Why dogs sleep so much

A smaller dog breed usually takes longer to reach old age and requires less sleep. No two dog species are alike and neither are their requirements for sleep either.

Greyhounds Bullmastiff Chow Saint Bernard Bassett Hound Newfoundland are widely known as being lazy dogs because of their sleeping habit.

Why dogs sleep so much. For dogs about 10 of their 12 hours sleeping is in REM sleep. In contrast human sleep cycles include REM sleep for about a quarter of the time were sleeping. Because dogs dont get as much REM sleep they fall asleep easily and wake up alert they need more sleep.

But not all dogs need as much sleep. Puppies and older dogs will likely spend more of their time asleep. Overweight and sick dogs may also sleep more than healthy dogs.

Certain breeds are predisposed towards sleeping more ask someone whos owned both a lazy Bernese Mountain Dog and a working-line Border Collie. Dogs sleep a lot more than people do and they sleep when their bodies say they need sleepunlike people who have busy schedules and dont always listen to the signals from their bodies. On average most dogs spend about 50 of their day sleeping about 12 hours in a 24-hour period.

All of these factors can affect the dogs requirement of sleep. A smaller dog breed usually takes longer to reach old age and requires less sleep. Greyhounds Bullmastiff Chow Saint Bernard Bassett Hound Newfoundland are widely known as being lazy dogs because of their sleeping habit.

They can spend up to 18 hours a day sleeping. This is why regular walks and exercise are so important. Working dogs such as service dogs sled dogs etc.

Tend to stay awake when they know they are working and may have sleep schedules similar to a humans. Breed also affects a dogs sleep. Saint Bernards Mastiffs and Newfoundlands can rake in 18-20 hours of sleep time a day.

Dogs and humans have different sleep patterns. In dogs it takes about 10 minutes for them to get into rapid eye movement REM also known as deep sleep. In dogs about 10 of their 12 hours of sleep are in REM sleep.

In contrast human sleep cycles involve REM sleep for about a quarter of the time we sleep. Because dogs dont get that much. So if youre concerned that she sleeps too much get her involved in a game.

You know what she likes and dogs are always up for something different as well. Many dogs will sleep all day while their owners go to work because they are bored. You can help add excitement to your dogs life by getting another dog hiring a dog walker or leaving the TV turned on to DogTV.

Puppies and Seniors Need More Sleep Puppies. The primary reason for dogs sleeping so much more than humans is they snooze much less deeply and so their quality of sleep is much lower. This explains why theyre so quick to start barking at any sound of someone at your front door regardless of whether theyve been asleep just moments before.

Some of the reasons why dogs do sleep so much are something that can vary greatly from dog to do. No two dog species are alike and neither are their requirements for sleep either. Different breeds of dogs can mean different things and these different things can very well affect the manner in which they do sleep and how long they do sleep or dont sleep.

Things like epilepsy will have a big impact on why do dogs sleep so much Akos et al. Chronic sleep disorders like narcolepsy are also. Dogs feeling bored are likely to sleep and rest more.

This behavior is pretty normal. Working dogs however have an active lifestyle and thus might feel sleepless at night due to stress. If your dog has a stressful lifestyle then chances are it will sleep less.

Dog Sleep by Breed and Size For fully grown larger breeds of dogs non-waking hours can creep up even higher than their smaller counterparts to up to. Humans sleep for hours in one run while dogs sleep in lots of small bursts during the entire day and night. When we humans sleep we spend around 25 percent of our sleep in REM sleep while dogs tend to spend only about 10 percent of their sleep in the REM stage.

Thats why they need to get this restorative sleep throughout the day. Why Does My Dog Sleep So Much. Why do dogs sleep most of their day away.

Healthy adult dogs need about 12 to 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. Theyll typically sleep overnight and then spend several hours per day napping. And as dogs age they tend to sleep more.

Older dogs might sleep more than 14 hours per day. If your dog is sleeping too much it could be a sign that your dog is dealing with some pain. If a dog doesnt feel good it could retreat and spend more time sleeping trying not to make the pain worse.

Take your dog to the vet to rule out common causes of pain such as arthritis or chronic illnesses.