HOW MUCH SLEEP DOES A PUPPY NEED?
Did you know that puppies need a MINIMUM of 18 HOURS SLEEP a day??
We recommend ensuring that a puppy has between 18 and 20 hours sleep out of 24 hours. That is a LOT of sleep!
It is extremely important that your puppy is getting the required amount for a number of reasons.
Sleep is essential for healthy growth and for helping to maintain a puppy's temperament. An overtired puppy tends to be hyperactive and grouchy - not fun to live with! Sleep also allows your puppy's brain to process all of the new information that they are learning about the world on a daily basis.
The world is very stimulating for a young puppy and they don't know when they need to rest, so as their caregivers you need to help with this by ensuring that your puppy has regular, managed rest time.
Positive crate training is by far the easiest way to make sure your puppy is getting the sleep that they need. If your puppy is comfortable and happy in a crate, you can pop them in there when they need to sleep without an issue.
Recognising when your puppy starts to show signs of being overtired is also important. Schedule in a nap when your puppy starts to show overtired behaviour.
Waiting until your puppy is so exhausted that they can't keep their eyes open is not a good thing. It means that your puppy has had too much stimulation, which isn't productive for a healthy, managed development in a dog.
And if your puppy is asleep, don't wake them; let them wake up of their own accord - they should wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated ready for some more exploring of their new world!
If you are struggling with crate training your puppy, we can help! Get in touch for some one to one training by e-mail:
