Exhausted Puppies Create Bad Habits Through Boredom

Did you know that your puppy needs about 20 hours of sleep a day?

However, most often your dog will not take this time on their own, so you need to step up and help them. When your dog shows naughty behaviours out of boredom, they just need sleep – kind of like a time out – to reenergize and make better decisions.

 But it’s not always easy to give them that time during the day, you want to constantly be up with them and play… but trust me it will help both of you and your relationship.

It’s like kids, overtired puppies will try to fight their sleep and do things out of boredom.

You can recognize this, if you are aware and see behaviours like nipping, biting, no longer listening, hyperactivity, chewing, excessive barking, panting, or licking.

Encourage your puppy to wind down and use the same consistent sleeping place to remind your puppy.

Some simply strategies you can start implementing right away, to help your puppy get that sleep!

1.  Leave your puppy undisturbed:

I know it is hard to resist those cute little puppies but leave them be when they are trying to sleep. Do not disturb them unless it’s necessary. We recommend using a crate to give your puppy an absolute feeling of safety.

2.  Show your puppy where to sleep:

Sometimes they will sleep for an hour or more, so a safe place independent from you will be very helpful. We suggest a crate, dog bed or another quiet place in your home. This will take some time to get the idea, but eventually your dog will recognize the spot as a place to sleep.

3.  Follow a schedule:  

It is extremely helpful to help your dog to sleep when they are exhausted, so plan naps after playtime, walks, training and more. There is a physical exhaustion as well as a mental exhaustion, make sure to recognize both! Puppies will sleep for 30 minutes to as long as two hours and that is perfectly normal.

Puppies will thrive on routines and patterns, make sure you consciously choose the patterns, and not your puppy!

Interested in learning more on how you can guide your puppy be their best? Check out our program Dog Mastery!

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