Written by Jill Zwarensteyn, Editor
Does it seem like your dog is always awake? Or, on the contrary – does it seem like your dog is spending a nice amount of time sleeping?
Well, the truth is that sleeping for a longer period is something natural for the canine lifestyle. Dogs tend to be active about 20% of the time.
They snooze about 50% of it and are awake 30%, but they prefer lying around. Of course, there are quite a few factors which would possibly alter these values, so let’s take a look.
How Much Sleep Do K-9s Need?
The amount of sleep that your dog needs is going to depend on a few different things. We’ve taken the liberty of summarizing a few of them.
Age
Your dog would average between 12 and 14 hours of the entire 24-hours cycle sleeping. Of course, as the age of your dog progresses, it is going to start to need larger amounts of bedtime as their life would become more difficult – they would tire out a lot easier, and they would need more rest so that they can function properly. Babies and puppies, on the other hand, would spend a lot more time on exhausting their energy.
Breed
Working dogs tend to be staying awake a lot more in comparison. This is something that’s demanded by their physical as well as mental necessities that they have to face every single day. If the dog has a task that will keep his attention active throughout the day – it won’t sleep as much. Of course, the dog would need to catch up on its sleep so that it can conveniently restore its energy.
Health
Sleeping is a very important part of the overall lifestyle of your canine friend, and this is not something that should be bothering you. If your dog takes longer naps – that’s normal. However, if you see that there is a significant change in the sleeping habits of your dog and something feels off – you should contact a professional vet as quickly as you can.
Life Events
There are different life changes which are going to take part in your dog’s overall lifespan. And, just like us – they are also going to react to them. Dogs adapt well to their original environment and, as such, if you alter something of their common experiences, they are likely to get affected.
Dog Sleeping Cycles & Patterns
The sleeping patterns of dogs are quite similar to ours. They would start in a slow wave, and throughout this time the breathing is going to slow down, their heart rate would decrease, and the blood pressure would drop. 10 minutes in, they will enter the REM phase, and their eyes would be rolling under their closed lids.
Their bodies are likely to start reacting to their dreams. The only difference is the duration of this phase – while we tend to spend about 25% of our time sleeping in REM phase, dogs only have about 10%.
Frequently Asked Question
Does Exercise Affect Their Sleep?
Yes, of course. The more energy your dog wastes during the day, the more it would need to sleep so that said energy levels can be restored. Therefore, the more your canine friend plays or works during the day – the more it’s going to have to nap so that it can restore this wasted energy.
When Should I Be Concerned?
As we mentioned above, your dog needs to sleep quite a lot. So, if you are noticing that it’s doing so throughout the majority of time in the day – this shouldn’t pose a concern. However, if you see that there is something obviously wrong with his sleeping patterns, you should get on the phone and call a vet immediately.
Conclusion
As you can see, dogs and humans are much alike in their sleeping patterns as well. Of course, our canine buddies need a lot more sleep than us to stay in top condition. They also dream, which is something that a lot of people find fascinating.
Make sure to be aware of the overall sleeping cycle of your dog. Always keep one eye out for any serious changes – this is quite important.
Jill Zwarensteyn
Editor
About Author
Jill Zwarensteyn is the Editor for Sleep Advisor and a Certified Sleep Science Coach. She is enthusiastic about providing helpful and engaging information on all things sleep and wellness.
Combination Sleeper
Sources and References:
- Understanding a Dog’s Sleeping Habits – petwave.com
- How Many Hours Do Dogs Sleep Each Day? – sleep.org