Should My Puppy Nap in His Crate?

Typically, you should make the crate your puppy’s designated napping spot. This way, he’ll have a more balanced sleep routine.

What’s more is you should start this process as early as possible. After all, the younger the puppy is, the easier he’ll be to train, since older dogs are less likely to let go of their habits.

As long as you create a crate that’s safe and inviting, your puppy will usually have no problems napping there.

Is Keeping My Puppy in His Crate a Part of Crate Training?

Keeping your pup in his crate during naptime is an essential step in crate training.

The reason for this is that you want your pet to associate his crate with sleep. So, this process will make it easier for him to stay in his crate without any fuss.

Placing your pup in his crate while sleeping has many additional benefits. Since puppies are often too scared, their crate provides them with a shelter where they can soundly sleep.

The great thing is, if your puppy is already well-trained, he’s more likely to nap in his crate anyway!

Can My Puppy Nap Outside His Crate?

It’s inevitable for your learning puppy to sleep outside his crate every once in a while. The best course of action then would be to move him. 

Still, if you’re unable to move him to his crate, that’s totally fine, too. His crate training can still go on as usual.

On the other hand, you may decide not to crate train your dog at all. In this case, there’s no point in him napping in a crate. 

Keep in mind though, that an untrained dog can be uncooperative and unsafe at times.

Why Should My Puppy Nap in His Crate?

You now know that puppies can either sleep inside their crate or outside it. Nonetheless, keeping nap time strictly in the crate has many benefits.

Bonding Time

The great thing about crates is that you can put them anywhere you like. This way, you’ll be able to bond with your furry friend as well as keep an eye on him at all times.

Instead of your pet sleeping in a random spot, napping inside his crate allows for a great bonding experience between you and your puppy.

How to Bond With Your Puppy Inside His Crate

• Keep close to your puppy while he’s napping so he can see you when he wakes.
• Let your dog out of his crate if he starts whining.
• Don’t leave your small puppy alone in his crate for longer than an hour.
• Reward your pup with a treat for behaving while in his crate.

Limits Aggressive Behavior

Dogs thrive in routine. Additionally, the earlier this routine is set, the easier your pup can adhere to it.

Because of that, making sure your puppy knows that he’ll be in his crate for sleep time can greatly help. When you need to place your dog in his crate, he’s more likely to cooperate.

Dealing With Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

• Reinforce positive behavior by giving your dog treats.
• Avoid punishing your dog and using an aggressive tone.
• Consult a professional dog trainer.

Safety Measure

Keeping your furry pet inside his crate is also a safety measure, especially if you have children or other pets at home.

This way, if your dog gets startled or surprisingly aggressive, he’ll be safely locked away and unable to cause any harm.

Other Safety Measures to Consider

• Keep windows and doors closed at all times so your pup doesn’t run off.
• Put away small items that might be a choking hazard.
• Make sure all plants and food in the house are dog-safe.

How Do I Move My Sleeping Puppy to His Crate?

Puppies going through crate training might find it difficult to nap in their crate. That’s why you’ll often need to move your already sleeping furball to his crate.

However, you should avoid waking your sleeping pet up at all costs. Since your dog might be in deep sleep, there's a chance he’ll get frightened and attack you—no matter how well-trained.

Instead, gently lift your friend up and carry him to his crate. This should be fairly effortless since small puppies are often exhausted and don’t wake up as easily.

In spite of that, if you’re unable to move your pup to his crate without him waking up, it’s best to let him sleep peacefully.

How Do I Train My Puppy to Nap in His Crate?

It’s highly unlikely that your pup will appreciate it when you suddenly confine him to his crate. 

In this case, the simplest way to get your dog to nap in his crate is to carry him yourself.

The most crucial thing you’ll need to do is ensure that the crate looks as inviting as possible. After all, your puppy should feel safe and comfortable while sleeping.

Here are some tips to create the best dog sleeping corner:

• Make the crate as comfortable as possible by adding dog bedding.
• Avoid placing the crate in an empty room, so your dog doesn’t feel isolated or banished.
• Add some relaxing scents and toys to your pup’s crate.
• Refrain from forcing your puppy into his crate for nap time.
• Leave the crate door open so your dog can enter and nap at any time.
• Don’t place a blanket or cover on the crate to keep an adequate airflow.

How Long Should Puppies Nap?

You should expect your puppy to sleep for about 20 hours throughout the day. 

Generally, puppies’ sleep schedules consist of intervals of naps. Still, your pup shouldn’t have naps that are longer than three or four hours at a time.

The reason for this is that young puppies aren’t able to control their bladders. So, they’ll need to wake up often for a potty break. 

In case your furry friend doesn’t wake up on his own, you can wake him up yourself to avoid accidents.

However, in the evening, your puppy’s digestive system will slow down. That makes it okay for your furry pet to sleep for about eight hours.

When Should My Puppy Nap?

There isn’t a specific time when dogs should nap. Just remember that your puppy shouldn’t snooze a couple of hours before his bedtime so they can sleep soundly through the night.

In addition, you should tire your dog as much as possible in the evening. This way your pet will be too tired and immediately sleep in his crate.

If your puppy is exhausted and crashes before bedtime, it’s okay to let him sleep earlier. After all, he earned the extra sleep by playing all day!

Paul S.

Paul has been creating content for the dog niche for many years. The information he shares comes his first hand experience growing up in dog lovers household and then owning multiple dog breeds of his own as an adult. Paul enjoys doing the hard research to collect, analyze and present our dogtemperament.com readers with the best answers to their questions.