Why does my German Shepherd puppy sleep a lot?

If you have a German Shepherd puppy that has been sleeping a lot then you might be concerned and wondering why.

This post will show you why your German Shepherd puppy is likely to be sleeping a lot and what you should do about it.

So, why does my German Shepherd puppy sleep a lot? German Shepherd puppies naturally sleep for between 15 and 20 hours per day. This is because they are growing fast and they grow during their sleep.

While it is natural for a German Shepherd puppy to sleep a lot, there are actually a number of things that might be contributing to it especially if it is more than 16 weeks old.

Nature

It is natural for a German Shepherd puppy to sleep for between 15 and 20 hours per day (source).

During sleep a German Shepherds brain, central nervous system, immune system and muscles develop. Since German Shepherd puppies grow quickly it is necessary for them to get a lot of sleep so that they are able to direct their energy towards growing.

This means that, if you are concerned about why your German Shepherd puppy sleeps so much, then don’t be since it is natural for them to sleep a lot at a young age.

With that being said, if your German Shepherd puppy sleeps for more than 20 hours per day and it is lethargic when it is awake then it may be cause for concern and it would help to take it to a vet.

Other things that can cause a German Shepherd puppy to sleep a lot

While it is normal for a German Shepherd puppy to sleep a lot there are also a number of other factors that could be contributing to it sleeping so much.

Additionally, if it is more than 16 weeks old, it should be starting to sleep much less than it used to. If it is sleeping for more than 14 hours per day then it could be that there is something else contributing to it.

Below, I will mention a number of things that could be causing your German Shepherd puppy to be sleeping a lot.

Heat

Heat can also contribute to a German Shepherd puppy becoming sleepy.

German Shepherds are designed to thrive in colder environments which is why they have double coats. As a result of this, when the weather starts to heat up, it can cause them to be more sleepy.

Heat would be much more likely to be the reason why your GSD puppy has been sleeping a lot if it suddenly started to sleep a lot more when the weather became hotter.

If that is the case, it would help to make sure that it has access to shade, cool areas and water throughout the day. It would also help to avoid letting it out in direct sunlight when the sun is directly overhead.

Illness

Illness can also cause a German Shepherd puppy to be more sleepy.

This would be more likely to be the reason if your German Shepherd puppy suddenly started to sleep a lot more than it used to. It would also be more likely if its behavior changed suddenly or if it became lethargic as well.

If you think that it might be sleeping too much due to illness then the best option for you would be to have it checked up on by a vet.

Boredom

It might be the case that it has been sleeping more than usual due to boredom.

German Shepherds are highly active, while they are awake, when they are young. If they do not have things to stimulate them in their environment then it can cause them to become bored.

German Shepherd adults require a lot of exercise. However, the amount that you should be exercising your German Shepherd puppy will be a lot less since their joints are not fully developed yet.

Instead, you can keep it occupied, while it is young, by training it to behave the way that you want it to when it is older. It is important to take the time to train it while it is young since it will be easier to change its habits and you will be able to avoid behavioral issues when it gets older.

Related post: How to tell if your German Shepherd loves you

Diet

A poor diet could also be why your German Shepherd puppy sleeps a lot.

This would be especially likely if it started to sleep more at around the same time that you changed its diet.

You can look at this website to see what you should and should not be feeding your German Shepherd puppy.

If you are unsure of what food to get for your German Shepherd, consider getting dog food designed specifically for German Shepherds. You can get dog food specifically designed for German Shepherd puppies on Chewy here. 

Too much exercise

While it could be the case that your German Shepherd puppy gets bored, it could also be the case that it is getting too much exercise.

Since German Shepherd puppies grow rapidly it is important not to exercise them too much otherwise it can damage their joints.

According to the Kennel Club, a good rule of thumb is to give your German Shepherd puppy 5 minutes of exercise per day for every month of age. So, if it is 3 months old, it would be recommended to limit its exercise to 15 minutes.

If your German Shepherd puppy is lethargic when it is awake then it would be a sign that you are giving it too much exercise.

Related post: Ways to exercise your German Shepherd.

Consider if it suddenly started sleeping a lot more

If your German Shepherd puppy has slept a lot right from the start but it is lively when it is awake then it is likely that it sleeps a lot naturally.

Whereas, if it has suddenly started to sleep a lot more than it usually does then it would be more likely that there is something wrong. The list mentioned above could all be reasons why your German Shepherd puppy suddenly started sleeping a lot.

It would help to consider what else changed at around the same time that it started to sleep more than usual.

If it has also become lethargic when it is awake or its behavior has changed then it would likely be worthwhile for you to take it to the vet.

What to do about your German Shepherd puppy sleeping a lot

There are a number of things that you can do about your German Shepherd puppy sleeping a lot that I will mention below.

Allow it to sleep as much as it needs to

As mentioned above, it is natural for a German Shepherd puppy to be sleeping a lot.

With that being the case, one of the best things that you will be able to do is to allow it to continue to sleep as much as it needs to. You should find that it will, gradually, begin to sleep less as it gets older.

Make its sleeping environment comfortable

Seeing as they are meant to be sleeping a lot, it would help if you can make its sleeping environment as comfortable as possible.

You can do this by ensuring that it is not too hot where it sleeps, it is comfortable for it and that it has access to water when it wants it.

Ensure that its diet is right

Seeing as its diet could be contributing to it sleeping so much it would help to ensure that it is getting the right diet.

You can look at this website to see what you should and should not be feeding your German Shepherd puppy.

Give it access to cool and shaded areas

If you live in a warm area then it would likely be helpful if you can ensure that your GSD puppy has access to cool and shaded areas when it wants it.

It would also help to avoid taking it outside when it is hot out and to do it in the morning or evening instead.

Take it to a vet

If you are unsure of why your German Shepherd puppy is sleeping so much or you think that there might be something wrong then the best option for you would be to have a vet look at it.