If there’s one thing your dog loves (aside from a long walk and some tasty dog food), it’s sleep. No matter their age, energy levels, or temperament, a dog’s slumber is precious to them, but some dogs love it more than others. However, you may sometimes question if their love of sleep is normal, especially if you’ve noticed changes in their patterns. Here, we’ll discuss what a healthy sleeping pattern looks like for dogs, while also touching on how long they should sleep at different ages.

 

How Many Hours Sleep Do Dogs Need?

It’s quite normal to see your dog sleeping loads throughout the day. From a quick snooze in the afternoon to a post-walk slumber, adult dogs can easily get up to 14 hours of sleep every day.

Compared to human sleeping hours, this can seem like an awful lot. But, it’s important to remember that a dog’s sleep schedule is quite different to that of a human.

 

How Do Dogs Sleep?

 

Dogs sleep in stints throughout the day. Like us, they’ll usually have one long overnight sleep of around eight hours, while also sleeping in smaller pockets broken up between the morning and afternoon. Very quickly, those hours can add up, equating to some serious sleeping statistics.

 

Your dog’s age can greatly impact how much sleep they get. So, we’ve broken it down for you even further.

 

Read more: What Do Dog Sleeping Positions Mean?

 

How Long Should Puppies Sleep?

 

 

In their younger years, it’s normal to see a puppy sleeping for most of the day. Just like human babies, puppies need sleep to regulate their bodies and allow them to develop properly.

 

Puppies sleep longer than adult dogs, so expect to see them snoozing for up to 20 hours a day in some cases. As they develop, this figure will gradually come down, before settling at around 16-18 hours.

 

How Long Do Adult Dogs Sleep? 

 

Moving to the next stage of your dog’s life, when they’re adults (between six months to one year old), the amount of time they spend sleeping decreases compared to their puppy years.

Adult dogs sleep between 12 to 14 hours a day, depending on their breed and activity levels. Low activity breeds, such as toy dogs, for example, can sometimes sleep longer compared to high activity breeds.

 

How Long Should Senior Dogs Sleep?

 

As your adult dog gets older and transitions into their senior years, the amount of time they spend sleeping increases. For senior dogs of around seven years of age, anywhere between 14 to 18 hours of sleep per day is expected

 

It’s normal for a dog to ‘slow down’ in its older age. By the time they’re in their senior years, their activity and energy levels will decrease gradually. This, combined with the increased risk of injury/fatigue to their bones and joints, means that your dog will spend more time sleeping as opposed to running around

 

So, if your elderly dog sleeps all day, it could just be their age catching up with them.

 

Sometimes, though, health conditions can also be at play. If you suspect that something else is afoot with your dog’s health, please get in touch with your vet.

 

Is Your Dog Sleeping Enough?

 

If you find that your dog is sleeping for much less (or more) time compared to these rough averages, there could be a few contributing factors:

 

Their Diet: Some dog food diets are known to give extra (often unneeded) amounts of energy to your dog. This can prevent them from sleeping properly, keeping them active.

 

Mental Health: Dogs, like humans, experience mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and stress. All of which can contribute to increased alertness in your dog, interrupting their sleep.

 

Activity: Dogs need proper exercise to stay fit and healthy. If your dog doesn’t get enough, they’ll store up their energy and sometimes release it in short, frantic bursts. Read more: What Are Dog Zoomies and Why Do They Happen?

 

Underlying Pain: Dogs are stoic animals. They’ll rarely complain about any pain they might be feeling, which can make some physical ailments hard to diagnose. An inability to sleep can sometimes be a symptom of hidden pain in their bodies.

 

Other Health Conditions: Some underlying health conditions can also contribute to a lack of sleep, like hyperthyroidism, for example. Hypothyroidism, on the other hand, can result in excessive sleep.

 

Their Environment: Dogs love a place, or multiple different places, to get cosy and settle down. Without an area to rest their heads, your dog can find it difficult to fully relax into sleep.

 

How to Help Your Dog Sleep

 

In addition to advice that you can get from your vet, if your dog is struggling with their sleep, try addressing the following:

 

Check Their Food: If you’ve recently changed your dog’s diet, it could be affecting their sleep levels. Foods that are rich in carbohydrates or additives will often give them too much energy, preventing them from sleeping properly.

 

Consult Their Vet: Before trying anything drastic to remedy your dog’s sleep, we highly recommend reaching out to your vet for tailored advice. They’ll be able to advise you with your pup’s situation in mind, while having full access to their health records.

 

Appropriate Walking: As we’ve mentioned, different dogs will have different demands activity-wise. Smaller dogs generally require less exercise compared to larger ones, but they still need it. Make sure that your dog gets an appropriate workout based on their needs, whether that’s a short stroll in your local area or a few laps around a field.

 

Change Their Bed: Sometimes, it could just be a case of discomfort at night that’s preventing your dog from sleeping properly. An old bed that has lost its softness or turned bumpy can make it difficult for your dog to find that perfect spot and drift off.

 

Your Dog’s Needs, Explained

 

Your dog is unique – truly one of a kind. To keep them fit and healthy, we’re committed to helping you understand them on a deeper level. Not just their favourite dog treats, but what makes them tick.

 

For more dog-related help and advice, check out our other blog posts.