Puppy
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With exploring, playing, socialising and causing mischief taking up so much energy, a big part of your puppy’s everyday routine should be sleeping and napping. But getting your rambunctious pup to settle, or even sleep during the night (when you’re also trying to get your forty winks) is easier said than done.
Well, we pooch experts are here to help! Explore our article to find out why sleep’s so important to puppies and how you can keep on top of their snoozes with the perfect puppy sleep schedule.
Sleep helps a puppy’s brain decompress and register everything they’ve learnt throughout the day. It helps with their memory and of course, gives them a bit of well-deserved rest after an hour of running circles around you.
So, if you want any of your training to stick, a good kip is what your pup needs!
With so much learning, exploring, training and playing to be done - puppies need a lot of time to recharge. The average puppy will sleep up to 20 hours a day, but this will change as they grow.
8-10 weeks old - 20 hours
10-14 weeks - 18 - 20 hours
14-20 weeks - 15-18 hours
20 weeks to 1 year - 10-16 hours
To read more about how much sleep your pup should get, explore our article, ‘How much sleep do puppies need?’
With so much of a young puppy’s life taken up by sleep, it’s no surprise that most of the day you’ll find them napping. Overall, only 5-6 hours of your puppy’s day consists of being awake, and this is often spread out between 5 or 6 naps.
Sleep training is one of the main focuses of puppy training and requires a lot of work, time, patience, and a whole lotta love.
Like most puppy training, sleep training requires a slow and gradual approach to make sure that it’s an all-around positive experience.
Once you’ve decided where your puppy will sleep, whether it’s a crate, a basket or a playpen, you need to make sure they see that space as somewhere positive.
This requires a lot of
Once they have a designated sleeping area, consider the following to help them sleep throughout the night:
Puppies whining at night is often down to separation anxiety. This anxiety stems from the fear and stress they experience when left alone and away from you. For more information about separation anxiety and tips to help curb its symptoms, be sure to explore our guide: ‘Tips for Avoiding Separation Anxiety in your puppy’.
Crates are one of the most commonly used sleeping quarters for a pup. The lockable door not only gives them a cosy and secure place but can also keep them safe when left alone. However, getting them to happily sleep in one is no ‘walkies’ in the park.
Like many other areas of puppy training, getting your pup to sleep in a crate is all about controlled exposure and positive reinforcement.
You need to make the crate a relaxing, calm and safe space where only good things happen. This can be done via gradual exposure, treats and a soft and gentle approach - especially at bedtime.
For the perfect, high-reward treat specifically designed for puppies, try our Pooch & Mutt Puppy Jerky! Packed with nutritious, puppy-safe ingredients like beef, cranberry and rosemary, they’re small in shape but mighty in taste and can help make puppy training that little bit easier.
For older puppies 12 weeks and up, you can treat them to our range of Meaty Treats. Consisting of Calming Probiotic Meaty Treats that can help soothe excitable pups, Dental Probiotic Meaty Treats for healthy teeth and Skin and Coat Probiotic Meaty Treats for shiny, glossy fur - you can reward good behaviour and contribute to a functional, healthy diet.
Needing a meat-free alternative for sensitive tummies? Try our Health and Digestion Probiotic Fish Treats! Using a salmon base, these little fishies are packed with protein and are easy on sensitive bellies. For a completely vegan alternative, try our Peanut Butter Probiotic Nutty Treats for an utterly nutterly flavour.
If you’re looking to start crate training with your pup, explore our full guide: ‘ How to crate train your puppy’.
It’s best to make a puppy’s bedtime the same time as yours so it’s easier to stick to a solid routine and you can avoid disturbing them.
That said, it’s advised that pups should go to bed around 1 hour after their last meal of the day, and right after going to pee and poop.
Not only does this allow their meal to settle, but it also starts off the habit of having a toilet break before bedtime. This will come in useful when they’re old enough to hold their bladder throughout the night.
Making sure your pup settles for a full night’s sleep can be made a little easier by following a good routine.
Considering everything we’ve covered, here’s a routine you can use as the foundation for moulding your pup’s sleeping habits. 
Raising a pup is certainly hard work! But with lots of love, patience and a solid, easy-to-follow routine, it’s much easier to handle. Before you know it, they’ll be all grown up and settled into their new life with you. For that extra support and advice, be sure to explore our entire Puppy Blog - packed with tips, advice, know-how and expert trainer how-tos, so you can kick off your pup’s life with their best paw forward.
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