Where Should A Shih Tzu Sleep?

When you adopt a Shih Tzu, it is very important to ensure it will live with you right from the first day.

Your Shih Tzu adapts to things very easily. So, if you let your Shih Tzu sleep with you when it’s a baby and later ask it to sleep separately, then your Shih Tzu will get confused about what you want and why you want this.

Setting these rules from the start will help it understand that this is how it is and how it should be forever. Changing your Shih Tzu’s sleeping places and time will affect it mentally, and it will not sleep properly like this.

Shih Tzu is a social dog and likes to spend time with people, but sometimes, it may need time for itself when it is not bothered by people or other dogs. Setting a space or corner for your Shih Tzu will help it have its me time. Do not change this position later because when it finds comfort in one place, it will not be easy to find comfort in another place so easily.

Where Should A Shih Tzu Sleep?

• Giving them a space close to you will help them find comfort, especially during their puppy age or their first days with you. But it should only be for a few days as soon as it grows a little, change its space and never change it again. It is important because if you allow it to stay close to you, it will try to get even closer and might get in your bed too. But getting into bed is fine for every owner as they don’t shed.

• You may notice your ShihTzu crying on the first night, but you don’t need to worry much because it is very normal. Even though it will not be easy not to take stress over crying, you need to know that it is okay. They need to understand that everyone has their own space, and they have their own.

• You must give them a bed of its size, not too small or too big. It is best to avoid putting many toys and fancy stuff around it when it is young (a baby) because it will go through the teething stage, which will ruin all the decorative stuff and affect its teething process.

• If you live in a place where the weather is always good and you have a beautiful outdoor space or even a garden, then you can get your Shih Tzu a doghouse of its own to relax by making its doghouse as comfy as you can. Let it spend its time outdoors if it likes, and let it soak in the sun occasionally if it likes to.

Should I Let My Shih Tzu Sleep In My Bed?

If you let your Shih Tzu sleep in your bed, then remember it will not be easy to change its position later. Because changing its position somewhere else will affect its emotional health, and it will be deeply sad.

But if you are not planning to change its place ever, then you can definitely let your Shih Tzu sleep in your bed because this will help you stay calm and happier than usual. It will also make your Shih Tzu a lot happier as it wants to stay with you all the time.

If you don’t want your Shih Tzu in bed with you, having a bed like the one below is a great option.

Can Shih Tzu Sleep Alone At Night?

It depends. If you used to sleep with your Shih Tzu, and now you want it to sleep alone, it might be challenging because it will get hurt and cry all night.

But if it is always without you, then it is not a big problem.

At first, it might cry at night, but you need to ignore that and let it live on its own so that it understands that from now onwards, it has to sleep alone no matter what. It will need to settle on its own.

With time it will be okay to sleep alone because, naturally, it loves to have some me time as well.

In this way, it will get its time after the entire day.

How Long Does Shih Tzu Sleep At Night?

Every Shih Tzu has different sleeping hours, and it depends on how it spends its day.

If your Shih Tzu spends a busy and active day, it is possible that it will have a good long sleep. But if it was lazy throughout the day, it might only sleep for some time.

The age and size of your Shih Tzu play a very important role in how long your Shih Tzu will sleep.

Sleeping for twelve to fourteen hours is normal in adult Shih Tzu, and it usually divides these hours into both day and night according to its desire.

It usually takes eight to nine hours of sleep at night, and the rest hours are for the day.

In the daytime, ShihTzu takes several naps to complete the required sleep time.

How Do You Train A Shih Tzu To Sleep In The Bed?

1. Have a safe setup

It is very important that your Shih Tzu sleeps without any problems in its bed.

There are chances it can fall or harm itself in any way while sleeping alone. Keeping essential things close to it will help it sleep easily without having to roam around the house throughout the night.

Giving it proper training to use food and water and do potty so that it will not have any problem doing it at night by itself. Make your Shih Tzu wear pee pads and be comfortable with them.

• Encourage sleeping at its place

Make sure every time your Shih Tzu is sleepy, you need to tell it to sleep at its place (the area given to it, for example, its doghouse)

• Maintain a schedule

You must schedule everything you do with your Shih Tzu because this is how you can also set a bedtime routine. Otherwise, the bedtime routine will only be easily set if you have a routine for other things.

