How Much Do Rhodesian Ridgeback Puppies Sleep?

How long Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies sleep will vary depending on their age. You will need to watch for cues to know whether or not they are getting enough sleep.

How Much Sleep is Enough Sleep?

At eight weeks, you can expect them to sleep about 20 hours a day. At ten to 12 weeks, they will likely sleep from 18-20 hours and 18 hours a day at fourteen weeks.

Sleep is essential to your puppy’s healthy growth and development, and they will likely wear themselves out with those short bursts of energy when they are awake.

How to Create Comfortable Sleep Conditions

If it doesn’t seem like your puppy is getting in enough zzzs, it could be due to a few different factors.

Your puppy needs to feel safe and secure as well as comfortable, so be sure to provide your puppies with a soft bed to snuggle into.

Their bed should be located away from any busy or high-traffic areas in your home and should be quiet.

If your puppies are getting up much too early in the morning for your liking, you may need to get some blackout curtains or move the bed into a dark room.

Puppies tend to wake with the morning light, though, so you will likely need to become their alarm clock and wake them up.

Be sure to stick to a schedule, and they will eventually wake up on their own and at the right time each day.

Signs That Your Puppy Isn’t Getting Enough Sleep

Dogs that do not get enough sleep will have higher stress levels and will be much harder to train since they are too tired to function, let alone focus.

Having multiple puppies together will make each pooch feel more secure and will be less likely to be stressed or anxious so keep them together as much as possible.

A puppy that doesn’t get enough sleep could become depressed and will likely be more aggressive.

A receptive, already settled pet can also do the trick as long as they are accepting and not aggressive towards the newest addition to the family.

Sometimes owners will snuggle with their pups and let them sleep in their bed, but this could make it harder to transition them out of the bed once they get bigger down the road.

Routine is Key

Puppies thrive on routine, and it will also help them to get enough sleep. It is important to put puppies to bed at the same time every night as part of their daily routine.

This will ensure that they stay calm and will go to sleep easier. There should be enough transition time before bed so that they can wind down a bit before you shut out the lights.

Some owners will leave a dim light or nightlight on, but depending on your puppies, they may get out of bed if they can see and explore.

Having an established routine is also a great way to keep tabs on your pet’s health.

If they are not acting like themselves or their routine is off, it’s a good indication that something is wrong and that they may need to see the vet.

Training for Bedtime

Obedience training is a good way to train puppies to go to bed on time and will also teach them not to whimper during the night.

Dogs, and puppies especially, will whimper because they feel lonely or scared.

Since all puppies are different, you will need to find what works for you, but some dogs need to see their owners at all times.

If this seems to be the case, you may want to keep your puppies in a comfortable bed inside a crate in your bedroom.

That way, they will be able to see you and will go to bed more easily. Then, as they get older, you can transition them into another area of the house.

Exercise is Key to a Good Night’s Sleep

Since puppies tend to have a lot of energy naturally, it’s likely that they will burn off enough energy to fall asleep pretty easily.

But if your puppy still seems to have too much energy before bedtime, you may need to incorporate an extra walk into your daily schedule or let your puppies have some more free time in the backyard.

Puppies that get enough fresh air and exercise are also much less likely to display destructive behaviors and will be easier to bond with as well.

Potty Training For a Good Night’s Sleep

If your puppy is quite young, you may need to take them outside for a pee break a couple of times throughout the night.

As a rule of thumb, a puppy will need to relieve itself every hour of its age.

So, an eight-week-old puppy will need to have a toilet break about every eight hours.

You may need to set the alarm during the night if your puppy is whimpering or having accidents at nighttime.

Depending on your puppy’s personality, they can take having an accident pretty hard, and it can even be damaging to their confidence.

This may be due to embarrassment, or they may feel ashamed or even disappointed for letting their owner down.

Keep that confidence high and read your puppy, so you know when to let them out to take a pee.

A pet door is a great way to give your puppy some independence, and as they learn how to use it, will help reduce those little accidents.

How much do Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies sleep really depends on your puppies, but watch for signs such as irritability, and lethargy, and read the cues your pooch gives you.

They must get enough sleep so that the brain develops, its bones grow nice and strong, and for easier learning.

Your puppy’s bones also strengthen as they sleep, so be sure that they have enough sleep every night.