Why Do Dogs Sleep So Much?

You get up in the morning and your dog comes to say good morning with his tail wagging, and with his eyes still half closed, because he was sleeping peacefully. Start preparing your breakfast and he, after the initial joy of seeing you, returns to his kennel and continues to sleep. When you come home after a long day at work, he is still there asleep! But in short, your dog does nothing but sleep all day!

If it can reassure you, you should know that this is not just about your faithful friend:  all dogs spend most of their time … sleeping.

The question arises: why do dogs sleep so much? Read the article and you will find the answer.

How long should a dog sleep?

Dogs need more sleep than humans. As adults, our four-legged friends spend 12 to 15 hours a day sleeping, while when they are puppies they can sleep up to 18 hours.

The amount of rest needed depends on several factors such as age.  The older dogs get, the more they need to sleep. The old woman’s ailments and delicate health mean that the body has to rest longer. In addition to age, the lifestyle of the animal must be considered: whether it is an apartment dog, a working dog or a dog in the wild.

• A  dog in the wild lives exposed to the elements, it is always on the lookout for who goes there  to get food and in a state of alert to defend itself from a possible enemy.
• In the case of working dogs, just as  the name indicates, they have a job to get done. Their free time is limited, they usually have the same rhythms and schedules as the owner and often  cannot spend as much time as they would like to sleep.

Why do dogs sleep so much?

An apartment dog has a lot of free time and tends to get bored easily.  For this, he will try to kill time by sleeping. If you combine the dog’s need for physiological sleep with chronic boredom, you will understand why your four-legged friend spends so many hours lazing around.

When is it worrying?

Obviously, if your dog sleeps more hours than we have mentioned, it can be a sign of the presence of some pathology or in any case it could be a symptom that something is wrong.

It can also happen that our dog lazes all day, and that at night he does nothing but wander around the house.  Is this your case? Don’t despair, there are various ways to remedy this.

Tips for getting your dog to sleep at night

• It is very important that your dog’s sleeping place is comfortable, and that it makes him feel safe and secure. It must be a warm place in winter and cool in summer. If your dog is overly dependent on you, you may want to place his kennel next to your bed. Indeed, if you access this compromise, you could make him sleep with you.
• Exercise is essential to ensure that your dog sleeps like a log throughout the night. Make him run and play late in the evening. By doing so, when it’s time to sleep, it won’t take long to get to sleep
• Do not feed them too late to prevent the dog from going to sleep with a full stomach. Nocturnal digestion hinders sleep and causes nervousness and restlessness.
• You can always ask your vet for advice. He will likely prescribe some tranquilizer to help your dog get used to these new rhythms and sleep and wake times. 

If, on the other hand, your dog sleeps mostly at night rather than during the day, then consider yourself lucky and you can safely ignore our last tips. However, we are sure that this information will be useful to you.

If you notice that your dog is sleeping less than necessary, talk to your veterinarian. The dog could be stressed or anxious: in both cases you will have to go to a specialist.