When should a puppy go to bed at night?

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Have you ever wondered: what time should puppies go to bed?

Especially if you’re a newer puppy parent, I’ve been wondering at some point: so does this work the same as with babies?

Well, in some ways it does indeed. Both human and dog babies need a LOT of sleep. Young puppies need about 18 to 20 hours per day to be exact.

But does that mean they need to go to bed at a certain time?

The short answer is: no, they don’t. Far more important is that they have a solid schedule.

Now, let’s look at this question in more detail.

How Much Sleep Do Puppies Need…

If you’ve just brought your new puppy home, or you’re about to, you may be wondering about their sleep schedule.

Getting on a good sleep schedule is really important! Not only will it help your puppy stay healthy and settle into his new life faster, but it will help keep you sane too.

But how much sleep will your puppy need, in general? The answer is a lot! But it does depend on age.

At 8 Weeks Old?

How much does an 8-week old puppy sleep?

At this age, your puppy is still very, very young. Their brains and bodies are doing a lot of work growing and developing.  Part of developing properly means getting a ton of sleep!

Your 8-week old puppy will generally sleep about 18 to 20 hours a day. It seems like a lot, doesn’t it? But when you consider that puppies are like human babies, and babies sleep a lot too, it makes sense!

At 12 Weeks Old?

At 12 weeks, your puppy should still be sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day. His body will be going through even more changes at this stage, including teething!

During his waking hours, he’ll probably be a little bundle of energy. The world is still so new and exciting to him! But when he’s out, he’ll be out like a light—hopefully, anyway!

At 6 Months Old?

Most breeds reach adulthood around 1 year old. So, if you’ve made it to 6 months, you’re halfway there!

But your dog is still a puppy at this stage, and his body isn’t finished developing. At 6 months, your puppy will need slightly less sleep, but still more than an adult dog.

Your 6-month old puppy will generally sleep around 16 to 18 hours a day.

What Time Should Puppies Go to Bed?

Since your puppy is doing so much growing, and sleep is crucial for that development, it’s really important that your puppy gets enough!

Some puppies are pretty good at self-regulating, and will go to sleep when they feel tired—no matter where they are! But other puppies are not so good at this, and may need help if they get overtired.

Baloo definitely wasn’t very good at this. And he still sometimes needs a little help when he’s being overtired or overstimulated…

For more information, check out “My Overtired Puppy Won’t Sleep—What Can I Do?”

Getting your dog into a good routine will help you both make sure he’s sleeping enough.

So when exactly should your puppy’s bedtime be?

Well, every dog and every owner is different! Frankly, it’s doesn’t matter when your puppy’s bedtime is, as long as it’s consistent and works for both of you!

It may take a little trial and error finding the right routine, but once you do, stick with it. As long as it’s consistent and it works, it’s the right bedtime.

To help you set up a good routine, I’ve created a free puppy schedule planner. This is where you can track your pup’s sleep routine and daily activity to find the best routine for both of you!

How to Help a Puppy Sleep at Night

Okay, so now that you know how much sleep puppies actually need, let’s look at how you can help your puppy sleep at night.

Set Up a Clear Schedule

Dogs thrive when they have routines. Knowing what they can expect and when they can expect it will help decrease anxiety.

Dogs don’t necessarily have the same concept of time that we do. But research indicates that they do have circadian rhythms that regulate how their bodies work.

Having a clear schedule will help your puppy settle down more easily for sleep and stay happy and healthy.

You may also want to consider crate training to help you with your puppy’s nap time. So what’s a good crate training schedule for a puppy? Check out this article!

Speaking of routine, that’s also one of the most important things that will help your dog calm down. If you’ve get a high-energy pup at home, you’ll find this free guide for a calm dog helpful. This is where I’m showing you exactly what helped me get Baloo from being super hyper to being a calm, normal dog.

Give Him a Last Potty Break Before Bedtime

While your puppy is still very young, you’ll have to anticipate at least a few nighttime bathroom breaks. A puppy’s bladder is pretty tiny, and fills up quickly!

You can expect your puppy to be able to hold his bladder for around a number of hours equal to his age in months plus one. So an 8-week old puppy, for example, could hold his bladder for a maximum of about 3 hours. There are always exceptions and some puppies can hold it much longer.

However, you can help yourself and your puppy sleep a little longer at night by making sure he gets one last bathroom break right before bedtime to empty his bladder. You may also want to consider taking away food an water about an hour before bed to keep him from filling up again!

