Colin Snow
Puppies need a lot of sleep — up to 20 hours a day — and it's crucial for their development. So, if you're at work all day, your puppy is likely to be snoozing for most of it. However, this isn't always the case, and it can be difficult to get puppies to sleep at night, as they often become active at inopportune times. Establishing a sleep routine is important for your puppy's physical and mental development.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amount of sleep | 12-20 hours per day |
| Sleep patterns | Puppies sleep in bursts as they get older |
| Sleep environment | A safe, quiet, and comfortable place to sleep, such as a crate or dog bed |
| Sleep training | Establish a sleep schedule, and teach the puppy to recognize their sleeping space |
| Potty training | Puppies need to relieve themselves frequently, especially after eating and sleeping |
| Socialization | Puppies need companionship and exercise; consider doggie daycare, pet sitters, or friends/family |
| Entertainment | Provide toys, such as Kong toys filled with food, to keep puppies entertained while you're at work |
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What You'll Learn
Puppies need 16-20 hours of sleep a day
Puppies require a lot of sleep, usually between 16 and 20 hours a day. This sleep is essential for their healthy growth and development, including the development of their central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles. It also helps them rest up during growth spurts.
Because the world is such an exciting, stimulating place for a puppy, they won't always pay attention to their internal clock, telling them it's time to rest. This is why it's important to establish a daily routine for your puppy, including a consistent sleep schedule. This can be challenging, as it's hard to resist cuddling your puppy and letting them fall asleep in your lap. However, you don't want them to become dependent on you to fall asleep.
To help your puppy develop good sleeping habits, create a bedtime routine. Start by restricting their food and water intake several hours before bedtime. Then, take them outside to go to the bathroom, and spend some time playing, cuddling, and socializing. Before putting them to bed, make sure their sleep area is quiet and dimly lit. You can also use blackout shades to create a darker, more enclosed space, which can be especially helpful if your puppy sleeps in a crate.
During the day, make sure your puppy has plenty of physical and mental exercise. You can use toys for enrichment, such as food puzzle toys and nylon or vinyl toys made for teething puppies. It's also important to recognize when your puppy is overly tired. Don't let them get too exhausted, as this can lead to unwanted behavior. Guide them to their crate or sleeping place and encourage them to wind down.
If you're leaving your puppy at home while you work, there are a few things you can do to ensure their well-being. Consider hiring a pet sitter or asking a friend, family member, or neighbor for help. You can also set up a webcam to check in on your puppy throughout the day, or provide them with interactive toys to keep them entertained. Remember, puppies need a lot of sleep, so they'll likely be napping for a good portion of the day while you're at work.
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How to set up a healthy sleep schedule
Puppies need a lot of sleep, anywhere from 12 to 20 hours per day, to support their rapid growth and development. A healthy sleep schedule is crucial for the healthy development of their central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles. Here are some tips to set up a healthy sleep schedule for your puppy:
Create a Cozy and Comfortable Sleeping Space
Provide your puppy with a safe, quiet, and comfortable space to sleep. This can be a properly-sized crate, a dog bed, or a designated area in your home. Make sure the bedding is soft, warm, and washable. You can also add a blanket or an item with your scent to provide comfort and make them feel secure.
Establish a Consistent Routine
Schedules and routines are important for puppies. Plan their day so that active time is followed by quiet time for sleep. Puppies will usually be ready for a nap after playtime or a walk. Guide them to their sleeping place and encourage them to wind down. A consistent routine will help your puppy recognize when it's time to sleep and will promote better overall sleep habits.
Potty Training
Puppies need to relieve themselves frequently, especially after eating, so incorporate regular potty breaks into their schedule. When they are very young, they may need to go to the bathroom every two to four hours. Take them out quietly during the night without interacting or playing, and immediately go back inside after they finish. This will help them understand that potty breaks during the night are not playtime.
Limit Stimulation Before Bedtime
Puppies can easily become overstimulated, which can affect their sleep. Create a calm environment before bedtime by keeping the lights low and the volume down if you watch TV in the room. You can also use blackout shades to make the room darker. This will signal to your puppy that it's time to sleep.
Encourage Independence
While it's tempting to cuddle your puppy as they fall asleep, it's important to encourage them to fall asleep independently. Leave them alone when they're sleeping so they don't become dependent on you to fall asleep. This will help them develop good sleeping habits and reduce the likelihood of separation anxiety.
Socialization and Exercise
While not directly related to their sleep schedule, socialization and exercise are crucial for your puppy's overall well-being. Ensure they have opportunities to interact with other dogs and people to build their confidence. Provide them with enough exercise and mental stimulation to tire them out before their designated sleep times.
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Potty training while you're at work
Puppies sleep a lot—between 16 and 20 hours a day—so if you work during the day, they'll likely sleep for most of it. However, puppies also have small bladders and need to go outside to relieve themselves frequently. They usually need to go after eating, so you should take them out for a potty break before you leave for work. Then, put them in their crate with a safe chew toy.
If you work full-time, potty training your puppy will be challenging since consistency is critical. Here are some tips to help with the process:
- Crate training: Crate training can be an effective way to potty train your puppy, but it needs to be done correctly. Choose a crate that's big enough for your puppy to stand up and lie down in, and place it in a quiet corner of a room where they can still see what's going on. Make the crate comfortable with a soft bed and some toys, and hide treats inside for them to find. Feed your puppy in the crate with the door open, so they associate it with positive experiences. Once they're happy to go into the crate on their own, you can start closing the door for short periods, praising them when they stay calm. However, be aware that crating your puppy for too long (8-10 hours) will likely lead to accidents, as this surpasses their biological capacity to "hold it."
