Why Is My Puppy Sleeping So Much? [Is It Concerning]

When your puppy is awake, he or she is most likely energetic and inquisitive.

However, you will most certainly discover that they spend a significant amount of time curled up to sleep.

What amount of sleep should they be getting; how much is too much; and should you be concerned or take any action? Here’s all you need to know.

So, what exactly is causing my pet to sleep so much? In the case of a growth spurt, when your puppy is more physically active than usual when awake when his or her nutritional demands are not being fulfilled, or when your puppy is sick, they may sleep for longer periods of time than usual.

Having said that, pups require more sleep than most people realise, requiring between 18 and 20 hours a day, so everything may actually be OK!

As you become more familiar with your puppy’s habits, you may realise that it spends far more time napping than you anticipated.

At some time, it appears that most new puppy parents come to the same conclusion as I have.

You’ll most likely observe your dog move from leaping happily about one moment to curled up fast slumber the next….

In certain cases, it may cause you to question why your dog is sleeping so much!

It can also be a source of great concern.

So, what exactly is causing my pet to sleep so much?

In the case of a growth spurt, when your puppy is more physically active than usual when awake when his or her nutritional demands are not being fulfilled, or when your puppy is sick, they may sleep for longer periods of time than usual.

Having said that, pups require more sleep than most people realise, requiring between 18 and 20 hours a day, so everything may actually be OK!

How Much Sleep Should a Puppy Get Per Night?

A puppy under three months of age will typically sleep for around 20 hours each day on average.

Once a puppy is three months old, he or she will require at least 15 hours of uninterrupted sleep each day.

This is not something that will happen overnight, and just like people, a dog’s sleep hours might vary from day to day as well as season to season.

Puppies, like human newborns, go through a lot of growth and development in a short period of time.

As kids go through childhood and into adulthood, their bodies and minds continue to grow at an alarming rate. Because of all of this growing, pups require far more sleep than adult dogs.

Every day, a puppy should take a few naps ranging in duration from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

They have a responsibility to repair.

Furthermore, pups use a significant amount of energy when they are awake.

They use every square inch of available room to run, climb, dig, chew, and smell.

Pups of large breed dogs will require a little more sleep than puppies of smaller breed dogs since their bodies have more developing to accomplish and they weary more rapidly than their smaller breed canine counterparts.

So keep your breed in mind as well.

Older pups will sleep for a shorter amount of time overall, but they will be able to sleep for longer periods of time at a time.

In the early stages of its life, a puppy will likely take many short 30-45-minute naps during the day and night.

As they grow older, puppies can spend longer periods of time between bathroom stops, allowing them to take longer naps and sleep more peacefully throughout the night.

When Do Puppies Typically Go to Bed?

Puppies normally sleep in a series of naps during the day, but they may be trained over time to sleep for a longer length of time at night if they are given the opportunity.

Puppies are expert adapters, and as they get older, they will frequently modify their resting schedule to accommodate their owner’s schedule.

A young puppy is unable to cooperate when it comes to eating, going to the bathroom, and resting.

As a result, their sleep cycle tends to alternate between these activities on a fairly regular basis.

Depending on the time of day, your puppy may be playing one minute and fast asleep the next.

This also implies that your puppy will most likely require excursions outdoors to pee until he or she is roughly 4 months (16 weeks) old, even throughout the night.

Overall, you should anticipate your puppy taking multiple naps throughout the day that may last anywhere from 30 minutes to more than an hour.

If your puppy appears to be comfortable and asleep, it is best to allow it to continue sleeping for as long as it likes.

As your puppy grows older, he or she will come to understand that darkness and nighttime hours indicate a period of low energy for resting.

Puppies that have decent sleep habits will pick up on your sleep cues and will opt to sleep in their own time.

What is causing my puppy to sleep more than usual?

Your puppy may begin sleeping more than normal if it is going through a growth spurt, has increased its physical activity level, requires dietary modifications, or is suffering from a medical condition.