Make Sure He’s Tired

Your puppy will have a much easier time falling asleep if he’s tired when it’s bedtime! There are lots of fun ways you can tucker your puppy out to help him sleep better.

Playtime is the most obvious way—and one of the most fun! But don’t limit yourself to just that. Make sure you’re working your puppy’s brain too!

Here are 10 brain games for dogs to play at home! Training is another great way to engage your dog’s mind. Here are 11 easy dog tricks for beginners.  

Puppy Sleep Schedule

Remember, all puppies and owners are different! Your puppy sleep schedule may look different than another person’s.

But if you’re looking for a good guideline, here’s what a schedule for a puppy should look like.

Puppy Schedule at 8 Weeks

• First thing in the morning, take your puppy outside for his first potty break
• Feed your puppy breakfast
• Take your puppy out for another potty break after eating. Puppies this young will likely need to go out right away
• Spend some time playing and interacting with him, about an hour or so
• Naptime, preferably for about 2 hours
• Wake up, and time for lunch!
• After lunch, give him another bathroom break
• Spend another hour or so awake with your puppy
• Let your puppy nap for another 2 to 4 hours
• When he’s up, feed him dinner
• Take him outside right away when he’s done eating
• Spend an hour or so interacting with him
• Bring him outside for his last bathroom break
• Put him in the crate to sleep. Make sure to set alarms for nighttime bathroom breaks.

Puppy Schedule at 12 Weeks

Your 12-week old puppy’s schedule will look very similar to an 8-week old’s still.

• Bring your puppy outside as soon as he wakes up
• Breakfast time
• Bring your puppy out for a potty break
• Train, play, and interact with your puppy
• Let your puppy nap for around 2 hours
• Feed your puppy his lunch
• Take your puppy out for a bathroom break
• Play with your puppy for about another hour
• Let your puppy nap for another 2 to 4 hours
• Feed your puppy his dinner
• Take your puppy outside for a potty break
• Play with him for another hour or so
• Bring him outside for his last bathroom break
• Bedtime! At this age your puppy may be able to sleep through the night. Check out this article to learn more: Can a 10-week old puppy sleep through the night?

Puppy Schedule at 6 Months

• First things first—bring your puppy outside for his bathroom break! You can now combine that with a walk, 6-month old puppies can walk up to 30-minutes 3 times a day.
• Feed your puppy his breakfast, and then back outside for another bathroom break
• Your puppy will likely be able to stay awake a little bit longer at this stage. You should spend this time playing and working on obedience training. Make sure to keep the sessions short and then just let him play or relax by himself
• Let your puppy nap for about 2 hours
• Lunch time! Feed your puppy, then outside for a bathroom break and a walk.
• Spend some more time with him playing and training
• Bathroom break, and then down for a nap
• Give your puppy his dinner
• Take him outside for his potty break
• After that, I recommend engaging in calmer activities. You could cuddle with him on the couch, play some brain games or give him something to chew or lick.
• Last potty break
• Bedtime! At this age, your puppy will be sleeping through the night.

Where Should My Puppy Sleep at Nighttime?

Some people let their puppies sleep with them in their beds, while others prefer crating. It really comes down to a personal choice, and there’s no real wrong answer!

However, you may find crate training your puppy useful. Crating your puppy can also help him settle down more easily at bedtime. Be sure to check out how to crate train a dog easily in 13 steps.

What Time Should You Stop Feeding Your Puppy at Night?

It’s best to take your puppy’s food and water away before bed. Of course, you still want to make sure he can stay hydrated and fed if he needs to!

Take his food and water away about an hour or two before bedtime. This will make sure he’s fed and hydrated while still keeping him from filling up too much before bed.

Conclusion

Getting a new puppy is really exciting, but it takes a lot of planning too! Puppies are doing a lot of growing and learning, and it’s really important to make sure that your puppy gets enough sleep. This will let him grow up into a healthy and happy puppy.

While there isn’t a specific time when puppies should go to bed, it’s really important to make sure your fur ball is getting enough sleep. Young puppies need about 18 to 20 hours of sleep per day.

But not all of them are very good at taking a nap when they’re tired. This is why it’s very important to have solid routines in place. This way your dog will get used to nap time and will have an easier time falling asleep.

Don’t forget to get my free puppy schedule planner to find the best routine for you and your puppy.