When someone brings a puppy home within a few weeks we quite often will arrange to pop over and assist families with the pups settling in. There is lots of things even in those early days that we can start doing to help ensure the foundations to a happy healthy puppy are put into place. One of the things we quite often get asked about in those early days are how much sleep a puppy needs? This depends on their age –
4-12 weeks – 15-20 hours of sleep a day.
3-6 months – as they get closer to 6 months they require less sleep but they still require 14-16 hours a day.
Puppy sleep for growth and energy
Puppies need sleep for, development, growth and to replenish energy. The quality of the sleep is really important. Ensuring they have somewhere to sleep that’s quiet and comfortable. A busy area with lots of people coming in and out or walking past all the time will interrupt their sleep. Puppies thrive on routine, developing a sleep routine will help ensure that they are getting enough sleep throughout the day. Puppies may not sleep through the night however as they get older they are able to sleep through the night.
If there are any sudden changes in your pups sleep pattern then please contact your local vets to rule out any health problems. If they are struggling to settle at night or in the day it maybe that we need to look into their routine, makes some changes or add in a training program. Inadequate sleep can lead to health and behaviour problems.
If you have any further questions or wish to organise a home visit please get in contact.