Expansion of activity

As the weather begins to warm up in the spring, many new puppy parents join in puppy training classes or begin bringing their winter puppy for longer walks.

When a puppy expends more energy when awake, he or she will frequently go asleep more quickly and remain asleep for a longer period of time than previously.

Puppies consume a large amount of food in order to fuel their growth. He or she should be consuming specially made food that meets their nutritional requirements and should be receiving sufficient of it.

Puppy’s rapid growth

Puppy growth does not occur in an equitable distribution over the course of their lives.

This implies that a puppy will go through periods of fast development at different points during its life.

During these periods, your puppy will also experience an increase in sleep requirements.

As previously said, a well-rested body grows at its optimal rate, and it’s possible that your puppy is sleeping longer than usual to compensate for the rapid change in its rate of growth.

Insufficiencies in the Diet

Your veterinarian will be able to inform you exactly what food to give your puppy, as well as how much of it to give him.

The body of a puppy that isn’t getting all the nutrients it needs may become sluggish and exhausted as it tries to get the energy it needs to continue growth from sources other than its food supply.

Any Kind of Injury

Injury or illness Last but not least, a puppy that is suddenly sleeping considerably more than normal may be suffering from a medical condition or an injury.

Dogs and people alike require additional rest when they are sick, and your puppy may lack the energy to play if it is feeling under the weather.

You should take your puppy to the veterinarian if his or her increasing desire for sleep is accompanied by other symptoms such as disinterest in play, a lack of eating, or difficulty using the potty.

Should I be concerned if my puppy spends a lot of time sleeping?

Generally speaking, a puppy that sleeps a lot is not a cause for considerable concern in most cases.

The most likely explanation is that your puppy is developing and is following the cues from its body on how much sleep it needs.

If your puppy’s demand for excessive sleep persists as it grows older, it may be necessary to investigate the source of the problem.

Puppies just require a great deal of resting time.

They work hard and play hard at the same time.

Due to the fact that they do not have the same sleep habits as humans, their sleep may appear to be excessive at times.

If a puppy is behaving normally while awake, such as playing, eating, drinking, and going potty, then their high sleep requirements should not be a source of concern.

If your puppy’s sleep pattern has suddenly changed, and he or she is also showing less interest in play, food, or water, you should consider taking your puppy to the veterinarian to rule out disease.

If your puppy appears to be in need of sleep but is restless and has not used the bathroom for a lengthy period of time, it may be necessary to contact with your veterinarian as well.

Is it because puppies under one year of age and senior dogs sleep so much?

As soon as your dog grows out of the puppy period, you’ll notice that he or she will be sleeping an average of 12 to 14 hours every day. However, if you have a huge breed dog, you should anticipate them to sleep up to 18 hours every day.

In the event that your dog is a hard-working dog, such as one that works on a farm, herds cattle or sheep, or assists police enforcement, he will receive less sleep throughout the day.

Your furry friend’s daily sleeping pattern is determined by the following considerations:

Working dog breeds are more active than other types, thus they require less sleep.

Dog’s size: Larger dogs have a tendency to sleep more than smaller pets.

Daily activity: If your dog is left alone at home all day, he will sleep more than he would otherwise.

Diet and general health: Both of these factors might have an influence on how much time your dog sleeps during the day.

When your dog reaches the age of seven, he or she begins to sleep for longer periods of time each day.

When it comes to larger breed dogs like your Great Dane, Alsatians, and Golden Retrievers, you should anticipate that they will sleep up to 18 hours per day.

Until they reach the age of 10 years, smaller breed dogs are categorised as “old” or “senior.” They’ll also start sleeping anywhere between 16 and 18 hours a day, depending on their age.

What to Do If Your Puppy Sleeps for a Longer Period of Time Than Usual

The best course of action to take when your puppy sleeps for an extended period of time depends on a variety of factors, and the majority of the time, the best option is to just let your puppy to get the additional rest it requires.

If you are concerned about your puppy sleeping more, there are a few things you can do to help him or her sleep better.

If your puppy is sleeping for longer periods of time than normal for a day or two, there isn’t much need to worry.

