Bichon Frise Sleeping Habits: All You Need to Know

Just like with people, it is important for dogs – including your bichon frise – to get enough sleep to be able to function properly. That said, you might be wondering what “enough sleep” means for your dog. How long and when should your bichon frise sleep? Where should it do so?

That and others are the questions that we will answer today.

How Long Should a Bichon Frise Sleep?

How long a bichon frise sleeps depends on their age, how active they are, and their general wellbeing. Furthermore, every bichon frise is unique, and your pup might follow a slightly different sleeping schedule.

Therefore, it’s best to treat the following as a guideline, not a set of rules.

Newborn Puppies (0 to 2 Weeks)

Newborn bichon frise puppies spend a lot of time sleeping. Essentially, their day consists of two to three-hour naps broken up by feeding time. So essentially, puppies spend 90% of the first two weeks of their lives asleep.

All of this sleep is critical for a bichon frise’s healthy development. It may not look like it, but this early stage of continuous sleep is a demanding period in their growth and development.

3 to 6 Weeks

Between the age of 3 and 6 weeks, bichon frise puppies will begin interacting with the world. Their eyes are open, and their senses spark curiosity in their surroundings. However, while a bichon frise pup might look like they are gearing up for more playtime, they are still infants. At this age, bichon frise puppies should sleep for around eighteen hours a day.

Now that they are becoming mobile, the mother dog needn’t keep them all bundled together. Instead, they will instinctively huddle together with their siblings and mother for warmth.

7 to 12 Weeks

As a bichon frise puppy approaches the 12-week mark, they begin interacting with the world in meaningful ways. For example, a 12-week-old puppy will play with things in their environment. They are testing how this world they find themselves in works.

Combining their curiosity with their puppy teeth coming in ensures that anything they can chew on will get chewed. They learn that balls can roll and siblings can tug, which is all strenuous work. That is why a bichon frise puppy still sleeps for about eighteen hours a day, even though they aren’t ‘babies’ anymore.

4 to 6 Months

Your puppy is an infant no more. Between the age of 4 and six months old, a bichon frise puppy becomes very busy, interacting with the world with ever-increasing coordination. That is also the age at which a bichon frise starts approaching their full-grown size. However, just because they are almost grown does not mean they are ready to slow down.

During this particularly active period in a bichon frise’s life, they might sleep quite a bit less than ever before. While the average sleeping time for a 6-month-old bichon frise is from 14 to 16 hours per day, there is no reason to be alarmed if they sleep less than that.

7 to 12 Months

Large breeds usually reach physical maturity at around 12 months old. The bichon frise, like many other small breeds, grows up a bit faster. They are fully grown long before their first birthday. That also affects their sleeping habits.

Most bichon frises will slow down during this time, returning to a 16 to 18 hour a day sleep schedule. It is worth noting that bichons frises’ sleeping schedules can vary from one dog to the next at this age.

12 Months and Up

An adult bichon frise’s sleep will vary depending on their individual needs, as well as their environment. Their routine depends mostly on you, their owner. Your sleep schedule will affect their routine, and your active hours can impact when they feel comfortable sleeping.

On average, an adult bichon frise sleeps for 18 hours a day.

7+ Years

As a bichon frise matures, they will start taking longer naps. For example, a maturing bichon frise will sleep for up to 20 hours, while a senior or geriatric bichon frise can sleep for over 22 hours a day.

Do Bichons Frises Sleep at the Same Time Their Owners Do?

Bichons frises are intelligent dogs that excel at advanced training, but they are companion dogs. Without a routine centered on a job like hunting or herding, the bichon frise has adapted almost exclusively to be a good companion animal. As such, they tend to adapt to their owner’s routine with ease. You will find this particularly true if your bichon shares your bedroom.

Perhaps best of all, it doesn’t require training to get them on your routine. Most bichon frise owners report the process happening naturally.

What to Do If Your Bichon Frise Sleeps Too Much?

Bichons frises sleep more than many other small breeds. While breeds like terriers and corgis were selected to fulfill a specific role, bichon frises have long been companion dogs and little else. It does not mean that bichons frises are lazy but simply that they have developed following one of nature’s laws. Bichons frises conserve quite a lot of energy by resting as much as they do.

