Puppy Sleep: how much sleep puppies need and how to help them rest
Puppy sleep is one of the most important aspects of your puppy’s development, yet it’s often misunderstood. Many new owners worry about how much their puppy should sleep, whether their puppy is sleeping too much or too little, and how to create a helpful puppy sleep routine. In this guide, we’ll explore how puppy sleep works and share practical tips to help your puppy rest well.
How much sleep do puppies need?
It is generally understood that sleep is very important to all life and if your puppy is not sleeping this can impact a number of factors including learning, mood, health and quality of life.
One study compared the average sleep patterns of puppies at 16 weeks and 12 months of age. It found that 16 week old puppies slept significantly more during the day but less at night than 12 month old dogs. Overall, across a 24 hour period, 16 week old puppies slept an average of 11.2 hours while 12 month old puppies slept 10.8 hours.
Why puppy sleep is so important
For puppies under the age of 16 weeks, puppy sleep plays a crucial role in their development. Adequate sleep supports learning, memory, emotional regulation and physical growth. Puppies who don’t get enough sleep can become overtired, leading to biting, hyperactivity and difficulty settling. It is estimated that puppies under 16 weeks may require as much as 18 to 20 hours of sleep per day when they first arrive home at around 8 weeks of age.
Puppy’s first night: helping your puppy sleep
A puppy’s first night is a new experience and the first time away from their mother and siblings. To help reduce stress as much as possible it is best for them to sleep near to their new puppy parents. This might mean setting up the puppy’s bed close to your own. Alternatively you might choose to set up a temporary bed in the room where the puppy will be sleeping.
This arrangement should continue until your puppy is comfortable being left alone during daylight hours, which can take up to a few months. At this stage you can start to gradually introduce sleeping separately, in different rooms. Studies have shown that, when given the choice, even older dogs will choose to sleep in the same room as people.
Creating a comfortable puppy sleep environment
A puppy’s bed should provide comfort and support and many young puppies enjoy lots of blankets to snuggle into (although it may be better to delay buying expensive beds until the chewing phases are over and your puppy reaches maturity). Their bed may be placed inside a play pen or crate if needed, provided the puppy is comfortable and happy with this (leave the door open at first and introduce it gradually).
Many puppies benefit from a resting area that is quiet and dark, and it is far easier for them to sleep if they aren’t interrupted by noise. Considering where to place their bed is important, especially for daytime naps - too far away from the family can cause them distress until they have learnt to cope with isolation, but too near could be too disruptive. Providing multiple beds in different locations around the house often helps find the perfect snooze spot for your puppy.
Daytime routine and puppy sleep
Whilst there is very little research into the relationship between exercise and sleep in dogs, we do know that regular exercise appears to help humans sleep better. Anecdotal evidence suggests this is also true in dogs, particularly active working breeds. A puppy’s daily routine should include plenty of mental and physical exercise with breaks for good rest in between. If your puppy’s routine includes plenty of socialisation, house training, play, and outings, tiredness should happen naturally. Over time you will learn the best puppy sleep schedule for your individual pup.
Do puppies need enforced naps?
If you have a busy and exciting household, perhaps with lively children who are keen to play with a new puppy, you may need to create a puppy sleep routine, providing regular time-outs in a quiet room with a comfortable warm bed to help your puppy sleep. Puppies are easily encouraged to stay awake if there is something exciting to do, and this can result in overtiredness which can lead to irritability and poor behaviour, just as it does in overtired children. Have someone stay with them to calm them until they are asleep and leave the door ajar so they can come out and find you when they wake.
How to create a good puppy sleep routine at night
Puppies also benefit from a good sleep routine at nighttime. Make sure they are fed early with plenty of time before they need to go to sleep. Spend time tiring them out but avoid high energy games just before bed that will excite them. Take them out to the toilet before bedtime and then settle them with a small treat or chew to help them relax and drift off to sleep.
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“Puppy School has been an all round excellent package from start to finish but the greatest asset to this training was Sally! Sally was calm, clear and responsive to us all so you feel you get the benefit from being in a group of handlers and puppies with all the benefits of that but also individual attention to support you and your puppies specific needs/issues. Banjo is a nervous puppy, Sally was very sensitive to this and managed situations so Banjo benefitted from all the training exercises and interaction in a very positive way. She also gave me lots of support in how to help him outside of class. It was also brilliant to have a booklet and online access at home to watch reminder supporting material videos of the things taught in each session. There were also a range of vouchers and free trial bags of different foods which has proven helpful in determining what works for Banjo. I have had several puppies over the years, and have been to several classes, this has been the best experience yet for both me and my puppy. Thanks especially to Sally! ”— Maria
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