Your puppy has most likely played harder, received more cerebral stimulation when awake, or is just in the midst of a period of fast growth.

When your puppy naps, it is preferable to allow your puppy to sleep for as long as it needs and to allow your puppy to wake up naturally whenever possible.

If you are concerned about your puppy’s sleep, one thing you can do is keep a sleep diary for him or her.

Write down the times your puppy sleep and wakes up as accurately as you can to get a true picture of how much time your dog spends sleeping.

In certain cases, you may observe that your dog has a more rigid routine than you are aware of.

The record can also assist you in determining whether or not your dog’s sleep routine has changed unexpectedly.

If your puppy is sleeping for an unusually long period of time near your family’s customary bedtime, you may want to take them for an extra walk or provide them with more stimulating activity in the yard to ensure that they are ready for an evening sleep.

If your puppy chooses to sleep in one morning, it may choose to forgo a nap the following day, which is also OK.

When a puppy is acting poorly in any way, such as not eating or drinking, avoiding its favourite kinds of play, having difficulty using the potty, or sleeping more than usual, it is important to contact your veterinarian for advice.

What are my puppy’s regular sleeping hours?

During the first few weeks of life, your puppy will sleep between 18 and 20 hours each day, depending on his or her age.

That encompasses both the daytime and the nocturnal (just in case you were wondering!) periods. Your puppy will wake up for short bursts of activity in between sleep sessions.

It is possible that he or she will need to go outdoors to pee in the middle of the night if it is night.

Why do puppies sleep so much when they are young?

It is normal for your puppy to sleep up to 22 hours a day if he is a newborn and under the age of four weeks when he is born. It’s absolutely normal to feel this way.

The only thing a newborn puppy has to worry about is nuzzling for his next meal. If their mother is around, they might even do this while half-dozing.

In the event that you are caring for a puppy at this age because the dog’s mother is unable to, expect many sleepless nights ahead of you.

Even if your infant is resting for the majority of the day, he still requires feedings. Expect to be bottle feeding a newborn pup every two hours for the first several weeks.

The older he gets, the longer he is able to go between feedings without being hungry.

It’s best not to pick up a newborn dog too much. He must obtain as much sleep as he possibly can throughout his first two weeks of recovery.

His sleeping patterns will alter once he becomes more active, which will take three to four weeks.

The best way to ensure that your puppy gets adequate rest during the day

Your puppy’s sleep needs to be sufficient in order for him to develop into a healthy dog.

Sleep is essential for the correct development of his central nervous system, as well as his muscles, brain, and immune system.

Puppies use a lot of energy while they are awake, and this has to be replaced on a regular basis.

Fortunately, your puppy will go sleep when his internal clock signals him to do so the majority of the time.

If, on the other hand, you discover that your pup is overexcited, you may need to assist him in taking more frequent naps. You may accomplish this by:

Leaving him to sleep when he is asleep is a terrible idea. This includes instructing any youngsters who may be there not to disturb the puppy when he is asleep.

Allowing your puppy to fall asleep on your lap without your encouragement: If your puppy will only fall asleep on your lap while you are present, you will have a dilemma on your hands. Make sure your puppy has a safe area to rest when he needs to, such as a dog bed or a crate, to prevent accidents.

Having a timetable is important: Make sure your puppy understands that he may go to sleep after a meal or a period of play. Your puppy will need to sleep after being active, so be sure to arrange a time for active play, mealtimes, and nap periods throughout the day.

Why Is My Puppy Sleeping So Much? [Is It really Concerning ?]

About the Author:

I’m Div Acharya. I’ve been a dog lover my entire life. When my daughter wanted a new Puppy I was looking for another furbaby to share my life with.

As a result of my research, I’ve come to love oodles and wanted to share some of what I’ve learned with you. Whether you’re looking to get a Puppy, or already own one, these Blogs t to be the ultimate guide to help you find the answers you need.

At Pet Paws Hub, we strive to be the ultimate resource for learning everything about caring for your pet!

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