Where should my Labrador sleep at night

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Is Your Dog Sleeping Too Much? Labrador Sleep Secrets Revealed!

Labs sleep a lot, and although you will probably expect a puppy to nap frequently, you may be surprised by how much your adult dog sleeps during the day.

***my Lab puppy Bonnie, sleeps often and deeply***

My own Labs love a lie in and tend to go back to bed for a nap after an early morning bathroom break! Today I share what you should expect from your dogs sleeping patterns as they grow and develop. And help you to understand the changes that occur in different stages of their lives.

How Long Do Dogs Sleep?

Dogs have a sleep pattern known as polyphasic. This means that they have multiple periods of sleep scattered throughout the day and night. A feature that they share with many other mammals.

Dogs have better night vision than we do. So their ancestors could hunt both by day and by night, if necessary. In fact, hunting at night may have given them some advantages. It is easier to creep up on your victim under the cover of darkness.

Dog Sleep Patterns

Sleeping all night had no advantage for dogs, so dogs did not evolve a natural tendency to sleep for a single long stretch of time like we do. Instead, they acquired the useful ability to get as much sleep as possible, often in short stretches, whenever there is nothing much going on.

I love the way that my dogs are able to go from fast asleep to ready for action in an instant. Something we humans tend to struggle with.

You may have noticed that your dog wakes up instantly and is ready for action right away too. This ability evolved so that dogs can defend the pack from a threat at a moments notice.

How Dogs Adapt to Different Patterns of Sleep

Dogs are adaptable creatures. Although your dogs ancestors may have hunted at night, modern dogs have learned to live by our clocks. My dogs sleep well at night, and living with humans means that most dogs do learn to sleep the night away without disturbing their human family. They may wake and move around briefly during this period of time, but I dont hear them unless they are unwell. If your dog is not sleeping through the night and disturbing your sleep, consider whether he is getting enough daytime activity and stimulation.

Dogs have retained their ability to sleep whenever life gets dull. Studies of guard dogs have shown that dogs are not disadvantaged by being woken up frequently or working in changing shifts. They simply sleep when they get the chance. But how many hours sleep does a dog need during each 24 hour period?

How Many Hours a Day do Dogs Sleep?

Just like humans, sleep needs vary among individual dogs. Sleep needs may also vary between different dog breeds. Adult Labradors will sleep for well over half of every 24 hours, and puppies under four months old may sleep as much as 20 hours a day.

The reason for all this sleeping may have to do with a special type of sleep called rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep during which dreaming takes place.

Do Dogs Dream?

Dogs certainly appear to dream in the same way that we do. And their brains behave in a similar way to ours during the sleep cycle. REM sleep is just one phase of the sleep cycle that both dogs and humans experience. A study published in 2008 showed that REM or dreaming sleep decreases as dogs get older. So it looks as though puppies dream more than adult dogs.

I find it fascinating to watch my dogs make little twitching and running movements with their paws while they are snoozing, and some dogs will give little yips and barks. This is a normal part of deep REM or dreaming sleep.

Studies have also shown that if the part of the brain that de-activates movement during sleep is removed from a dog, the sleeping dog will actually carry out the behaviors that he is dreaming about. So while I cant tell you for certain that dogs dream just like we do, it seems quite likely that they do.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie!

We know that in humans, REM sleep is important. Being deprived of REM sleep can cause unpleasant effects, and I dont believe there is any reason to think that dogs are any different. It is important to allow your dog to sleep deeply when he wants to and to not interrupt his sleep when he starts dreaming.

Some veterinary specialists speculate that dogs sleep more than humans because their REM sleep is often interrupted due to their ability to wake easily and quickly and be ready for action. Because of that wakefulness, dogs need more periods of sleep in which to get an adequate amount of REM sleep.

Should I Worry about Changes in Sleep Patterns?

If you are worried that your dog may be ill because he is sleeping so much, ask yourself what has changed. Is he sleeping a lot more than he was just last week? Or has he always slept this much? Is he bright and bouncy when he is awake? Does he have a good appetite? Or does he seem lethargic or uninterested in food?

Excessive sleeping in a dog that is eating well and full of energy when awake is unlikely to have any significance. Its just what dogs do. I find my elderly dogs tend to sleep more than they did when they were young. But if your dogs sleeping patterns have changed recently, especially if he seems lacking in energy or his appetite is poor, have your vet check him over.

Make a Special Sleeping Space

Your Labrador, like all dogs, is able to awaken quickly from sleep and be ready for action, whenever an opportunity presents itself. However, constantly interrupting his sleep is not a good idea. While many confident dogs will sleep pretty much anywhere, it is important that every dog has his own sleeping space. A place where he can go and relax when he wants to. My dogs have baskets in the rooms that they have access to, and I provide more baskets than dogs, though they tend to all pile into the same one.

