Why Do Dogs Sleep So Much?

Does your dog spend the maximum of its time sleeping around? It may seem excessive to you but sleeping for long periods is a natural part of the dog lifestyle. During 24 hours of a day, dogs spend around 12 to 14 hours sleeping.

To break it down, even more, they tend to spend 50 percent of their time snoozing, 30 percent awake but just lying around, and the remaining 20 percent actually being active. How much sleep your dog needs depends on several factors:

Changes in routine or life of a Dog

 

If sometimes dogs experience any change of routine or sudden life changes such as a loss of a companion or a human friend, they will obviously be affected and react to that change. This may cause your dog to be extra lazy. Your dog may need extra sleep to get its mood and energy level back up to normal.

Dog’s age and size

As compared to adult dogs, puppies and older dogs need more sleep. Just like babies and children, puppies spend a lot of their time spending their energy while playing and exploring their new surroundings. They might need as much as 18-to-20 hours of sleep to recover!  It is similar to older dogs; they might need more rest because they get tired easily.

Breed and activity level

The amount of sleep your dog needs also depends on its breed. Large breeds like Newfoundlands, Mastiffs, St. Bernards, and Great Pyrenees, and bigger dogs in general often need more sleep than small sized breeds.

Working dog breeds are more likely to stay awake for a longer duration because of their jobs that require their attention. Dogs that are homebound and leadless career-oriented lives may end up having more inactive, sleep-filled lives.

Dog’s health

As every dog owner knows, sleeping is an essential part of a dog’s everyday routine; you don’t need to be concerned if your dog loves snoozing.  However, if you find that there is a sudden change in your dog’s sleeping habits or something seems a little off or more than usual, you might want to consult your veterinarian. Excessive sleep has been linked to several health conditions such as canine depression, diabetes, and hypothyroidism.

Type of sleep

Dogs have similar sleep patterns as humans. When a dog has completed his full sleep, you can see how relaxed and rejuvenated they feel. Once they enter REM sleep, they also dream. You can notice their legs moving or hear crying or other sounds while they dream. Recently, there have been some studies on the sounds dogs make while sleeping.

You can learn more Dog Huffing sounds here! Lastly, remember that dogs sleep more than humans, but they are light sleepers and wake up easily.

If you are worried about your dog’s sleeping habits, then consult your veterinarian for further diagnosis.

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