• Setting a routine for meals

Setting a routine and size of meal bowls throughout the day will help your Shih Tzu sleep easily throughout the night without having to get up to go to the bathroom.

In this way, your Shih Tzu will also maintain its bathroom routine.

• Change the day mode of the house to night mode

Make sure to turn the lights dim and make everything cozy 1 hour before bedtime every day.

Having a TV on is not a big deal, but you can also turn the volume down to enhance the night effect.

Make sure the house is relaxed so that you can easily go to sleep without trying.

• Sleep disruptions

Make sure that you help your Shih Tzu with sleep problems.

It may not be usual, but it can occur when you change your house, there is a temperature change, or when your Shih Tzu is ill or has an injury.

Does Shih Tzu Like To Sleep?

Shih Tzu is a sleepy head when we talk about its sleep. Also, Shih Tzu not only sleeps at night but also sleeps in the daytime. Shih Tzu requires a lot more sleep than humans.

Half of its day is spent sleeping. They need to have this much sleep because Shih Tzu is known to be very physically and mentally active.

So, they need to gain enough energy to spend later on the day’s activities.

The more active your Shih Tzu stays during the day, the better sleep it will get later.

Shih Tzu will have well-hydrated and soft skin and very shiny and soft hair (fur).

Plus, your Shih Tzu will stay in a very good mood for the rest of the day.

How Does Shih Tzu Sleep?

Being a sleepy fellow, it has multiple sleeping patterns. Shih Tzu goes through many good dreams and bad dreams during its sleep.

It can be easily noticed when your Shih Tzu is moving its legs in sleep; it is groaning, barking, licking the air, and raising its ears.

You may also find your Shih Tzu snoring, but this is okay because Shih Tzu is brachycephalic, which makes its airways naturally narrow, and your Shih Tzu will also have a flat nose.

Your Shih Tzu is also active in sleep because it can be seen resting physically, but it is actually dreaming, focusing, and using its brain for the dreams.

Polyphasic sleepers

In this phase, your Shih Tzu will be between being awake and asleep. At this stage, its sleep is not too deep; instead, it is having a slow wave sleep.

Slow Sleep (NREM)

At this stage, your ShihTzu is becoming calmer in terms of mental and physical factors. It is very relaxed and may change its position at this stage.

During this stage, your Shih Tzu’s body temperature and heart rate decrease. Its growth hormones are being released at this stage.

It is when it is getting to sleep but still not dreaming at this stage.

This sleep helps the brain and body to repair and recharge for the next day.

Deep sleep

This stage is where your Shih Tzu goes into a deep sleep. It is the time when it starts dreaming. It will start moving its legs or bark and groan during sleep, confirming that it is dreaming.

While dreaming, its eyeballs are moving really fast under its eyelids.

It will be very clear because Shih Tzu always has its eyes slightly open, and you can see its eyes moving when it’s in a deep sleep.

At this time, your Shih Tzu brain is very active, as if it is awake.

Social sleepers

Being a social sleeper means you can sleep when people or other dogs are around you.

A lot of Shih Tzu prefer to sleep in some social presence to feel more secure and relaxed without taking any stress.

Sometimes, you notice that your Shih Tzu is not sleeping at night but always sleeps in gatherings or around people. It is because it wants to feel safe while sleeping, which is only possible when someone is around them.

If your Shih Tzu is new, keep it from sleeping alone because it will always worry for your safety, and you will stay alert throughout the night. When it sees you around people and is close to you, it feels relaxed and sleeps immediately.

Conclusion

Sleeping is a very important thing for living things. For humans as well as dogs.

But ensuring that your sleep routine is right and you are not having any sleep issues is very important.

The same goes when thinking about your Shih Tzu and its sleeping routine.

If you want your Shih Tzu to be physically and mentally healthy, helping it maintain its sleep patterns is very important.

It is very important to provide it all the important things for a good sleep, like a good sized bed, a proper relaxing atmosphere, and a proper routine.

Shih Tzu can sleep anywhere, but to improve its sleep and health, you must give it its special space so that it can relax there and spend its time there whenever it wants.

It will boost its mental as well as emotional health.

Ensuring that your Shih Tzu is sleeping at the right place and time is very important so that it can have a good long sleep with lots of sweet dreams.