How long do puppies sleep?

How much sleep does your puppy need?

As a new puppy owner, you might be surprised just how much your puppy is sleeping - but, just like human babies, they will sleep a lot – as much as 16 to 20 hours each day! Of course, this won’t all be in one stretch, as your puppy will need a series of naps throughout the day and then a longer sleep at night time.

Puppy sleep routine

Young puppies aren’t usually able to sleep right through the night, and they may need a toilet visit during the night. However, after the first couple of months with your puppy, they should be getting there! To move them towards this goal, there are some ways you can help to establish a good sleeping schedule:

• Give your puppy a safe, quiet space for their crate, and make sure this is really inviting and comfy with plenty of soft blankets and cushions. See our blog on crate training
• If you have children, teach them to leave the puppy alone when sleeping
• Think about the schedule during the day. After an hour or so of playtime, your puppy will probably be ready for a nap. A well-rested puppy will learn better and feel happier than an overtired puppy
• Try and structure the day a little so that your puppy has most of their feeding, play, and learning time during the daytime so that they are ready for a long sleep at night

Puppy sleep and development

Daily life brings so many new experiences for your puppy. Every day they are encountering new people, places and interesting smells! Your puppy is also puppy is also getting to grips with trying to learn the daily routine and the early stages of training. That’s a lot for a young puppy’s brain to take in, and just like humans, they process all this new information while they are asleep. Allowing your puppy to have plenty of sleep will help their physical and mental development at this very tiring time of life!

Should I let my puppy sleep in my bed?

This is really down to personal choice, but it’s definitely worth thinking about whether this will work for you in the future. A cute tiny puppy might soon be an awful lot bigger! Having to break this habit later on can be tricky, so think carefully about the long-term implications.

Is my puppy sleeping too much?

If you think that your puppy is sleeping too much – more than 20 hours per day – have a consultation with your vet. It could be due to illness, or lack of food or water. Your vet will be able to identify if there is an issue and help to resolve it.

Is your puppy insured? Our puppy insurance has you covered. And as an Agria Pet Insurance customer, you can speak to a vet completely free whenever you have a question or concern about your pet’s health. Simply download the Agria app for free 24/7 video calls; giving you expert advice to help keep your pet happy and healthy. Download free from your app store and find out more.

Related features:

• The impact of sleep on your dog's wellbeing: Discover the impact of sleep on your dogs wellbeing. Why is sleeping so important for dogs and how long should dogs sleep for each day?
• Tips on settling your new puppy into their new home: Bringing your puppy home is a really exciting time for you and all the family, but it’s easy to forget that for your puppy, their whole world is changing.
• When do puppies open their eyes? Unlike human babies, puppies aren’t born with their eyes open. Here’s what to expect as a newborn puppy’s eyes develop.