Episode #158 Puppies Need Sleep

Ever wonder how your cute little puppy turns into a calm and well-behaved adult? It all begins with the Z's! Yes, sleep is paramount in your pup’s growth process and we're going to explore just how pivotal it is, not just for their physical development but also mental growth. Shaping a routine that balances mental and physical exercise with substantial downtime in a crate or pen is a secret to a well-behaved pet. So, let's dive in and ensure your adorable puppy gets the rest they need to flourish.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

This is the Puppy Training Podcast, episode 158,. Puppies Need Sleep. This podcast is designed to help you on your journey of becoming best friends through love and learning, as you train your own dog from home, and I'm here to help you every step of the way. This is the Puppy Training Podcast and I'm your host, amy Jensen. Hello everybody, thank you for joining me on the podcast today. I'm excited to be here.

Speaker 1: 0:30

I love talking dogs. If you spend time in my program with me either Q&As or classes or coaching I love talking dogs with you guys. So truly it is among my favorite things. And today I want to talk about another favorite of mine sleep, you guys. I'm not sure what it is exactly. Maybe it's the fact that it's cold and dark for a lot more of the time. Now here in Utah it's getting dark at like 515, maybe even five. I think the sunset yesterday was actually 459. But sleep sounds so fun to me, like snuggling up with a blanket and just falling asleep sounds so good. Anyway, is anybody else with me on that? Maybe I'm just getting old? No, but it's been on my mind lately.

Speaker 1: 1:08

When it comes to puppies especially, I often think that they aren't getting enough. It's pretty common that we see puppies get more and more rambunctious, more bitey, more malty, more jumpy, and it's the tendency of the family to think, oh, they need more physical exercise, when in reality I would say they probably need more sleep. So I want to talk about sleep today and puppies. Sleep is, as we know, a fundamental aspect of a puppy's early development. They need it right. It plays a crucial role in both physical and mental well-being for them. And so today I want to focus on maybe eight-week-old puppies how their sleep needs evolve as they mature. So as that eight-week-old puppy grows and they become an adolescent and then an adult dog, how does that sleep schedule change? And then, how can we recognize ways that our dog is telling us, hey, I need more rest. So at eight weeks old, puppies are in a critical stage of growth and learning.

Speaker 1: 2:02

Right, sleep is essential for their brain development. It allows their brains to process and consolidate new information that they acquire through the day while they're awake. So adequate rest also supports physical growth, helping to build their healthy bones and muscles. So they need rest, we know this right. And puppies are bundles of energy, and sleep provides the necessary downtime for their bodies to recover and recharge as well. Now sometimes we see our puppies get very excited and rambunctious, like I mentioned, and we may think they need more exercise. But, as I said, in reality they probably need more rest.

Speaker 1: 2:35

They tend to work themselves up to a point that their brains have trouble focusing and reasoning. Like, think about it, when you sit in class all day at school for those of you who are in school or maybe you're at work all day and you come home you're tired, and you're not tired because you've been running around all day, you're tired because you've been thinking all day right. So, whether it's physical or mental exercise, our brains reach a point where they just have trouble focusing and reasoning. They need a break, they need rest. So when puppies get into this mode whether it's because they've been mentally exercised through training or brain games or fun things like that puzzle toys, or maybe they've been physically exercised running around playing when they get to the point where their brain is tired, it's hard for them to focus, they just react. So when you see your puppy get more bitey and jumpy and malty and they won't focus on a food reward that you have, or maybe you're wiggling a toy to play or tug with them or fetch and they won't focus on that, they just want to go back and bite your ankle. They most likely are to this point where they're tired. So instead of thinking, oh, I need to exercise my dog more, I would suggest putting them in their pen or their crate with a favorite toy or two. I bet within minutes you'll notice that they are fast asleep.

Speaker 1: 3:53

We highly advocate for regular daily downtime, whether that's in a pen or a crate for your dogs. It's nice to have them contained in a space where you don't need to worry about them when they first wake up, so that when they first wake up they might not be able to hold their bladder for very long. But if they're sleeping in a pen or sleeping in a crate, you're better able to manage that and make sure that you're there when they wake up to take them out to go to the bathroom. So put them in their pen or crate with a favorite chew or toy, and then they'll probably fall asleep. They might do a little bit of whining or fussing in the beginning because they're resisting falling asleep, but that's pretty normal as well. And just make it a routine so that every day they're getting regular, routine downtime and you'll start to see that this helps create more calm in your puppy. They know what to expect. They can play and run around and have fun, but then they can also relax themselves enough that they can rest and fall asleep, which, as mentioned, is so good for their growth and development. They need that downtime and oftentimes when we're awake and we're doing things, we just want our puppy to be right there with us, and so sometimes that gets overlooked or skipped. And then that you know, mentioning a physical and mental exercise, make sure those are balanced as well, because, you know, not only do people tend to think that an active, rambunctious, bitey-maldy puppy needs more physical exercise, they also need that mental exercise. So if any of those three things the physical exercise, the mental exercise or the rest component are out of balance, you'll see kind of a more active, rambunctious, bitey-maldy puppy. And if those three things are in balance, where they're getting physical exercise, they're getting brain games and mental exercise through training or puzzle toys, and then they're also getting rest, regular rest, like we talked about, scheduled, routine rest throughout the day you will see a more calm dog.

Speaker 1: 5:44

Now, as puppies grow, their sleep requirements change and we know this. So young puppies might sleep up to 16 to 20 hours a day. That's a lot right, and I just don't think most of our puppies are getting a near enough sleep, especially when you hear those numbers. But it gradually starts to reduce as they become more active, independent. So around six months of age most dogs settle into a more regular sleep pattern resembling that of adult dogs. Now this is the age where they're starting to hit that adolescent or teenage phase and so their sleep patterns do change. But I would say between about six to 12 months of age they're more awake, they're more active, and this is usually when we see some of those adolescent behaviors start to test us and they're pushing some boundaries, pushing maybe some of our buttons, and we're like, okay, where did this come from? They never used to do that. It's typically because they are more awake during the day and have more energy, and then as they come off of that adolescent age and head into adulthood, they kind of fall back into that puppy mode where they just sleep a lot of the day.

