How Many Hours a Night Does a Maltese Sleep?

The number of hours your Maltese sleeps with depend heavily on the amount of activity they do and how old they are. Knowing you dogs sleeping patterns is important. Changes to their sleep will alert you to possible illness or injuries.

Maltese puppies can sleep up to 18 hours a day whereas an adult should settle into a more reasonable 8- 10 hours but it can really depend on your Maltese. Just like humans have different sleeping habits Maltese can have their own individual habits. So what is typical for one Maltese may not be the same for another Maltese. There are a variety of factors which can influence the sleep patters of a dog. Some of these include:

• Noise and disruption in the house or yard.
• Feeding times (Are they hungry?)
• Exercise routine
• Age
• Comfort

Obviously if there are loud noises and general disruption around where your dog is sleeping there is more chance it will be woken up and not get any deep sleep. Deep sleep is when animals recover their energy. If you feel this is one of the reasons then you should find a quiet place to put your dog bed or kennel.

Hunger or thirst will make it hard for you dog to sleep. Its hard to sleep when your hungry or thirsty. Ensure your dog has enough food and enough water in order to satisfy any hunger pains that may be occurring. Another option is to change the feeding time for your Maltese so that it is closer to the times you want them to sleep. A full puppy is a sleepy puppy.

Exercise will tire even the biggest fluff ball and drain it of its energy. Maltese are a small breed and due to their size, exercise sometimes gets forgotten. If you pampered pooch is not being exercised then it is time to try and instill an exercise routine. The great thing is it only needs to be about 10 minutes to 15 minutes for a Maltese and they will tire out quickly. The added benefit is you will be getting fit at the same time and also spending quality time with your Maltese puppy.

As a Maltese dog gets older they will tend to sleep more. An older dog will need the rest to be able to put in the bouts of energy when required. Older Maltese generally will feel the changes in temperature more and you should ensure they are kept both warm in winter and cool in summer to make it easier for them to rest.

Your Maltese will sleep better if they are comfortable. If it is a hot sticky night then putting them onto a cooling mat or in a nice cool room with air conditioning will definitely help make them more comfortable. When it is cold it would be great if you could give them a blanket to sleep on. This will keep the chill from coming through the floor and rising up through their bed. Also a comfortable padded bed will do wonders in helping them sleep longer at night in winter.

How can I make my Maltese dog sleep through the night?

There are a number of reasons your Maltese may not be sleeping through the night. While a few tips have been provided already, lets just cover all of the things you can do which may help your Maltese sleep through the night.

• Time of feeding. Don’t feed them too early or they will wake up hungry. You want to ensure they are eating within a couple hours of settling in for the night. Puppies espeically need to be fed at more frequent intervals though so keep this in mind when planning your feed schedule for your Maltese.
• Amount of feeding. Ensure you do not underfeed or overfeed your Maltese. Both of these can cause issues sleeping. Overfeeding your Maltese will make it feel bloated and uncomfortable. If it sleeps on its stomach, and if it is full of too much food, this will cause it to have discomfort. Underfeeding your Maltese can also be an issue as they will feel hungry and hunger pains can wake them up in the middle of the night. If you are really unsure on how much to feed your puppy check with the local pet store.
• Amount of exercise and regular exercise. Ensure your dog is getting enough exercise through out the day. A late afternoon or evening walk will help tire them out and prepare them for a good nights rest. Regular exercise will create a routine and dogs thrive on routines. Burning energy throughout the day will help your puppy sleep much better just as it will help you sleep better. The added benefit is you will get exercise and spend quality time with your dog.
• Bad sleeping patterns. Do not let your dog sleep all afternoon and then expect them to sleep all night. They need to be kept alert and amused throughout the afternoon and early evening. Boredom may cause your dog to rest and sleep at the inappropriate times. To ensure this does not happen get them some pet toys to keep them amused and ensure you play with your dog as often as you can. Your Maltese should be part of you family and talking to them all day long when you are around will have great benefits to their mental health and your mental health.
• Comfortable bed. A comfortable bed suited to the temperature conditions will help your puppy sleep better. It is about getting the right bed for the right conditions. A Maltese will love a warm comfortable bed in winter that has padding, but come summer it is a much better idea to get a bed which is lifted off the ground that allows air to flow under it.
• Cooling mats in summer are great to help a puppy who can not sleep due to the heat. These mats can be cooled in the fridge or freezer for added coolness and your hot puppy will love laying on it to get a quick shot of coolness against their body. An air conditioned room will also help immensely.
• Toilet breaks. Ensure you have taken your Maltese out to the toilet just before bed time. This should stop any late night wake ups for a trip outside. You should also keep an eye on when they need to poop as this will be related to their feeding time. Adjusting their feeding time later or earlier may help to remove unwanted wake ups for toilet breaks in the middle of the night.
• Fleas can keep your dog awake. If fleas are constantly biting you dog and making your Maltese itchy this will wake them up and cause restless sleep. You can treat fleas easily and safely with a variety of treatment and brushes. Not all of these work on all dogs so find which one works for your Maltese puppy. If your dog does have fleas you may want to shampoo your carpet in your house. If your dog is an inside dog the fleas could be throughout your house. Only a small percentage are on the dog and you would be horrified to find out how many might be in your carpet.
• Proximity to their owner. Some Maltese when pampered will get separation anxiety if they leave their owner. This can easily be fixed by having them sleep at the foot of your bed or at least in the same room. Separation anxiety can also be treated by a professional dog trainer but it does require a change in your habits and demeanor to your Maltese.

