How Long Do Golden Retriever Puppies Sleep? Age Guide
By Ludic Paws7 min read
Reviewed by Ludic Paws — Lead Writer
It was a morning of Wednesday, when we brought Lilly to our home for the very first time… she was 8 week old at that time - an eight week ball of soft ears and clumsy feet - she slept on my bed for straight 4 hours, that day she took 4 naps, very long four naps. For a first time owner, I got a bit concerned: is sleeping this much even normal.
I picked up my phone and called my friend from whom I brought her, she had a lot of pets and I fell in love with Lilly. She said: “It’s absolutely normal, please calm down, she is going to sleep all day all night.. At least 20 hours a day” and then I was able to breathe.
So the Short Answer: Yes, it is normal for Golden Retriever puppies to sleep 18 to 20 hours a day during their first few months. I know it kinda surprises a lot of first time owners, but it is completely normal for them to do this - actually for all large breed puppies - and sleep does some critical work behind the scenes.
Growth hormones increase during the sleep time which helps in development of their nervous system, muscles and bone lengths.
This guide breaks down what to expect at every age, when puppies start sleeping through the night, and the handful of warning signs that warrant a call to the vet.
How much sleep does a Golden Retriever puppy need by age?
I have compiled a table based on my personal experience and also taken data from AKC, PetMD, and other friends I know who have a Golden Retriever, and some breeders. LudicPaws research shows a consistent pattern and that is - the total sleep time decreases and age increases but the shift is really slow than what most owners assume.
Age | Sleep Per Day | Typical Nap Length | Night Sleep |
8–10 weeks | 18–20 hours | 30 min – 2 hours | 6–8 hours (with potty breaks) |
10–12 weeks | 18–20 hours | 30 min – 2 hours | 7–8 hours (1–2 potty breaks) |
3–4 months | 16–18 hours | 1–2 hours | 8–9 hours (0–1 potty break) |
5–6 months | 15–17 hours | 1–2 hours | 8–10 hours (usually uninterrupted) |
6–9 months | 14–16 hours | 1–2 hours | 9–10 hours |
9–12 months | 13–15 hours | Occasional naps | 10–11 hours |
Adult (1+ year) | 12–14 hours | 1–2 daytime naps | 10–12 hours |
A few interesting things we noticed, from 20 hours to 14 hours, this drop in sleep time takes roughly 10 months. But then even a full grown and fully trained Golden Retriever still sleeps almost half a day and this is normal large-breed behaviour, and not laziness.(Yes, we looked at six different veterinary sources to build a table about napping. Some topics deserve the research.)
What does a normal puppy sleep schedule look like?
Like an adult Golden Retriever, a Golden Retriever puppy do not take a one long sleep, they run their day in a cycle: leep, wake, potty, eat, play, crash. Repeat. The puppies have a cute little window of time when they are awake and it is short as 30 minutes for an eight week old. Below we have made a timeline which might relate with you
6:00 AM — Wake up, potty outside, breakfast
6:30–8:30 AM — Nap
8:30–9:15 AM — Play, short training session, potty
9:15–11:30 AM — Nap
11:30 AM–12:15 PM — Lunch, potty, gentle play
12:15–2:30 PM — Nap
2:30–3:15 PM — Play, socialization, potty
3:15–5:00 PM — Nap
5:00–5:45 PM — Dinner, potty, play
5:45–7:30 PM — Nap
7:30–8:30 PM — Calm play, last potty break
8:30 PM–6:00 AM — Overnight sleep (with 1–2 potty breaks)
This pattern of the window period changes month by month. By the time your puppy is four month old the awake window stretches from 60 to 90 minutes. And six month onwards, the puppy manages to stay awake for two hours also.
When do Golden Retriever puppies sleep through the night?
This is something what comes in the mind of every new owner. For their first 16 weeks, the Golden Retriever puppies sleep for the entire night. For the sleep time, the capacity of bladder plays the major role, we can say that puppies can generally hold their bladder for roughly one hour per month of their age.
This one-hour-per-month thing really works. When a Golden retriever hits 5-6 months, most can hold their bladder for 6-8 hours and can sleep overnight without a break.
If you want that your Golden Retriever sleeps through the night, you need to consistently bring it into his habit. Give him consistent routine for the bed, keep the time same, keep the place also same. Keep the breaks for the potty also same.
You can create a den like structure, not too deep, just big enough for your puppy to go in, sleep, turn around very comfortably. Also keep in mind to limit your puppy’s water intake one hour before the bedtime and also make sure the puppy is hydrated as well.
Why do Golden Retriever puppies sleep so much?
The short answer: Growth takes extensive amount of energy, the development of the brain and the body takes a lot of energy.
A Golden Retriever is a large breed dog, an eight week old puppy weighs around 10 pounds and they have to grow to 55-75 pounds within next 12 to 18 months, this requires an enormous amount of energy.
