Sometimes it seems like all puppies do is sleep, eat, go to the bathroom, and repeat. However, how much should your Labrador puppy sleep?
A new Labrador puppy should be sleeping for about 18 to 20 hours each day and as it gets older the amount of sleep should slowly go down. By the time a Labrador reaches adulthood, it should only be sleeping 8 to 13 hours each day, and this should take place during the night.
More information about your Labrador puppy's sleeping habits and how they will change as they get older is below.
Newborn Labradors
According to The American Kennel Club, a newborn puppy can be expected to sleep around 18 to 20 hours per day. To help them do this by sleeping during the night, make sure to establish a routine with the puppies so they learn when to sleep when to play, and when they can go potty.
Tips to help your Labrador puppy sleep:
- Establish a nightly routine (if you can establish a routine for the whole day as it will help the puppy adjust faster)
- Keep the sleeping area dim and quiet
- Don't get the puppy energetic before bedtime (avoid the temptation for a late evening playtime session)
- Prepare for interruptions (barking, howling, or potty breaks) during the first few weeks of their life
10 Weeks Old
At about 10 weeks old, the puppy is likely still adjusting to its new home and only just starting to get used to the nightly routine. They will sleep for about 16 to 20 hours each day. At this stage of their life, your puppy should start getting better control of its bowels, meaning you shouldn't have to take it out during the night as often as you have in the past few weeks. They may even be able to sleep through the night without a bathroom break.
During this period, make sure to mainly focus on helping your puppy learn its nighttime schedule, as it is still difficult for it to learn at this stage. Trying to teach too many things to the pup at once can overwhelm it and rove to be unsuccessful.
3 Months Old
Once they are about 3 months old, your Labrador puppy should start to sleep less and spend more time playing and socializing. Your puppy should be getting around 11 to 15 hours of sleep every day. It is at this age that you are going to have to worry about the dog's temperament.
However, if a good schedule was established for the puppy with time for naps throughout the day, you shouldn't have to worry about a rowdy or energetic pup during the night, as it knows when bedtime is.
6 Months Old
Once your puppy hits this age it is starting to mature, as the maturing ages for a Labrador are 6 to 9 months old. At about 6 months old your Labrador puppy will be sleeping for about 12 to 14 hours every day.
By this stage in your Labrador puppy's life, it should no longer be barking, howling, or need to go to the bathroom during the night as you have established a routine and it has had plenty of time to learn it.
With Labradors, make sure to give them plenty of exercise during the day so that they use up the stores of energy they have, or they can develop health problems and an irregular sleep schedule. Giving your Lab something to chew on before it goes to bed will also help it use up its excess energy and sleep better through the night.
1 Year Old
At 1 year old, your Labrador is no longer a puppy and has fully matured into an adult. Now that it is an adult, it requires less sleep and will usually sleep for around 8 to 13 hours a day. This is a positive for Lab owners as they are monophasic sleepers, which means that they only have one sleep period.
This means that if you have established a good routine for your Lab, you will be on the same sleep schedule. This is nice as most dogs are polyphasic sleepers, separating their periods of sleep into two or three chunks throughout the day. So, your Lab will still take naps during the day, but they will likely occur while you are at work or are out and about during the day.
Example Routine For Labrador Puppies
The following is likely what your Labrador's schedule will look like, including its naps.
Morning Schedule:
- Wake up and take the puppy outside to relieve itself
- Feed it breakfast
- Give it another potty break (it is typically that puppies need to relieve themselves after eating)
- Socializing, playing with your puppy, or taking on a walk (Ideally for 30 to 60 minutes)
- Nap Time (Expect about 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on age)
- Potty Break
- Feed it lunch
Afternoon Schedule:
- After lunch, you are going to want to give the puppy another potty break
- For about an hour, play with the pup and let him explore.
- Nap time again
- Take him outside for a potty break once he wakes up
- Playing with him some more, likely for another hour
- Most likely he will take a nap after playing again
- Another potty break once he wakes up
Evening Puppy Schedule:
- Feed your puppy dinner before you sit down and eat
- After dinner, take him on a walk
- Spend some time with him playing or letting him interact with family members
- Give a quick bathroom break before bedtime
Night Schedule:
- Place in a sleeping crate or on the dog bed
- Give a treat just before bedtime to reward good bedtime prep
- Make sure are is dim a quiet, being close to the family can also help the puppy sleep easier
- If he needs the bathroom during the night, carry him outside, let him have a potty break, then place it back in the sleeping area.
| Labrador Age | How Long They Sleep |
|---|---|
| Newborn – 9 Weeks | 18-20 hours per day |
| 10 Weeks – 2 Months | 16-20 hours per day |
| 3 Months – 5 Months | 11-15 hours per day |
| 6 Months – 11 Months (Maturing Age) | 12-14 hours per day |
| 1 Year and Older | 8-13 hours per day |
Cindy is a prolific writer and online researcher who can't imagine life without dogs. There is scarcely a dog topic she has not researched or written about. Her love for dogs and helping dog parents is evident by the thousands of dogtemperament.com visitors who read her articles monthly. Most of all, each topic Cindy writes on helps forge a stronger bond and understanding between her and her happy Catahoula Leopard Dog Jossie.