All of these tips will help your Maltese puppy to get a much better and fuller nights rest.

What is a normal amount of sleep for a Maltese in 24 hours?

The number of hours a Maltese will sleep in 24 hours is highly dependent on the age.

Very young puppies may sleep up to 20 hours a day. Even older puppies may still sleep for 14-16 hours a day. Puppies tend to go very hard and fast when they are a awake and are a handful but because they go so hard they tire out very quickly. Puppies will tend to sleep heavily for a few hours then wake up and want to play again. Unfortunately for you puppies will tend to wake up in the middle of the night but as they get older, just like human babies, they will learn to sleep through the night.

As a dog gets older it will fall into a pattern of sleeping while you are not there and being awake when you are at home. It will reduce its need for sleep down to about 10 hours a day. Your dog as an adult Maltese should have a regular sleep habit that you are aware of. If it does change its sleeping habits you should be alert for any illness or problems.

As your Maltese gets older (12+ years) it will need to have a lot more sleep. It will tire out easier then it did previously and want to nap as often as possible. This is just old age setting in and you can expect them to sleep up to 14-16 hours a day. When they are not sleeping they will generally be resting at this age.

Unusual tiredness and Lethargy in Maltese

As a pet owner it will become apparent to you very quickly if your Maltese is sleeping excessively and is lethargic.

Sometimes this can be caused by overfeeding or over heating. You could also notice them sleeping extra during the day if they were restless the previous night.

But if you do not believe these are the reasons or your Maltese seems to be getting worse or continues to be lethargic then you should take them immediately to a vet to get professional advice.

One of the common reasons for lethargy in a young Maltese is hypoglycemia. This is a drop in blood sugar and giving them a hit of sugar (usually in the form of honey) can alleviate the problem but if you believe this is the cause please see a vet for managing the condition.

The most serious concern you should have is that your dog may be ill or injured. Some illnesses are life threatening and lethargy is a common symptom of many illnesses both minor and severe. As a Maltese owner you can make the best judgement of what to do but be rest assured that its always better to be over cautious with a trip to the vet for expert advice.

Items that could help your Maltese Sleep better

Maltese can benefit from a few items which will help them sleep better. These items include:

• High Quality Kennel. Kennels should keep you dog dry and help them not be distracted by the world around them.
• Comfortable bedding. Bedding in winter should be soft and warm. In summer it is better if you can provide a bed off the ground to allow air flow to cool the bed.
• Blanket. Any blanket under the bedding in winter will help to insulate the cold from the ground getting through your pets bedding.
• Dog Coats. In colder months a dog coat for a Maltese can be a good way to keep them dry from the rain and warm from the cold.
• Scissors, Shaving equipment – Keeping your dog well groomed and its hair shorter in the summer months can help cool it down.
• Shampoo, Conditioner and Water. A bath will help cool own your pet in the summer months.
• A shallow bathing pool. Kids pools are great for quickly wetting your dogs feet and giving hem somewhere to lay in extreme heat.
• Air conditioning. Your dog will appreciate air conditioning exactly the same way you will. If it is hot and you have air conditioning then move your dog into the same room as you.
• Drinking bowl. Keeping lots of water available to your dog will ensure they are dehydrated. To ensure your dog does not get up during the night for a toilet break you should put the bowl out of reach after 8:00pm or should should monitor their water intake and take appropriate steps to ensure they are not filling their bladder just before they settle in for the night.
• Pet Toys. Toys will help keep your pet amused throughout the day and ensure they are not bored. They may be sleeping all day and that is why they will not sleep at night. Check out our best Maltese toy recommendations.

All of these items will help your Maltese get a good nights sleep either directly or indirectly. A happy Maltese will sleep much deeper and sounder then one which is hungry, thirsty or uncomfortable.