As a canine owner, have you ever wondered how elixir life the dogs are living in. Getting out of the bed, going outside to relieve himself, come in for a snack and go back to the bed again. Waking up, going outside, coming in for dinner and then again going to bed for another sleep. While it may be more sleep time for you but it’s completely normal for your dog to sleep about 12 hours a day. As a canine lover, I wanna tell you more about why dogs sleep so much or what you should know about the sleep cycle of your dog.
Lemme share my canine experience with y’all.
Why do dogs sleep so much?
As compared to humans, dogs sleep much more due to different factors like age, breeds, diet, activity, health etc. The sleep results for well growth in canines, conservation of energy in the working days and also recovery in unwell or older dogs.
Diet habits
Diet plays a major role in all aspects. Lack of nutrients in a diet can cause tiredness and lead to more sleeping.
Level of activity
The level of activity also impacts the daily sleep cycle of your dog. Sleep time in working dogs is less while more in dogs with less activity level.
Health issues
A dog’s sleep is affected by health issues a lot. Medical conditions in dogs or those who are recovering from some sort of illness, tend to sleep more than normal.
Breed
The sleep patterns are also affected by breed. Larger breeds like Mastiffs, Saint Bernards sleep more than the smaller breeds.
Age concerns
Puppies & older dogs have more sleep time. A lot more energy of puppies is spent in growing & exploring their surroundings. Meanwhile the aged dogs become tired easily.
To maintain a healthy range of dogs, always have a keen eye on the sleep cycle of your dog. Health concerns are indicated by significant changes in their sleep routine, so it should be addressed to a veterinarian.
How many hours does a dog sleep per day?
On an average, it is suggested that dogs sleep about 12 hours a day out of 24 hours of time period-which becomes 50% of day. Puppies, older dogs and large breed dogs have more sleep duration than the working dogs or small breed dogs.
Though dogs spend 50% of their day sleeping, additionally 30% of the day may also be spent by your dogs in what we call loafing. Loafing means when the dog is awake but hanging around and doing nothing_just like humans. Generally dogs spend their loafing time lying down, enjoying being too lazy and gazing at the world.
So we come to know that around 80% of a dog’s day is spent doing nothing at all, just sleeping and whopping.
What should I do if my dog sleeps all day?
You are noticing a change in your dog’s sleep pattern, it becomes important for your veterinarian. If you are noticing that your furry friend sleeps just 2 to 3 hours in the morning and then wakes up all day and suddenly he starts sleeping 5 to 6 hours in the morning and at noon_it is a sign to go to your veterinarian.
The change of sleep patterns in your dog may be due to conditions like kidney disorder and diabetes. The major reason why your older dog sleeps more than normal may include arthritis, cardiac disorder and hyperthyroidism (an underactive thyroid condition).
Another thing I must tell you is the response of your dog to being awakened. Mostly the dog becomes awake fairly quickly and if there’s any motivation like a snack, they will just stretch and get up from the nap_ready to go.
There’s a matter of concern for vets if the dog wakes up very hard or is skipping the motivated things they enjoy. If the dog has sleep time more than usual or feels hard to wake up, set a sleep log and call your vet.
The veterinarian will look at the sleep log and perform tests according to it to find the underlying conditions which might be possible. The conditions which cause your dog to sleep more than normal and feels a reductant to wake up quickly.
Conclusion
In the universe of canines_you have now known why dogs sleep so much or how many hours a dog can sleep. Unlike humans, dogs have different sleep patterns and conditions. The sleep cycle varies according to different factors as I have told you above. A good nap gives strength and motivation to your dog. After all, calmness is what makes a dog more active.
Give your dogs a happy nap.
FAQs
My dog sleeps all day, is it normal?
Yes! It’s normal and there’s nothing to worry about if your dog sleeps 12-14 hours a day. Factors like breed, health issues, activity level and diet changes the sleep cycle. Age also impacts the sleep duration like puppies and aged dogs sleep about 18-20 hours_which becomes almost a day.
Do dogs dream while sleeping or not?
Like humans, dogs also dream while sleeping. When they enter a deep sleeping stage which is called the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, they start dreaming. The whimpering, twitching or paw movement during sleep is suggested that dogs are dreaming. The dreams may be about daily life exploration like chasing a ball and interaction with someone etc.
What does dog’s snores mean?
Just like humans, dogs also snore for so many reasons and it’s normal like there’s not a matter of concern at all. The snoring may be due to obesity, sleeping position, blocked airways and allergies etc. There are also some breeds with short noses like pugs and bulldogs_which is also a reason for snores. But if the snoring is too loud every time they sleep or they have a difficult breath, then ask your vet. This can be a sign of respiratory problems or sleep apnea.
