Where should a Labrador sleep? Indoors or outdoors, beds and your puppy’s first night

Thanks to its thick coat and water-resistant undercoat, the Labrador Retriever is a hardy dog that adapts well to life both indoors and outdoors. But where it sleeps isn’t just a question of temperature: for a dog so attached to its family, how close it is to you matters too.

In this article we look at where your puppy should sleep in its first weeks, when a Labrador can sleep outside, how to choose a bed or kennel, and what to do about the sofa and your bed.

Puppies: indoors, especially in winter

While your Labrador puppy is small, don’t leave it to sleep outside, especially if it came home as winter was approaching. A puppy regulates its body temperature less well than an adult, and in those weeks it also needs to feel you close by after leaving its mother and littermates.

If it sleeps indoors:

• give it a padded mat or a raised dog bed, so it doesn’t feel the cold and damp of the floor;
• choose a quiet corner, away from draughts, hot radiators and busy walkways;
• an open pen or crate with its blanket inside helps it feel safe and makes toilet training easier;
• if the breeder gives you a cloth with its mother’s scent, put it in the bed: the first nights will be calmer.

It’s normal for a puppy to cry a little on the first nights. It helps to keep it close to you, even just with its bed beside yours for the first few days, then gradually move it to where you want it to sleep as an adult.

Can an adult Labrador sleep outside?

Yes, once grown a Labrador can sleep outdoors, as long as it has suitable shelter:

• a raised wooden kennel, insulated and with a sloping roof, protecting it from rain, wind and damp;
• the entrance facing away from the prevailing wind;
• shade in summer and fresh water always available;
• a safely fenced area, never on a chain.

A Labrador is a family dog, though: even if its coat protects it from the cold, it isn’t made to live alone in the garden. Where it sleeps matters less than the time it spends with you.

Even a dog used to living outside should be brought indoors in severe cold, extreme heat, and when it is old or unwell.

Choosing the right bed

Indoors, the best place for a Labrador is a dog bed that is:

• big enough for it to lie fully stretched out (for an adult, at least 100-110 cm, about 40-43 in, long);
• raised or well padded, to insulate it from the floor;
• with a removable, washable cover;
• for older dogs, or those with joint problems, an orthopaedic memory foam mattress is best.

See what’s included in our puppy kit to help your puppy settle in.

Sofa and bed: yes or no?

If you like, your Labrador can sleep at the end of the sofa. It’s your choice, but bear one thing in mind: a Labrador will want to be as close to you as possible. If you can hold out from the first night and not let it on the bed, life will be easier: it won’t wake you up when it snores or jumps down, and you won’t have to change habits later.

The important thing is to decide beforehand and stay consistent: if it’s allowed up today but not tomorrow, your dog won’t understand.

For puppies there is also a health reason: jumping off beds and sofas puts strain on joints that are still growing.

Hygiene: wash its bed often

Remember to clean your dog’s sleeping area often, to stop bacteria, dust mites and parasites such as fleas from building up:

• wash the blanket and bed cover every week or two, at 60 °C (140 °F) if the fabric allows;
• vacuum around the bed;
• air and clean an outdoor kennel regularly, checking for damp;
• keep up with the parasite treatments recommended by your vet.

Frequently asked questions about where a Labrador should sleep

Can a Labrador sleep outside in winter?

A healthy adult Labrador used to living outside copes well with the cold thanks to its undercoat, as long as it has a raised, insulated kennel sheltered from the wind. Puppies, however, should sleep indoors in winter. In severe cold, it’s best to bring adults indoors too.

Where should a Labrador puppy sleep on the first night?

Indoors, in a quiet corner, on a padded mat or in a pen with its blanket. In the first few days it helps to keep its bed close to you, then move it gradually.

Can a Labrador sleep on the bed?

That’s up to you, but it’s easier not to start from the first night: a Labrador wants to be as close to you as possible and, once used to it, will rarely give it up. For puppies, jumping off the bed also isn’t good for growing joints.

How big should a Labrador’s bed be?

Big enough for it to lie fully stretched out: for an adult Labrador, at least 100-110 cm (about 40-43 in) long.

How often should I wash my dog’s bed?

Wash the blanket and cover every one to two weeks, at 60 °C (140 °F) if the fabric allows, to get rid of bacteria, dust mites and flea eggs.

My puppy cries at night: what should I do?

It’s normal on the first nights. It helps to keep it close to you, give it a cloth with its mother’s scent and take it out to relieve itself before bed. As the days go by it will get used to its own spot.

Getting your home ready for your puppy?

On collection day we’ll explain how to settle your puppy in for the first nights, and we’re here for you afterwards too. Discover our Labrador puppies, browse our Labrador FAQ or contact us with any questions.