Two Questions About How Puppies Sleep - from Emily

Emily is a first time puppy owner and daughter of one of the long time members of the internet security community. Emily is eight years old and has two questions about how her puppy is sleeping. The puppy is a bichon frise and here are Emily’s two question:

• why does the puppy just stops playing and goes to sleep? - It sound like you have a very smart puppy, Emily. When he is playing with you, he has less energy that you. His energy will be better and better, as he grows older. However, as a puppy, he can tire really quickly and he just knows that the very best thing for him to do is have a small nap. You may find pup just stopping, putting his head down on the floor and soon sleeping soundly. This is not unusual and there is most likely nothing wrong with your puppy. You can ask your parents to mention this to the veterinarian when your puppy goes for his next shots but I wouldn’t worry about it. Pups often do this and then they are ready to play again when they wake up. Just remember that after pup wakes up is a great time to take him outside, so that he learns and remembers the house rules.
• is the puppy dreaming when he makes noises when he sleeps? - That is a great question, Emily and I don’t know. My best guess is that dogs do dream. I have had a dog who yelped and mumbled when she slept. Sometimes her tail would thump the floor and her legs would move like she was running. Of course, she was sound asleep. Everyone just thought she was chasing rabbits in her dreams.

Thanks for the questions, Emily. Your father says you are worried about the puppy. I think your puppy is fine. When you see him sleeping less often, it means that he is growing up and becoming a teenager. Just have loads of fun with him.

Catherine