- Potty pads: If you can't rely on someone to let your puppy out during the day, you can use puppy pads to help them go potty while you're away. Set up a small gated area (around three by five feet) in an easy-to-clean part of your home, such as a kitchen or bathroom. Cover the floor with several layers of newspaper or puppy pads, and place a soft, washable bed in one corner. You can gradually reduce the number of puppy pads until your puppy associates the newspaper with going potty, and then move the newspaper outside to help them associate it with grass.
- Daycare, dog walkers, or pet sitters: If you work long hours, consider hiring a professional pet sitter or sending your puppy to daycare. Apps like Rover and Wag can help you find reliable care for your puppy while you're at work. Alternatively, ask a friend, family member, or neighbor to let your puppy out for a potty break during the day.
- Toys and enrichment: Puppies can get bored easily, so provide them with some stimulating toys to keep them entertained while you're away. Kong toys filled with food and frozen can keep puppies occupied for a while. Food puzzle toys and nylon or vinyl teething toys are also good options.
- Webcam: If you're worried about leaving your puppy home alone, set up a two-way webcam so you can check in on them throughout the day. Some webcams even have treat dispensers, so you can stay connected with your pup and reinforce good behavior.
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Hiring a dog walker or pet sitter
Puppies require a lot of attention, exercise, and companionship. Leaving them alone at home while you work can be a cause for worry. They also need to relieve themselves frequently and sleep for about 16-20 hours a day. Hiring a dog walker or pet sitter can be a great solution to ensure your puppy is well taken care of while you are away. Here are some tips to help you with the hiring process:
Where to Find Dog Walkers or Pet Sitters
Start by asking your friends, family, and neighbors for recommendations. They may know someone trustworthy who can help you out. You can also utilize apps such as Rover, Wag!, and Beehiv to find reliable and experienced dog walkers and pet sitters in your area. These apps often offer features like GPS tracking, live chat, and customer support to ensure the safety and well-being of your pet. Additionally, you can explore online communities like Reddit (r/puppy101) and websites like traincanine.com and timetopet.com for advice and recommendations.
Screening and Interviewing Candidates
When screening candidates, look for essential qualities such as experience, qualifications, career goals, and availability that align with your needs. Consider writing down specific questions or scenarios to assess their problem-solving skills, such as handling an aggressive dog or dealing with a pet that damages your property. Ask about their experience with different breeds, their approach to training and discipline, and how they ensure the safety and well-being of the pets in their care. Don't forget to ask for references and be thorough during the hiring process to increase the chances of finding a suitable candidate.
Creating a Positive Work Environment
Once you've found the perfect dog walker or pet sitter, focus on creating a positive work environment to retain good team members. Offer a fair and livable wage, provide opportunities for personal and professional growth, and cultivate an accepting and compassionate company culture. Utilize pet sitting software, such as Time To Pet, to easily plan schedules, share information, and manage payments. Remember to treat your staff well, as staff retention in this industry can be challenging due to the potential for high turnover.
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Using toys and treats to keep puppies entertained
Puppies sleep a lot, requiring 16 to 20 hours of sleep each day. This is because sleep is essential to healthy growth, contributing to the development of the central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles. All of this sleep also helps them rest up during growth spurts.
However, when they are awake, puppies need a lot of attention and stimulation. They require companionship, exercise, and mental stimulation. If you are at work, there are a few things you can do to keep your puppy entertained.
Firstly, you can use toys to keep your puppy entertained. For example, you can provide them with a snuffle mat, which is a towel with treats hidden in it for them to find. You can also give them a treat ball, or a Kong toy, which can be stuffed with food and frozen to keep puppies occupied for longer. Puzzle toys and food dispensing toys are also great for mental stimulation. If you have a lot of toys, you can teach your puppy the names of their toys, which can be a great activity and will also help you when you ask them to fetch a specific toy.
You can also use treats to keep your puppy entertained. For example, you can play hide-and-seek with treats, hiding them around the house for your puppy to find. You can also use treats with toys, such as by putting treats in a Kong toy or on a snuffle mat.
If you are worried about leaving your puppy alone while you are at work, there are other options to keep them entertained. You can hire a pet sitter, or ask a friend, family member, or neighbour to let your puppy out and spend time with them. You can also take your puppy to doggie daycare, but make sure that all the dogs are vaccinated and that there is a screening process to separate puppies from aggressive or dangerous dogs.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, it is normal for puppies to sleep a lot. They usually sleep from 16 to 20 hours a day. Sleep is essential for their growth and development.
You can help your puppy develop a healthy sleeping schedule by teaching them to associate a certain place, such as a crate or dog bed, with sleep. Make this place comfortable and safe, and they will eventually recognize it as their sleeping spot.
Here are some tips to make it easier for you and your puppy when you have to leave them at home:
- Hire a pet sitter or ask a friend, family member, or neighbor for help.
- Set up a webcam to check in on your puppy throughout the day.
- Provide your puppy with toys for entertainment and stimulation, such as Kong toys filled with food.
- Put together a small gated area with a soft bed, puppy pads, and some toys for your puppy to play and sleep in.
Puppies need to go potty frequently, especially after eating and sleeping. They may need to go outside to relieve themselves every two to four hours when they are young. As they get older, they can hold their bladders for the number of hours equal to their age in months, plus one. For example, a three-month-old puppy can typically be confined for four hours.
If your puppy is having trouble sleeping, it could be a sign of an underlying health issue. Consult your veterinarian, who can check for any potential problems and provide advice on improving your puppy's sleep habits.