Even if your dog shares your bed at night, he should still have a bed somewhere in the house that he can call his own. It needs to be somewhere free of drafts and comfortable, preferably lined with a cozy mat or blanket.

Elderly Labradors may need thicker padding to support their joints. Orthopedic dog beds can provide extra comfort. It is here, in his special space, that your dog can relax fully and sleep deeply.

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Sweet Dreams

Dogs naturally sleep for long periods of time, and sleeping a lot is nothing to worry about in a dog that is active, enjoying his food and living life to the fullest. Just like people, dogs need deep REM sleep, and constantly interrupted sleep can be harmful. So keep your dogs sleep space free from disturbances.

Placing your dogs bed inside a crate is a good idea in families where there is a lot going on during the day. This helps prevent toddlers from climbing on the dog when he is trying to sleep and makes sure older children dont trip over him.

The Labrador Site Founder

Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.

She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program

Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website

9 Week Old Puppy: Tips, Video, Schedules & What To Expect

Your puppy is probably biting your fingers, chewing the furniture and leaving the occasional puddle on the floor. Not to mention making a seriously impressive noise every time you leave the room. Living with a 9 week old puppy can be great fun, but it can also be a bit overwhelming!

In this puppy guide Ill answer your questions about puppy sleep, feeding and potty training. Ill also share my tried and tested puppy schedule, lots of great tips to help you care for your puppy, and an adorable Labrador puppy video. And Ill give you tips for getting started with basic commands, house manners and keeping your baby dog safe.

At nine weeks old, youve probably had your little puppy for a week or so now. And their initial reserve, if they had any, will have worn off. This a point at which new owners often have a lot of questions. Well take a look at them one by one.

How much should a 9 week old puppy sleep?

Some people worry that their puppy is not sleeping enough or that he is sleeping too much! Most puppies are still sleeping a lot at this age. Eighteen to twenty hours a day is not unusual. Puppies dont normally need to be shut away to have a nap, theyll drop off to sleep quite happily in a basket or crate while family life goes on all around them.

There are situations however, where you may need to help your puppy sleep. If you have young children for example, or another young dog, you may have to step in from time to time, to make sure your puppy can nap when he needs to.

When will my puppy sleep through the night?

Sleep is very precious, and however adorable your little chap is, you probably dont want to play with him at 3am. Some puppies are starting to sleep through the night at 9 weeks, at least from midnight to around 6am, which I do appreciate is still night time to some of you. However, some pups are not quite there yet.

Hang on in there, it will come. Probably in the next few days. You can help by keeping night time trips to the garden very brief, and very businesslike. No playing, no chatting, keep the lights dimmed. Out, wee, back to bed.

9 week old puppy schedule

Feeding a 9 week old puppy should take place four times a day, but its also a good idea to use some of each of those daily meals in their training as treats. Divide out the four bowls at the start of the day, and when training take a handful of kibble from the next meal to use as treats. Heres a typical 9 week old puppy routine, that we use for our own Labs:

6 am Wake up, outdoors for a pee
7 am Breakfast
11 am Lunch
3 pm Tea
7 pm Supper last meal of the day
10pm Take water up
Midnight Last pee and into the crate

Remember, some pups wont quite manage six hours yet so you might be better off going to bed a bit earlier and getting up at 2 or 3 am. Notice that we dont feed puppies as soon as we get up, as may encourage earlier and earlier waking! Also the last meal of the day is several hours before bed time. If you prefer to go to bed later and get up later or to go to bed earlier and get up during the night, thats fine too. The principles are the same.

A little crate time can give you a break from supervising your puddle maker while you are busy, but keep crate times short at this age youll find a guide to crating times in our crate training article.

How much should my 9 week old puppy weigh?

Your best guide to whether or not your puppy is growing properly is how he behaves and feels, rather than what the scales say. As a rough guide, many 9 week old lab puppies will weigh between 18-20lbs or a couple of pounds either side of this.

Check out our puppy growth FAQ for more information. Puppy weights may also vary quite considerably between the two different types of Labrador (field and show) and even between individuals from the same litter.

Potty training a 9 week old puppy

Nine weeks is often the point at which people start to worry about potty training progress, or rather, lack of it. Perhaps you are taking your Labrador puppy outside after every meal, and every time he wakes up, but he is still making puddles all over the house. So what is going on? Nine week old pups have very poor bladder control, and short memories.

He is still very much a baby and will need your help in this department for some time to come. Your role is to restrict his access to areas where mistakes are most likely to happen, through the use of baby gates or some other kind of temporary barrier.

You will also need to take him outside before his bladder is over flowing (which might be every twenty minutes at certain times of the day) and to generally ensure that every wee goes in the right place. Check out our complete guide to potty training for more information.

You might also find this guide helpful: How To Raise A Puppy When You Work

9 week old puppy biting

Another common question at this age is about puppy aggression. This is such a common concern, and often arises for the first time at about nine weeks. The puppy is settled in his new home, his shyness has worn off, his confidence is back, and he is ready for some fun. Concerns arise, simply because most people do not realise just how ferocious Labrador puppies seem when they play.

