how long do puppies sleep
Puppies sleep a lot: most need about 18–20 hours of sleep per day in the first few months, then gradually drop toward 12–15 hours as they approach adulthood.
How Long Do Puppies Sleep? 🐶
Quick Scoop
- Newborns can sleep up to about 22 hours a day, waking mainly to nurse and briefly move around.
- From 8–12 weeks, many puppies sleep around 18–20 hours in a 24‑hour period.
- By about 4 months, average total sleep drops closer to 11–12 hours, usually a mix of night sleep and naps.
- As they grow up, most dogs settle around 12–14 (sometimes 13–15) hours of sleep per day, depending on size and activity.
- Big breeds often sleep a bit more than small breeds because growth and body mass demand more energy.
Typical Puppy Sleep By Age
| Puppy age | Approx. total sleep in 24 hours | What it looks like day‑to‑day |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn – 8 weeks | Around 20–22 hours/day. | [9][3][5]Almost constant dozing, waking mainly to eat, tiny bursts of activity. | [3]
| 8 – 12 weeks | About 18–20 hours/day. | [7][9][1][5]Short play “zoomies” followed by frequent naps, still up at night for toilet breaks. | [9][1][7]
| 12 – 16 weeks | Roughly 18 hours/day, sometimes a bit less. | [1][3][5]Longer awake windows, several naps plus a longer night stretch. | [3][1]
| Around 16 weeks (4 months) | Just under 12 hours/day on average in one study. | [1][3]More predictable bedtime, 1–3 decent naps in the day. | [3][1]
| 5 – 6 months+ | Commonly 12–14 (up to 15) hours/day as they approach adult patterns. | [5][7][9][3]Mostly night sleep with a couple of naps, more like an adult dog. | [3]
Why Puppies Sleep So Much
- Growth and development: Their brains, bones, and immune systems are developing rapidly, and sleep is when a lot of that work happens.
-Energy recovery: Short bursts of intense play and learning are exhausting, so they crash often.
- Learning and memory: Experiences, training, and socialization get consolidated during rest, similar to human babies.
A simple way to look at it: if your young puppy is not eating, toileting, or zooming around, it’s pretty normal for them to be asleep.
Normal vs. Too Much (or Too Little) Sleep
Most of the time, heavy sleeping in a young puppy is normal, but it helps to watch the pattern. Generally normal:
- Your puppy wakes up easily for food, play, or toilet.
- Awake times are playful and curious, even if short.
- Sleep totals roughly match the age ranges above (give or take a couple of hours).
Possible red flags (call a vet):
- Sudden increase in sleep plus low energy when awake.
- Struggling to wake, weakness, wobbliness, or breathing changes.
- Loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, or signs of pain along with oversleeping.
If you’re ever unsure whether the sleep is “too much,” vets and reputable pet resources consistently advise checking with a professional, especially for very young puppies.
Simple Example Day For An 8–12 Week Puppy
This is just an illustration — every puppy is different, but it shows how broken‑up their sleep can be.
- Early morning: Wake, toilet, breakfast, 30–60 minutes of play, then nap 1–2 hours.
- Late morning: Short walk or play, training, then another long nap.
- Afternoon: Repeat cycle of play, chew time, and multiple naps.
- Evening: Play, calm time, then bed; likely 1–2 toilet breaks overnight.
Total sleep across all these naps plus night sleep often lands in that 18–20‑hour range at this age.
Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
