One minute your puppy might be a miniature tornado, and the next one, he has fallen into a deep sleep. Despite their high levels of energy, puppies do get tired.
Yes, you might think that is not possible, but it is not uncommon to find your puppy curled up in the bed, sleeping peacefully, for a couple of hours per day.
Sleep is essential to healthy growth. But exactly how much do puppies sleep?
How much is normal, and should you be concerned if your puppy sleeps a lot. We have all the answers, and you can read below their sleeping habits and how to make sleep more comfortable.
Puppy sleeping habits
Puppies are full of life, but they also get tired. Exploring the world around them can be hard, challenging, and frankly, exhausting. Think about this for a second. How tired are you when you visit a new city, and you wander around the streets for a couple of hours.
For your puppy, that is daily life, as he is exploring his surroundings. With that in mind, your puppy has different sleeping habits during the day and night.
Daytime sleeping habits
Just like babies, puppies sleep a lot during the day. Usually, puppies sleep during the day after a period of activity.
They wake up refreshed, want to play again, and then go to bed again. These naps can last between 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. In some cases, puppies even fall asleep where they are playing.
Night time sleeping habits
Again, same as babies, puppies have a hard time sleeping through the night. Especially when they are very young, and they cannot control their bladder for the full night.
You can expect your puppy to sleep between 6 and 10 hours at night when they are very young. But by the time they get to 16 weeks, they should be able to sleep through the night.
How much is normal?
This is a question that doesn’t have one definite answer. Why? Because not all puppies are the same. After all, not all humans are the same. Some people feel fresh in the morning with just 2 hours of sleep. Others need more than 8 hours.
While there is an average, how much do puppies sleep is a question with multiple answers. On average, puppies sleep between 12 and 14 hours per 24-hour cycle.
However, puppies who spend a lot of their energy on playing and learning new things may need up to 18 hours of sleep. And at the same time, there are breeds that are just naturally lazy and sleepy, like the English bulldog, who can sleep even more than 20 hours per day.
The same applies to pugs as well. You might be surprised, but the big and large breeds are the long sleepers because they need a lot of time to refresh and regain their strength.
Generally speaking, your dog spends 50% of the day sleeping, 30% lying around awake, and just 20% playing and being active. And unlike humans, dogs are flexible sleepers, and can easily pop up when there is action.
Dog owners know this very well. Your dog might be sleeping in the deepest dream, and in a second, he wakes up and starts playing around.
How to work your dog’s sleeping habits?
We mentioned a few times that puppies are like babies. And with that in mind, it is up to you to work your dog’s sleeping habits. It is important to keep your puppy’s sleep patterns in mind when you are planning his day.
Here are some tips.
Schedule the day appropriately
Puppies usually need a nap after one hour of play. Once they are finished napping, they will be awake, and excited to play and learn new tricks.
Make sure you have planned games and other activities for when your dog finishes with his nap. Do not push your dog to play longer than they want to. It is crucial that you are prepared for when your dog finishes with the napping.
Do not wake up a sleeping puppy
This is a problem that often occurs with small children in the house. You should never wake up a sleeping puppy. Yes, children are excited to play with their new friend, but you have to set up some boundaries. Teach your children about the puppy’s sleeping patterns, and they will follow.
Show your dog where to sleep
It is crucial that you create a safe space for sleeping. Yes, some owners allow their puppies to sleep anywhere they like. But if you want to maintain a good sleeping schedule, a safe space for sleeping is essential. In some cases, that may be a crate.
In others, it is a spot on the couch. It is all up to you, as long as it is a quiet place in the house that allows your puppy to have a deep and restful sleep.
Is your puppy sleeping too much?
We mentioned that on average, puppies sleep between 12 and 14 hours. Generally speaking, however, most dogs can sleep between 15 and 20 hours. Some dog breeds sleep longer. So know that we know how much do puppies sleep, what if they exceed that limit.
If your puppy is sleeping well beyond the 20 hours, you might need to consult with a veterinarian. Even more, if your puppy is lethargic when he is awake.
There are different reasons why your puppy is sleeping too much. From an incomplete diet to not drinking enough water, or being ill.
What about the middle of the night potty breaks?
As mentioned previously, before they are 16 weeks old, puppies cannot establish bladder control. They need to go to the toilet in the middle of the night.
Until your puppy is potty trained, he might wake up in the middle of the night to go outside. A good idea is to put a pee pad near your puppy’s crate.
Gradually, your puppy will build bladder control and will be able to sleep through the night. Adult dogs can control their bladder for up to 12 hours easily. Take that into account when you plan your dog’s schedule for playing, sleeping, and going outside.
Should you let them sleep with you?
Last, but not least, this is a question many owners ask. Now, generally speaking, there are a lot of positives of letting your puppy sleep with you.
For starters, you build an emotional bond that helps you cope with stress. It is well-known that puppies are the best stress-reliever on the market. No over the counter medicine can counter that.
However, you also have to take size into the matter. Some puppies might be small when they are little, but they grow large.
And if you are sharing a bed with them, there might not be much space once your puppy is fully grown. Remember, the habits you establish when your puppy is little, they will carry over when he is an adult.