How Much Do German Shepherd Puppies Sleep?

Want to know much sleep a German Shepherd puppy needs?

Perfect! You’ve come to the right place.

No sleep leads to misbehavior, bad habits, and potentially unwanted accidents.

image of German shepherd puppy sleeping on a blanket

In this Digdoggy.com guide, you’ll learn:

  • How much sleep is essential for a GSD puppy
  • Factors that affect how much your puppy sleeps
  • Where a puppy should sleep

And much more!

What's In This Guide?

      How Much Do German Shepherd Puppies Sleep?

      Although German Shepherd puppies are full of beans, these furry tots need more sleep than a human baby.

      GSD puppies aged 8 to 12 weeks need 16 to 18 hours of sleep each day.

      Playful puppies need this much sleep as they burn a ton of energy when they are awake. What’s more, sleep is vital for rapid muscle growth and brain development.

      But if your puppy sleeps 20 hours or more a day, we suggest taking him to the vet immediately. There might be underlying factors for his lethargy.

      image of Cute black and brown shepard dog sleeping and lying on white background

      What Should You Know About GSD Puppy Sleeping Schedule?

      Puppies will sleep at different times throughout the day and these puppy naps could last from 30 minutes to a couple of hours.

      What determines how long these daytime sleep sessions last depends on the length of time the puppies are left undisturbed.

      If you notice your pup getting drowsy, you will want to lead them to bed where they can sleep undisturbed. Pupper may take time to get the idea, but eventually, they will recognize that it is their special place.

      Moreover, it is only natural for a GSD puppy to wake you up in the middle of the night during the first few weeks of bringing them home.

      With tiny undeveloped bladders, very young puppies will always need to pee.

      Puppy naps are difficult to schedule. One minute Lil Fast & Furious is doing the zoomies and the next, they are snoozing off in a funny position somewhere random in the house.

      Therefore, you need to make sure your GSD pup has a long stretch of sleep at night.

      Age Puppy Bedtime
      2 months 12 to 6 am
      3 months 11 to 7 am
      4 months 12 to 6 am

      Once your GSD pup reaches 17 weeks, you may pick a bedtime and wake-up time that suits you best.

      If you like to go to bed later and wake up later, then your puppy can certainly adjust to that schedule.

      When Do GSD Puppies Start Sleeping Less?

      GSD puppies aged six to eight months are more active; they will be seen playing more during the day.

      While you may find it difficult to make your frisky pup relax, he will always squeeze in a nap when he is not playing or eating.

      Another thing to note: puppies at this age have better control of their bladders and therefore, they can sleep longer at night with fewer potty breaks.

      Despite being bigger and stronger, GSD puppies of this age still require at least 16 hours of sleep daily.

      What Affects The Sleep Quality Of GSD Puppies?

      Poor diet and sickness are the most common reasons why a German Shepherd puppy is sleeping more than usual.

      If your German Shepherd is not getting enough protein-rich nutritious food specially formulated for puppies, he could become lethargic. So, evaluate your puppy’s diet.

      Poor diet also puts your puppy more susceptible to disease. When Pupper is sick, he may sleep more to fight off harmful pathogens. A parasitic infection also causes malnutrition and weakness.

      How Do GSD Puppies Compare To Other Breeds?

      The German Shepherd is a large breed and based on anecdotal evidence, large breeds tend to sleep more than small breeds.

      While there haven’t been many studies to support this, veterinarians, however, agree that large canines require more metabolic energy.

      Therefore, they are also required to sleep more.

      Where Should German Shepherd Puppies Sleep?

      A cozy bed inside a crate or playpen is the ideal place for a GSD pup to sleep. Add age-appropriate toys and edible chews to make his crate more inviting. Chewing is a fun and soothing activity for teething pups,

      For the first three weeks, you will want to keep your puppy’s crate close by so that you can check him up.

      Note: It usually takes a maximum of three weeks for a puppy or a newly adopted dog to settle down in his new home and grow confident.

      After the three-week duration, you may place his doggie den in a different space with the least noise. Equally important, your puppy should not have access to these common but dangerous household items:

      • Electrical cables
      • Forbidden foods
      • Household cleaning products
      • Toxic plants
      • Vases, glass ornaments
      • Needles
      • Children’s toys 
      • And other potential choking hazards

      If you don’t want to splurge on a bed that your puppy will outgrow, you can use a huge pillow or a thick blanket so it feels comfy for him to sleep in. Add a cover on top of the crate to give your furry tot a feeling of safety and security.

      Can a German Shepherd puppy sleep with you?

