Summary: “When do puppies sleep through the night?” In this blog, learn how to get your puppy to sleep through the night and discover how long puppies typically sleep at night too…
Puppies can be hard work! They require oodles of patience, love, and guidance as they learn how to be a dog with you.
Sleep deprivation can lead humans to be more short-tempered and frustrated, but when your puppy is going through the frightening process of learning to not be scared to be alone at night, it’s important we pet parents keep our heads and remember this is all a big learning process and ultimately, it’s temporary… Here’s how to get a puppy to sleep through the night.
How To Get A Puppy To Sleep Through The Night
Firstly, you need to be prepared to get up frequently in the night for the first few weeks of them being with you. Puppies have smaller bladders and need to go to the bathroom far more frequently than grown dogs. If you want to potty train them quickly, you need to be getting up every few hours to make sure they have ample opportunity to be outside to go. Always encourage them to go to the toilet just before they’re due to go to bed.
Then, you’ll need to decide where your puppy is going to sleep. They’ll need a comfortable bed – and perhaps a crate – appropriate for their size. You may choose to start them off in your room so you can hear when they’re awake and take them out for a toilet break. Then, you can gradually move them elsewhere to help with their comfort as they become more toilet-trained.
Some pet parents choose to let their puppy sleep in their bed with them, but think about whether you want this to continue throughout their life and whether this will best serve your pup’s training process and your quality of sleep.
Whatever decisions you make regarding where they sleep, remember that being alone after sleeping with their brothers, sisters, and mama for so long can be daunting and frightening. They need lots of patience and understanding to learn that sleeping alone is not a scary thing to do.
Because of this, they will most likely cry and pine through the night at first. Do not ignore this! They need to know that you’re their new parent and you’re there for them. Comfort them and gradually build up their time away from you over the first few weeks so they learn to trust you are there and will care for them. This adjustment can be tricky, but persist and be patient – they’ll get there eventually, and remember, this period will only be temporary.
Try to remain calm and quiet throughout the night with them, so they learn that they should be calm and quiet too! To instill a good routine, try to put them to bed at a similar time each night.
Remember, Bed Should Never Be A Punishment
One thing is for certain, their bed or their crate should never be used as a punishment. This will lead them to learn that bed is a scary and bad place and will make it harder for you to settle them to sleep and sleep train them.
The same goes for scolding your puppy when they don’t want to sleep. Dogs and puppies do not process scolding the same way humans do; they will just learn to be scared of you. Try to resist this temptation and focus on positively reinforcing desirable behavior instead – this has been proven to be more effective as well as more ethical.
How Long Do Puppies Sleep At Night?
A puppy needs around 6-10 hours of sleep at night. Although, you’ll find they tire quickly and will sleep a lot through the day too. They can be asleep for around 20 hours, per 24 for the first 12 weeks of their life.
When Do Puppies Sleep Through The Night?
A puppy should be able to get through the night at around 16 weeks of age. However, with pet parent perseverance, this can be sooner!
Sources
“How To Get Your Puppy To Sleep Through The Night” Blue Cross, Apr 05. 2022 https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/how-to-get-your-puppy-to-sleep-through-the-night
“Get Your Puppy To Sleep! Everything To Know About Your Puppy’s Sleep” Jet Pet Resort, Feb 07. 2021 https://jetpetresort.com/blog/dog-care/everything-to-know-about-your-puppys-sleep/
“How To Get Puppies To Sleep Through The Night” MasterClass, Mar 28. 2022 https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-get-puppy-to-sleep-through-the-night
