How Much Sleep Does A Goldendoodle Puppy Need?
Is anyone interested in adorable Goldendoodle puppies and how much sleep they need? I wonder if they are like human babies, requiring lots of rest and naps. I am also am curious when their sleep habits change.
I did a little research yesterday, here is what I found.
How much sleep does a Goldendoodle puppy need?
Goldendoodle puppies need anywhere from eighteen to twenty hours of sleep, sometimes a little more or less, depending on their development.
The reason they need so much sleep is so they can develop and grow properly. A lot is going on in their bodies physically, mentally, and emotionally. In their waking hours, they burn lots of energy like human babies as they explore and learn about the world around them.
Curiosity, energy and learning is high and developing quick which means many calories and lots of sleep to recover properly. Burning up all this energy, growing, and learning increases their need for downtime.
This recovery or downtime is as vitally important to their health and development as nutrition and learning. Sleep and rest time allow their bodies to physically develop various areas, including a healthy immune and nervous system, which are essential for lifelong wellness.
The good news is that there are many things human parents can do to create a healthy sleep ritual and promote a good night’s rest for their fur baby.
It may be touch and go as the puppy adjusts to a new home and life in the beginning days, but with patience, persistence, and a little creative planning puppy’s sleep can be smooth and restorative.
Goldendoodle puppies are adorable, cuddly, and full of energy. Once they are weaned from their mother and littermates, this curiosity about life continues to increase by leaps and bounds as the days go by.
As puppies, they need anywhere from eighteen to twenty hours of sleep to replenish their tank for a new day of adventures and fun. This can vary from day to day and is just a guide.
If a puppy is curious and energetic and goes on many adventures, it might lean more towards the upper of twenty hours or even slightly more of sleep daily. If the day is a little less exciting, they might need closer to eighteen hours or somewhat less of sleep.
Each puppy is different, and this is just a general guide, not a hard and fast set of rules that must be applied. No one needs to be timing the amount of sleep a Goldendoodle puppy gets.
It is likely that the Goldendoodle will have a long sleep stretch at night and then a few short power naps here and there throughout the day since they don’t necessarily conform to our sleep practices.
They need to get so much sleep because they are growing and developing physically, emotionally, and mentally with so much going on in their little bodies.
Like human babies, their waking hours are spent exploring and going on new adventures. Every moment is spent learning about the world around them and their place in it. They also learn about themselves, what they can and can’t do, what they are allowed to do, and so forth.
Their sleep also helps them develop vitally essential parts of their body, providing overall wellbeing and good health for the rest of their lives.
Providing a sleep ritual and promoting good sleep habits even in a small puppy pave the way for future sleep patterns and a healthy outlook on rest time.
Pet parents must be persistent but patient because little puppies can need more time to learn and accept new things. They are smart and fast learners, but curiosity about the world and distractions can make some things take longer.
How can I help my Goldendoodle puppy get enough sleep?
There are a few things that can be done to help a Goldendoodle puppy get enough sleep.
One of the first things that can help a puppy sleep well is to teach them where their bed or sleep area is located. This will teach them with time that this area is for rest and sleep. When they are in it, their body will naturally associate one with the other, promoting better sleep.
This can take a bit of doing since in the early days; puppies may be likely to nap wherever they happen to get tired. That is fine, it is early yet, and they are little. Whenever possible, making a point to steer them towards their bed, crate, or the sleeping area will be best for their future sleeping habits.
Paying attention to puppy and their signals that show tiredness allow a pet parent to intercept and provide a break from all the fun. Sitting snuggled up beside their bed as they are encouraged to rest or sleep with calm and soothing words, gentle pets and quiet.
Try to follow a ritual whenever possible. This can be hard for us human parents as we already have enough in our busy scheduled day, but it can help promote healthy sleep for the puppy and perhaps more quiet time when needed for parents to do other things.
It is essential to include naps in the daily ritual. Puppies need lots of sleep, so naps might happen rather often. They might be as short as less than an hour or perhaps longer. Having a set ritual for when naps occur will encourage rest or, at the very least, peace and calm for a few minutes.
Like a sleeping baby, it is best to let an asleep dog lie, as the catch phrase goes. Puppies need lots of sleep, so when they nod off, it is healthiest for them to sleep with minimum distractions or interruptions. This is why having a designated sleep spot is best, so everyone knows to leave the sleeping puppy in their bed to rest.
When a puppy wakes up, they will feel refreshed and ready to tackle the next adventure. They will be full of energy; this is even true if they only slept ten minutes. The fact that they fell asleep for a nap or longer signals their body that it has rested regardless of how long.
When they wake, not only will they be full of energy, they will have to use the bathroom too. Providing outside time when they wake prevents accidents from happening while steering all that bundled up energy into the right activity, physical playtime.
After this, it would be good to provide a snack or meal to recharge the energy they just expelled. If the weather is nice, this can be done outdoors during playtime.
How can I help my Goldendoodle puppy fall asleep at bedtime if they don’t seem ready?
To help a Goldendoodle puppy fall asleep at bedtime when they don’t seem ready isn’t as hard as many puppy parents might think. With a schedule in place and some creative thinking, even the most curious and easily distracted Goldendoodle puppies will eventually succumb to the sandman.
A before bedtime routine must be implemented, so the puppy learns to associate certain actions in a specific order with what is coming next, sleep time. These could include going outside for a few minutes to use the bathroom, a quick snuggle with mom and dad on the couch, and some energetic playtime.
After these have taken place, climbing into that soft and fluffy bed might be the perfect ending to a fun filled day.
Setting the stage is just as important as the routine. Their crate or bed and sleeping area should be comfortable, welcoming, and relaxing. Whichever type is used, it should be free of toys, food and water, and other distractions.
It should be close to mom and dad if issues arise and be predominately dark and quiet as possible. A cover over a crate can be beneficial to limit distractions. If available, an item with the Goldendoodle mothers’ scent can provide comfort, as can the scent of something from human mom and dad.
Once the stage is set, and the routine is implemented, and they have finally nodded off, pup parents must be prepared for the wake-up call. That call they get from the whining puppy at 2 am signaling they need to go potty. This is normal and expected. With time, they will outgrow these potty breaks, sleeping through the night.
The final step that makes things go smoother is the right attitude. In the beginning, as well as at certain times, the puppy may cry, bark, whimper, and act up. In the beginning, this is related to the new situation, their new home.
This will fade with time. At other times after the puppy has been in the house for a bit, it can be related to fears, noises, anxiety, separation, or just plain trying to overthrow the government and see how far they can take it.
Having the right mindset and being patient in a persistent and focused manner will win the day in these situations. It can be hard not to give in when that tiny fur ball you love so much is whimpering and begging you to rescue them from the horrible dog crate so they can sleep beside you, but it must be done.
Before long, the puppy will be happily sleeping and taking naps when needed without the assistance of their family, growing healthy, smart, and strong for many years to come.
Eventually, the eighteen to twenty hours of sleep a day will change with each stage, and they will need less until they reach somewhere around twelve to fourteen hours. Again this is just a guideline, not a hard and fast rule. Some adult Goldendoodles will need more or less depending on their unique personality and life situation.
In Conclusion
Goldendoodle puppies need a lot of sleep. There is no doubt about that. When and how they get that sleep and how it is done is up to the family and their lifestyle.
What works for some, may or may not work for others. At the end of the day, if the puppy and family are happy, healthy, and strong, that is all that truly matters!