How Much Sleep Does a Yorkie Puppy Need? (Explained)
You have a new Yorkie puppy in your home. They are full of lots of energy and they like to run around and play with everyone. But then they seem to wear out quickly and need to take a break and get a nap while still sleeping through the night. This can make many Yorkie puppy owners how much sleep their Yorkie will need and they may wonder if these dogs sleep a lot during the day and at night.
A Yorkie puppy will sleep between 16 to 22 hours a day. This is necessary to help them grow and to keep up with all of that energy they have during the day. As your puppy gets older, they will need less sleep, though Yorkies will often need a lot of sleep to make it through the day. An adult Yorkie will still need between 13 to 18 hours of sleep.
With all the energy that a Yorkie has and all the attention they want from you, it is sometimes surprising to find out that they need so much sleep. Let’s take a closer look at how much sleep your Yorkie needs to help them rest and grow the way that they need.
How Much Sleep Does My Yorkie Puppy Need?
Your Yorkie puppy is going to spend quite a bit of their time sleeping at night. They need all this sleep to help them grow and develop. In the beginning, they will need between 16 to 22 hours of sleep. This will take the form of sleeping through the night as well as napping and snoozing during the day.
This may seem like a lot of sleep for a little puppy, especially one that seems to have so much energy all the time. Your Yorkie puppy is going to be active when they are awake, which is what wears them out so much. Your puppy will use a ton of energy to help them grow, bounce around, and learn more about the world around them. Since they will use so much energy, you must make sure they have a safe place and a comfortable bed to sleep in so they do not get bothered.
This is where crate training will be a good option. These crates will provide your puppy with their own safe haven and can be useful for training and for helping them get the sleep that they need. It may take a little bit to adjust to this, but your Yorkie will find that this is a comfortable place for them to be inside and sleep when they are tired.
What If My Yorkie is Not Sleeping Through the Night?
Many Yorkie owners feel that if their Yorkie is not sleeping through the night, then they are not getting enough sleep and they are going to become sick. The truth of the matter is that the Yorkie is probably getting enough sleep, they are just getting it during the day rather than at night.
Outside of when the Yorkie is really young, they should not sleep that much during the day. They may take a few naps to help regain some of that energy, but if they are taking really long naps several times a day, then they are starting to get their sleep during the day rather than at night when you want them too. The good news is there are a few things that you can do to make sure that your Yorkie stops sleeping during the day as much and gets more of their sleep during the night including:
Tire the Puppy Out
It is a good idea to wear your puppy out during the day. Exercise is important, but you do need to be gentle when it comes to a little Yorkie. Short walks, playing some games outside, and more will work the best. Consider how much energy your puppy has when you do this.
If they sleep too much during the day, they will not sleep at night, even as a puppy. So take a bit of time here and keep your puppy up a little more during the day so they can sleep at night.
Limit Water and Food
It is a good idea to start limiting the water and food you give your Yorkie an hour or so before they go to bed. If you let them go to bed with a full bladder and stomach, they will most likely wake you up throughout the night.
If they wake you up, they may stay up and bother you through the night. Limit the food and water and take your puppy outside before bed to prevent this issue.
Calming Music
Some Yorkies will need something to help them get to sleep at night. Some ambient background sound is going to help. Calming music or even an analog clock with some ticking on it can help them listen to a sound that they enjoy.
Keep Them Near You
If it is possible, you can consider letting the Yorkie sleep in your room too. This is going to let your puppy feel as though they are part of the back and they know where you are.
Do not let them sleep in your bed, but have them be near you in the room. Bring the crate into the room and place it on a chair so they can see you without feeling left out or getting in the habit of sleeping on your bed.
Get on a Consistent Routine
Just like with humans, your Yorkie will need to get onto a consistent routine. This will help them get ready for bed and lets them know when it is time to go to sleep. You should have some kind of set routine for sleep time. This means having them go to bed at the same time each night and putting them in the same place. Make sure that the bedtime is low key and do not turn it into a big fuss here.
What If My Yorkie is Sleeping Too Much?
When the Yorkie first comes to your home, it is unlikely that they are sleeping too much. They are probably doing just fine and need the extra sleep to keep up with all of that great energy they have during the day and to help them grow well. You should provide your Yorkie puppy with some quiet places to spend their time and relax during the day and at night so they can really get the sleep that they need.
If you are really concerned about the amount of sleep your Yorkie is getting and you feel like they are sleeping too much, then it is time to discuss this with your vet. When you go into the next appointment, let them know that you feel the puppy is sleeping too much.
They will be able to discuss this with you, see how much the dog is sleeping, and give you some suggestions on how to help. If you feel the Yorkie puppy is not sleeping enough during the day and night, they can give you some suggestions on this too.
How Much Sleep Does My Adult Yorkie Need?
As your Yorkie gets older, they will not need as much sleep as they did in the past. This will happen slowly over time. An adult Yorkie will need fewer hours, but will still sleep quite a bit of the day away. Expect that your Yorkie will need 13 to 18 hours of sleep when they become an adult. This will also include naps during the day. Some of these naps will last a short time like 10 minutes, and others will be longer.
When the adult Yorkie is awake, they will be active and want to play. If you have ever owned a Yorkie before, you will be familiar with the amount of energy and intelligence that they have. You will need to provide them with mental stimulation, sufficient exercise, and other activities to work the mind and help them to do well until it is time to go to bed. If you do not entertain your Yorkie, all that pent up energy will cause them to find ways to entertain themselves, and this is usually not a good thing.
Does My Yorkie Need a Lot of Sleep?
Yes, Yorkies are going to need quite a bit of sleep, as we saw throughout this article. They are small and have a lot of energy to share with others. This means that they need somewhere comfortable to rest both during the day and at night when it is time for the whole family to go down.
If you are worried about them not getting enough sleep, then you may need to consider the level of noise and what may be keeping your Yorkie up at night. And if you think they are getting too much and not sleeping at night, a few adjustments during the day can help.