The sleep patterns of Golden Retriever puppy is very biological, when a puppy is sleeping (specifically non-REM slow-wave sleep), the growth hormones are released by the pituitary gland in pulses. This is the time when the muscles and the bones grow, organs develop. When the puppy is awake, the brain learns from experiences like smells, commands, all the voices, everything they see and then everything is organised during the resting phase.
The neurological development is also taking place at the same time, they have an enormous sensory intelligence which has to develop. If a puppy is not getting enough sleep, they might show the paradox of overtiredness like biting, frantic energy, inability to settle and shorter attention span.
There is also a neurological dimension. Puppies process an extraordinary amount of sensory input during their brief awake windows. A puppy that does not get enough rest often shows the paradox of overtiredness: biting, frantic energy, inability to settle, and shorter attention spans.
Is my Golden Retriever puppy sleeping too much — or not enough?
As we have discussed this topic above also, I have given a fair table of how much a Golden Retriever sleeps usually. But the range of normal sleeping is too wide. You should not focus too much on the sleep but rather what happens and how your puppy Golden Retriever behaves when awake.
Signs everything is normal: Normally the puppies are engaged and alert when awake. Hig hunger should be consistent. Make sure the puppy responds to stimulations with interest and energy. And if the puppy has been awake for half an hour to an hour, then the puppy should crash to sleep.
Signs to talk to your vet: If your puppy is lazy or lethargic during the awake time or there is sudden change in sleeping patterns. Or there are any signs of illness like puking, diarrhea, hard breathing in your puppy, then you should consider a vet consultation.
Also know that none of these things mean there is anything serious and you need to panic, but yes, a visit to vet is what I would suggest rather than taking things in your own hands.
How to set up the best sleep environment for a Golden Retriever puppy
As we learnt earlier a good sleep depends on building good sleeping habits in your golden retriever puppy. Also, Golden retrievers are social dogs, even in the puppy phase, the love been near other humans, animals so the sleeping should also be somewhere the puppy feels secure but not isolated.
The crate question. Most of the breeders and trainers recommend using the crate from day one. It provides a structure that a Golden Retriever feels calming and safe for them. And you can keep that crate in your own bedroom so the puppy does not feel alone or isolated.
Temperature matters. Golden Retrievers are puppies with double coat, even in the puppy phase, to keep them warm. So It is better if the room in which your puppy sleeps is cool(65–72°F), it will make it more comfortable for the puppy to sleep.
Darkness helps. Puppies, just like humans, respond to light cues and just like humans a dark, quiet room signals sleep time. If required, you can use a breathable cover over the crate during the time your puppy sleeps..
Noise consistency. A white noise machine or low fan can mask household sounds that startle a light-sleeping puppy.
Common sleep mistakes with Golden Retriever puppies
Waking a sleeping puppy. When you wake up a puppy, you disrupt the hormonal work going inside the body which means it will lead to incomplete growth of the puppy.
Skipping enforced naps. Some puppies — Golden Retrievers especially — they are not able to self regulate their sleep properly. You will have to enforce their nap times to teach them to settle and prevent overtired meltdowns.
Letting the puppy sleep wherever it lands. When you use a crate for your puppy to sleep inside it from a very young age, they will know that everytime you wantt them inside it, they need to sleep, so it can also help develop a habit of sleeping whenever inside crate
Too much exercise before bed. WThis thing might backfire on you, if you think the puppy will get tired and sleep after some doog exercise then you are wrong. Keep a calm small walk or a gentle training session than a high energy game time before bed time of your golden retriever puppy.
Common questions
- How long do golden retriever puppies sleep at 8 weeks?
- You can expect an eight week old golden retriever puppy to sleep for 18 to 20 hours in a day. These can be broken down into many naps of the puppy waking and sleeping.
- When do golden retriever puppies sleep through the night?
- After a puppy is 5-6 month old, the bladder capacity is developed to hold for 6-8 hours usually, then you can expect your puppy to sleep overnight if you also helped the puppy develop the habit to sleep overnight.
- Is it normal for a golden retriever puppy to sleep all day?
- Yes it is completely normal for a Golden Retriever puppy to sleep all day. During the sleeping phase the body releases growth hormones with are essential for development in the early stages, so the golden retriever puppies tend to sleep a lot during the days. As long as the puppy is doing well, is alert and eating well during the awake phase, there is no behavioral changes, then you need not to worry.
- Should I wake my golden retriever puppy up from a nap?
- Never even try to disturb a sleeping puppy, during the sleep, your puppy is developing bones, muscles, brain and other organs as the brain releases the growth hormones during the sleep phase. So if you will disturb the puppy when they are sleeping, it will slow down their growth.
- How much sleep does an adult golden retriever need?
- An adult Golden Retriever should normally sleep around 12-14 hours a day, this includes the overnight sleep and 2-3 daytime naps. Once a Golden Retriever is above eight (8+ years), then they may sleep for 14–16 hours.
- Do golden retriever puppies dream?
- Yes, golden retriever puppies can dream and this state is called REM Sleep. During this time, they might paddle their paws, or twitch or whimper or even bark sometimes. Research says that during this time brain is consolidating learning and memory.
