Question

How much sleep does my puppy need?

Answer

Puppies are a lot like human babies - they play hard, and they need to sleep hard too. Though veterinarians still don’t know exactly how puppy brains develop, they know that sleeping (as well as playing) is important to the development process. While your pup is conked out on the carpet, his brain is busy maturing and building new neural connections.

So the answer to your question is, a puppy generally needs as much sleep as he can get. As long as he’s eating and drinking like he usually does, and he’s active and playful when he’s awake, his sleep shouldn’t be a problem. Over time he’ll adjust to your schedule, and he’ll probably learn to sleep when you sleep at night, and nap whenever he feels like it during the day (one of the advantages of a dog’s life!). His body will do a pretty good job of getting him the sleep he needs, as long as it isn’t interfered with. So if you see your puppy napping, don’t wake him up to play. Let him sleep, unless you need to wake him to keep him on his feeding or elimination schedule.

If you’re worried that your puppy’s sleeping - or any aspect of his behavior - isn’t normal, or if his behavior changes suddenly or dramatically, make an appointment with your veterinarian to have your pup checked out.