- Muscles
Dogs are absolute powerhouses. So that your puppy can build up enough muscles, not only training is required, but also plenty of sleep. - Central nervesystem
- Brain
- Immune system
A sufficiently strong immune system is important to protect your dog from diseases and to keep the body’s self-healing powers at a high level. Sufficient sleep has a positive effect on the immune system.
This will help your puppy get enough sleep
You can see how important it is that your puppy gets enough sleep.
And precisely because puppies are so active, it is important that you as the owner have a positive influence on your dog’s sleeping patterns.
There are a few tricks that will help you achieve a healthy amount of sleep for your little four-legged friend.
1. Do not disturb your dog while it is resting
The little ones look extremely cute and you want to cuddle them all the time. I can understand.
Once your puppy has settled down on its own, you should stop disturbing it. Don’t approach him, don’t talk to him, but leave him completely alone.
He’s getting you just the amount of sleep he needs. If you disturb him, he will very likely become completely active again and it will take time for him to calm down again.
2. Introduce a fixed place for sleeping
A solid, safe place to sleep is just as important for a dog as it is for us humans.
You’ve probably already gotten a dog bed and set up a cozy place for your puppy.
It is important that you fully establish the dog bed as a “quiet place”. This means that the dog bed is never played or cuddled.
Once your puppy understands that the dog bed is a place dedicated solely to resting and sleeping, it will help them return to that place again and again.
You will quickly discover another advantage of this “quiet place” when training puppies :
Many dog owners have trouble teaching their puppies to be quiet.
But once your dog has learned that nothing else is called for on the dog bed than to rest, you can also send him to the bed in a targeted manner if he gets too excited.
3. Alternate active and passive phases
Your dog doesn’t know when it’s time to get a little sleep. You, as the pack leader, often have to initiate these sleep phases.
If you notice your dog becoming less motivated and tired while playing, stop the game and put him on the bed.
Make sure that active phases with lots of games and fun alternate with passive sleep phases.
4. Establish a solid schedule
In fact, I would recommend that you establish a solid schedule for all things that affect your pup’s daily schedule.
This includes daily routines such as getting up, going for a walk, feeding and of course sleeping.
Dogs are no different than humans. If it’s clear that you’re going to have a nap after breakfast, then there are fewer problems.
Tip:
When making a schedule for your pup, you can specifically include feeding times. Very young dogs usually need to relieve themselves about 1 hour after eating and drinking.
By considering this hour and not planning bedtime right after food, you can make sure you sleep properly.
Reading tip:
In our article ” Why not feed your dog after 5 p.m. ” we explain everything about the optimal feeding time for your four-legged friend.
Is your puppy sleeping too much?
If you’re wondering how long puppies sleep and find that your puppy is sleeping too much, even for his age, you should consult your veterinarian.
If your puppy sleeps for more than twenty hours or shows signs of excessive tiredness and lethargy, it can be a sign of malnutrition or dehydration, sometimes even due to an illness.