Speaker 1: 6:46

So, as you have, these adolescent dogs, as they've transitioned from puppies to adolescents, keep a routine. It's really important that we still give them the downtime right. Use their awake time for more challenging training tasks and games right, longer stays. We're proofing these behaviors using the 4Ds with distance duration, distraction and difficulty. But we do want to keep a routine such that they know oh, I get a couple hours of nap time in the morning, couple hours of nap time in the afternoon and then, when they are awake, yeah, let's challenge them. We can go on longer walks at this point. We can go for more adventures, longer adventures right, their attention spans are longer, so we can do more with them. I guess in this podcast for this purpose today is just a reminder to not let go of the overall sleep schedule and still remember that even an adolescent dog needs downtime. So don't fall into the trap of thinking they need more physical exercise because they're a teenager. Yes, you can go for longer walks and you can train for longer periods of time, but they still need that good rest.

Speaker 1: 7:51

So the thing I like to say to people is you know they say how much should I exercise my dog? And I ask them well, are you raising a marathon runner Right, Like, do you want your dog to run a marathon? Do you want to condition them to need to run for miles a day? Not me personally. So we go out and give them physical exercise, but it's not like we're out trying to over exercise them With young puppies. I like to let them dictate their exercise and play, so when they are tired they can just lay down. That's why we don't take young puppies out on long walks, because it's hard for them to let us know when they are done If they just stop walking in the middle of the block and we have to get back home. That becomes a power struggle and we don't want that. But playing with younger puppies, exercising them in, say, a backyard space where they can run and play and when they're tired they can take a break and we're listening to them. Then, as they get older, yes, they can go for longer walks and we start to learn what our dog needs.

Speaker 1: 8:44

Now, saying all of this, there's also the component of different breeds. Some breeds are they are bred to work all day long. Your shepherds, they could have endless energy. They really need probably a higher level of mental exercise and physical exercise than, say, a cute little bulldog. It's going to be a little bit breed specific as well, but even then I would say your shepherd needs a nap and make sure that they're getting the rest that they need.

Speaker 1: 9:11

Some specific signs that your dog might need more sleep would include increased irritability, difficulty focusing, like we talked about. Maybe they have a decrease in activity levels. During waking hours You'll start to notice things Excessive yawning, maybe seeking out a quiet, comfortable spot where they're looking for a nice, comfortable, safe space to fall asleep. They're seeking out those spaces. If your dog experiences changes in behavior or seems lethargic, that's something we need to worry about and I would consult with a veterinarian as soon as possible just to rule out any underlying health issues.

Speaker 1: 9:43

Here at Backstreet Bela, we also recommend making sure that your dog's environment is sleep-friendly. What we mean by this is providing a comfortable and quiet sleep environment, away from craziness, away from distractions. Designate a cozy dog bed or a crate in a peaceful area. That's away from these things to help your dog. No, it's nap time, time to relax. I can go to sleep here.

Speaker 1: 10:06

When dogs feel safe and secure, they sleep better. That's why you often see a puppy seek out maybe an area underneath a sofa or in the corner of the room, because as they tuck themselves away, they can relax better. Just pay attention to that and make sure that your dog's sleeping environment is somewhere where they can relax and rest. We also like to establish a consistent bedtime routine. This can signal to our dogs that it's time to wind down, we're getting ready for the evening and that we can take our energy levels and bring them down. This might include some chew time. It might include some massage time, it might include just maybe even just turning lights down lower and all the activity and chaos that's going on in our home becomes more still and relaxed.

Speaker 1: 10:56

Pay attention also to things such as weather and temperature changes, heating vents, access to the air conditioner, size of the crate as your dog grows these things all matter. A dog again who is comfortable will fall asleep faster and more easily. Sometimes these things change and maybe we don't really think about it. Is my dog's crate right next to the heat vent and now, because it's cold at my house and the heater is kicking on, they're getting too warm. Pay attention to the bedding inside of the crate or the pen that your dog has access to. Sometimes they want to curl up on a nice cozy bed and other times they're trying to scratch it away and get to the nice, cooler surface of the plastic flooring or your tile flooring or whatever it is. Wherever your dog is sleeping, pay attention to what they're trying to communicate to you. They'll often tell you if they're too warm.

Speaker 1: 11:40

To wrap it up, you guys remember sleep is a vital component of our dog's early development. They need it, we all need sleep, but puppies need it too. Don't forget that. It contributes to both their physical and mental well-being, and those three components that we talked about need to be balanced. The physical exercise, the mental exercise and that sleep and rest component are important. We just need to understand that their sleep means will change. They're going to change from puppy to adolescent, to adult. It's going to evolve into something. They start with lots of sleep and then they go through a more active period and then they kind of return back to that lots of sleep, if you will, as they become adult dogs.

Speaker 1: 12:16

Watch for those changes. Also recognize signs that your dog may need more rest through their behavior. They're more bitey mouthy, rambunctious. They can't focus or think it's time for a nap. Please don't try to just keep giving them more and more and more physical exercise. They probably need more sleep. So remember that you can contribute to the overall quality of your dog's life and your family's as well. A well-rested dog is a happy dog and that's what we like, right, happy dogs. You guys have a wonderful rest of your week, happy training. If you have a question about anything you heard on this podcast or any other puppy training session, visit my site, baxterandbellacom to contact me.