That said, a sudden change in their sleep routine and hours could indicate an underlying health problem. So if you notice a big change in how long your bichon sleeps, you should take them to your vet. Diabetes is a common culprit for increased sleep, but several health concerns can impact how long your bichon frise sleeps and the quality of sleep they get.

What to Do If Your Bichon Frise Doesn’t Sleep Long Enough?

As we’ve discussed, the amount of sleep bichon frises need varies from one dog to the next. That said if your bichon frise sleeps significantly less than they should at their age, or they suddenly start sleeping less, it could indicate a problem.

Usually a major sleeping problem in older dogs, such as being awake at night and sleeping in the day is an indication of “doggy dementia,” or canine cognitive decline. So if your bichon is a senior, you may need to speak to a veterinarian to help manage this as they grow older.

Generally, when dogs struggle to sleep, they are not getting enough physical exercise. Often this also means they are mentally understimulated. The tell-tale sign that your bichon frise needs more exercise and stimulation is poor sleep combined with irritability and destructive behavior. If it is the reason your bichon frise is not getting enough sleep, you can address the problem by increasing the length of walks and offering more varied play.

You also need to be sure they have a quiet, dark area to sleep. Blaring televisions and the light from devices can disrupt your dog’s sleeping patterns.

Bichons frises are very sensitive to their owner’s needs. If your bichon isn’t sleeping as well as it once did, consider your sleep routine. Has anything changed? Are you working longer hours? A change in your routine will almost certainly impact your bichon frise too.

Other reasons your bichon frise is not sleeping well might include allergies and injuries. Anything that makes it physically uncomfortable for your bichon to find a comfortable sleeping position can affect their sleep.

If you are uncertain, it is always best to consult your vet. Many health concerns can indirectly or directly impact your bichon frise’s sleep.

3 Places Your Bichon Frise Can Sleep In

Now that you know how long your bichon frise should sleep, let’s take a look at where it should do so.

Crate

Ideally, your bichon frise would sleep in a crate. Crates help dogs with routine and a sense of security. Crates also help make house training a great deal easier. Furthermore, crates help address one of the biggest challenges the bichon frise faces: separation anxiety.

However, some essential steps are involved in using a crate to help your bichon with their anxieties.

Doggy Bed

A doggy bed is a good option for daytime sleep. If you spend a lot of your time in your living room or home office, you might consider placing a doggy bed nearby where your bichon frise can sleep while still feeling close to you.

The main downside with a doggy bed, at least when it comes to bichon frises, is that they will not use it if the bed is set up too far from where their owner sleeps.

Your Bed

Your bed is not the first spot a professional would recommend, and with good reason. Sleeping in your bed will do nothing to improve or mitigate your bichon frise’s separation anxiety. That said, it is your decision to make, and if you spend most of your day with your bichon, this could be the most viable option.

5 Positions Your Bichon Frise Can Sleep In

Lastly, let’s take a look at the different positions your bichon frise can sleep in.

Belly-Up (or Crazy Legs)

If your bichon frise sleeps on their back, legs up in the air, they likely feel submissive. It is a common way for bichons to nap, but they don’t usually sleep like this for too long at a time.

On Their Side

Lying on one side, legs straight to the other, is perhaps the most common position most dogs sleep. So if your bichon takes to this position, they will probably sleep like this most of the time.

The Superhero

Flat on their belly, back legs stretched behind them, front legs stretched before, the superhero or ‘superman’ is one of the most adorable sleeping positions you’re likely to catch your bichon taking.

All Curled Up

It is common for dogs to curl up into a bundle when they sleep. Depending on how tightly they curl themselves up, this sleeping position could make it harder for your dog to go into full REM sleep.

Variations

There are a lot of sleeping positions that are essentially variations of those mentioned above. In addition, dogs can choose to sleep next to each other or even cuddle up together.

Summary

The bichon frise sleeps more than most other small breeds. The main reason is that they are companion dogs.

Where working dogs have a specific role to play, the bichon frise’s role is to tend to the needs of their owners.