      Research has shown that nearly 50% of all pet owners share their beds with their furry family members. I, myself, am guilty of this!

      Sleeping with your pooch is not necessarily bad; it actually provides a handful of benefits for you and your canine. On the other hand, this practice does have negative aspects but only if your puppy has never acclimated to sleeping on his own bed.

      While you may eventually want to let your pooch sleep beside you, it is wise to start out sleeping inside his crate. You can always let Pupper hop in once he is fully potty-trained.

      5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Sleep With Your German Shepherd Puppy

      As a pet mama, I do understand how heartwarming it feels to snuggle our furbabies through the night. However, there is a list of downsides to it and I learned those the hard way.

      🛌🚫🐶 Quality Of Sleep Is Affected

      German Shepherd or not, sleep quality will be affected when you allow your puppy to sleep on your bed. When my Chow Chow pup was 8 to 12 months old, I had to wake up four times at dawn because Baobao, my little girl, needed to pee.

      As canines have a sharp sense of hearing, they remain alert for sounds even when they are asleep. Puppies could easily pick up on faint noises during the night.

      As puppies are insatiably curious, Pupper will wake you up so the two of you could play Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes!

      After investigating the source of the strange sounds, there is a high chance that your pup won’t still let you rest. Pupper will most likely “play-attack” your face and hair. It’s nothing aggressive but it’s absolutely annoying!

      🛌🚫🐶 Stinky Presents Awaits

      A puppy who is yet to be potty trained should never step foot on your bed. Unless you are born as lucky as a leprechaun, it is almost 100% guaranteed that your pup will pee on your bed or worse, do number two… twice!

      Puppies will always have some kind of accident.

      Therefore, encourage your pup to sleep on his bed which ideally, should be inside a crate or playpen. Domesticated dogs are inherently neat. Pupper will not soil his bed because he cannot get away from it.

      But when a puppy is sleeping on a large human bed, he can walk to the furthest corner to do his business and he will return to lie elsewhere once he is done. You don’t want to wake up seeing brown blobs on your Tempur-Pedic, do you?

      🛌🚫🐶 Bungee Jumping… But Without The Cord

      Adult German Shepherds can leap insane heights but jumping can be perilous for young dogs below 15 months old.

      The distance between the surface of the bed and the floor is not a safe range for your little pooch because his bones and muscles are not yet fully developed. He could sustain injuries, like fractured bones or torn tendons, or worse, a serious blow to his head.

      🛌🚫🐶 Leads To Separation Anxiety

      There might come a time that your German Shepherd won’t be able to sleep beside you and you need Doggo to be okay with that.

      What if your GSD needs to spend the night boarded at a vet clinic, a doggie daycare, or a relative’s house?

      If your puppy sleeps in bed with you every night, he could develop separation anxiety in the future because that is all he knows. Domesticated canines live and learn by routine. Every routine you establish during puppyhood is crucial.

      🛌🚫🐶 Creates More Issues Down The Road

      Being given unlimited freedom from boundaries could form a habit that is going to be extremely difficult to break later. The tiny furball sleeping in your bed could grow into a 90-pound cuddle buddy. How lovely!

      But as soon as you attempt to share your bed with someone else, say a boyfriend or a girlfriend, your GSD is almost certainly going to hate your partner and cause havoc in your relationship.

      Why? Because Doggo is protective of you and one side of your bed is his. Talk about resource guarding at its finest!

      Final Thoughts on GSD Puppies sleeping

      In many ways, welcoming a new GSD puppy is like having a baby in the house.

      To ensure your puppy gets enough sleep, you’ll need to provide him with a comfortable bed, preferably inside a crate.

      If babies need a crib, puppies need a crate. Crate training is crucial during puppyhood, chiefly because it also speeds up potty training.

      You don’t want your furbaby to sleep on yours because puppies poop a lot and throw occasional tantrums!

      Lara Writes

      Lara Writes

      Lara, a.k.a Alpha Mama, is a great dancer and belter singer, although the world tells her otherwise. However, her greatest pleasure is working with animals. If the Alpha Mama is not being delusional, she manages to create informative articles and clear-cut buying guides. She also likes to share her personal experiences that may ignite your soul or possibly change your life!

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      Lara Writes

      Lara Writes

      Lara, a.k.a Alpha Mama, is a great dancer and belter singer, although the world tells her otherwise. However, her greatest pleasure is working with animals. If the Alpha Mama is not being delusional, she manages to create informative articles and clear-cut buying guides. She also likes to share her personal experiences that may ignite your soul or possibly change your life!

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