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The arrival of a new dog in the home is always special, regardless of the age of the dog. However, it is true that it seems more special when it is a few month old puppy. In this article, we will answer the question “Do puppies sleep a lot?”, as well as many other questions on resting and sleeping periods of a young puppy.
Caring for the puppy is very important as well as monitoring his behavior and health, in order to be able to detect any abnormality as soon as possible and treat any conditions as quickly as possible. This will promote healthy development.
Do puppies sleep a lot?
If you watch your puppy closely, you will notice that he spends a lot of time sleeping. Don’t be worries, we will explain the reasons behind a puppy’s long periods of sleep.
It’s quite normal to ask yourself questions when welcoming a puppy into your home. As we have already explained, during the first months of his life, observation is as important as love or food. This will allow you to detect any signal that tells you something is wrong.
Phases of a puppy’s sleep
Therefore, before evaluating whether the puppy’s sleep duration is adequate, it is important to know what are the different phases of sleep in order to prevent any disorder in this cycle.
Did you know that the phases of a dog’s sleep are not very different from the phases of human sleep? Let’s see what they are:
Drowsiness
This is the first step and corresponds to the transition from the waking state to the sleeping state. This barely lasts a few minutes and the puppy can respond to external stimuli.
Light sleep
In this phase it starts to be more difficult for the puppy to wake up unexpectedly. However, the brain can still have punctual physical reactions. Initial physiological changes are observed and the heart rate decreases.
Deep sleep
This phase lasts about 20 minutes and is characterized by ample brain waves as well as a slow breathing rate. During this phase dreams do not occur yet.
REM phase
This is the phase of rapid eye movement. It is characterized by very high brain activity produced by dreams. In this phase you can observe that your puppy moves its legs or ears.
How much sleep does a puppy need?
If your puppy is sleeping a lot, it is normal for you to be concerned, but it is something natural and does not indicate any abnormalities in your dog.
How long does a puppy sleep under normal conditions? Until the age of 12 weeks, a puppy can sleep between 18 and 20 hours a day! His organism is in full maturity. It is for this reason that both nutrition and rest will be fundamental pillars for the start of a healthy life.
You have to take into account that everything is new to a puppy. Incorporating all the information that comes from the new environment is very tiring. On the other hand, past the first 12 weeks of life, the puppy will gradually start to become active for a longer period of time because new activities (both physical and mental) will be incorporated into his routine.
Do puppies sleep a lot? Should I wake him up?
Puppies are very cute and welcoming them with a lot of love is very important. However, even if you feel like pampering, kissing, and hugging him all the time, remember that a puppy is a living being with multiple needs. He is not a toy that you can play with at will.
Never interrupt your puppy’s sleeping hours! This could be counterproductive to a good development of his organism which needs a lot of energy to go through the process of maturation of the organs and systems.
You will gradually observe how, from the age of 3 months, your puppy will start to be more awake. He will start to have more energy and you can gradually introduce him to some activities. Be careful, do not rush the process, you must respect the development of the puppy.
Questions and answers
Is it good for my puppy to sleep with me?
Many people decide to sleep with their dog. There is nothing wrong with that, but, once they have all their vaccines up to date and can go outdoors, you will need to brush and wash him regularly, as well as deworm it.
Is it normal for my dog to sleep a lot and eat very little?
While it is normal for small puppies to eat little, which means that you have to allocate their daily food ration over several meals daily, it is not a problem as long as he they eat the recommended daily calories. If in doubt, it is advisable to go to the vet and validate the puppy’s food intake.
Is it usual for my puppy to wake up often while sleeping?
Much like human babies, puppies are disturbed when their teeth start growing. It is also for this reason that they bite a lot. It is important to offer them toys as well as to reinforce and reward good behavior. But expect their sleep to be somewhat disturbed at times.
Do puppies sleep a lot?
Does sleep duration vary with breed?
While puppies need a lot of sleep, their sleeping needs will evolve and can vary depending on the specific breed. It’s important to understand the development phases of your dog and how each one will impact his sleeping, nutrition and physical and mental activity needs.
Finally, to learn more on the question “Do puppies sleep a lot?”, check the following videos