Everything Dog Owners Need to Know about Puppies and Sleep
How To Get a Puppy to Sleep Through the Night
My husband and I have been together over 30 years and we recently brought home our 5th puppy! We haven’t had a puppy in the house since 2010, and wow, there’s a lot I forgot. In many ways, having a new puppy is like having a new baby in the house. Bringing either one home means you won’t be sleeping much!
You might get fooled as we did, into thinking that you brought home a puppy who sleeps through the night right away. The truth is, adjusting to a new home does take a lot of energy for a little puppy. The first few nights, they are likely exhausted and may sleep through the night.
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But, once they adjust and feel at home, their regular puppy schedule will kick in. And that means, no sleep for you!
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Puppies Sleeping
Is your puppy sleeping a lot? Are you curious about how often a puppy should sleep during the day and night?
Watching him sleeping and twitching in a dream is a funny to watch. You might notice he is sleeping all the time.
However, the answer may change according to the breed and health of your dog. While on the other hand, some keep craving sleep every hour.
If you never had a puppy before, it’s pretty normal to wonder about its sleeping hours.
Sleep is crucial for dogs just like it is for humans. As a dog parent, you must let him rest because your dog is growing every second, and sleep is a form of charging.
Puppies really are like babies. Their daily routine follows a cycle the first few months: eat, drink, play, pee/poop and sleep. Wake and repeat.
How much do puppies sleep at 6 weeks?
Many experts agree that 6 weeks is a bit too young to be away from Mom and their littermates. Puppies at that age are still learning important social lessons from Mom and their siblings. But, certain events happen (rescues, mom in danger/sick/lost) that mean that you have a 6 week old puppy.
You may notice him sleeping all time, you may worry and wonder about this schedule.
Your 6-week-old puppy is too young to play all day and to attend training sessions. It still needs lots of sleep.
A 6-week-old puppy requires a ton of sleep as compared to older puppies. Your 6-week-old pup should rest around 18 hours each day.
Sleeping helps boost the immune system of your puppy. Also, daytime napping is highly healthy for the body of your pup.
How much do puppies sleep at 8 weeks?
So you brought an eight-week-old brand-new puppy home or maybe your puppy is now entering its 8th week.
Along with other habits, puppies keep changing how much they sleep as they get older.
From 18 to 22 hours is the average sleep for puppies that are 8 weeks old. Moreover, some breeds may sleep more.
How much do puppies sleep at 10 weeks?
Congratulations, your puppy is now ten weeks old, and you are more conscious about their diet and sleep. This is such a fun stage and goes by so quickly. Make sure you remind yourself to enjoy your puppy, even when you’re being woken up at all hours of the night.
You are taking care of your puppy, and it is waking you up all hours at night, like your child. However, waking up every night is no more fun for you because it may get hectic.
Don’t panic.
There are some ways you can train your puppy to sleep at night and play in the morning.
Dogs at this age sleep between 18 to 20 hours. Also, a few breeds may rest more.
A guideline for sleep expectations:
- At 2 months, a puppy can hold their bladder for 2 hours
- At 3 months, a puppy can hold their bladder for 3 hours
And so on. So, yes, even when they are 4 or 5 months old, they likely need to potty every 4-6 hours, which may mean you do not get uninterrupted sleep. If you have a spouse or roommates, think about taking turns.
If your puppy is very young and was separated from Mom too soon, a heartbeat pillow may help.
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Puppies and Daytime Sleep
During the day, your puppy should be on a schedule of some kind. Little puppies need to eat 3-4 meals a day. Ask your vet for recommendations.
But you should have a routine or cycle set up for them. It would include eating and drinking, walking and playing, toileting, then sleep.
The littlest puppies will do several of these cycles each day. As the puppy grows, you can eventually cut back to 2 meals a day.
If you do not do these things with your puppy, they may get bored and restless. That will lead to undesired behaviors such as waking you at night and destroying things during the day. It is possible to get a puppy when you work full time. It takes a little more planning, but it can be done.
Do not disturb your puppy when they are sleeping. You should have a specific area for your puppy to rest in the daytime.
Make sure your place your puppy’s bed or crate somewhere quiet so your puppy will be able to sleep.
Try to turn off all of the lights so that your puppy will not find anything as a distraction and he will sleep in a calm environment.
Also, make sure that your puppy is full and not hungry anymore otherwise he is not going to sleep in the daytime.
Getting Your Puppy to Sleep at Night
Most dog parents have their puppies sleep in a crate at night. In order to invite your puppy into the sleeping location, you can put his favorite toys inside. Make sure they are safe (cannot be ingested) in case you fall asleep!
Establishing a good night time routine for dogs is really the same as people. Puppies need a lot of playtime and exercise as part of their development. This also helps them sleep better at night.
Puppies need plenty of water and healthy food. This also assists with puppies feeling full, secure and helps with sleep.
If you puppy wakes you in the middle of the night–you want to send one consistent message. That message is: If you whine to come out of your crate, you go out to the bathroom.
Take them out to do their business, then return them to their crate. If you engage in playtime or snuggles, you will set the expectation for this to happen every night.
It may be necessary to have a dog walker or pet sitter come in during the day to play with your puppy, especially if you work out of the home. This is also a task that older children can handle. If they want the family to get a puppy, they must agree to walk the puppy and do play sessions.
An exercised and tired puppy is a happy puppy. So, enjoy! And sleeping through the night will happen soon. And you’ll be saying, “Awww, remember when they were so tiny?”