Puppies bite hard and make a lot of noise and this is usually quite normal. Check out this article on puppy aggression to reassure yourself that you have not bought a vicious wild animal into your home. Then head over to our article: How To Stop Your Puppy Biting.

How much to feed a 9 week old puppy

Many puppies, especially Lab puppies, are very greedy and wolf down every morsel you provide for them. Puppies like this will eat far more than they need and quickly become obese if you let them decide on quantities. Each puppy will need feeding according to his or her size, and as weve seen, sizes can vary widely even in the same breed.

You also need to bear in mind that every brand of puppy food is different. Some brands have more fillers and youll need to feed larger quantities in order to keep your puppy well nourished. So its important that you start by following the instructions on the packet.

You can then add a little more to each meal if the puppy is not gaining weight steadily, or reduce the meals a tiny bit if he is getting too plump. Youll find our complete guide to feeding a Labrador puppy helpful over the next few weeks.

Some puppies are quite picky, and wont always finish a meal, but thats fine. However, if your puppy normally eats heartily and suddenly goes off his food, all food, then he may be unwell. Have a chat with your vet if you are concerned, especially if your puppy misses more than one meal.

On the other hand, if he is quite happy to eat an alternative menu, the chances are he is simply exercising his right to an opinion. I strongly recommend you ignore this, and simply take his bowl away. You can offer the same meal later when the puppy is more hungry. If you are interested in feeding your puppy on a more natural diet, you may enjoy our guide to raw feeding: Raw feeding for dogs.

9 week old puppy training

Its never too soon to start training your puppy provided that the training is age appropriate. And provided that you use modern methods, which are great fun for dogs of all ages. Youll find free guides to teaching all the basic puppy commands such as here and sit, in our training section and youll find some great tips to get you started with recall in the video below:

Puppies this age often object to wearing a collar and lead, so you need to be patient. Fortunately this is not a problem at all, because a nine week old puppy does not need a walk. In fact, he wont need a walk in any formal sense for several months. What he needs is space to trot about and play. And your yard or garden is probably suitable for this.

In addition, you cant yet put your puppy down on the ground outside your home, because he is not fully immunized. So, you have all the time in the world, in which to introduce your puppy to his collar and lead. Let him wear a collar for a short while each day. Clip the lead on from time to time and let it trail.

Distract him with food and cuddles. Occasionally pick up the end and encourage him to follow you. Make it no big deal and he will too. You might also want to consider getting your puppy a body harness, hell need one in any case once training starts in earnest. And its a good idea to have your puppy wear a harness once he starts being socialized from ground level.If youd like some extra help with training, you can have my Training Tips delivered by email. Just drop your email address into the box below:

Socializing your 9 week old puppy

We have known for several decades that puppies need to be exposed to different types of experiences before they are three months old, in order to become confident and fearless. Yet far too many puppies are kept at home, away from the world in those important first few weeks. Dont let that happen to your puppy.

Socialization is all about raising a friendly confident dog, and proper socialization helps to avoid problems like fearfulness and aggression. And if it hasnt started already, that process needs to start right now, at 9 weeks old. That means taking your puppy to lots of different places, carrying them in your arms or a carrier, to avoid contact with potential sources of infection.

Enrolling your puppy in a well-supervised, modern force free training class can be a great way of building social confidence too. Studies have shown that puppies enrolled in classes before 20 weeks of age are less likely to be fearful than puppies kept at home.

Can My 9 Week Old Puppy Be Around Other Dogs

The issue with meeting other dogs surrounds vaccination and risk of disease. If you have other dogs at home its fine for your puppy to be carefully introduced to them. The same goes for houses you regularly visit with only dogs that you are confident have been recently vaccinated. However, its best avoiding meeting other dogs in general until your puppy has been fully vaccinated. Dont worry, it wont do them any harm at all.

Can I Leave My 9 Week Old Puppy Alone?

Leaving a 9 week old puppy alone during the day is not a good idea. At this stage of their life they have only been in your home for a short time, and are still settling in. They need constant supervision for toilet training, and are probably still learning to be happy in their crate.

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If you need to go out for a few hours when your puppy is this young, its best to get someone to come and stay with them. Give them a copy of the puppys routine and some clear, simple instructions for their care. If you need to go back to work soon, youll need a really good plan in place for them during the day and you can find that here.

Can I bathe my 9 week old puppy?

Most puppies dont need to be bathed unless they roll in something unpleasant or get themselves covered in food. But Labradors being Labradors, there is bound to come a point when you have a sticky or messy pup on your hands!

Fortunately its fine to give a 9 week old puppy a bath occasionally. Just use a gentle shampoo designed for puppies, and try to make the process fun for your little one. You might find the kitchen sink or a large plastic bowl is a lot less scary than the great big family bathtub.